Edgbarrow School - Silver DofE Expedition Guide This guide has been put together to help you and your team prepare for your Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions. Please read over all of the information. Being prepared and having the right kit will allow you to get the most out of your DofE experience. If you have any further questions please contact us through the website, via our Facebook or Twitter pages, or by email.
Welcome Welcome to your Silver DofE program with Edgbarrow School. Our Silver expeditions are a fantastic opportunity which will allow you to see the amazing scenes of the UK National Parks. All participants will be given a safety and behaviour brief at the beginning of the course and are expected to abide by our safety regulations and all school rules apply. Medical and Consent Form: As part of your registration for DofE you will be sent a link to our online Medical and Consent Form, you will be required to fill this in online before the start of your expedition program. Additionally as part of this form you will be able to request the personal kit you require for the expeditions, further details on this can be found further on in this guide. If you have any questions regarding the medical and consent form or requesting kit then please do not hesitate to contact us. Photography: Inspired staff may on occasions take photographs or video footage of the courses and instruction, in which you may feature. By accepting this course you are agreeing to these photos being used by us, unless you inform us in writing to the contrary. Equipment: Tents, Trangia Stoves will be provided for every group at the start of the expedition. Sleeping Bags, Roll Mats and Rucksacks are provided on all courses, however you will need to make sure that you request these through our online medical and kit request form. You are welcome to bring your own if you have them, please ask us if you are unsure of the suitability of your kit. Summary Training Youlbury Scout Campsite, Oxfordshire Dates and Timings: 19 th 20 th March 2016 Drop off: 19 th March @ 08:30 - Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 20 th March @ 17:30 - Edgbarrow School. Practice Brecon Beacons, South Wales Dates and Timings: 15 th 17 th April 2016 Drop off: 15 th April @ 07:00 - Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 17 th April @ 21:00 (approx.) - Edgbarrow School. Assessment Dartmoor, Devon Dates and Timings: 7 th 10 th July 2016 Drop off: 7 th July @ 13:30 - Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 10 th July @ 21:00 (approx.) - Edgbarrow School.
DofE Training Expedition Training Youlbury Scout Activity Centre Dates and Timings: 19 th & 20 th March 2016 This is a residential weekend, the accommodation will be camping. Tents will be provided. Drop off: 19 th March @ 08:30 Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 20 th March @ 17:30 Edgbarrow School. Transport: The participants will undertake their training expedition at Youlbury Scout Camp in Oxfordshire. Transport will be provided by Edgbarrow from Edgbarrow school to the start point at the timings detailed above. Equipment: Other than the kit provided by Inspired Expeditions (see below) please bring everything on the kit list. Supportive footwear is required for this weekend so this is an ideal opportunity to break in new walking boots. A day sack, for example a school rucksack (20-30 litre) is not included on the DofE kit list but would be beneficial for this weekend. Bring all of your other kit in a large bag with prepared expedition kit. You will need to ensure that you have enough clothing to keep you warm. Please note all participants will be provided with all group kit at the training venue. Rucksacks, Sleeping Bags and Roll Mats must be requested through the electronic medical and consent form or via email to: prior to the expedition, this kit will be supplied at the training venue. Meals: You will need to bring food for this training weekend. Meals required are lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. We recommend that lunches are a typical packed lunch for both days. Dinner and breakfast needs to be able to be cooked on a Trangia Stove. Please see our food suggestions page for ideas. The training is designed to allow each participant to develop their individual and group skills. During this weekend we will cover the DofE training syllabus. This has been designed to help all participants make the most out of their expeditions.
DofE Practice Expedition Practice Brecon Beacons, South Wales Kit Issue and Exped Brief: 12 th April 2016 15:20 (at school) Dates and Timings: 15 th 17 th April 2016 This is a 3 day 2 night practice expedition, accommodation will be camping for the 2 nights. Drop off: 15 th April @ 07:00 - Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 17 th April @ 21:00 (approx.) - Edgbarrow School. Transport: The participants will undertake their practice expedition in the Brecon Beacons. Transport will be provided by Edgbarrow from Edgbarrow school to the start point at the timings detailed above. Equipment: Other than the kit provided by Inspired Expeditions (see below) please bring everything on the kit list. Supportive footwear is required for this expedition, walking boots are recommended. You will need to ensure that you have enough clothing to keep you warm. Please note all participants will be provided with all group kit at the start point. Rucksacks, Sleeping Bags and Roll Mats must be requested through the electronic medical and consent form or via email to: prior to the expedition, this kit will be issued at the kit issue. Meals: You will need to provide all of the food for this expedition, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please see the food suggestions page for ideas, this will also be covered on the training expedition. Kit Return: 19 th April 2016 08:20 (at school). All kit must be returned on this date in a good, clean condition as it was issued.
