Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Camp

Year 9 students completed their Duke of Edinburgh Camp at Somerset this week.

All students responded very well to their changed conditions, although it was a very early morning on the first day due to fire hazard ratings. All students were off ridgelines and exposed tracks before it got too hot.

As you can see in the photos below one of the students’ main tasks was to set up camp with tents etc. They also cooked camp-style nachos together in their groups for dinner.

Weather was beautiful. Sparkling blue skies and very mild temperatures, although it was chilly in the morning.

On day 2 all students were out hiking in warm conditions and arrived at their campsites in the afternoon for a well-earned rest.

That night students cooked their own meals on the Trangia stoves provided by Somerset. This is always a major highlight of the experience.

Overall it was a very positive experience for our students. Here are some reflections from some of the students who took part:

The Duke of Ed camp was a good experience overall as it helped create lifelong memories and help to develop crucial skills such as navigation, cooking, fitness and friendships. While the hiking was tiring, it helped by challenging us both physically and mentally.

Anthony Li

Duke of Ed camp was the pinnacle of my year. We forged our way along a fun and beautiful, albeit endless trail up, down, and through the mountains. We cooked, cleaned, and camped together, and we held strong through hardship. It’s not an experience I’ll ever forget.

Alex Soriano

Camp was difficult but had many fun and rewarding moments. Hiking definitely was a strain but our group was able to work together to navigate our path and push through to the end. I was also able to learn many skills such as setting up tents and using a Trangia stove.

Mai Ngo

The Duke of Ed camp was an extremely fulfilling and engaging experience, yet there were many difficulties to overcome. Some difficulties included the weather contrast (hot and dry in the day with strong UV rays, and frosty and damp during the night), navigating the route on our own and enduring the steep hike itself. Despite these difficulties, the Duke of Ed camp strengthened our groups’ bonds, expanded our resilience, and most of all proved to be an enjoyable and productive camp.

Sara Nguyen

There were a lot of times when I felt extremely out of my element, experiencing things I would have shuddered at the thought of doing like packing all my 3-day essentials into a backpack with finite space, sleeping directly on the grassy ground with only a tent in between, cooking dinner in the small pots in the black of night and going though the long laborious hikes. However, once started it and got through these challenges, these tasks became manageable and even simple as I grew accustomed to the natural surroundings. I found enjoyment in these challenging tasks and created many peaceful moments in the relaxing afternoons sharing snacks and goofing around with my team mates.

Yan Jun Chen

The Duke of Edinburgh camp was an exhausting but overall a great experience filled with many memories and experiences. Hiking through the rocky terrain with a 13+ kilogram bag all day was painful. On the other hand, camping and cooking our own meals with friends was fun.

Nikhil Reddy