Four Days, One Goal: The Last Stage to Gold

The Gold Expedition - THE milestone for every Dukie on the way to the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Gold Award. We had been feverishly awaiting this date for months. In preparation, we had already completed two trial expeditions near Lake Constance. We also had a preparation day dedicated to planning the routes and meals and identifying suitable farms as stage destinations. 

Finally, we set off from Campus Härlen on the departure day, directly after class. In the afternoon, we arrived at the nature camp at Schluchsee in the Black Forest, where we had a barbecue with all the Duke groups in the evening and then enjoyed a cosy get-together. We finally set off on Wednesday morning. The rucksacks were packed efficiently and the clothes and sleeping bags were warm enough for us to brave the autumnal cold of the Black Forest. Not only the good planning, but also the excellent weather conditions were to play into our hands during the four days.

After getting up at 6.15 a.m., we set off on our route at around 8 a.m. We first passed checkpoint 1, then 2, then 3, had lunch at checkpoint 4 and then continued on until dinner. The mobile phone-free time was filled with conversations, sometimes also thoughtful silence or our expedition project. The atmosphere in the group was excellent until the last day. We survived the nights with sufficient sleep (usually around 10 hours), sometimes in lower temperatures and rain. 

We were particularly worried about the last day, Saturday, because of the many metres in altitude. However, thanks to a storm warning, our route to Hinterzarten was shortened so that we were able to save 300 metres in altitude. In total, we covered around 70 kilometres on our expedition - a stage of around 20 kilometres each day.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, especially the expeditions, is an unforgettable experience. I am sure that all participants will remember these extraordinary experiences for a long time to come.