5 Things I wish I’d Known Before My Duke of Edinburgh Expedition

Whether or not it’s your bronze, silver or gold, the physical expedition is one of the most challenging but rewarding elements of the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award. Here are our five top tips and tricks to ensure your expedition is a success.

When you’re out and about trekking for a minimum of 16km per day, the right footwear is vital. Ill-fitting or impractical footwear can cause blisters, fatigue and discomfort. All of which are a sure-fire way to guarantee a difficult expedition.

When picking your perfect pair of walking boots, make sure you look for:

• Comfortable fit and arch support – to be certain with fit and size we suggest taking a pair of your walking socks with you to try on with boots.
• Grip – essential especially if your route consists of rocky or muddy surfaces
• Waterproofing – make sure your boots can carry you through all weather conditions, including the rain
• Breathability – the sweat can be real with long days of walking, good breathability can prevent excessive sweat and discomfort.

And finally, don’t forget to break in your boots prior to your expedition day. This will soften your boot to give you the most comfort on the day!

Your practice expedition and training on your own time should not be overlooked. Practice walks can help build up your endurance and stamina ahead of your real expedition. Start off with easier and shorter walks and gradually increase the distance and difficulty of your walks until you feel confident at the level of your planned route.

Practice walks and expeditions are also a great opportunity to test your gear in the real world and ensure none of your clothing or equipment is unsuitable before the actual expedition.

It’s so important to check the weather forecast before your expedition and pack your gear accordingly.

For colder weather, extra base layers and mid layers will be your best friend. Look for polyester based fabrics as opposed to cotton as whilst you want to be kept insulated, you also want to avoid excess sweat.

Waterproofs are essential on any DofE expedition as being wet and cold isn’t going to do much for team spirits. Even if it isn’t forecasted to rain, we still recommend having a good waterproof jacket and pair of trousers that will keep you dry and comfortable in the rain.

Depending on the time of year, you may need to prepare for the sun as well. Sun protective clothing, hats, insect repellent spray and sunscreen is all recommended if you’re expecting hotter temperatures or sun!

It can be tempting to over pack in the pursuit to be ‘extra prepared’, but in reality this just means an unnecessarily heavy rucksack on your back. Make a concise list of everything you absolutely need and stick to just that. Cooking equipment and crockery items can be distributed out within your group to lighten everybody’s load and avoid unnecessary duplicates.

We also recommend keeping your essentials, such as water, food, extra clothing and first aid at the top of your bag for easy access.

What’s a DofE expedition without a few tricky situations or navigation issues thrown in. Being able to work together and solve these issues is what will keep you moving forward as smoothly as possible. We recommend spending time together as a team prior to your expedition and learning how each other communicates. From this, you’ll be able to make group decisions more effectively and know how best to check in on each other whilst on your expedition.