It was to the beat of Welsh drums that the RNLI Lifeboat led Ajax and 13 other boats out of the harbour to the start line of the Three Peaks Yacht Race, while several hundred spectators watched the spectacle from across the broad Barmouth sands. The Three Peaks is the original adventure race, and 17
Yeoman Amphibian 2017 – Royal Yeomanry & Queen’s Own Yeomanry Read More »
In late May 2017, after a 6 month build up period, 20 members of 154 Regiment set out from Scotland bound for Granada in Southern Spain and a week-long Mountain-biking expedition. The membership of this group represented the Regiment’s Reserve make-up in almost perfect microcosm; 6 Girls and 14 Guys; every rank from Private to
Northern Sierra – 154 (Scottish) Transport Regiment RLC Read More »
‘On 16th May at 0650 we made it to the top of the world, Mt Everest, and I was so happy I can’t express what I was feeling.’ LCpl Umesh Gurung, 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles The Gurkha Everest Expedition has given a unique opportunity to 22 members of the Army, and through its
Gurkha Everest Expedition 2017 – HQBG Read More »
We are delighted to be a major sponsor of Ex Ice Maiden, the first all-female traverse of Antarctica scheduled to take place later this year, and we are thrilled to report that the final team sheet is in and there are two Reservists on the team! Their full message is below, but congratulations to all
Ex Ice Maiden Antarctica Challenge Team Announced Read More »
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever” – Jacques Yves Cousteau 27 soldiers from 71 Royal Engineer Regiment have completed a two week multi activity expedition to Belize. Meeting in Heathrow on Easter Monday 2017 after travelling from Northern Ireland and Scotland, 12 divers and 15 canoers
Finn Sappersoaker 2017 – 71 Engr Regt Read More »
26th March 2017, 14 regular and reserve personnel from 104Bn REME embarked on an expedition to Machu Picchu in Peru. The following 14 days were an odyssey of lost boarding cards, inexplicable bag searches, contraband tent pegs, a naked man in the airport and mountains. Lots of mountains. The journey to Peru began in Northampton,
Ex Castle Adventure 17 – 104 Bn REME Read More »
Exercise ICE MAIDEN, the first all-female military transantarctic crossing planned for November 2017, is the vision of expedition leaders Major Nicola Wetherill and Major Natalie Taylor. The two adventurous Army doctors hope that the expedition will inspire others, particularly women, to seek adventure and to engage in arduous outdoor activity. In addition, regardless of who
Ex Ice Diamond 2017 – RAMC, HAC, 32 Sigs Read More »
Ex DRAGON POLAR PILGRIM (also referred to as SPEAR17, South Pole Expedition Army Reserves 2017) first came into being over two years ago in November 2014. The original plan was for a team of Army Reserves to ski 730 miles from the coastline of Antarctica to the geographic South Pole. This was to be an
Dragon Polar Pilgrim (SPEAR 17) Read More »
On the 4th June 2016 11 divers set off for the small Island of Gozo. The expedition was made up of various ranks from Private to Captain, all of whom were looking forward to progressing their diver training, refresh their skills or just get back in the water. My participation on the expedition came about
Ex Dragon Gozo Eagle – various British Army units Read More »
It was a crisp October morning as we headed down to Netheravon to meet the rest of the exped participants and collect our parachuting equipment. This would be the first time we would all meet as the exped comprised of both Regulars and Reservists from 3, 14, 16, 37 & 71 Sig Regts. It was
Ex Cockney Phoenix Fall – British Army Reserves Read More »
Exercise Ubique Finn (ID 02005) took place in the mountain regions north of Malaga between 14th-21st May 2016. Taking part in the exercise where 17 reserve troops from 71 Engineer Regiment comprising of personal from 102 (Paisley), 124 (Edinburgh) and 591 (Bangor) Squadrons. The pasty white Celtic troops travelled from Northern Ireland and Scotland with
Ex Ubique Finn 2016 – 71 Engineer Regiment Read More »
Exercise ICE MAIDEN, the first all-female military transantarctic crossing planned for November 2017, is the vision of expedition leaders Major Nicola Wetherill and Major Natalie Taylor. The two adventurous Army doctors hope that the expedition will inspire others, particularly women, to seek adventure and to engage in arduous outdoor activity. In addition, regardless of who
Ex Ice Ready – British Army Reservists Read More »
