Hill Holt Wood

Students at Hill Holt Wood are encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinborough Award Scheme. The scheme helps our learners to develop new skills and opens them up to a whole new range of experiences.

If you would like more information about the scheme you can visit their website here. (This will open a new window so you will not leave the Hill Holt Wood website).

On June 3rd 2009 Five of our Solution 4 learners set off from Hill Holt Wood with 3 Rangers to the Peak District, Derbyshire to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition.

On arrival they immediately set off down the Goyt Valley heading south to their destination at Gradbach Scout Camp where they would stay “under canvas” overnight.

Along the way they experienced this very different landscape to the ones they were used to in Lincolnshire. Climbing the odd hill or two they hiked along the winding path between Pym Chair and Shining Tor as well as clambering down rocky paths to Panniors Pool. Eventually reaching Gradbach Camp they quickly put their tents (and hoods) up to enjoy their own cooked food under a very still, midge filled evening sky.

Another early start the next morning and full of more cooked food it was an uphill hike to their next meeting points including Macclesfield Forest and Trentabank Reservoir. Despite a slight detour along the way they reached their destinations having taken in what was probably the best view all round from the Peak of Shutlingsloe.

Eventually completing their two day hike it was straight back into the minibus for a quick snooze during the trip back to Hill Holt Wood.

Everyone at Hill Holt Wood would like to say a big WELL DONE to the lads for a fantastic effort all round, but we wonder, could you have done it without the Fruit Pastilles… a map and a compass!

Ranger John