News Story

School students push themselves to complete 70-mile mountain trek challenge

The team of Gordonstoun teenagers ran, cycled, swam and canoed to complete a route followed by the King when he was a pupil at the school.

Seven pupils from one of Scotland’s most famous schools have completed a near 70-mile mountain fitness challenge.

Four girls and three boys from Gordonstoun School, Moray, braved poor weather and harsh terrain over two days, completing the Plus Est En Vous challenge journey in 19 hours.

Starting early in the morning, they raised a flag at the summit of Cairn Gorm, Scotland’s sixth highest mountain, eventually finishing at Gordonstoun House.

The feat involved a combination of running, mountain biking, swimming and canoeing, with students having to overcome issues with their bikes at one point.

Ibrahim Park, Gordonstoun outdoor and learning adventure co-ordinator, who organised the challenge, said: “I have done several versions of this journey and others like it personally over the last 25 years. Summit to seas, coast to coast, source to sea.

“I suggested a homecoming journey could be possible with students. About 10 years ago we did something very similar from Balmoral Castle to Gordonstoun.

“A significant mechanical issue with one of the bikes added a great deal of jeopardy during the second day of the journey, as it was critically important that two of the students made it back to school by lunchtime for inoculations required for their forthcoming service project to Kenya.

“After repairs were made, the students blasted down the tracks and trails towards Gordonstoun to try and ensure the whole group could complete the journey.”

The students’ route shadowed that of the the King who, at 16 and then still the Prince of Wales, completed about 28 miles of trekking through forests and mountains amid harsh winter weather while he was a student at Gordonstoun, helping him earn a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Year 12 student Marie Hichert, 17, said: “The cycling really took it out of me, especially on the second day when my body was in some serious pain. However, knowing that my friends and I are going through this together really helped me going.

“We all motivated each other and stayed considerate if someone was feeling tired. No matter how testing the journey got, there was always more I could have put into the challenge.

“The challenge sounded like another one of those things that Gordonstoun offers that I will remember for the rest of my life. Now I can for sure say I made a lifelong memory.”

Megan Stewart, also 17, added: “I love doing outdoor sports, and the intense challenge of the journey appealed to me as an exciting opportunity and adventure. I found mountain biking the toughest, as it was what I had the least amount of experience with, as it was not just a physical effort, but the conditions often meant it required a lot of skill and concentration.

“There were a couple moments in the journey, especially when biking, when I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete the challenge. However, every person in the team supported me in a different way at different times.

“With the teams’ positivity, even the hardest challenges became possible. I don’t think I could have completed it without their encouragement and support.”