Pupils arrived at Royal William Yard fully prepared, with all their essentials packed—alongside a few unexpected extras, including a Yoda blanket, room spray, glow sticks, eyebrow kits, and even a game of Twister! One group even kicked things off with a team-bonding brunch at Seco Lounge before setting off.

Once on the ferry, pupils became fully self-sufficient, carrying all their food and equipment and handing in their phones before beginning their journey. Over the course of the expedition, they navigated to designated checkpoints, taking in the stunning coastal scenery while working together and showing impressive resilience. It was fantastic to see the progress from their practice expedition, with all groups demonstrating great spirit and determination.

After reaching Whitsand Bay, pupils set up their own tents and cooked their evening meals, with an impressive menu including spaghetti meatballs, fajitas, and even a sausage breakfast the following morning. On Day 2, they continued their journey towards Mount Edgcumbe, showing increased confidence and developing their navigation skills further.

Crossing the finish line was a proud and memorable moment, with pupils celebrating their achievements and parents there to cheer them on. The sense of accomplishment and shared joy was wonderful to see.

Seth said,

“It was challenging at times, but working as a team made it really enjoyable and I’m proud we completed it together.”

Neve added,

“I was nervous at the start, but by the end I felt so much more confident and loved seeing how far we’d come as a group.”

A huge thank you goes to the Duke of Edinburgh team and our dedicated staff volunteers, who generously gave their time to support the pupils throughout the expedition.