DofE Assessed Expedition Assessment Dartmoor, Devon Kit Issue and Exped Brief: 4 th July 2016, 15:20 at school. Route Planning: 4 th May 2016, 15:20 at school. Dates and Timings: 7 th 10 th July 2016 The first day will be travelling and the evening will be spent finalising plans and preparing for the expedition, depending on where the groups plan their routes this night will either be spent at a nice campsite or bunkhouse. This will be followed by a 3 day, 2 night assessed expedition, accommodation will be camping for the 2 nights. Drop off: 7 th July @ 13:30 - Edgbarrow School. Pick up: 10 th July @ 21:00 (approx.) - Edgbarrow School. Transport: The participants will undertake their assessment expedition in Dartmoor. Transport will be provided by Edgbarrow from Edgbarrow school to the start point at the timings detailed above. Equipment: Other than the kit provided by Inspired Expeditions (see below) please bring everything on the kit list. Supportive footwear is required for this expedition, walking boots are recommended. You will need to ensure that you have enough clothing to keep you warm. Please note all participants will be provided with all group kit at the start point. Rucksacks, Sleeping Bags and Roll Mats must be requested through the electronic medical and consent form or via email to: prior to the expedition, this kit will be issued at the kit issue. Meals: You will need to provide all of the food for this expedition, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please see the food suggestions page for ideas, this will also be covered on the training expedition. Kit Return: 12 th July 2016 08:20 (at school). All kit must be returned on this date in a good, clean condition as it was issued. Final DofE Expedition Presentation: 14 th July at 18:30. All parents/guardians are invited and encourage to attend. This evening is a celebration of the completion of their expedition section, each group will present the aim of their expedition to the audience, Edgbarrow staff and Inspired Expeditions staff.
Kit List Participants will be provided with all group kit at the start point. Rucksacks, Sleeping Bags and Roll Mats must be requested through the electronic medical and consent form prior to the expedition. However, you will need to provide all of your personal kit. The kit listed here is essential for your expedition, if you are missing any of the items you may not be allowed to take part. If you have any questions regarding kit then please email. ITEM 60L Rucksack Roll Mat Sleeping Bag 2L of Water (min) Eating Utensil Bowl Mug Matches/Lighter GOT IT Personal Kit Small Personal First Aid Kit Torch PACKED IT ITEM Waterproof Jacket Waterproof Trousers 2 x T-Shirts 1 x Fleece Walking Trousers Underwear Warm Hat and Gloves Spare Warm Layer Personal Medication ITEM GOT IT GOT IT PACKED IT PACKED IT Whistle Watch Washing up kit Small towel Sun cream Wash kit Money ( 5 in coins) Walking Boots Tent Trangia Trangia Fuel Bin Bags Maps and Routes Compass Group Kit Walking Socks
Equipment Ideas Please take time to read through the following pages which talk about the equpment in more detail. Please note that the items on this list are the minimum we recommend for all DofE expeditions it is open to personal interpretation and individual requirements. Please take a look at our Facebook and Twitter pages for more great kit ideas and discussions. Rucksack: Although we can provide you with a rucksack, sometimes its nice to have one that you can call your own. It needs to be: Between 60 and 80 litres Remember! You have to be able to carry everything in the walking part of your expedition over some challenging and sometimes steep terrain so ensure your rucksack doesn t weight too much for you. Approximately 17kg would be a maximum weight. We would recommend the Vango Contour 70 litre rucksack. Sleeping Mat: We can provide you with a basic foam camping roll mat, however if you would like a bit more comfort there are other options available on the market. Self inflating and air mats are available, however these options will be heavier than the traditional foam roll mat, adding weight to your rucksack. Sleeping Bag: If you have your own sleeping bag you need to ensure that it is both warm enough and can pack down small enough to fit in your rucksack. Most sleeping bags will display a comfort rating, this doesn t want to be above 0 degrees Celsius. If you are looking at buying your own sleeping bag then we would recommend the Rab Ignition Series. Dry bags / Rucksack Liner: There are two ways of waterproofing your rucksack, using a rucksack liner or several small dry bags (as pictured). Be organised! Waterproof all of your kit with colour coded dry bags! Water and Hydration: We would highly recommend a hydration system, commonly known as a CamelBak. The bladder goes in the back of your rucksack and then a tube comes out so you can drink while you walk. This is a great alternative to carrying several water bottles. Good brands to go with are CamelBak and Osprey. Alternatively you could carry a couple of 1L durable water bottles. Eating Utensils: Knife/Fork/Spoon set or just a Spork! Bowl Mug or Thermal mug for hot drinks. Matches/Lighter: Vital for lighting your stove (Trangia) so make sure you waterproof them well so they don t get wet!
