The Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award teams completed their qualifying expedition over the weekend of 12th, 13th and 14th October. The teams started from Kilbronney park in Rostrevor in bright sunshine and made very good progress along their planned route towards the first campsite along Rocky river. Tents were erected and dinners made under a clear sky before the teams turned in, opting for their cosy sleeping bags. After a cold night the teams brushed the ice off their tents, packed up and headed along their route towards Spelga dam then over Spaltha and along the Ulster Way to their second campsite at the upper ford on Trassey track. The second night was cold and windy but all tents stood up and their occupants emerged in the morning tired but in good spirits ready to finish their expedition. Despite the wet and windy conditions, the teams made good time on the sharp ascent to Hare’s Gap then navigated in poor visibility along the Brandy Pad and down the Glen River track to their finish point in Donard car park, cold, wet and exhausted but exhilarated to have successfully completed the expedition.