reservist

2024 saw our unit (6 RIFLES Army Reserve), conduct its first large scale Adventure Training (AT) Exped to the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the year after the Battalion planned and executed another Exped to Corsica to take on the infamous GR20. Both of these Exped’s were kindly supported by the excellent work of the

From Rainforest to Roof of Africa: Our Kilimanjaro Expedition Our eight-day expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route took ten reservists and four regulars from 158 & 162 Regiment RLC through five dramatic climate zones, testing our mental resilience, teamwork and determination at every stage. We began at Lemosho Gate, trekking seven kilometres through

Participants: Five members of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY).Course: Two-week Static Line Paratrooper Course at Centre École des Troupes Aéroportées (ETAP), Pau, France. Introduction: The aim of this exercise was to complete the demanding military static-line parachute course at the École des Troupes Aéroportées (ETAP) and earn our ‘French Wings’. Over two weeks, the

Team Per Ardua 21, comprising three members of the RAF Reserve and one regular officer, successfully competed in the Atlantic Campaigns World’s Toughest Race rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Dec 25 to Feb 26. Team aims and objectives will be covered in more detail later, but the team aimed to arrive in Antigua in

Between 18 April and 2 May 2026, a crew of nine embarked on a challenging two-week sailing expedition aboard the yacht St Barbara V, journeying from Vigo, Spain, through the Atlantic coast of Portugal, transiting the Straits of Gibraltar, and concluding in Málaga, Spain. This expedition combined seamanship training with cultural and historical exploration, offering participants

Ex DRAGON SAMURAI 2026 was an AMA Ski Touring Expedition. It brought together a group 14 Service Personnel: both Regular and Reserve, from across a large variety of regiments. All with one thing in common… a passion for skiing! The Exercise was designed to facilitate progression through the JSAT ski scheme. Individuals holding their SF2

3 Royal Welsh being the only reserve infantry regiment which recruits in Wales, our ranks are made up of Valley’s boys, hill farmers, national park rangers and emergency services workers, to name a few vocations. And for those of us not fortunate enough to be born here, the mountains and valleys are one of the

In February 2026 the Army Mountaineering Association headed to Scotland for their annual Winter Meet. Scotland is an ideal location for adventurous, leadership, and resilience training as it naturally lends itself to adventure, being remote in the sense that it is easy to find areas where you are unlikely to see another person, without the

An ambitious mountaineering expedition has taken British soldiers deep into the mountains of Sikkim, India – marking the first official British Army exercise in the region in thirty years. The venture, known as Ex EAGLE INDIA, formed part of the Regiment’s ongoing commitment to developing soldiers through adventurous training. For many, the expedition served as

On 2 February 2026, seven members of 22 Multi role Medical Regiment (MMR) embarked on an expedition that would test their endurance, teamwork, and resilience. Their goal: to summit Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, standing at 4,167 metres in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. From the moment the team landed in Marrakesh, they were

100 (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery Ski Expedition 2026 ‘We cannot fail for another year!’Major Jonathan Gray For the last three years 100 (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery has tried but failed to deliver a skiing expedition. This year was different. Even the plan from our transport department to give us electric vehicles, with a range of

From the 14–21 December 2025, 53 Army Reservists and instructors deployed with 3 MI Bn to the Trois Vallées ski area in the French Alps for an overseas winter adventurous training exercise – Ex Cockney Skadi X. Flying from Gatwick to Lyon, the team transferred to Les Allues in the Méribel Valley, ready to tackle

Overview: 9 – 16 Nov 2025 – Ex DRAGON TREPAR. This was a type 3 rock climbing expedition to the Calpe region of southern Spain. The lead organising unit was 3 R Welsh. The Ex OiC (and instructor) was 3 R Welsh UATO, with addition instructors provided by SW OTR, 100RA and PRU Wales and

Between 17–19 October 2025, six members of 100RA took to the water for Exercise SOLENT UBIQUE – a three-day sailing expedition on board Bombardier III, the Royal Artillery Yacht Club’s 34-foot yacht. Supported by The Ulysses Trust, regimental, and public funds, the exercise aimed to develop teamwork, leadership, and seamanship through practical adventurous training on

On 30th August, 21 members of HQ Centre arrived at Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell. The day consisted of a full schedule of briefings—some mandatory Health & Safety sessions, alongside instructional lectures for those participating in the Distributed Training to gain their Summer Mountain Foundation qualification. After lunch, the group was issued any required loan pool equipment

