Earlier this term, six of our pupils - Charlotte Bradley, Felix Collar, Alexander Erb, Archie Heading, Belle Sauboua, and J Vivian - travelled to Norway to complete their Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition.
This is the fourth time that we have delivered this expedition package, and each time has been different. This year, our group had to face -21 degrees temperatures with strong winds and deep snow. However, they did also have some sunshine and stunning views to enjoy!
Below is a writeup of the expedition from DofE Manager & Head of Outdoor Education, Mr Macpherson:
The training package was a steep learning curve as the students had to learn to cross country ski and also how to navigate in this environment. They also learned some essential safety procedures and group management.
During the expedition itself each day presented its own difficulties. Deep snow in the forest on day one resulted in very slow going and the team had to take turns at the front to break the trail, which was a lot easier said than done. What impressed me most was the way everyone thanked the person for their efforts after their shift at the front. It didn't matter if it was 10 feet or 100 feet, every effort was praised.
This, as you can imagine, took quite a long time, so when we emerged from the woods onto more firm ground it was already dark. The final 5km to the hut was skied in the dark under a full moon with some assistance from our headtorches.
Day two was a better day. We travelled along good snow trails, and the group’s route choice was a joy to ski on. Unfortunately, as often happens on DofE expeditions, a slight navigational error resulted in us going the wrong side of a hill and being back in the woods. This in itself was not an issue however it did make the going slow. Once again, the group dug deep and were soon back on track and once again making good progress along nice snow. Unfortunately, this delay did result in us seeing the moon again but while I would have preferred to be in the warmth of the hut, the surrounding snow-covered mountains were a dramatic sight under a full moon and a clear sky.
Day three was a glorious day with not a cloud in the sky. Great snow conditions, good navigation and relatively easy terrain made for a great day out. We even arrived at the hut before it was dark.
The weather forecast for day four was very poor with heavy snow and strong winds. Skiing from the hut in zero visibility was a challenge and the group were led by Tom Higgs, our lead instructor, with me at the back keeping the group together. After a few challenging hours, the weather eased enough for us to hand navigation back to the group. It will come as no surprise that after such a day, the last couple of kilometres were skied yet again in the dark however this time, it was on easy tracks all the way back to the hotel.
During the expedition, the students covered almost 100km over a wild snowy landscape. We had tears and tantrums, blisters and sore feet, but also some great navigation and some many views. We had some equipment failures and at times some very challenging conditions. However, at our debrief in the warmth of the hotel, there was so much positivity from the group. All the challenges they had faced over the preceding week had drawn out strengths they didn't know they had. It was great to see the young group reflect so positively after such a challenge.
I would like to thank Shiplake College for allowing us to deliver this expedition again and allowing our group to have a week off school. This is without doubt one of the most challenging and rewarding DofE Expeditions I have had the pleasure of being involved with. Every time we have delivered this package, I am amazed by the resilience of our students and the positive way they reflect on the challenges they have faced. This expedition truly embodies the forward-thinking ethos of Shiplake College - long may it continue!
Following on from the expedition, it was wonderful to receive a lot of positive feedback from parents of pupils on the trip. The expedition's assessor, Tom Higgs, said:
'Thank you for the opportunity to work with Shiplake College again. This was the most challenging and rewarding Gold expedition I’ve ever worked on to date. It was successful thanks to good preparation before coming out to Norway, and I believe, the approach we take to moderate actual against perceived risk. Please pass on my thanks to the school as without their willingness to participate at this level, any students’ personal gains would, I am convinced, be significantly lower. Very powerful, positive statements were made by them at the debrief, backed up by my own observations over the expedition journey. They ALL have gained invaluable experience in discovering and pushing their boundaries of what they believe is achievable, physically and mentally. Feel free to quote me on this and do please pass on my sincere thanks to Shiplake College.'
Mr Macpherson added:
'Tom's words echo many comments we have received over the years from the other guests and owner of the hotel in Norway. Everyone we meet are always amazed by what we (Shiplake) are providing for our students. This year especially we had such a diverse mix of students, most of whom you would not expect to take on such a challenge but they did.
I hope that Shiplake continues to push the boundaries of what we do and not slip back into the more conventional expedition options for gold groups. I can assure you when I speak to other DofE Managers about what we offer, they are blown away.
I would also like to thank Shiplake for the opportunity to develop these expeditions and to push what is perceived as the norm for Gold DofE Expeditions and, for Norway in particular, the willingness to allow students out of College during term time. It has been truly rewarding for me but more importantly our students.'
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