First Challenge Trip to Norway

Fjords, mountains, midnight sun…and mozzies! For all these reasons and more, Norway proved to be a challenging adventure for the 72 students who set off into the wilderness this summer.

Splitting the challengers down into five groups means that every team has their own trip to call their own.  To have this independence from the rest of the year group means that every team, although following similar itineraries, have very different experiences and this year was no exception.

Teams 1 and 2 enjoyed some of the most glorious weather that Norway saw all summer which, although lovely in many respects, brought its own challenges as everyone strived to stay hydrated whilst walking in some tough terrain. Teams 3, 4 and 5, on the other hand, caught the end of the weather high, which was closely followed by a monumental storm as a low pressure passed over the area. 

I often feel though that this is what First Challenge is really about.  Obviously we don’t want the challengers to be miserable but making them face these natural barriers brings them closer together and forces them to overcome the challenges as a team.  Camping for ten days, cooking on gas stoves, carrying all their own gear and fighting off the midges is tough but throw in Mother Nature and that’s when the fun really begins!

See many more photos in our Flickr Gallery below: