How can I do a Duke of Edinburgh expedition?

Go here for some ideas http://www.dofe.org/expedition/ Achieving your Award is an adventure from beginning to end and this section can give you some of your most memorable experiences! From sailing along the Norfolk Broads to walking in Canada or horse riding in the Brecon Beacons, it can as far-flung or as close to home as you want it to be. You can also choose how you want to travel – it doesn’t just have to be on foot! You could choose to do your expedition by bike, by canoe, by kayak, by wheelchair, by sailing boat or even on a horse or llama! There’ll need to be between four and seven of you in an expedition team (eight if you’ve chosen to travel by tandem canoe or bike). With your team, you’ll plan an aim for your expedition, decide on your location and do lots of fun training to make sure you’re fully prepared and know what you’re doing! Your Leader will arrange a Supervisor to work with your team to organise all of this and help you plan your expedition. Once you’ve done the preparation the fun starts when you go out and do a practice and a qualifying expedition. Once you’ve completed your final expedition you’ll give a presentation about your experiences and your achievements to your Supervisor, Assessor or another adult. The whole experience will give you laughs, arguments, joy and frustration along the way. But, by the end, you’ll have better team and leadership skills, not to mention bags more confidence and a rucksack full of great memories! When completing each section of your DofE, you should develop a programme which is specific and relevant to you. This sheet gives you a list of ideas that you could do or you could use it as a starting point to create an Expedition of your own! Remember, it’s always your adventure: It’s your choice… Going on an expedition gives you the chance to have an adventure, work as a team, and act on your own initiative. The expedition can be as far away or as close to home as you want it to be, and there are hundreds of ways you can go about it. Help with planning You can use the handy programme planner on the website to work with your Leader to plan your activity. EXPEDITION Programme ideas: Expedition section BY FOOT Exploring teamwork by --nominating a different leader each day. Studying insect life on the --South Downs. Planning a route around three --of the places that inspired Wordsworth’s poems in the Lake District. Considering the impact of --tourism on the flora and fauna of the French Alps. Creating a photographic guide --to the Countryside Code round the Mourne Mountains for other DofE participants. BY BICYCLE Investigating features of --the Thames using Thames cycle path. Using the cycle system in the --Netherlands to undertake a research project on the provisions and quality of cycle paths compared to Britain. Following part of the Gerald of --Wales route of 1188 through Pembrokeshire. BY BOAT Exploring the Norfolk Broads --using sailing dinghies. Planning a cross channel journey --in a yacht. Rowing along the Danube in --Germany booking camp sites in advance. On expedition, using simple --mapping techniques to produce your own map of a local estuary and compare it with a real map when you return. Planning a Bronze sailing --expedition on Lake Ullswater in the Lake District. BY CANOE OR KAYAK Recording the wildlife found on --the Strangford Lough canoe trail. Taking a series of photos to --come up with a guide to a section of London canal systems. Making a study of the locks and --lochs on the Caledonian Canal. Carrying out a wilderness trip in --Canada utilising the canoe trails used by the original settlers. Choosing several points along a --river and measure speed of flow, width and depth and comparing the differences along their route, trying to explain why this may be. BY WHEELCHAIR Following a disused railway track --noting the current use of previous railway buildings. Preparing a users’ guide of a --country park or National Trust estate, explaining how it can be used, e.g. fishing, picnicking, conservation. Planning and doing a challenging --route in the Peak District, making a short video diary. Producing an illustrated guide to --a stretch of canal. Research the history and then travel along the tow path using the expedition to gather photographs and sketches to illustrate the guide. Planning a route in Cropton --Forest to take a series of landscape photographs to use in a calendar. ON HORSEBACK Planning an expedition on --horseback in the countryside including identifying suitable farm camp sites and bridleways. Planning an expedition with sea --views in Devon, taking photos along the way so that you can paint a picture of your favourite scene when you return. Exploring accessibility and bridle --paths in the Brecon Beacons. Going on an expedition through --woodland, noting the different types and ages of trees you see. Going on a horseriding --expedition and writing a