Tough going but mountains conquered

Pupils from King's school in Bruton have just returned from their successful twin peaks challenge in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco.

The challenge of the Lower Sixth Gap Year Team was to summit the two highest peaks of North Africa – Mount Toubkal (4,167m) and Mount Ouanoukrim (4,088m).

The expedition is a sponsored challenge with the pupils raising funds for the King's-linked orphanage in Tamil Nadhu, southern India, and for their period of service with the orphans after leaving school on their gap year. The team of 14 pupils, plus four members of staff from King's and two Berber mountain guides, spent four days trekking and acclimatising before the two summit attempts on consecutive days.

"The going was tough and the altitude wearing, but every member of the team reached their goal," said the Rev Nigel Wilson-Brown, the chaplain at King's.

"We have also taken away much learning from the beautiful places and communities we have been privileged to be a part of.

"Few of us have ever encountered such friendship, deep respect and genuine kindness as we found among these mountain people. The lessons we learn from them are many and we forget them at our peril.

"Youssef, our main guide, and his colleague Mohammed were outstanding. We sensed in them both a deep love for the mountains and a passion to spread the message that is Morocco to as many as possible.

"We will carry that message and tell of the kindness and generosity we experienced."

Rev Wilson-Brown said the whole group marvelled at the scenery and the majestic splendour of the mountains.

He said: "By the time we left we felt we were walking away from home, even if that home was a rocky and unforgiving patch of land on the banks of a freezing melt-water stream that served as drinking water, bathroom, splash-pool and cooler."

Now back home the team is raising more funds for the next major part of the King's Gap Year Programme – India.