On Friday, May 2, 50 students set out from the grey walls of Saltus Grammar School on an adventure that would take them to Darrell's Island by a variety of routes. The expedition, part of the requirement of the Duke of Edinburgh Award bronze level, was under the leadership of Saltus staff member Daniel Dorrington.

The students, divided into nine groups, split up as they left the school grounds and followed predetermined routes that they had chosen some weeks before. Having had a week to recover, Aislinn Maiden agreed to talk The Royal Gazette about the experience.

She was one of a group of five young women, the others being, Camille Amott, Rachel Madeiros, Jennifer Anstee and Sophie Adams. They set out on their 20-kilometre hike at an energetic pace along North Shore eastwards, but by the time they reached Barker's Hill, their pace slowed as the weight of their backpacks began to take its toll.

By the time they reached Trinity Church Road, Bailey's Bay, their pace had slowed further still, although they were still heading forwards. Once they met up with another group on Harrington Sound Road, who set a faster pace, they were re-energised and arrived at last at Albouy's Point in time to meet up with the other groups and catch the boat to Darrell's Island at 4.45 p.m. On their arrival on the island, the groups scattered to find a good spot to set up their tents. After a simple supper of rice, chicken and broccoli, cooked in a pot on a gas stove, our five young ladies joined the others at a campfire site where the boys gathered branches and dried grasses for a blazing bonfire. Attempts to toast marshmallows weren't entirely successful: in a number of cases the toaster was in danger of being toasted too. The remainder of the evening was spent sitting on the rocks by the water chatting and telling stories.

Despite the chill, our adventurers were able to sleep and rose at 7 a.m. – on a Saturday morning. Three of the group struck the tent while the other two cooked a breakfast of pancakes – managing not to burn them! The return journey to Albouy's Point took them to the start of the Middle-to-End walk and a further 25 kilometres of walking. At a snail's pace, the young ladies made their way to Barnes Corner, where with great relief, they dropped off their backpacks, having completed the requisite number of miles for their bronze level.

They continued on to Dockyard to complete the Middle-to-End walk for which they had found sponsors.

The Saltus group raised over $3,000 for the charity. "We were the last group out of all those thousands of people. That was really sad," Aislinn admitted, sheepishly.

The expedition was worth it, however. "Because it was a lot of fun," Aislinn said. "We had a lot of laughs and jokes while walking. At the end we couldn't even walk in a straight line we were so tired. But it was still kind of funny." The camping was the best bit – the bonfire and hanging out with her fellow students especially. Camille said that having completed the expedition, she would never complain about walking anywhere again. Jennifer said she definitely would go on to work towards her silver award, and Aislinn is set to do it with her, weary bones and tired feet notwithstanding.