‘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 »
On the 22nd March 2017, Cambridge University Officers’ Training Corps (CUOTC) departed for a trekking expedition in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. The aim was to summit Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. Our secondary aims included empowering officer cadets (OCdts) to embrace leadership roles and to give potential officers a taste of
Ex Dragon Toubkal 2017 – Cambridge University Officers’ Training Corps 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 »
‘No, there really is climbing on the Costa Blanca, I’ve been. It’s really rather good.’ The OC Major Kennon raised a quizzical brow and I crossed my fingers… Fast forward some months and after a late night brief, and even later night packing kit and travelling, we arrived bleary eyed in Alicante airport on the
Ex Northern Iberian Duke – 4 Lancs Read More »
When the opportunity arose to hike the Northern section of the twentieth Grande Randonnée over the period 05-16 August, Officer Cadets at UOTC Birmingham leapt at the opportunity to further their mountaineering experience and prepared to embark on an eleven day route that has a reputation of being one of the toughest long distance trails
Ex Dragon Slim Corsica – UOTC Birmingham 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 »
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 »
At Sheffield University Officer Training Corps (SUOTC) we run an annual adventure training expedition for the cadets and subalterns reaching the end of their third and final year of OTC. This is the culmination of all their training and development and a ‘last hurrah’ before they embark on civilian and reservist careers or set off
Ex Northern Cutlers’ Climb – Sheffield 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 »
On 1 June 2015 a group of 14 intrepid adventurists left the UK bound for the high mountains of the Bolivian Altiplano. Flying via Miami we eventually touched down in La Paz (4000m) after around 15 hours in the air. This Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) Expedition had an ambitious plan to scale a number of
Ex Altiplano Tiger – Army Mountaineering Association Read More »
A team of 12 Air Cadets and 3 staff from 234 (City of Durham) Squadron have returned from the challenge of a lifetime, trekking in the French Pyrenees and summiting the mighty Pic du Canigou. It had taken 15 months of planning, fundraising and training, so when the Cadets arrived at the airport, the excitement
Pyrenees Trekking Expedition 2015 – 234 (City of Durham) Sqn ATC Read More »
Exercise Northern Alpinista consisted of a two week mountaineering expedition to the Benasque valley region within the Spanish Pyrenees. The expedition took place during July 2015 and was supported by 15 Officer Cadets (OCdts) from Leeds University Officers Training Corps and Regular and Reserve Forces instructors and staff. The location was chosen for its appeal
Exercise Northern Alpinista – Leeds University Officers’ Training Corps Read More »
Exercise Dragon Formigal was a 37 Sig Regt adventurous training exercise in the Aragon region of the Spanish Pyrenees, held over the period 04-17 August 2014. The aim was to complete two treks along sections of the GR11 and to also introduce participants to mountain biking along some of the trails within the region. The
Ex Dragon Formigal – 37 Signal Regt (V) Read More »
Exercise CONDOR EMU saw nine Officer Cadets from EMUOTC summit four Andean mountains, with the aid of Maj Tolan (Alpine Mountain Leader) and Tte Saavedra (Bolivian Mountain Infantry). During the month long expedition the team completed an acclimatisation phase at Illimani base camp (4500m), summited an acclimatisation peak (Janco Laya 5550m) and three further peaks,
Ex Dragon Condor Emu – East Midlands UOTC Read More »
During July 2014, 8 staff and 13 cadets headed for British Columbia, Canada for a 26 day RFCA expedition, supported throughout by the Yorkshire Cadet Trust. It commenced almost 18 months ago with 60+ cadets vying to gain a place on the team. The selection process took place over Easter 2013 (North York Moors) and
Exercise Northern Rocky Mountain Venturer – Yorkshire ACF and ATC Cadets Read More »