Torch: A Head torch is preferable as it means you can use your hands at the same time. You can pick these up cheaply in outdoor retailers. Make sure you have spare batteries! Whistle: Needs to be loud enough at attract attention. We recommend the Survival Whistle by Lifesystems. Watch: This is used for timing and pacing, a cheap digital watch with a stopwatch function is ideal. Washing up and Rubbish: Bring bin liners for your rubbish Brillo pads are ideal for washing up because they already have washing up liquid inside them. Towel: For the expeditions a towel is not essential because there will be no showers on route. You will need a towel for before and after the expeditions. Sun Cream: You will need sun cream because you will be out in the sun all day, essential even if you don t normally burn. Wash Kit: Containing all of your personal toiletries. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and wet wipes will be plenty for a four day expedition. Travel bottles of Dry Shower or Dry Shampoo could be a luxury. Money: For the expedition you will not be in a position to purchase any food or drinks along the route. If you decide to bring money on the expedition, please only bring a small amount for emergency use only. Clothing and Footwear Walking Boots: A good pair of walking boots will make any expedition much more enjoyable. It is definitely reccommended that you have proper walking boots that cover your ankle so you get the required support on the rough terrain while you are carrying a heavy rucksack. Trainers, approach shoes or fashion boots are NOT permitted. Give yourself time to break the boots in so they are comfortable. Your walking boots must be waterproof, either by Gore-Tex or similar membrane or be a waxed leather. Cotswold Outdoor do a first class fitting service for walking boots. Walking Socks: A couple of pair of walking socks will be fine for your expeditions. One to stay dry. Make sure you pack other socks for before and after all the expeditions, 2 pairs would be the minimum. Waterproof Jackets: A very important piece of kit for any expedition. They must be waterproof cheap Pac in a sac waterproofs will not keep you dry. Ensure they are waterproofed with a PU coating or with a Gore-Tex membrane. Must have a hood You can still get lightweight and waterproof jackets that will keep you dry. The Berghaus RG Delta is a good option. Waterproof Trousers: A must have even if the weather forecast is good. Same things apply as the waterproof jacket. Must be waterproof! Berghaus Deluge overtrousers are a good option.
Clothing Expedition clothing should be warm, quickdrying and light. Lots of layers are much better than one thick layer. Thermal base layers and fleeces work really well as they are not made of cotton. Do not wear jeans or thick cotton hoodies and avoid all other cotton items if possible. When it gets wet cotton becomes very heavy, does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm. Clothing to wear while you walk: Walking Boots Walking Socks Underwear Base layer sports thermal or merino wool base layers are ideal Wicking T-shirts/Shirt Microfleece thin lightweight fleece, not cotton Warm layer thicker fleece or insulated jacket Walking Trousers Not Jeans! Craghoppers Kiwi Pro Stretch Trousers are great Warm Hat, Gloves and Sun Hat in any forecast these are required, it can get very cold at night in remote areas. Spare Clothing Spare clothing must be carried in your rucksack and it is really important to keep it dry. The minimum amount of spare clothes you will need are below: Spare socks Spare walking trousers Change of underwear Spare fleece Spare base layer You are welcome to bring more spare clothes however this will increase the weight of your rucksack so make sure you get the balance right! Gaiters: These are an optional item but are a benefit to you if the conditions are boggy. We would recommend the Rab Hispar Gaiter. Group Kit Tent: We can supply your group with tents and we will bring enough tents for everyone. However you are welcome to bring your own tent if you wish. The tents that we will supply will be the Vango Mirage 300. Trangia Stove and Fuel: This is also an item that we will supply for all groups. The fuel type for these stoves will be methylated spirits. It will be up to you and your group to let us know how many Trangia s you require for your group as well as the quantity of meths that you require. Navigation Compasses and Maps will be provided, you are welcome to bring your own. A good map case would be beneficial. Survival Bag This is used to keep a casualty warm if they are cold or injured. We don t expect everyone to carry one of these but would certainly want a couple within you group. Lifesystems make a good, lightweight and reliable bag.