Organising Body: RAF Mountaineering Association (RAFMA)Location: Bohuslän, Sweden – renowned for its granite crack climbingDates: 1st – 11th September 2025Participants: 12 RAFMA members, regular and reservist, including instructors and climbers of varying experience levels Objectives: Ex Trad Venture 25 was designed to develop the trad climbing skills of RAFMA members and help them understand the

12 British Army reservists have returned from an exhilarating adventure training parachuting expedition in Cyprus, supported by the Ulysses trust. The aim was ambitious yet attainable, to qualify all novice participants on the UK Accelerated Freefall (AFF) course, taking them from ground school to freefall competency, and to provide continuation training for the more experienced.

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. 

Reservists from 159 Regiment RLC deployed to southern Bavaria for Ex DRAGON BARBARIAN ALPEN (Adventurous Training) in September 2025, completing one of two Foundation courses, Mountain Biking or Summer Mountaineering, and undertaking a two day intro to the other discipline. With Bavaria in the distance the first glimpse of the Alps was seen from the

A Maltese Adventure Beneath the Waves Introduction This September, members of 75 Engineer Regiment traded their army boots for fins on a two-week scuba diving expedition in Malta. From wrecks and reefs to tunnels and swim throughs, the team pushed their limits underwater while achieving new BSAC qualifications and strengthening bonds above the surface. The

Exercise WAGONERS ADVENTURE 2 was a 150 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps Level 3 Mountain Biking (MTB) Adventure Training expedition in the vicinity of Morzine, France. Thirteen service personnel from across the Regiment deployed on a 10-day package for novice riders, to challenge individual goals. Implementing and adopting the Army Leadership and Resilience Training (ALeRT) system

British Army Team Conquers Europe’s Wildest Gravel Challenge in Spain Four British Army personnel have successfully completed one of Europe’s most gruelling cycling challenges, conquering the legendary Badlands gravel race through the harsh landscapes of southern Spain. The expedition, supported by a media team from British Army Extra, saw two male and two female soldiers

Summiting the roof of Africa  – Two Reflections. THE FIRST VIEW Fourteen adventurers recently completed what many described as the most transformative experience of their lives, successfully reaching the 19,341-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro via the challenging seven-day Lemosho Route. Led by two mountain leaders and supported by six experienced local guides, the entire group

Introduction Across two long weekends (22-24 August and 29-31 August) 13 members of the Royal Yeomanry took part in sailing training in the Solent. Of these one was a qualified sailing instructor and three (having been able to attend both weekends) achieved the necessary requirements to gain the Royal Yacht Association (RYA) Competent Crew (CC)

Introduction 2024 saw our unit (6 RIFLES Army Reserve), conduct its first large scale Adventure Training (AT) Exped to the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, this was kindly supported by the excellent work of the Ulysses trust. The idea was always to do more and keep progressing in order to provide the best opportunity for

In July 2025, a joint team from 158 Regiment RLC and 2 Battalion REME embarked on a demanding 14-day Adventurous Training (AT) expedition through Morocco’s breathtaking but unforgiving Atlas Mountains. Working side by side with members of the Moroccan Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, the team tackled a series of strenuous hillwalking routes in extreme weather

Following on from the success of ALPINE VENTURE 2024 where we got four RAF Mountaineering Association (RAFMA) personnel through their Alpine Mountaineering Foundation (AMF) course, I offered to lead a similar trip in 2025. Those plans changed a bit when the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Mountaineering Club (RN&RMMC) started planning a Tri-Service trip to

Exercise NORTHERN MIDDLETON ADVENTURE was a 150 Regiment RLC Adventure Training package delivered based out of Capel Curig, North Wales. Participants from across the Regiment took part in kayaking, mountaineering and mountain biking in an effort to challenge individual goals, implement Army Leadership and Resilience Training (ALeRT) and enhance the opportunities for Army Reservists to

210MMR headed across the Irish sea on 7 June 2025 with a party of 20 SPs for an adventure training exercise in the Highlands of Scotland. The week concentrated on climbing Munro Mountains every day, which are peaks over 3,000 feet. The week was arduous and challenging, testing every single soldier in some way whether

10-11 Mar 25: Our journey began the early hours of a cold, dark Monday morning when we arrived at our RHQ in Glasgow having either flown from Belfast or crossed Scotland from our Squadron locations. We paired up with our tent buddies to share poles and canvas, have a final rummage through our ration packs,

