An intrepid group of Sixth Form pupils braved the weather in pursuit of a prestigious qualification.

No fewer than 19 Year 13 candidates spent four nights in the vast North Wales landscape as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award expedition, which proved to be a stern test of their character and teamwork abilities.

Under the experienced guidance of programme co-ordinator Dr Jim Lewis, the contingent worked well both individually and as part of a team in order to complete their goals, with all passing the assessment as a result of their superb efforts.

What made the achievement even more significant was the climate difficulties each pupil was forced to endure throughout the expedition, which saw torrential rain and heavy winds throughout the majority of their time in the countryside.

This was described as “the worst weather” he has experienced since he joined Rydal Penrhos’ DofE provision, adding: “Everyone that went and came back deserves all the credit in the world.”

This is another huge milestone for the candidates as they look to add their name to the long list that have achieved the same feat from a Rydal Penrhos perspective since the programme was added to the school’s exceptional extra-curricular provision.

Senior School Head Sally Ann Harding, said: “Each candidate displayed the sort of grit and determination that is evident on a daily basis here at Rydal Penrhos, with all of them working superbly well as a group in order to achieve their collective goals.”