LOCATIONS
DofE EXPEDITION LOCATIONS ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES
Learn Outdoors delivers Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE expeditions in a wide range of locations across England and Wales.
We work with schools and youth organisations to provide safe, well-planned and challenging DofE expeditions in locations that are appropriate for each Award level.
From local countryside for Bronze expeditions to remote upland areas for Gold, we can help you choose a DofE expedition location that provides the right level of challenge, accessibility and adventure for your group.
BRONZE DofE
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Bronze DofE expeditions generally take place in accessible countryside close to where you are based.
At Bronze level, participants are developing their navigation, camping, teamwork and expedition skills, so a location with suitable terrain and manageable logistics is often the best choice.
We regularly use areas such as:
Epping Forest
Ashdown Forest
Surrey and the surrounding countryside
The Chilterns
The White Peak of Derbyshire
The Clwydian Range in North Wales
We can also arrange Bronze expeditions in other suitable locations across England and Wales.
The right location will depend on where your school is based and the level of challenge appropriate for your participants.
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For many schools, completing Bronze locally has significant advantages.
A nearby location can reduce travel time and costs while allowing students to concentrate on learning the practical skills they need for their expedition.
Learn Outdoors can provide training, route planning, practice expeditions and qualifying expeditions as part of a complete Bronze DofE programme.
SILVER DofE
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Silver DofE expeditions require a greater level of challenge and independence than Bronze.
We regularly deliver Silver expeditions in locations including:
The Chilterns
Surrey Hills
New Forest
Peak District
Black Mountains
Long Mynd/Shropshire
We can also deliver Silver DofE expeditions elsewhere in England and Wales where the terrain and location are suitable.
Many schools choose to complete Silver in a location that provides a clear progression from their Bronze expedition while introducing participants to more challenging terrain and longer routes.
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Learn Outdoors regularly works with schools in South East England, including schools in:
Surrey
Kent
Greater London
East Sussex
West Sussex
Hampshire
The South East provides a number of excellent options for Bronze and Silver DofE expeditions, while also offering relatively straightforward travel for schools based in London and the surrounding counties.
GOLD DofE
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Gold DofE expeditions require more remote and challenging environments, with participants expected to demonstrate greater independence, navigation skills and expedition experience.
Our Gold DofE expeditions are commonly delivered in areas such as:
The Cambrian Mountains and Elan Valley, Mid Wales
Dartmoor
The Lake District
Rhinog Mountains in Southern Snowdonia (Eryri)
Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
The Peak District (Dark Peak)
We can also work with schools to identify other suitable upland areas across the UK.
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The Cambrian Mountains, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and Rhinog Mountains provide a fantastic environment for Gold participants, with open upland terrain, remote landscapes and challenging walking.
Learn Outdoors is based in Mid Wales and has extensive experience delivering DofE expeditions in the region.
DofE LOCATIONS WE USE
Take a look at the videos below to explore a couple of the locations we use for Silver and Gold.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT DofE EXPEDITION LOCATION
Choosing the right location is an important part of planning a successful DofE programme.
A good expedition location needs to provide an appropriate level of challenge while also being practical for the school, staff and participants.
We can help you consider:
Terrain and difficulty
The terrain needs to be appropriate for Bronze, Silver or Gold and provide the required level of challenge.
Travel and accessibility
We can help identify locations that work with your school's travel arrangements and available time.
Campsites and logistics
Campsite availability, access and route planning all need to be considered when selecting an expedition area.
Progression
Where possible, we can help schools choose locations that provide a natural progression from Bronze through Silver to Gold.
Training and preparation
The location needs to work alongside the training and route-planning requirements of your programme.
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Learn Outdoors can provide much more than an expedition location.
We offer complete DofE expedition support for schools, including:
Navigation and route-planning training
Expedition preparation
Qualified instructors and supervisors
Campsite bookings and logistics
Equipment where required
Accredited DofE assessment
Support before, during and after your expedition
Our programmes can be tailored to the needs of your school, whether you need a complete expedition service or additional support alongside your existing DofE programme.
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Learn Outdoors is an established DofE Approved Activity Provider (AAP) delivering Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions for schools and groups across England and Wales.
Our experienced instructors have extensive knowledge of expedition environments across the UK, allowing us to offer schools flexibility when choosing an appropriate location.
We work closely with DofE coordinators to make the whole process as straightforward as possible, from initial planning and training through to the qualifying expedition and assessment.
Take a look at ‘Why choose us’ in more detail.
“Throughout the DofE experience in Sixth Form the Learn Outdoors team were really proactive, really positive and really supportive. They encouraged us all to go into our expeditions and get something from it that would be personal to us and stick with us for life. From speaking to my friends, we often reflect on our experience of DofE and are so grateful to the staff we had."
— Gold DofE Participant
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Bronze expeditions generally take place in accessible countryside relatively close to the school. Learn Outdoors regularly uses locations such as Epping Forest, Ashdown Forest, the Chilterns, the White Peak and the Clwydian Range, although other suitable areas can be arranged.
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Silver expeditions can take place in a wider range of terrain than Bronze. Learn Outdoors regularly delivers Silver expeditions in the Chilterns, Surrey Hills, New Forest, Peak District, Black Mountains and Shropshire, as well as other suitable locations across England and Wales.
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Gold expeditions need to take place in appropriately challenging and remote environments. Learn Outdoors regularly delivers Gold expeditions in the Cambrian Mountains, Dartmoor, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Peak District.
Other suitable locations can be arranged.
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Yes. We can discuss your school's location, Award level, participant experience, preferred dates and travel requirements before recommending suitable expedition areas.
We also run DofE expedition clinics which are free, 30 min online sessions designed so that you can ask us questions about DofE expeditions. There is no obligation to book with us they are simply there to help people find answers to expedition questions.
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Yes. Learn Outdoors can provide training, route planning, practice expeditions and qualifying expeditions, instructors, supervision, assessment, campsite arrangements and other expedition support.