From 21 Feb to 2 Mar 25, the Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) held its annual Scottish winter mountaineering and winter climbing meet. It was based out of Norwegian Lodge, a fantastic (MOD owned) hut on the edge of the Cairngorm National Park not far from Aviemore. 21 members of the AMA took part, from across

Ex SNOWDAGGER was a weeklong Exercise in March 2025 to Rjuken, Norway, for Support Force personnel experiencing all things cold weather. From Nordic and Alpine Skiing to marine style winter survival, mountaineering and ice climbing. The team also took time to experience the military history of the area, learning about the “Heroes of Telemark and

Exercise COCKNEY GLIDE was an Army paragliding expedition to Andalucia, Spain, undertaken in early March 25. The expedition was based in Algodonales, a historic hill town, perched on the edge of the Sierra Grazalema national park. Six hundred metres above the town towers the Sierra Lijar – a superb paragliding mountain that enables flying in

Ex Dragons Winter included two groups and a total of 14 service personnel from 135 Geo Sqn RE, 3MI Bn, 144 Para Med Sqn, East Midlands UOTC. One group was looking to pass Ski Foundation 3, involving mostly ski touring and contributing toward eligibility for a Ski Leader 1 application, or a ‘Quality Mountain Days

100 Regt RA undertook an overseas AT offshore sail training expedition in the Canary Islands, Ex CANARY UBIQUE (Ex CU) Leg 7, between Sun 29 Dec 24 – Sun 12 Jan 25, involving 12 personnel, of whom 9 were Army Reservists. The expedition took place on St Barbara V, a 42-foot Rustler ocean-going yacht provided

Day 1: Monday 10 Feb: The group set off for Netheravon from Merville Barracks, with a 164-mile journey ahead. Despite the M25 traffic, the group arrived and immediately began ground training for skydiving. The instructors began with teaching safety procedures, equipment handling, and body positioning for the freefall. They covered everything from how to inspect

Members of 3 Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion travelled to Nepal to tackle the rugged and remote terrain of the Limi Valley and to learn more about the communities, culture and heritage of our Gurkha colleagues. Exercise TERTIUS YATRA 2024 took place from 11-29 November 2024, comprising 13 personnel from 3 MI Battalion, plus a Mountain

In October 2024, 16 members of The Honourable Artillery Company set off to conquer Himlung Himal (7,126 meters / 23,379 feet), a remote Himalayan peak on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Armed with crampons, dreams, and not quite enough mars bars, we battled thin air, frozen boots, and each other’s bad jokes. Base camp

2023 was supposed to be the year our mountaineering Exped to the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains came to fruition, however fate as always was yet to play its hand and a week from deployment Morocco was hit with a terrible earthquake causing the sad loss of thousands of lives. It was therefore decided to shift

“Their sacrifice created our freedom” HRH Princess Anne the Princess Royal speaking at Arnhem on 21 Sep 2024 representing HM the King. On 14 Sep 2024 nine members of the Reserve and Regular Army from all over the UK, set off from a beach in Essex to paddle a kayak across the North Sea to

In the heart of Spain, a grueling gravel bike race known as Badlands pushed eight army personnel from both regular and reserve forces to their absolute limits. This challenging expedition, designed to test individuals in new and demanding ways, saw participants traverse a staggering 780-mile route through some of the most remote and breath-taking landscapes

With the support of the Ulysses Trust, 100 (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery embarked on an epic mountaineering adventure – trekking the Grande Randonnee’ 20 (GR20) from the South to the North of the Mediterranean island of Corsica, starting in Conca and finishing some 16 days later in Calenzana. The GR20 is widely regarded as one

Introduction: The British Army and Everest have been intertwined since long before the remarkable exploits of 1953 – surveying, attempting and admiring the vast slopes that lead to the roof of the World. One hundred years after Lieutenant George Mallory vanished above the clouds, the challenge remains ever gritty, demanding, and breathless. Unlike many major

Ian, how do you fancy leading a Royal Air Force Mountaineering Association Alpine trip this summer? Of course, my answer was ‘yes’, even though I only had a few months to find other instructors, team members, gain approval and financial support. A lot had changed since I had left full-time Royal Air Force Service in

