Outdoor Activities
Outdoor pursuits have a strong tradition at Marlborough. The Outdoor Activities (OA) Department has its own dedicated building, the Kempson Centre, named after a former Master at the College who was a member of two early expeditions to Mount Everest in the 1930s. The Department offers a broad range of activities designed to be fun, challenging, varied and adventurous, but offering something for everyone.
In their first year at the College, pupils can choose from an extensive menu of outdoor activities including climbing, canoeing and kayaking, mountain biking and sub-aqua diving. Towards the end of the Summer Term, the whole year group participates in a week of outdoor activities largely based in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Pupils are allocated in their houses to bunkhouse accommodation where the emphasis is not only on the activities but also on domestic and social skills. During the week most will undertake a two-day overnight expedition which can be registered as training towards the Bronze Award of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The College is a firm advocate of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We currently offer the Gold Award (in Lower and Upper Sixth). The expedition training for the Bronze Award forms part of our Wednesday afternoon ‘Outreach’ programme whilst the Gold Award training is undertaken largely at weekends and during holidays. Qualifying or assessed expeditions have taken place in the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and Dartmoor.
Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race
The 125-mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race is an ultramarathon that takes place every Easter weekend and is the longest non-stop canoe race in the world. Starting in Devizes in Wiltshire, the route travels down the Kennet and Avon Canal to the River Thames at Reading and then continues to Westminster in London. Marlborough enters both senior and junior crews in the event. The popularity of this race among the Lower and Upper Sixth has grown so much in recent years that the College is one of the largest school team entries.
Training starts in the Michaelmas Term for three afternoons a week to work on endurance, boat skills and portaging techniques (exiting the water with your kayak to run around one of the 77 obstacles that must be negotiated between Devizes and Westminster) so that our crews have the best chance of completing the challenge.
