Dorset Walk – Malcolm Whales Foundation 2024
On Thursday 11th-Monday 15th July, we took 47 students and 5 staff to Dorset to walk 40 miles of the Jurassic coast line for The Malcolm Whales Foundation, an amazing charity that raises funds to support families affected by cancer.
After 6.5 hours on a coach on Thursday 11th, we all learnt how to put up tents and the AMVC family began to enjoy their camping fun. Getting used to outside showers and portaloos was quite an experience and then we discovered the “posh” toilets and all was well again.
Friday 12th we began the first walk- 14 miles from Weymouth to Lulworth Cove. This day had some amazing views but was the start of our adventures on hills. And there was some serious hills!! Our walk began at 9 and we finished at 4. Most of us doing over 35000 steps! Friday night was a trip to Swanage for a chippie tea, ice cream and fun on the beach. All students and staff had a bedtime curfew of 10pm so once we battled the shower queues, it was lights out.
Day 3 we started to realise how much the mosquitoes liked us but it never dampened our spirits. On this day, Saturday 13th, we knew we had a tough day ahead. Everyone had warned us that this was going to be a feat of mental and physical strength and they were right! We left camp, walking from Lulworth Cove to Kingston, approx 11 miles but an extra mile was added due to a rock fall last week so we had a route change to avoid that. During this day both "The Travelator" and "The Beast" was tackled. All would agree these were the hardest hills, a battle of will, power, mental stamina and resilience because the only way is up. The students really did us proud here and completed the day, arriving back on camp after 6 hours walking for a beautiful bbq in the sunshine.
Day 4 was out longest day and by this point, exhaustion, fatigue and some mild sun burn had really started to hit home but the students spirit was strong and they never stopped smiling and encouraging each other. On this day, Sunday 14th we left Kingston to Studland Bay. The longest of all days we walked 15 miles along many many hills, rock faces, cliff tops and even an unexpected swamp! The V cliff was definitely the hardest- 200 vertical steps up, 200 vertical steps down. Another battle of wills, students helped and encouraged one another. Highlights were the ice cream stop in Swanage, the real life Punch and Judy show and then the final beach sprint. We finished not long after 5pm with most of us doing over 40,000 steps!!! The return to camp was an emotional one full of pride, a sense of achievement and pure exhaustion.
The Dorset Walk has been an amazing, life affirming and heartening experience. We have built the AMVC walking family and all who took part have been a dream with their own reasons for coming. The staff are so proud of all the students, they have been amazing and there are no words for just how much they have grown and shown their resilience and determination. Between them all they have raised just over £9,500 and over £10,000 including Gift Aid donations for the charity which is amazing.
A special thanks to Mr Perry Thorne for his cheery good mornings, Ms Lewis for her organisation and strategy skills, Miss Davis for her humour and Mr Channon for keeping us all in good spirits. I couldn't have asked for a better staff team. Until next year.
Ms Kavanagh, Trip Leader