Following the 2016 Easter period, 106 Regiment Royal Artillery travelled to sunny Malta to commence Exercise Cockney Abyss, a SCUBA diving expedition aimed at developing competency and confidence in the sub aqua discipline. Nine troops enjoyed a challenging and rewarding endeavour in which they were able to develop their diving skills and achieve gradual depth
Ex Cockney Abyss – 106 Regt RA Read More »
For most of us Exercise Northern Plunge started back in August 2016 when the fourteen intrepid explorers of 37 Signal Regiment were despatched to Army Medical Centres to undergo fitness to dive medicals. Certified fit (and for the most part human) we were all keen for November to come while Sgt Chris Woolerton continued in
Ex Northern Plunge – 37 Sig Regt, 1 JSSU + 208 Field Hospital Read More »
Potential candidates were warned from the start that Ex BACKCOUNTRY SAPPER 16 was to be an Adventurous Training expedition unlike any other. ‘This will not be a jolly.’ the email read and whilst that may have been enough to put many others off, it only appealed to me further. Headed up by Lt Tom Brunstrom,
Ex Northern Backcountry Sapper – 39 Engineer Regiment + 71 Engineer Regiment Read More »
In October 2016 The Queen’s Own Yeomanry and a selection from other Reservist units, deployed on Exercise Northern Blue Juice to Fuerteventura. The aim of the expedition was to conduct diver training and to qualify all participants in either the BSAC Ocean Diver or Sports Diver. We were also extremely fortunate to participate in a
Ex Northern Blue Juice – The Queen’s Own Yeomanry Read More »
The Atlas mountains are, at first look, forbidding and hostile. The weather conditions are changeable and the environment inhospitable to people, animals and vegetation. Over the duration of the two-week expedition the team got to know the people, the terrain and learned much about the Berber culture and rural way of life in the remote
Tiger Toubkal – Royal Signals Read More »
Exercise Northern Gozo was an extremely successful level 3 Adventure Training exercise to the beautiful island of Malta, for 14 Officers and soldiers from 32 Signal Regiment. The aim of the exercise was to undertake two one week foundation level courses in Rock Climbing and Sub Aqua Diving, to continue to build up the amount
Ex Northern Gozo – 32 Signal Regiment Read More »
Exercise Ice Maiden, the first all-female military trans-Antarctic crossing planned for November 2017, is the brain child of expedition leaders Captain Nicola Wetherill and Major Natalie Taylor. The two adventurous Army doctors hope that the expedition will inspire others, particularly women, to seek adventure and to engage in arduous outdoor activity. In addition, regardless of
Ex Ice Bambi 2016 – British Army Read More »
Report written by Lt NJW Richmond C Coy 2 R IRISH The aim of Joint Service Adventurous Training is set out as follows; “to promote, through the conduct of arduous outdoor activities with exposure to hardship and danger, the Army’s core values, leadership, teamwork and other qualities necessary to enhance the Operational effectiveness of all
Ex Shamrock Glacier – 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment Read More »
I’d never dived the Maldives before so I thought it might be wise to find out what was needed. I wasn’t entirely sure what I expected the manager of the dive boat to say, perhaps he would advise about the thickness of wetsuit or what factor sunscreen we would need but when he said “a
Ex Neptune Serpent – 2nd Medical Brigade Read More »
Ex Red Wyvern was an overseas Exped to the Red Sea in Egypt, operating on a dive liveaboard vessel that not only acted as a diving platform, but provided us all our accommodation and real life support needs. The Exped was mainly comprised of Reserve and Regular Soldiers from 165 and 17 Port and Maritime
Ex Red Wyvern – 165 & 17 Port and Maritime Regiments Read More »
Nothing beats an English summer, relaxing outside in the afternoon sun with the soothing sounds of the village cricket match filtering through on the light breeze, a cool drink in one hand, and a copy of the Ulysses Trust summer newsletter in the other. In this edition we focus on the spirit of adventure and
Summer Newsletter 2016 Read More »
Ex Calo Biralo 2016, which saw 19 Members of 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD) and their instructors travel to the Himalayas of central Nepal and trek the much revered Annapurna Circuit. Its aim; to test the group both physically and mentally in an arduous environment culminating in the Tharong La pass (5416m), whilst
Ex Calo Biralo – 101 Engineer Regiment Read More »
