Jessica Hall

We started in Milton Bryan to get to our school. There were 6 of us, a friendship group and twins. When we got there, we climbed over a gate to where we were kitted out. It was a beautifully dull dewy morning. We started out well and between us managed to navigate. We wove our way through fields and forests, some of it guesswork! Once when we came out into a clearing, we saw a gracious, delicate white deer! We stopped for snacks when we reached the forest again, then carried on through an autumnal artwork of breezy trees. We ended up getting lost, going through a well-hidden bamboo forest. Eventually, we had to duck under a fence and follow the road. After a brief encounter with our DofE instructor, we continued to a farm. We met our instructor before trekking across a stretch of field to the bluebell woods. We found some unique feathers and had a laugh over them. Later as we entered the woods, we saw some pheasants! By now the day had bloomed, the sun out. We saw another DofE group and waved at each other! At the bottom of the field, a man in a car told us a lady was waiting for us and gave directions which seemed to be on our map. It took us past Emmie’s house. We met the lady - our instructor - who walked with us to the field before the motorway. We crossed via a high up concrete bridge. On the other side, we looped around the winding fields, this landscape was much less interesting. We could see the school, but our map led us on a round trip to westoning. We followed it and got lost again. A teacher found us and took us to westoning. We crossed a horse racing track and a few rickety wooden bridges before a farm, in which we stroked a majestic white stallion. Some very nice locals gave us directions. At the end of town, our instructor sent us on a shortcut as Ciara’s ankle was painful. We got back 3rd to last and set up the tent, cooked and chatted. It was an incredible experience and brought us all together. We walked 35k altogether and I will never forget t
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