Sheamar Simmons will always remember Wales as the place he discovered his passion for life.

The 17-year-old was one of six local students on an Outward Bound expedition in the UK in August.

Selina Whitter, Amy Palmer, Savannah Loder, Jessica Godfrey and Zane Bennett also took on the challenging three-week programme.

On a typical day they would go on a gruelling 12-hour hike around the seaside village of Aberdovey. Meals consisted of dehydrated foods and they would have to take cold showers.

It sparked a curiosity in Sheamar, who is now eager to see the world.

“This trip changed my life so much in so little time,” the teenager said. “I now want to become a travel photographer after seeing all the things I saw — the views and the sites. You can’t replace those moments just by watching it on TV. You have to be there to experience it, live life, break out of your comfort zone and experience the wild life.”

He initially expected the expedition to be more like a vacation. His older brother had been on one a few years before and told him about all the exciting adventures to be had.

“He never told me about all the long hours of hiking we’d have to do, so I came in with an expectation it would be easy,” Sheamar said. “I realised on the first day it wouldn’t be. We had these barrels and were supposed to put three pairs of clothes in them and that was supposed to last us the whole week. We only got to change out of our stuff every Sunday. I personally overpacked. I had a month’s worth of clothes, my nice clothes, inside my suitcase and packed some hair gel and a brush, but I had to limit my supplies to just a few specific items.

“We walked approximately 21 miles a day from 6am all the way until 6pm. Some nights in the last week we ended up walking until 10pm because we had to navigate our own way back to where we were supposed to be. We had to walk a certain distance and had to keep on going until we got to the checkpoint.”

Blisters on his feet made the trek even harder.

“My feet hurt and I was in a lot of pain; everyone was,” he said. “The up side is that the wind and weather overall was pretty good. It only rained a few times, so it could have been worse.”

The expedition was great for so many reasons, Sheamar said.

“The whole trip was amazing because I never knew I could endure three weeks of hard work and the fact we were climbing up these high mountains like Snowdon Mountain, which took four hours, I learnt what I’m truly capable of,” he said.

“Bermuda is 21-odd miles and walking that distance every day with boots on, and with an 80lb bag on your back, is really something you’d never expect anyone to do. When I finished I felt a rush of adrenalin because this was so out of my comfort zone. I never knew something like that was possible for me.”

He said he learnt the value of teamwork and also realised you have to work hard for the things you want in life.

“It won’t be an easy hike or journey, of course not, but nothing in life is easy,” he said.

“My philosophy is why not enjoy life and give it a try? After all, a trip like this isn’t something you should turn your back on or deny. It’s life-changing ... it taught me to open up and see the world a bit clearer.

“I’d honestly like to go back if I were to be offered another chance. We had so many great times during that journey. I just wished I had been able to use my camera because the sites were so beautiful, so incredible you just want to capture them.”

• Outward Bound is a non-profit organisation aimed at empowering young people to care for themselves, others and the world around them though outdoor education and activities in an unfamiliar setting.