The Award Sections:
Expedition

"This section of the award aims to "encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery".*

There is no getting away from it – the Expedition section has to be the most challenging part of the Gold Award. For a start, it has to be undertaken in “wild country”, which in itself can be quite a shock for those used to the gentler landscapes of Norfolk. Then, everything necessary for survival over four nights and five days’ walking has to be carried uphill and down, over streams, through bogs and sometimes over barbed wire fences. No wonder candidates’ reports talk of aching backs and blisters on their sides where their rucksacks have rubbed.

And then there is the weather. Of course, the sun can shine in Wales in August, but it rarely seems to do so for our Award groups, who usually undertake their final assessed expedition in Wales towards the end of August. And putting up your tent on a slope in the rain at the end of a long day’s march may not sound like fun, especially when you remember that any hot food also has to be prepared on a tricky gadget called a tranja.

Despite all precautions it seems impossible to avoid blisters – or worse – and there is much talk of bandaging sore feet before setting off in the morning, and limping in exhausted at the end of the day. One year one participant became quite ill with hypothermia, but his fellow walkers (and the trainers) looked after him properly and he was able to complete the expedition with the rest of the group.

And this is the key: the GROUP is what it is all about. This is not something you do on your own, and one of the most rewarding aspects of the whole experience is the close bond that is almost always forged between members of the groups. And, despite all the negative comments above, the overwhelming impression from candidates’ reports is one of enthusiasm, achievement and enjoyment (if only in retrospect!) The beauty of the wild scenery, especially when the sun does shine, the satisfaction of finding the right route after taking a wrong turning, the close companionship with your fellow walkers and above all the huge sense of achievement at the end of the five days all combine to make this an experience of a lifetime.

*Quotation and section benefits from The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award entrance pack.

Case Study - 2005 Expedition Group

The following quotes from some of the candidates' reports reflect this:

"Looking back on the expedition filled me with pride; I had accomplished one of the hardest tasks in my life, and was at one stage very ill whilst trying. I learned a lot about myself and realised I could push myself further than I ever thought possible and could keep going, even when things seemed impossible… I left knowing a lot more about each individual in the group, and having strengthened existing friendships. … The expedition taught me about myself and others, and it also taught me that, no matter how painful your feet are, you can still have a good laugh!"

"I learnt many new and helpful skills, met new people, made new friends, and made myself a more rounded person and had an altogether great time, and I would recommend it to everyone"

"I've learnt we shouldn't take things for granted we survived at the end of the day, so it couldn't have been that bad. In the end, all you need to be happy is food, good company and nature!

"We were so pleased and amazingly happy because we had all done it, we hadn't quit or given up as we so felt like in the early stages"

"I enjoyed the expedition even though there were challenging times, but it made me a stronger person mentally and gave me more confidence in myself. There are memories I will never forget and new friends I will keep in contact with, as we have all developed a bond after our experience. I would definitely recommend this, as the pros outweigh the cons!"

"I enjoyed meeting new people and seeing the countryside we were walking through. Also it made me feel a better person as I had accomplished something I had never done before, so overall I felt good with myself and my accomplishment"

"I'm glad I did it, it gives you a sense of achievement, and gave us all a chance to meet new people and make new friends. I enjoyed the expedition even though we had our down times and felt like we couldn't make it, but knowing I did has made it a very satisfying experience. I would recommend doing this to anyone."