A TEAM of 24 pupils and four staff from Shebbear College recently departed for the New Forest for the students’ Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition.

The group camped out overnight at Avon Tyrell and Ferny Croft and walked a total of six hours throughout the weekend.

The expedition involved putting into practice the navigational training, camping and cooking skills that the pupils had learnt back at college. Many of them walked more than 20-kilometres, as well as completing a personal project along the way.

Lack of sleep, the inclement weather and blisters did not deter them, and on the Sunday afternoon the 24 weary pupils successfully completed the challenge and were debriefed by the assessor before they found out that they had all passed.