SHEBBEAR College students braved the elements in a successful expedition in Wales’ Brecon Beacons as part of the final stages of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The seven Year 12 and Year 13 students took part in the trip during half term, walking 50 miles over four days, carrying all their food and camping equipment on their backs.

The team was made up of Angus, Elizabeth, Spencer, Heather, Helen, Kate and Robert. Leaving their teachers Lucy Body, Chris Deakes and Mitch Kingsland behind with their minibus at the start, the idea was to be totally self-sufficient throughout the four day, three night adventure.

On Tuesday morning the team left the sunshine of Shebbear with bags packed full, food prepared, and a solid route planned. After a three-hour bus journey they arrived at the starting point, the Usk Valley in Wales, starting with a beautiful walk along the canals and into the wilderness.

Each checkpoint that day was met on time but not without testing the team’s navigational skills and teamwork. With promising weather and the day coming to an end, the team made it to the first campsite of the trip. Tents were quickly set up, dinner prepared, and lights out by 8.30pm for a much-needed rest ready for the challenging second day. 

Day two was the longest leg of the team’s route. With warm porridge to start the morning and the sun still down, the team set off for the highest peak in the Breacon Beacons, Pen y Fan.

Marching into mist, they had to rely heavily on the map in low visibility conditions. The 886m ascent was mentally and physically challenging, but this brought the team closer together as they achieved their goal of finding the peak. Reaching the summit, they took a picture by the keystone at the top to mark their accomplishment, then carried on.

Once back down in the valley, the team rested for lunch next to a picturesque reservoir.

The rest of the walking for that day was relatively smooth and allowed the team to take in the sun and scenery of the area. At camp on night two, though, the physical pain of sore feet, heavy shoulders, and tiredness began to show. 

Next morning, the team set off in search of waterfalls. Through muddy paths, tall grasses, and across a river they arrived at the first of four. This one had a path behind the waterfall itself which they got to experience with all their waterproofs on. The next waterfalls allowed for some amazing pictures and a nice end to the third day. 

The final day of the expedition took the team into a deep valley, with the majority of the journey being downhill. The start of the day was cold and damp, which seemed reminiscent of some of the students’ wet training days on Dartmoor or atop the windy cliffs in Bude.

The team reached the minibus and were reunited with staff mid-afternoon with a true sense of accomplishment, not to mention exhaustion. The team was all proud to have finished strong and with a smile on their faces. 

‘With the expedition behind us, the whole team would like to say a massive thank you to the staff who accompanied us; Mr Deakes, Miss Body, and Mr Kingsland,’ said a team spokesperson.

‘Without you we would not have had this opportunity or the support to get through the challenge. The memories we have made will last us a lifetime.’