Ex GOLDEN LION is the Adjutant General’s Corps led, summer multi activity Adventurous Training expedition which included Mountain Biking, Summer Mountaineering and Rock Climbing/Klettersteig. The exercise consisted of 60 participants and 15 staff, taking place in and around Neustift im Stubaital, Austria.
This year’s exercise took place over the period 04 – 13 Sep 25. After months of planning the advance party deployed to conduct recces of the routes around the local area and ensure logistics were established for the main body arriving two days later.
Once the main body had arrived, the participants were shown to their accommodation and given an in-country brief by the exercise directing staff and divided into 3 groups. They had the remainder of the day to go shopping and orientate themselves to the village.
The next day, having been split into their groups and all being from different units (regular or reserve) for the duration of the exercise, this then increased the participants bonding experience. Activity briefings were carried out each evening to allow personnel to prepare for the following day. The instructors explained what kit is required for trekking, sizing off mountain bikes, and being shown how to correctly wear climbing harnesses.
Activities were held at various locations throughout Stubai, including Elfer Bergstation, Dresdner Hutte (Klettersieg), Schlick ski resort (Hiking), Matrei – Maria Waldrast (Mountain Biking) and Eisgrat Station (Kletterstieg). Over the week, groups completed a round robin of the activities ensuring each group completed 2 days of each activity.
Sergeant Daz Howe along with two Austrian Mountain Guides looked after the rock climbing for the groups and he certainly challenged the vast majority, pushing people past their comfort zones and bringing the group together as part of a team. The climbs they undertook ranged from indoor climbing, due to the adverse weather conditions, to significantly more difficult single pitch climbs and Klettersteig which challenged even those who had a lot of climbing experience. By the end of the week, most people were confident enough to scale taxing 30m plus rock faces on climbs of 4 to 5+, with high degrees of difficulty which was no mean feat.
The Tirol is perhaps one of the most beautiful areas to go walking in Europe. The scenery is fantastic, the routes well marked, the people are very friendly, and there are plenty of high alpine cafes for refreshments along the way. The week began with Maj Sam Smith, Major Dom Whyte and WO2 Nick Biggs taking the groups up the Schlick ski resort summit (2000m). Day two was far more successful, with a fantastic climb around the Elfer Bergstation summit (2990m). This was a hard slog to gain the height, but once up on top of the ridge, the difficulty subsided, and the Austrian sun became friend rather than foe. The sights of the surrounding mountains was breathtaking, explaining why tourists travel around the world to see them.
The final discipline of mountain biking was one which everyone who undertook it thoroughly enjoyed. Ok, maybe they did not all love the huge slogs up the very steep hills, with their bikes, to get to the top of the various hills, but once on the way down all of this was forgotten for the pure adrenaline rush which they experienced. As this was a new experience for a majority, Capt Michael Graham, Capt Dan Shapland, WO2 Rab Warren and Sgt Bish Thapa took the groups through the basics of mountain biking, getting to grips with, and destroying in some cases, the gears on their bikes, before setting off around the local area, and finally up several cheeky ascents/descents. In the words of one officer
“Best day ever and I will definitely be taking up mountain biking when I get back to UK.”
(Maj Kelly Wilson AGC SPS)
As the week progressed, the confidence in each service person could be seen to have grown. Quiet, timid members were now talking proudly of their personal achievements, of how they had faced their fears and overcome them. How they wanted to return on the next years exercise, and of how they couldn’t wait to tell their families and comrades at their home units of what a great event Exercise Golden Lion is. “I feel adventurous training brings everyone closer and makes the AGC become a family as we all have to trust each other in all the activities we do”. (Pte Jess High AGC SPS).
As personnel prepared to depart Neustift at the end of the Exercise, it was great to hear them all laughing, joking and exchanging experiences, (some even enquiring about becoming instructors) from the week and for many, hoping to return another year to take part in what will always be the AGC’s premier Adventurous Training Exercise.
Our thanks and gratitude go to the Ulysses Trust whose kind contribution maximised participation; we are very grateful.
Planning is now underway to deliver Ex GOLDEN LION 26, where more members of the AGC community can embark on a fantastic Adventure Training opportunity.
