From Coast to Coast to the Channel: How KEQMS Shaped a Lifetime of Adventure

By Benedict Aitken, AKS Alumni, Class of 2007

It is hard to believe that eighteen years have passed since I left King Edward and Queen Mary School, now known as AKS, but the lessons I learned there still play a defining role in my life today. In fact, I was reminded of them more than ever this summer when I took on one of my biggest challenges yet: swimming the English Channel.

In July, a close friend and I stood on the shores of Dover at 2.30 a.m., preparing to swim to France as a two man relay team. The conditions were tough from the start with pitch black water, relentless waves and floodlights glaring into our eyes, and we were under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead. We had been warned that a two man crossing can be even harder than a solo swim, with little time to rest between turns, but we were determined to give it everything.

Those first hours were brutal. The cold, the chop, the exhaustion, it was a battle of mind as much as body. But then dawn broke, and as the sun rose over the horizon, everything shifted. It became about focus and grit: swim your leg, support your teammate and keep moving forward. Twelve and a half hours later, with aching shoulders, jellyfish stings and an overwhelming sense of relief, we set foot on French soil.

As I stood on that beach, I could not help but think back to my time at KEQMS. The school’s emphasis on adventure and outdoor challenge had such a profound impact on me and, I now realise, laid the foundation for moments like this. Whether it was countless coast to coast expeditions, cycling across Sardinia, climbing in Skye or long mountaineering days based out of the school’s house at Ribblehead, those experiences taught me far more than how to read a map or push through physical fatigue.

It was not just the outdoor challenges that shaped me. Playing rugby for the school, and the incredible experience of touring New Zealand with my teammates, taught me the value of discipline, trust and shared purpose. On the field, you quickly learn that success depends on every player doing their part, supporting one another and pushing together towards a common goal. Those lessons in teamwork and determination have stayed with me ever since, and they were just as important in the Channel as they were on the rugby pitch.

All of these experiences built resilience, teamwork and a belief in the power of perseverance, qualities that have shaped my life well beyond school. They taught me that stepping into the unknown, even when it is uncomfortable, is often where the most rewarding experiences lie. They also instilled a deep appreciation for the natural world and the strength of shared endeavour, both of which carried me across the Channel.

I hope today’s AKS students continue to seize every opportunity for adventure that comes their way. Because whether it is a windswept hillside in the Lake District, a hard-fought rugby match, or the waters of the English Channel, those challenges build skills and memories that stay with you for life, and they might just be the thing that helps you conquer your next big goal.