Exercise GEORGIAN BUGLE was 6 RIFLES and the British Military’s first adventure training expedition to Georgia. This came about as 6 RIFLES have been given the Defence Engagement role for the South Caucasus’s which include Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. As the Expedition Leader I went out to Georgia in May 15 and carried out a
Ex Georgian Bugle – 6 Rifles Read More »
On 05 September 2015 a team from 201 Field Hospital embarked on Exercise Northern Brighella. Adventurous Training (AT) is an integral part of Military Training and greatly valued at 201 Field Hospital. The definition of AT is ‘Challenging outdoor training for Service Personnel in specified adventurous activities that incorporates controlled exposure to risk, in order
Ex Northern Brighella – 201 Field Hospital Read More »
Each year the Ulysses Trust presents awards for the best expedition in the following categories – Volunteer Reserve Forces, University Units and Cadet Forces – to highlight the very best in leadership, challenge, courage and planning. The expeditions for the Ulysses Trust 2015 Awards have been selected using the award guidelines, which include the key
Prince of Wales’s Best Expedition Awards 2015 – Winners Announced! Read More »
Introduction Maj Andy Gooch Exercise TIGER THULO TRAVERSE (Ex TTT) set out to trek the 1600km length of the Nepalese Himalayas along a route called the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT). It was to follow in the footsteps of ex-Sapper Captain Doc McKerr who became the first person to trek the route solo, unsupported in 2013
Ex Tiger Thulo Traverse – British Army Read More »
Exercise Dragon Mongolian Odyssey was a mountaineering expedition undertaken by 10 members of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) to the Tavan Bogd Mountain Range on the Mongolia, China, Russian border, with the intention of qualifying junior soldiers with various mountain foundation qualifications, knowledge and experience. The location of the expedition was in the western most point
Ex Dragon Mongolian Odyssey – 135 Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers Read More »
On 1 July 2015, 10 members of Trojan Squadron – part of the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme – and 2 Summer Mountaineering instructors set out on Ex Aventura Peruana, a three week mountaineering exercise to Peru. The south of Peru is home to the Andes, a challenging mountain range that offers some of the most
Ex Dragon Aventura Peruana – DTUS Trojan Sqn Read More »
Ex DHAULAGIRI ALPINE DRAGON was the training event conducted in Saas Fee, Switzerland during the period of 11-26 Jul 15 for members of the British Services Dhaulagiri Medical Research Expedition. Dhaulagiri is the 7th highest mountain in the world and the expedition will involve a 24 person mountaineering squad with numerous trekking teams. The aim
Dhaulagiri Alpine Dragon 2015 – 103 Regt RA Read More »
On the 1st of October a team from 37th Signal Regiment headed out to Arizona, USA to take part in Exercise Dragon Phoenix, an expedition with the primary aim of summiting four ‘Ultra-Peaks’ across the state. An ‘ultra-peak’ is defined as a mountain summit with over 1500m (4921 ft) of prominence. In addition, the expedition
Ex Dragon Phoenix – 37 Signal Regiment Read More »
From the 26th September to the 11th October 2015 the Royal Yeomanry completed an Adventurous Training expedition in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The main effort of the expedition was to traverse a section of the High Atlas between the Tizi-n-Test pass the the Tizi-n-Tichka pass and hoping to bag as many peaks as
Ex Cockney Toubkal – Royal Yeomanry + East Midlands UOTC Read More »
It all started on the 13th October. Seven intrepid explorers set off in search of adventure. Some of us knew vaguely what to expect, the others had no idea! Later that night we arrived in Lanzarote and finally met our Skipper Russ and First Mate Esh, who was to become our hero in the days
Ex Atlantic Ubique 2015 – 103 Regt RA Read More »
Ex Dragon Diver was a 21 day diving expedition to the Florida Keys, USA organized by 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC. After some last minute changes, the team included a wide mixture of units: a large contingent from Wales UOTC and even an RAF OCdt. The group also included a mix of experience levels; 10 of
Ex Dragon Diver – 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC Read More »
Twenty minutes into the journey, an about turn was required to retrieve the passport left at Barracks. Passports all present and correct we proceeded to board the plane where we were entertained by the sight of two bags forgotten on the runway, only to later discover that they contained an expedition member’s tentage and personal
