Gold canoe 2025

Service Description

Training: 29-30 March Practice: 11-13 April Qualifier: 6-10 September An opportunity to complete your Gold DofE Expedition section in 3 parts, with training and practice expeditions on the river Trent and the qualifying expedition by canoe on the river Wye. First, you'll need to complete our e-learning, which covers first aid, risk management and our emergency procedures. We will recap some of these elements in the face to face training but expect you to have achieved a basic level of knowledge via the e-learning first. Training Weekend 29-30 March 2 days of training covering the DofE expedition training framework. You will learn: Paddling skills to be able to canoe efficiently and look after your team on the water Rescue techniques and emergency procedures Campcraft- cooking on a gas Trangia stove, pitching tents Navigation and route planning- using our waterproof maps and route cards Practice expedition 11-13 April Starting on the Friday evening, we will issue kit, and you'll cook dinner and set up camp ready to start journeying on the Saturday morning. You'll spend 2 days journeying along the river Trent with your team, reinforcing your paddling skills, working on time management, navigation and communication as a team. Your supervisor will meet you in various places along the river and be able to assist with any extra coaching to help prepare you for your qualifying expedition. Qualifying expedition 6-10 September Day 1: Kit issue and checks, a skill refresher and chance to look through your routes, menus and team goal ready to start your assessment the following morning. Day 2-5 : Your 4 day, 3 night qualifying expedition, canoeing down the river Wye as part of a team of between 4-8 participants. Assessors and supervisors will see you at various points along the river. You'll have trackers and a radio to improve communications in case of emergency, but your expedition will be self sufficient and you'll carry all your kit in barrels and drybags. All group equipment (tents, stoves, safety kit) and canoe specific equipment (boats, barrels, paddles, helmets and buoyancy aids) are provided by us- you'll need to bring suitable waterproof clothing, your food and crockery, sleeping bag and mat and any other personal kit (full kit list is available to download). Bookings close 15th March