Having been 5 years since the last overseas adventurous training expeditions ran at EMUOTC, there were many Officer Cadets (OCdts) keen to travel to Iceland and complete the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails.
Exercise Dragon EMU Ice saw 16 OCdts and 2 instructors trek an 8-day expedition, walking the Laugavegur Trail, (55km long trail between Landmannalauger and Thórsmörk) and the Fimmvörðuháls Trail (25km long trail between Thórsmörk to Skógar). This expedition prepared participants to lead future physically and mentally demanding adventurous training.
The team completed the 80 km trail in 5 days starting north in the Icelandic highlands and walking south towards the coast. The OCdts found stunning scenery; black volcanic deserts, steaming geothermal springs, glacial rivers, and deep valleys with plummeting ravines. The trails are known to be Iceland’s most legendary hikes, and they did not disappoint.
On day 2 of hiking, OCdt Stanney describes “halfway through the journey, the skies truly cleared and the campsite and the vast adorning lake, despite still being 6km away, was visible to us in the valley of some snow-covered mountains whose summits extended above the few remaining clouds. This provided some welcome motivation for the group, as we doubled our efforts to reach camp for the night, even succeeding in our first river crossing of the trip without any changes of kit or anyone falling in, using our combined efforts and assessments to calculate the best route through the water together as taught by our instructors. From there it was a simple trek through lush moss that crawled up the banks of the springs where they had cooled to a more hospitable temperature, before successfully arriving at camp. Once we were joined by the second group, tents were pitched.”
Day 3 was described by OCdt O’Reilly as “Leaving our tremendous camping sight with scenic views, we preceded walk for several kilometres before conducting a river crossing through freezing Icelandic glacier water. Once the two separate walking groups arrived at our delightful valley camping sight we erected tents and conducted end of walking administration. Following this the group preceded to scout of some the local scenery, with an additional hour long walk that was adjacent to the campsite. Taking in photos and the spectacular views of a deep gorge the 16 OCdts truly bonded in this magnificence. The day concluded with card games in a communal tent and shared experiences that will last a lifetime.”
The route challenged the OCdts, as they had to be self-sufficient and unsupported due to the remote location. Some OCdts found this incredibly challenging, as their backpack weighed half their weight.
OCdts developed their individual and team leadership skills through the physically demanding and mentally challenging trek. At one point there was talks of splitting the final 25km day into 2 smaller days, however when discussing with the groups, no-one wanted to, seeking the harder option and the inevitable feeling of accomplishment at the end.
OCdt Bowcott recalled the last day of the trek “We set off at 07:00, starting on a new 25km trail that stretched from the campsite and ended in Skógar. We were immediately faced with a draining 1000m climb that rewarded us with breath-taking views as we ascended into the clouds. We continued, walking between two volcanoes – past the site of the eruption in 2010 – surrounded by thinning glacial ice. Finally, after 3 enduring hours we reached the peak. Anxious to leave the cloud layer, we started our long descent, and after a few quick stops to eat and to fill water bottles up at a fresh mountain stream, we made it out into clear skies. The final leg of the hike was an arduous 10km stretch handrailing the meandering river Skógar as we neared the sea. By this point our feet were sore and blistering, and each step felt like walking on hot lava. The only saving grace was the indescribable scenery of the river and its accompanying waterfalls. Eventually, the landscape widened out and we could see our finishing point – A great big waterfall the size of a skyscraper. After one final push it was over. We had made it to the end of the trail.”
Each OCdt developed the skills they learnt on the Summer Mountain Foundation course by taking in turns to have leadership roles, managing a group with differing physical abilities and working together as a team. Adventure Training is an excellent opportunity for Officer Cadets to develop their leadership and teamwork, for some of the Officer Cadets this trip enabled them to experience activities that they wouldn’t have otherwise undertaken themselves. The skills learnt on the expedition have given them the knowledge and confidence to go hiking, camping, and even to plan their own expedition in the future. OCdt Hewins said “I feel significantly more confident in my abilities and want to go exploring the outdoors more often. The skills I further developed I can use when I go camping and walking by myself in the future.” OCdt Rhoden shared “I look forward to using the skills I improved on to help me with gaining a Mountain Leader Training qualification.”
We would like to thank the Ulysses Trust for their help and support in making this expedition a possibility, we are all very grateful for the opportunities this trip has provided.
