Their story, in their words…
Our 6 day hiking and camping experience that was funded by the Mark Evison Foundation was full of challenges and new experiences. Our group decided to hike around Dartmoor national park and spend several days wild camping in the most beautiful biodiverse sights. It was a completely different experience from normal camping as we really had to take into consideration what to carry with us, as we were walking for hours each day with a limited supply of fresh bottled water and food.
The main reason we wanted to do the experience was to step out of our comfort zone, spend quality time together ( without distractions, such as our electronic devices) and create memories that we would not normally get from everyday life. Although there were difficult moments, the experience brought us closer together and taught us the importance of teamwork, communication and staying positive. We spent a lot of time walking through different areas while carrying our camping equipment, food and water. Wild camping made the experience much more challenging because we could not rely on normal campsites or facilities. We had to think carefully about where we were going to sleep, where we could safely set up our tents and how we were going to manage our supplies.
Every day brought something different. There were times when we were tired from walking for long periods, and the weather and conditions made things more difficult. Setting up camp after a long day of hiking was also exceedingly challenging because we were already exhausted and lacked the usual amount of sleep that we would all get. However, being together made the difficult parts much easier. We helped each other carry equipment, prepare food, put up the tents and make decisions. When someone was struggling or feeling tired, we encouraged them to keep going. This made us realise how crucial it is to work together when we are put into an unfamiliar situation.
We would recommend mark evison to anyone who is willing to push themselves and has the want to experience new things. It is remarkable thing to do, as by the end of the experience we all felt so accomplished, and realised what a great memory it is to have all together that we can all look back on for many years. In addition, we all gained a tremendous amount of life skills that we will definitely use in the future.