Exercise SKIMO WARRIOR in April this year was the final exercise to prepare the UK Armed Forces Team to compete in the Patrouille des Glaciers (PdG). The PdG is the most prestigious ski mountaineering (skimo) race, with 4,386m of ascent over 58km from Zermatt to Verbier. Teams compete in patrols of three, racing through the

AIM: The exercise took place over the period of 10 – 16 June 2024 and involved 8 personnel from the Regimental Headquarters permanent staff cohort of 203 MMR, conducting 6 days of cycle touring in Northern France. The overall distance was 238km and was conducted from Cherbourg to Caen. BENEFITS: 203 MMR conducted numerous exercises

Ex Snjor Mountaineer was the Army Mountaineering Association’s recent flagship ski mountaineering expedition to Iceland, which aimed to prepare for and then summit Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur – a feat that had not previously been achieved by a British Military team. WO2 Ross Penver, the Exped leader, aimed for the Expedition “to expose a group

Introduction: The focus of the exercise was for five members of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) to attend and complete the rigorous static-line parachuting training course at the Centre École des Troupes Aéroportées (ETAP) and thereby earn their ‘French Wings’. Over two weeks, participants underwent intensive physical and theoretical training alongside 125 troops from

In October 2023, in-year Army-wide saving measures were announced that effectively turned off the public funding for adventure training for the remainder of the Training Year. Not to be deterred, 3RWELSH looked at options to deliver low-cost training delivered using non-public funds and the result was a week on Scotland’s west coast in near perfect

The AMA winter meet is a highlight of the year, weather permitting and, for the last two years has been based in Glencoe. This is a world class destination for winter mountaineering and the Glencoe hostel provides an excellent base. On arrival we met our instructor for the week, Andy Hogarth, a runner who climbs

Ex TELEMARK TITAN 2024 was the FANYs’ first foray into telemark skiing as part of a fortnight of race training in Pralognan-la-Vanoise, culminating in the British and British Army Telemark Championships. The Corps was keen to take part in the exercise as, since 2019’s Ex Viking Challenge, kindly sponsored by the Ulysses Trust, members had

JOINT GLACIER 24 was a seven-day adventurous training expedition to the Stubai Valley in Austria. The purpose of the trip was to take eight non-skiers and eight with a variety of experience and instruct them either in skiing or take them to their next qualification level.The purpose of this type of trip is to expose

Exercise MONTY MERGER 24 (MM24) was the most recent iteration of Headquarters Home Command and Standing Joint Command (UK)’s annual skiing Adventurous Training expedition. Split across two weeks, there were all levels of skiing ranging from beginners through to those developing their instructional capability before attending the Ski Leader courses which will qualify them to

The 2023 MR Sailex once again generated excellent participation figures with 47 reservists from across the Maritime reserve taking part, representing 12 units. This was the fourth running of the event, which has been supported each year by the Ulysses Trust, without whose support the event would simply not happen. Aims Maritime reserves Sailex has

WHAT WE ACHIEVED​​PHASE 1: ​ Novice climbers, many of whom were completely new to the sport gained the required knowledge to safely climb using a top rope on a sport climbing route. Students with previous experience were able to gain valuable log book days, in preparation for the Rock Climbing Supervisor qualification.​ PHASE 2: ​ Once students had gained sufficient experience and were

During September 2023 the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), an army reservist unit in the City of London, took 22 soldiers and officers out to the Mont Blanc Massif, with the objective to summit Gran Paradiso, a 4,061m peak in the Aosta Valley, Italy. This expedition comprised a core component of their Alpine Mountaineering Foundation (AMF)

159RLC EX DRAGON BARBARIAN NEPAL 7th October to 30th October 2023  Planning a trip such as adventure training in Nepal can take literally years to get everything right and ensure all the important considerations are met. On top of this, finances are possibly the biggest restriction now on any large organisation and especially those in

“Exercise Northern Rock-Warrior” deployed 14 individuals, from the newly formed 215 (Scottish) Multirole Medical Regiment to Sardinia, Italy for a rock-climbing expedition with foundations in mental resilience and wellness training.  Prior to deployment the expedition leader and second in command, (both climbing instructors) put together a business case, fundraised, carried out a medical recce to

Between 25 September and 13 October 2023, MAS(A) (Management Accountancy Services Army) personnel participated in an arduous adventurous training exercise in a remote region of Nepal. The team trekked the Manaslu Circuit for 10 days through blistering heat, monsoon rain and a little snow whilst reaching an altitude of over 5100 metres! After months of

