Expedition Northern Ascent 2022
Ulysses Trust ID 2795
To mark the 80th anniversary of the RAF Regiment an ambitious and strenuous mountain bike expedition was planned. The Expedition would follow the route of The Great North Trail which is a newly established off road long distance track covering approximately 800 miles. The Trail starts at the bottom of the Peak District in Derbyshire and runs north over the Pennines , Kielder forest , the Scottish borders , Central Scotland , Grampian Mountains and then the Highlands, where it breaks into two options for the final destination. Riders can opt for John o’ Groats which is the most North Easterly point of mainland Britain or Cape Wrath which is the most North westerly point of mainland Britain. It was decided that Cape Wrath would be the most suitable destination for the expedition as it also involved an ad-hoc ferry crossing to the peninsular which would add another dimension to the adventure.
The idea behind the expedition was to involve as many RAF Regiment Squadrons as possible starting from southern England and working north to include all the squadrons located in Scotland. The expedition ran from the 9th to 28th May 2022 and was broken down into 4 separate legs. Riders would join a team of Mountain bike instructors and a support team for each of the legs. After each Leg had finished the riders would hand over to a new group of riders for the next leg. The instructors and support team remained for the full duration.
The riding days would be a point-to-point journey that would see the riders riding along the specified route for that day and involve mostly off-road trails and minor tracks. All legs offered their own challenges and although everyone thought that the Scotland section would be the more demanding, it was in fact Leg 1 in the Peak District. This Leg was quite technical in parts, which for some riders meant having to push their bikes up and down the hills. However, the scenery throughout was stunning but once in the Highlands of Scotland it was wild and dramatic as was the weather at times. Where possible the riders would rendezvous with the support team at some point during the day for resupply of food and water and on the odd occasions bike parts to fix some of the breakages they had. Each night the riders would arrive at a new destination and be greeted by the support team. The overnight Accommodation was a mixture of Camp sites and hostels. Riders quickly established an evening administration routine, cleaning and servicing the bikes and getting personal equipment ready for the next day before a hearty evening meal, which was provided by a RAF Reserve chef.
Overall, The Great North trail proved to be a fantastic way the commemorate the 80th anniversary of the RAF Regiment. There were plenty of ups and downs, not just in the landscape, that challenged all the teams at different times over the four legs. Even on the last day when we arrived to board the ferry to cross the peninsular to Cape Wrath, to complete the last 24 miles, due to high winds it was too strong for the ferry to cross. Thankfully the spirit of the RAF Regiment was displayed by members of the team who managed to get us a lift across on two MOD speed boats that operate in the area due to the RAF range on Cape Wrath. Safely across the water, the team could cycle the remaining distance to the light house at the most North westerly point of mainland Britain. The wind eased on the return, and were able to ride back and be picked up by the ferry, this completing the challenge.
As with any Expedition it’s all about the journey and the people you meet along the way. It was a privilege to spend time with fellow Gunners from other squadrons a couple of which I knew from other exercises. Having common ground and determination to complete a objective is just one of the things I love about the RAF Regiment family. The hard work of the boss , instructors and the support team made overcoming the daily challenges a rewarding experience.
I will have fond memories of this expedition for the rest of my life. The wilderness that Scotland still has and the good people I spent time with all of which I will draw strength from moving forward a true Adventure. Per Ardua
Report and comments from L/Cpl Doughty 609SQN