Rucksack Packing Personal medication, hat, gloves and sun cream Food in a drybag (heaviest in middle) Roll matt placed on outside of bag at bottom Tent poles down the side Hydration system closest to your back Mug, cutlery, and snacks in side pockets Cooker and tent Sleeping bag in the bottom waterproofed in a dry bag ABC of Packing Light Medium Heavy Accessibility think about how often you would take the item in and out of your bag. Pack frequently used items closer to the top or inside compartments on the side. Items you will not need till camp, put at the bottom of the bag. Balance Pack heavier items at the bottom of your bag. Pack both side evenly, so your not lopsided. This will make your bag easier to carry. Compression Use stuffed packs to pact soft items, as sleeping bag and clothes are easily compressed. This will save space within your bag. Dangling kit is not allowed Do not strap anything to the outside of your bag, as it could get lost or broken. Roll mats are a exception, put it inside a durable waterproof bag strapped on to the outside of your bag. Environment - barb wire, mud, rain and thorns. You need to protect your kick inside your bag, to do this pack using durable waterproof plastic bags/dry bags. Golden Rule of Rucksack Packing Balancing the weight: Getting the weight distribution right will make your rucksack feel more comfortable and lighter on your back. Pack heavier items at the bottom or as close to your back as possible
Food Suggestions Food is a really important part of your expedition preparation to get right. If you have food that you like and enjoy it will keep your morale high, there is nothing worse than not looking forward to your evening meal because you don t like it! So plan your meals well! Its important to ensure you have a balanced diet during your expedition as well. These food suggestions will help you plan a balanced diet. Please contact us at: for more ideas. During your training weekend you will be taught what foods are good and bad and also have a go at cooking them. Breakfast Food type Porridge oats Cereal Beans Cereal bars Soup Hot chocolate Frankfurters Hard boiled eggs Lunch Food Type Thoughts Must be instant, not whole oats. Mix 50g oats, 50g powdered milk and 15g sugar in a small sandwich or freezer bag. Add 350ml water and cook whilst stirring until everything goes thick. You could also use a preprepared sachet of instant oats like Oat So Simple but these do not contain powdered milk. Choose the highest calorie per 100g cereal you can find (as long as you like it). Most cereals are around 340-380 calories per 100g but Crunchy Nut Cornflakes are over 400 and crunchy muesli type cereals (anything with 'cluster's in the name) are around 480 calories per 100g! Mix 50g cereal and 50g powdered milk in a sealable bag. To eat empty into a bowl and then pour cold water over and stir. Not very high in calories and the tins weigh quite a bit but if a hot plate of beans makes you feel better in the morning then give it a go. You can get half size cans as well and ones with sausages in have a higher calorie content. Not very satisfying but some people like to get away early in the morning without doing any cooking or washing up so cereal bars might do at a pinch. Get the highest calories per 100g. Instant soup sachets with pitta bread to dunk. Not on its own but with some food as well hot chocolate can add some extra calories and warm you up nicely on a cold morning. Sausages which are smoked, cooked or dried already and which have not been taken out of their packets should be fine but if they are supposed to be kept in a fridge eat them the first day. If you make yourself some hard boiled eggs before leaving home they should be ok for at least 24hrs but don't keep them too hot for too long and try not to get them squashed... Thoughts Bread Meat Cheese These bread based items will provide you with the slow release energy that you will require during your expedition. Loafs of bread don t tend to last very well in a rucksack so wraps, pitta bread or the new Warburton's thins work really well. You can add fillings to these such as pre grated cheese, chorizo slices and cheese spread. Dried meats like pepperami, chorizo, beef jerky etc. are all great sources of protein and fat. Anything out of the fridge section of the supermarket is a bad idea as it could go bad and give you food poisoning. The only exception might be frankfurters if you eat them soon on your expedition as they are salty and pasteurised to kill any bacteria. Once open they are not safe however so eat them all! Some cheeses will not last very long in a rucksack because they need to be kept refrigerated, so we would recommend that if your going to bring cheese eat it towards the start of your expedition. The pre grated cheese lasts the longest or the tubes of primula (pictured). Cheese provides great filling for your wraps, pitta or thins. Soup/Pasta Hot lunches are good but only if there is no washing up involved and it doesn t take too long to cook. Mug shots and soup can be a good addition to pitta and wraps etc, giving you more calories and warmth into your body.
