STUDENTS from Court Fields School in Wellington who took part in the Dartmoor Challenge had a taste of the mist, fog and low cloud the landscape is famous for.

Sixteen Year 9 students camped for two nights with Mr Alfano, Mr Brookes and Ms Bennett, and hiked over the moor through woodland and river landscapes.

Many of the students had not done previous challenges such as the Exmoor or Blackdown, so had their first taste of a hiking and navigating adventure.

The event is great practice and experience for students who may be thinking of doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award, which the school offers in Year 9 and 10.

Headteacher Rachael Bennett said: “The wind and low cloud made our walking incredibly hard and tiring but students got on with it with humour and determination. Students learnt to map read and navigate in low visibility conditions, and had to support each other as a team.”

Mr Alfano taught students basic first aid by setting up a mock accident to show them what to do in an emergency situation.

Ms Bennett added: “Learning basic skills in survival really develops students’ character and it was great to see them trying to ‘save’ our member of staff who had an ‘accident’ near a Tor.”