Ockbrook School Gold DofE expedition
This last week I’ve been supervising a Gold DofE expedition in Snowdonia, for ten girls from Ockbrook School. I ran their practice expedition a few months ago, where we had blizzards in the Brecon Beacons, so we were all hoping for better conditions this time! I met them and their school leaders in Llanfaifechan, from where they would start a 4 day journey, totally self supported, to south of Snowdon. The ethos of the Gold DofE expedition is that the students carry everything they need for the 4 days, camping, cooking and looking after themselves along the way. The days are long and the walking arduous, and the experience of a wild-camp is new to most of them. Its a fairly big ask for the students, who often have very little experience in the outdoors, and a big achievement when accomplished.
After a short drive to the start point, the girls were off on the start of their Gold DofE expedition, into the rain and over the Carneddau… My role as a supervisor was to ensure their safety, but essentially to leave them to it, let them make their own decisions and experience it all for themselves. By staying out the way but nearby, I was able to shadow one of the groups whilst Simon the school leader did the same with the other team as their routes were slightly further apart at this point. Off they walked into a strong wind, driving rain and terrible visibility. The girls definitely felt disorientated in the ten meter visibility, but had all the skills to cope, and impressively always stayed on track, by being at key points at key time I was happy they were safe and very impressed they coped so well. Definitely a baptism of fire on day 1!
The Ockbrook School girls by Dulyn bothy on their Gold DofE expedtion.
We arrived at Dulyn bothy, which we had to share with another team, but having the opportunity to hang out inside and cook out of the weather the girls were able to take stock of the day. They were camping outside (us softy leaders were inside in the bothy..) and the weather imporoved to ring out blue skies and a nice rainbow… Lovely finish to a testing first day of the girls Gold DofE expedition.
The start of day 2 saw nice weather and straightforward navigation, a thankful respite after yesterdays conditions. The walk was a fairly long way with the girls going all the way to tonight’s camp in Ogwen. After an uneventful day and pleasant views, the girls arrived at camp in typical North Wales torrential rain! Poor souls! They just got on with the tasks in hand, got their tents up, cooked tea, and despite being soaked to the skin, kept smiles on their faces… A lesser group would have buckled but they just got on with it…
Walking out from Dulyn bothy in the sunshine
After packing up a wet camp, the day started again in the dry, with some brilliant warm sunshine to warm the souls whilst walking down the Ogwen valley and up into Cwm Idwal, over to Llyn Bochlwyd before heading over Tryfan Bwlch and onto the shoulder of the Glyders, and a long walk down to Llyn Gwynant…. The girls were loving the scenery and had a stop in the visitor centre to learn some bits and pieces about the area. After a long ascent they got to the top all OK. I was very pleased the good visibility and dry weather gave me an opportunity to supervise by maintaining a visual on them the entire time I was scrambling up Glyer Fach! As the girls were descending to the Pen y Gwyrd, the heavens opened again! Being day 3, not having eaten enough during the day and the general cold and dampness, spirits were low when I met them at the road… After a little food and drink and they started the descent to camp, which fortunately was at the well equipped Llyn Gwynant campsite. Thankfully the evening dried off, the girls had a shelter to cook under, and as it was on of their birthdays the teachers had brought a cake and candles. We left them for their last night camping in high spirits and positive for the last day (or at least for home, shower and a proper bed!).
By Llyn Bochlwyd during the Ockbrook Schools girls Gold DofE expedition.
The last day of the Ockbrook School girls Gold DofE expedition saw them head over Yr Aran and down to Rhyd Ddu. The weather was good, the views awesome and after a long and slightly demoralising slog up from the lake to the col between Snowdon and Yr Aran, the girls loved the opportunity to have a bit of an adventurous scramble up to the summit if Yr Aran. Whilst not a high summit, its quiet, un-spoilt and the views breathtaking. With larger mountain on one side and sea on the others, it was possibly the best spot in Snowdonia to be… After a simple descent to Rhyd Ddu, the time came to take of the heavy rucksacks, change into comfortable footwear and get on the bus home! It was an amazing effort from the girls in at times extremely testing conditions, but they all coped superbly to complete their Gold DofE expedition.
Ockbrook School girls on the summit of Yr Aran, at the end of their Gold DofE expedition