The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Wales Expedition Network Useful information from the Wales Expedition Network Information about the Contacts Wild Country Areas: Beverley Williams-Pugh Bronze and Silver expeditions are mainly outside of Wales Assessor Network Administration Officer the Wild Country Areas. The expectation at Gold Swyddog Gweinyddu Rhwydwaith Asesu Cymru level is that most will take place in Wild Country. (P/T: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday) Any groups coming into the Wild Country Area at any (R/A: Dydd Llun/Mawrth/Mercher/Iau) level (Bronze, Silver or Gold) must notify the Wales Expedition Network. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The DofE Green Notification Form must be used First Floor, Plas Y Ffynnon, Cambrian Way, Brecon, to notify the DofE that you are organising either an Powys, LD3 7HP Wales / Cymru unaccompanied practice or a qualifying expedition E: [email protected] in one of the DofE’s designated Wild Country Areas. T: 01874 623086 / 01874 615383 (Direct Line) An unaccompanied expedition is one where remote supervision is used at any point, that is, all final practices and qualifying expeditions. Any training Other useful contacts where remote supervision is used must also be notified to the DofE Assessor Network Co-ordinator Please note these do not require a copy of the for the Wild Country Area you are visiting (using the Green Notification Form. notification form). Brecon Beacons: Eifion Jones, Rights of Way Users of Wild Country should send the expedition Officer, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, notification form to the appropriate Assessor Network Plas y Ffynnon, Cambrian Way, Brecon, Powys Co-ordinator six weeks prior to the expedition, or four LD3 7HP. Tel: 01874 624437. eifion.jones@beacons- weeks if no Assessor is required. npa.gov.uk beacons-npa.gov.uk/environment/ Please visit the website for a list of the DofE’s planning-access-and-row designated Wild Country Areas: DofE.org/run/ expeditionareas. Mid Wales: Dafydd Wyn Morgan, Cambrian Futures Project, Cambrian Mountains. In Wales there are three areas where notification [email protected] is required, Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons and Mid Wales. Snowdonia: Peter Rutherford, Access Officer at Snowdonia National Park. peter.rutherford@eryri. llyw.cymru snowdonia.gov.wales/looking-after/ public-access You may also find the following contact useful when planning your visit: Elfyn Jones, Access & Conservation Officer Wales at British Mountaineering Council. [email protected] thebmc.co.uk. Brecon Beacons The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. The range forms the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park, a designation which also encompasses ranges both to the east and the west of ‘the central Beacons’, it includes the Black Mountains to the east as well as the similarly named but quite distinct Black Mountain to the west. The Brecon Beacons range, comprises six main peaks: from west to east these are: Corn Du, 873 metres (2,864 ft), Pen y Fan, the highest peak, 886 metres (2,907 ft), Cribyn, 795 metres (2,608 ft), Fan y Bîg, 719 metres (2,359 ft), Bwlch y Ddwyallt, 754 metres (2,474 ft), and Waun Rydd 769 metres (2,523 ft). These summits form a long ridge, and the sections joining the first four form a horseshoe shape around the head of the Taf Fechan, which flows away to the south east. Mid Wales The main Wild Country expedition areas within bogs, bird life and is one of the most untouched Mid Wales are: and unchanged areas in the whole of Wales. Numerous routes in and around the area are The Pumlumon (or Plynlimon) hills and possible, all offering remote, peaceful expedition surrounding area experiences and a navigational challenge which Featuring the highest peak in the Cambrian will leave participants with a very strong sense of Mountains, the Pumlumon (meaning five peaks) achievement. area, is full of remote, challenging terrain, offering The support of the Elan Valley estate allows stunning remote routes and a true navigational access to a number of farm and wild camping challenge. sites, all well away from anything resembling To the West is the popular Nant yr Arian Mountain a crowd. At the south western end is an area Biking Centre, while to the North East, Glaslyn of lakes known as Llynoedd Teifi or Teifi Pools, lake is a spectacular spot for bird life, situated which lead to the Cistercian abbey ruins of Strata on the Glyndwr way, whilst the Nant y Moch Florida. reservoir, which forms a centre point of the expedition area is fed by a number of valleys. Llyn Brianne/Llanwrtyd / Abergwesyn This area is very popular, offering a mixture of Within short walking distance of the peak at 752 remote valley routes, wild country navigation, metres of Pumlumon are both the sources of forestry and yet again, peace. the