The day started well with all students on time and appropriately dressed and equipped. Closure of the road through the Forest led to some set back on timings but we still made good time to the two start destinations.

A useful day was spent with both gold and silver candidates gaining confidence in map reading, interpreting the landscape around them and in navigational skills of compass use and techniques such as hand railing and aiming off.

A few errors were made but useful lessons were learnt, including by staff:  Not least to make sure they have correctly identified the students before yelling at some poor unsuspecting family out for a day’s peaceful enjoyment of the countryside that they were going the wrong way.

Route maps and cards have been completed and approved for the students’ Practice Expedition in Exmoor at the end of July and plans are underway for the Assessed Expedition in eth Black Mountains in the first week of September. Students are well prepared we are confident that they will have a good and successful time.

Finally Jonathan Taylor's mother heroically lived up to his expectations in "welcoming" his sheep skeleton find but please Jono,  remember you are travelling back from Exmoor by train.