Gwilym's Adventure Blog

The last two days have been spent on The Quantocks Hills and surrounding area assessing 4 Bronze DofE teams for Bristol Cathedral Choir School . All teams did extremely well given the heatwave that we were treated to though I hear it will get hotter this week). I found this budgie in a tree near Bicknoller post and he/she definitely looked out of place so I wonder if he escaped or someone just let it go

Back out on The Mendips with Churchill Academy for another 8 teams to complete their Bronze expedition. This time I had 3 teams to assess which kept me busy running around various places to see them. I even found the time to rescue two sheep who had managed to get stuck in a fence. I am always impressed at how stupid sheep can be. All teams completed successfully and most of them even enjoyed it.

On Friday and today I was on The Mendip Hills assessing a couple of Bronze DofE teams from Churchill Academy. As always it is great to work in my local area and have a short commute to work. Both teams did well (as did all the others with different assessors) and I got to find a new campsite on in Rodney Stoke that I didn't know existed.

After a fairly mundane week of meetings and general admin stuff (apart from a blast over Exmoor on the motorbike on Thursday) it was good to be back in my outside office for the last 2 days. I was assessing 4 teams from Bristol Cathedral Choir School on their Bronze DofE expedition around The Quantock Hills. A little misty on the hills today just added to their challenge. Well done to all 4 teams who I was assessing plus those being assessed by another.

Yesterday and today I have been pottering about on The Mendip Hills both on bike and on foot assessing some Bronze DofE teams from a girls school in Bristol. Pleased to say all completed the 2 day expedition.

Today I was doing a supported DofE assessment for Danny. ie he is new to it so I was helping him out. Fortunately Danny also paddles so we got a few hours afloat around Babbacombe  in between seeing the group.

 "Stop licking my van" This weekend I have been based in Devon. Saturday I was working with Abbey School climbing at Haytor and then bouldering at Bonehill Rocks. Around this I was assessing a Bronze DofE Group in Torbay for Devon Studio School . Today was quite wet so the climbing group  and I went to Dart Rock  for a spot of indoor climbing and artificial caving. Then it was back to Torbay to meet the DofE group at the finish.

This weekend I have been working for BXM Expeditions in The Cotswolds in a Bronze DofE Expedition. I spent the weekend check pointing a couple of teams who all passes. Pretty wet to be honest, the one picture says it all.

Out and about for the second day of Haygrove School Bronze DofE expedition and the weather was a lot better with some sun and blue skies in between the showers. Halse farm down to Dulverton along the River Barle is always a nice route especially when you get and Ice Cream at Tarr Steps

Out on Exmoor today working with Haygrove School Bronze DofE groups. Wet and misty but all good fun. I even found time to visit the Winsford Tea Rooms in between checking groups.

This week I have been working for The Exploration Society in the Peak District supervising a Silver DofE group. It has been cold and night but mainly dry during the day. Off to North Wales now for a week of work.

This weekend I have been out with Haygrove School assisting with a Bronze DofE practice on Exmoor. Great weather for walking but a bit chilly when hanging about waiting for groups. All 10 groups were in on time (probably the first time ever that has happened) and even the packing up and hanging tents went smoothly.

Today I was out with staff and students of Haygrove School on the Quantock Hills for their first day of DofE Training. It was cold and dry so the students had a good time and made a few navigation errors so that they could learn from them.

Yesterday the group continued to paddle downstream and eventually finished in Worcester today, 4 days after they set out. Well don to all 7 who managed to complete the expedition including some a very foggy start to today