Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Walk and Camping
3rd November 15
A group of Abbey College Cambridge students and staff have spent a day and night walking and camping in the ‘wilds’ of the Cambridgeshire countryside as part of their work towards the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
The trip consisted of a 7 mile walk from the village of Fulbourn, just south of Cambridge, to the gardens of Anglesey Abbey, where the group camped for the night. Students learned map reading skills, which they quickly applied to successfully navigate on the walk. They also took a short course on administering first aid. On top of the skills gained on the day, the students learned about working together as a team in an environment outside of their day-to-day comfort zone.
When they arrived at the Abbey, our students assembled their tents and cooked dinner over camp stoves. College staff member Kim Wilmott, who helped escort the group was impressed by the standards of cuisine they produced in challenging conditions commenting; ‘The food each group cooked was absolutely fantastic, spaghetti with various meats and vegetables all in lovely sauces. It made me feel quite hungry, as I’d only brought sausage and beans with me!’
One of our students, Nguyen Bao Chau, reflected on her experiences on the trip; ‘It was a fun and beneficial trip. It was not my first time walking that long, but it is definitely my first time building a tent and sleeping overnight. I couldn’t deny that I was tired, but inside this feeling I guess there is something more than that. Being independent, exploring a new area and using the map and walking together as a team – it was exactly what I desired. I will continue my journey with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award after this trip!’
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is available to students as part of our Abbey College Cambridge ABC Extra-curricular programme.