Exercise ALASKAN BUGLE was an expedition for 12 members of 1 Rifles supported by two reservists Maj John Tolan (Alpine Mountain Leader) and Maj Kirsty Watson (Team Doctor). The expedition aim was to climb Mt Denali at 6189m North America’s highest peak. The mountain is a serious challenge at the best of times and this
Ex Alaskan Bugle – 208 Field Hospital, 1 RIFLES, EMUOTC Read More »
Exercise BOLIVIAN VENTURE 2014 (BV14) was a major high altitude expedition to the Northern Cordillera Apolobamba region of Bolivia and Peru. The expedition took place during the period 3 – 26 June 14 and consisted of twenty-eight personnel broken down into a trekking team of seven and a mountaineering team of twenty-one. Both teams were
Exercise Bolivian Venture 2014 – 612 RAuxAF Sqn and 3 AEF Read More »
Exercise Ibex EMU was a mountaineering expedition that ran for 19 days from the 14th July – 1st August. It took place in Saas Grund, Switzerland and Chamonix, France. The main effort of the expedition was to summit Mont Blanc. Our unit had attempted to do this previously but had failed due to poor weather
Ex Ibex EMU (Dragon) 2014 – East Midlands UOTC Read More »
On the morning of Saturday 26 July 14, 24 Cadets and 6 Adult Instructors from Staffordshire and West Midlands Army Cadets force started the long drive north to Inverness for the start of a seven day adventurous training package. The aim of the expedition was to expose the cadets to the adventurous opportunities the Highlands
Ex Highland Dragon Venture – Staffordshire and West Midlands Army Cadet Force Read More »
In the Spring of 2014, twelve soldiers from 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), many of whom had recently returned from serving in Afghanistan, and East Midlands Universities’ Officer Training Corps, completed a 30-day expedition to carry out high altitude mountaineering in the Peruvian Andes, culminating in the successful ascent of Coropuna
Exercise Peruvian Cat – 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD) Read More »
Challenging, isolating and inspiring, ski touring offers a unique way of exploring the mountains. Such exploration was one of the main aims of Oxford UOTC’s Exercise Blue Tour, a seven-day ski tour through the Italian Adamello and Ortler Alps. The group of eight Officer Cadets met in Oxford on 27th March 2014 and, having been
Blue Tour 2014 – Oxford UOTC Read More »
Fourteen members of 201 (Northern) Field Hospital (Volunteers) took part in an expedition in the High Atlas Mountain Range (Morocco) with the ultimate aim of reaching the summit of Mount Toubkal at 4167m. We were accompanied by a local guide and members of the Moroccan Army. During the 10 day trek there were opportunities to
‘Northern Toubkal Serpent’ – Morocco, High Atlas Mountains Read More »
High winds, high plateaus, high adventure (but low water and creative instruction) maintained the ambitions of Ex Northern Jacobite Venturer (Ex NJV). Our now annual Scottish exploit is in it’s 6th year and is successfully delivering all five phases of a cadet’s five year development plan. Exercise Northern Jacobite Venturer is a multi activity week
1383 – ‘Northern Jacobite Venturer’ – Scotland, Mammores Read More »
Twelve cadets and staff have just returned from a Sussex Wing ATC led expedition to South Island, New Zealand, made possible thanks to a year of planning and fund raising activities, and the generous support of among others the Ulysses Trust and the Singleton Trust via HQ Air Cadets. The expedition aims to give senior
1396 – ‘Cadet Odyssey’ – South Island, New Zealand (Fjordland, Mt Cook) Read More »
Exercise Bintumani Spirit took place in February 2013 in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The expedition consisted predominantly of regular Royal Corps of Signals personnel, but we were joined by Capt Clare Bliss of 243 (V) Field Hospital who came to provide essential medical support. Exercise Bintumani Spirit was an innovative AT expedition, especially given its
1394 – ‘Bintumani Spirit’ – Sierra Leone Read More »
In recent years, 3 Royal Welsh have conducted their annual skiing on the continent as sport, and their winter mountaineering in Scotland as Adventure Training. Ex SHENKIN DRAGON was an attempt to box clever, provide better and more varied training, make better use of planning effort and to minimise the costs to participants. On all
1392 – ‘Shenkin Dragon’ – Northern Cairngorms, Scotland Read More »