Dinner Food type Pasta Beanfeast Beans Meat Thoughts The key with your food for dinner is to have a high energy good meal that you will really enjoy at the end of the day. Pasta is a great option because as it is a dehydrated food (dry) it is lightweight. All you have to do is add water and boil. Add your favourite sauce and some form of protein and away you go! 315kcal/100g Beanfeast is a great option if you want to cook as a group. It s a great source of protein and can be accompanied with rice, pasta or couscous. You could even add fresh vegetables if you are close to the beginning of your expedition. Not very high in calories and the tins weigh quite a bit but if a hot plate of beans makes you feel better then give it a go, works well for breakfast too! You can get half size cans as well and ones with sausages in have a higher calorie content. A great source of protein. Meats such as cured Chorizo and Mattesons smoked pork sausage will last well on your expedition as long as you don t open the packet. Great additional protein for a pasta or rice meal. Soup Hot chocolate Frankfurters Sauces Rice Boil in the Bag Snacks Food type Nuts and trail mix Super Trail Mix Chocolate Instant soup sachets with pitta bread to dunk. Hot Chocolate after dinner, just before you get into your tent will warm you up nicely on a cold evening. Sausages which are smoked or cooked or dried already and which have not been taken out of their packets should be fine but if they are supposed to be kept in a fridge eat them the first day. Add a sauce if you like. Buy sauces in sachets instead of glass jars and try to get ones in single serving sizes so you don't have to reseal the packet. Most sauces are under 100 kcal/100g but satay sauce is nearly 200 kcal/100g because it contains peanuts and black bean sauce 136 kcal/100g. Uncle bens boil in the bag flavoured rice is a good start to a meal. Brands such as Look what we found, Wayfayers and Beyond the beaten track all produce great tasting boil in the bag meals which can be a great tasting expedition meal. Make sure you keep an eye on the weight of your pack though! Thoughts Nuts are very high in fat and therefore very high in calories. You can mix them with dried fruits to make 'trail mix'. You can put whatever you want in your trail mix and put it in a resalable plastic bag. You can have it in your pocket ready for your hand to dip in whenever you feel a drop in energy. When people do a serious expedition to the South Pole or something they do not eat breakfast or lunch and instead just make a big bag or special trail mix which they keep eating all day. It contains broken up pieces of high calorie chocolate bars, flapjacks, chunks of cheese, salami and nuts. You could try making your own one or if the idea of eating salami and chocolate at the same time puts you off try making a savoury and sweet one separately. Although on hot days chocolate might melt a little its got masses of calories in a small compact size, doesn't go off and almost everyone likes it. The highest calorie bars are Kit Kat Chunky, Mars Bar, Snickers, Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Basically anything 'chunky'. Sweets Peanuts Cereal Bars Traditional hard boiled sweets are great as they contain plenty of calories and you can suck them as you walk. Starburst etc are also good ideas. Take them if you like them. Either in your trail mix or on their own peanuts contain loads of calories and don't go off. Check that no-one in your team has a peanut allergy though as its one of the worst allergies! These are a great healthy option and are full of carbohydrates so slow release energy.
The Bad List What not to bring! Food type Bacon Sausages Eggs Thoughts We don't recommend bacon as it causes a mess of your cooking pan, you won't have oil to fry it in so it will stick and you have to use it all in one go or it will go rancid. Some people just ignore all our advice though... Fresh ones are a no-no as they will go off and you could get nasty food poisoning. You could take raw eggs in a tupperware dish and then try to fry them but where would you get the oil from? Mushrooms, tomatoes Fresh stuff will not last, could get squashed and contains nowhere near enough calories to get you going. Tinned things weigh too much and don't contain enough calories to make up for this. etc. Fresh fruit Crisps Pot noodle Drinks Fine for your first day but don't bring more than you need for day one or it will get bruised and go nasty in your rucksack. Although they are high in calories they are bulky due to needing to have air added to the package to stop them getting crushed so they take up way too much room in your rucksack. A bag of Walker's crisps has the same calories per 100g as a chocolate bar but takes up twice as much room at least and contains fewer grams. Very bulky as the packaging contains lots of space inside for the water. Not very high in calories or indeed much of anything else either... Generally speaking you will run out of any drink you are carrying at the end of the first day and need to refill. As you can't buy anything on your expedition it s going to be water you're drinking. If you do take any drinks for your first day don't bring anything with caffeine in as it is a diuretic (makes you wee) and so you will become dehydrated. Hot Chocolate is worth bringing. It weighs hardly anything and gives you a sugar and calorie boost and makes you feel better either in the evening before bed or in the morning to wake you up. Get the single serving hot chocolate sachets. Make sure it s not Cadbury's Options or Highlights as these are low-fat and low calorie versions. You can now buy Robinsons and Oasis squash that are highly concentrated in small capsules, which can be great as an addition to water. Its great to have some flavour! You will be required to carry at least be able to carry 2 litres of water on you at all times. This can be done by water bottles or hydration systems, using both is a good combination