Heavy bags, sore feet and lots of fun were packed into last weekend’s Year 10 DofE Bronze expedition. It started on a bright but mild Saturday morning when the 12 groups set off from a car park close to Sutton Hoo. We then walked around 14km with lots of breaks, snack bars and jokes.

Once we arrived at Rendlesham Forest we caught the bus back to Notcutts where we would camp for the night. After we arrived it was time to cook the first of our two hot meals. A wide array of smells wafted over the campsite including a lot of pasta sauces. Washing up was difficult with minimal equipment but we got there. We then settled down for the night with full bellies and another day of walking ahead of us.

In the morning we woke up with minimal sleep but spirits were still very high. All 12 groups began making their breakfast, with dodgy porridge being made all around the camp. Later we began our long walk around Ipswich, going to all six checkpoints stated on a sheet of paper provided to us. However even with this information, some groups struggled to navigate around Ipswich and there were many short detours. In the most extreme cases it was detours which were hours long.

We arrived back at Notcutts with aching bodies and tired minds, but with a real sense of accomplishment around the groups.

Adam C and Alex K, Year 10