Rivers Wye and Severn (or Gwy and Hafren), which both lead to their own long distance walks, Devils Bridge and Cwmystwyth adding to the route possibilities in the area. Tucked between the Pumlumon hills and the Elan Elan Valley Valley estate, this area comprises two recreational forestry areas, a stunning valley full of old mine Possibly the most heavily protected area of works and one of the UK’s tallest wind farms. special interest and natural beauty outside of Centred on the popular tourist destination of a National Park. The Elan Valley area is part Devils Bridge this area also provides linking routes of the Elan Valley estate, comprising of the between Pumlumon and the Elan Valley and vice reservoirs and water sources that supply to the versa. Midlands. The estate is rich in wildlife, peat Snowdonia The Snowdonia National Park which outlines the Snowdonia is famous for its most spectacular Wild Country Area covers 823 square miles of the mountain scenery with Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) most beautiful and unspoilt countryside in North in the North and Cadair Idris in the South. In all Wales. there are more than 90 summits over 2000ft and 15 over 3000m. Snowdonia offers mountains, lakes, woodlands and valleys. History and culture is everywhere The expedition service covers Cadair Idris and and Welsh is the first language of 65% of the Rhinogs to the South, Snowdon, Glyderau, population. Carneddau and Moelwyns to the North and the Berwyns to the East. The landscape illustrates the history of the area through Stone Age burial chambers, Roman forts, churches, castles, slate quarries and other industrial works. Notification process The group plans the expedition. Routes are checked by a technically competent individual. Permission for camping obtained. Safety of the groups is the responsibility of the Supervisor. Checked the expedition meets the 20 conditions of the Expedition section. Approval from Licensed Organisation. Submit green Notification Form at least four weeks before your expedition to [email protected], along with a map of the route, either as a scanned pdf or as an online mapping attachment, we only require route cards for expeditions being assessed by the Network. The Wales Expedition panel acknowledges receipt of notification, if this is not received within a couple of working days telephone 01874 623086/01874 615383 (direct line). The Wales Expedition Panel checks the expedition meets the 20 conditions of the Expedition section. If there are no queries, the Wales Expedition Panel issues a notification number. If the group requires a Network Assessor the Panel will make arrangements and confirm details with the group. Wales Assessor Network assessments All qualifying expeditions must be assessed by individuals assess your group then you must make an accredited Assessor. At Gold level this sure that you follow the process below at least six Assessor must always be totally independent weeks before your expedition start date. of the group. As all of the team members are volunteers it is not The DofE has a team of volunteer accredited always possible to provide an Assessor but we will Assessors based in or adjacent to the wild country let you know no later than two weeks before the areas. If you would like to have one of these start date if we are unable to do this. If you are requesting a Network Assessor please tick the box on the front of the notification form and include the voucher code number, submit at least six weeks prior to the expedition. Voucher codes can be purchased on eDofE.org in DofE Essentials. Any issues with purchasing these should be addressed to [email protected], or vouchers can be bought by email from ASL (current prices are on eDofE). The Welsh Expedition Panel will put a request out to the 100 members on our network, outlining the expedition details. This process will be repeated until an Assessor confirms their availability. All the paperwork relating to the expedition will be sent to the Assessor. The Welsh Expedition Network will confirm the name of the Assessor with the group. The assessor will get in touch with the group and confirm arrangements If the panel fails to find an Assessor we will inform the group two weeks before the expedition date and the voucher code can be saved for another expedition as it is valid for three years. The Supervisor will need to provide the Assessor with all the final details for the expedition including route cards. If the DofE’s 20 conditions for the Expedition section have been met the Welsh Expedition Network will issue the notification number to the Assessor to include in the reports following the expedition. The 20 Conditions of the Expedition section DofE qualifying expedition conditions 1 The team must plan and organise the expedition; all members of the team should be able to describe the role they have played in planning.