THE Countess of Wessex today (Wednesday, September 21) paused her Diamond Challenge bike ride in North Yorkshire to meet teenagers taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is almost halfway through her challenge to raise money for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, which has seen her cycle from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the Scottish capital. She hopes to arrive at Buckingham Palace on Sunday.

Students from Richmond School and Queen Ethelburga’s College, near York, waited in Catterick Garrison with flags and banners to greet the Countess as she commenced her third day of cycling the 445 mile journey.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and is asking people to challenge themselves to something they have never tried before.

The Countess, who has already raised more than £100,000 for the scheme, said she had never been on a road bike before her gruelling ride, and had always found cycling difficult.

She has been training since February and is riding with a team of servicemen and women from four of Her Royal Highness's military affiliations; RAF Wittering; 5th Battalion The Rifles; Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps; and Corps of Army Music.

Before setting off from Gaza Barracks in the garrison on Wednesday morning, she took time to speak to the teenagers, who are at various stages of the DofE award.

A group of nine students from Richmond School have recently completed their expedition challenge.

Year 11 students Maddison Cutler, Libby Olney, Imogen Thornton, Hannah Speakman, Ruby Frankland, Amy Bushell, Isabel Bushell, Kate Carnegie-Brown and Joe Mawer were all keen to tell the Countess about their lone overnight trip to Swaledale.

Imogen said: “We told her about starting our bronze award and what we had done. We really enjoyed the expedition but it was tough."

Hannah said: “We were left completely alone and had to cook a three course meal which was hard but we had each other.”

Joe said he had done some of his volunteering challenge, where he had worked as a researcher at the Green Howards Museum in Richmond.

Sue Emmerson, DofE operations officer for North Yorkshire said: “The award scheme is so great for young people. It brings them out of their shell, they become more independent, they learn about themselves.

“I think the Countess of Wessex’s cycle challenge is fantastic because it raises awareness for the scheme.”