Congratulations on reaching the final stage of your Duke of Edinburgh award. This final stage will be your most challenging yet but can also be the most enjoyable, with longer expeditions and a much greater emphasis on team work and self navigation.
The requirements for a Gold expedition are that participants complete a minimum of 1 training session, together with a practice and qualifying expedition. Each day must be filled with 8 hours of activity which includes time for working on your aim and breaks for lunch.
At Mountain Ash we have structured our programme to offer you the following;
- 1 training weekend (although more can be arranged) usually held over a Saturday and Sunday with no overnight component
- A practice expedition consisting of 3 days of activity and 2 nights camping
- A qualifying expedition with 4 days of activity and 3 nights of wild camping.
In addition to a practice weekend which focuses on building on and learning new skills, a typical walking package consists of a practice expedition run over three days on north Dartmoor. The teams wild camp and work closely with their supervisor for the first day and a half working on their expedition skills. The team will then journey under remote supervision demonstrating that they have the skills necessary to move on to qualifying expedition. Weather permitting the teams will do a night navigation exercise during this practice expedition.
The qualifying expedition will take place over 5 days with the first day being used as an acclimatisation day. Where possible teams will stay in a bunkhouse with facilities on the first night. The next four days will be spent on expedition under the supervision of one of our staff and being assessed by an approved assessor. Camping will be at wild campsites and access will be provided, where possible, to shower facilities on the final day so participants can freshen up before travelling home.
Whether you use us for all or some of the stages above, Mountan Ash Expeditions will always go that extra mile to ensure that your expedition is safe, fun and memorable. We can tailor packages to suit your needs and are happy to discuss any preferences you may have. Feel free to use the contact us button to send us any queries.
We look forward to helping you plan your final stages of the DofE award.