Exercise Icelandic Endeavour – Royal Wessex Yeomanry Read More »
The seven day diving expedition was based in Marsa Nakari, Egypt. We were a group of ten personnel which included regular, reserve and civilian SADS from Harrogate. The expedition ranged in ability from novice diver undertaking the BSAC Ocean Diver qualification to Open Water Instructor trainers. The main objective of this exercise was to qualify
Ex Dragon Jerboa Plunge – HQ 7 Inf Bde and 3 PWRR Read More »
As part of its role Exeter UOTC is tasked with organising high quality and demanding Adventurous Training for the Cadets. This should deliver foundation qualifications but also give the Cadets exposure to just how demanding AT can be and how it can be used to develop personal qualities and teamwork. The Dolomite mountains of northern
Ex Falzarego Tiger – Exeter University Officer Training Corps Read More »
On the 16 May 15 selected members from all three squadrons of 1st Military Working Dog Regiment left the UK for Marrakech, Morocco. The aim of this exercise was to introduce us to the activity of mountaineering, by giving us the Summer Mountain Foundation course, and what better place to have this experience than in
Ex Dragon Toubkal – 1st Military Working Dog Regiment Read More »
Early on 11th August, 17 cadets from Oakham School CCF departed on an expedition which was to combine an appreciation of two battlefield sites from the Peninsular Campaign with a challenging trek across the Sierra de Gredos mountains of central Spain. The journey took in a 24-hour ferry crossing between Portsmouth and Santander which provided
Expedition Peninsular Cadet – Oakham School Combined Cadet Force Read More »
“Oh, I could never do that…I can’t even bear to put my face underwater.” Curious to know who had commented on Justin Maker’s near perfect forward roll into the blue waters of the Mediterranean, I turned round to see a middle-aged British tourist sitting with two of her friends on the sun-baked concrete quayside beside
Ex Submerged Battlefield (Dragon) – Army Training Unit (West Midlands) Read More »
MTMC (Mission Training and Mobilisation Centre) based in Nottingham and Lydd, took part in their annual diving expedition from 08 to 22 May 2015 on Exercise Dragon Diver 2. This was an expedition to two of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura and Tenerife. Planning for the expedition started in Oct 2014, novice divers were trained to
Ex Dragon Diver 2 – British Army Read More »
It is now a month since the final team from Exercise Alpine Arc arrived at the shores of the Mediterranean; successfully completing the final kilometres of an extraordinary ski-journey through the European Alps. A journey which began in Puchberg am Schneeberg in Austria before winding its way through 1100kms of snow-locked mountains; accumulating almost 80
Exercise Alpine Arc – Oxford University Officer Training Corps Read More »
Exercise TIGER SOAR 15 was a two week Adventurous Training Expedition in the French Alps run by the Army Gliding Association (AGA) 18 Apr – 3 May 15. Seven Army glider pilots deployed, two of whom are reservists: Lt Col Ian McFarlane YORKS and Maj Jamie Sage RE (Chairman AGA). Both Jamie and Ian are
Exercise Tiger Soar 15 – Army Gliding Association Read More »
Over 5th – 12th September 2014, a team 9 of divers, consisting of 7 members of Army Training Unit (North East), a member of 170 Royal Engineers and our Sub-Aqua Diving Supervisor, a Royal Signals WO who is currently working at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Larkhill, undertook an adventure training expedition in Lanzarote. The aim originally
Northern Blue Merlin – Army Training Unit (North East) Read More »
Exercise NORTHERN APACHE was a 32 Signal Regiment, Level 3 Adventure Training expedition to Arizona, USA, over the period 01 – 15 Nov 14. The aim of the exercise was to summit Arizona’s Ultra Prominent Peaks (each with a topographic prominence of 1,500 metres or more), culminating in a summit of Humphreys Peak at 3,852
Ex Northern Apache – 32 Signal Regiment Read More »
Exercise Parbat Tiger was an Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) expedition to the Kumba region of the Himalayas in Nepal, to climb technical 6000m mountains. The expedition’s primary objective was the development of AMA members to facilitate them leading future high altitude expeditions. Fifteen team members from across the regular and reserve Army, were selected and
Ex Parbat Tiger – Army Mountaineering Association Read More »