Exercise SPITFIRE ADVENTURE 23 was a 20 Works Group Royal Engineers (Air Support) canoeing expedition which took place on the Green River, Moab, Utah, from 9 – 24 Sep 23. The main aim of the exercise / Expedition (Exped), which were successfully met were to: a. To develop teamwork, leadership and confidence in a challenging

A trek over the Pyrenees in the footsteps of the Prisoners of War that made this their escape route during WW2. Background: During WW2 Saint Girons was in the occupied zone of the South of France and it was from here that PoWs would jump off the train and head into the Pyrenees to attempt

(09 – 27 Aug 23) at Yukon, Canada Ex Dragon Fireweed saw 16 members of 37 Signal Regiment spend 14 days in the Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory. Yukon is in the north-western corner of Canada and is bordered by Alaska and the Northwest Territories. The sparsely populated territory encompasses natural scenic beauty,

3RWELSH is always keen to offer opportunity to its soldiers as a reward for their service to the unit and the wider Army Reserve in general. To that end, the annual battalion skiing trip is a key event in the unit’s Forecast of Events and extremely popular with our serving soldiers. For several years now

In Sep 2023, 101 Engineer Regiment ran EX BLACK CHARGE 4 in Somerset, a multi-day AT package in the Cheddar Gorge area. 30 Reservists from the London, Kent and Essex regions undertook a series of land-based challenges as well as extra-curricular activities to improve their leadership skills and enhance their civilian qualifications. The aim of

Ex TIGER SWISS ROCK was an alpine rock-climbing exercise for members of the Army Mountaineering Association. The unique challenge of the exercise was to push the boundaries of alpine rock climbing to provide development opportunities to an experienced cohort of Adventurous Training instructors. Ex TIGER SWISS ROCK was a ‘road trip’ exercise, constantly moving, with

After a long adventurous training hiatus following the pandemic, six members of 457 Battery, 106 Regiment Royal Artillery deployed to Stavanger, Norway on Ex Tiger Cara Nordic, a sailing expedition aboard the NATO Joint Warfare Centre’s (JWC) sailing club yacht, Aurelius II. Sailing over nine days, the aims were to develop team cohesion and introduce

Between the 8th and 16th July 2023, 12 Officer cadets (OCdt), 2 Officers and 2 instructors completed an expedition to Iceland to achieve the Summer Mountain Foundation Course (SMF) by finishing both the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trail. Through hiking over 75km with 7,500ft of elevation whilst carrying tents, rations, and relevant equipment everyone had an

The objective of the expedition was to take 12 novice kayakers with 2 experienced guides, to the beautiful and challenging Isles of Scilly, exploring the archipelago whilst simultaneously developing skills and safety at sea, and challenging the team and individuals to push beyond their comfort levels. These base objectives were not only met but surpassed,

Between 17-23 June, 8 students and 2 instructors from the Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron completed a series of progressively harder hikes, climbs and scrambles across challenging via ferrata routes located in the North, Central and East ranges of the Italian Dolomites. The six different via ferrata completed put our mental and physical resilience to the

Ex NORTHERN AMAZONAS FORTUNE was a 4th Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment Kayaking / Canoeing expedition to the Rio Urubu, Amazonas District, Brazil, 23 June – 08 July 2023. A physically and mentally demanding expedition, conducted in one of the most bio-diverse and challenging environments on Earth, where 13 novices and 2 instructors completed an

The aim of Dragon Dive 2023 was to take twelve regular and reserve service personnel from various Army units to participate in a diving expedition to enhance their skills and knowledge in a more challenging environment. We also wanted to qualify newly qualified divers to their next level of diving to become British Sub Aqua

Our expedition to Annapurna Base camp, nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, proved a challenging yet rewarding endeavour for the fourteen members of our team who set out to conquer this arduous expedition. The objective was clear: to reach the base camp of the majestic Annapurna Mountain, which would set out to test our

Nestled within the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, the Yosemite National Park emerges as a captivating tapestry of awe-inspiring natural wonders. With its iconic granite cliffs, glacial valleys, thunderous waterfalls, and ecological diversity, the national park and its majestic Yosemite Valley offered the perfect setting for an expedition. In Mid-May a team

Three hours west of Oslo lies Norway’s premier ice climbing destination.  Nestled in a strikingly beautiful, deep east-west oriented valley, the lack of winter sunshine falling on the town of Rjukan results in a gloriously extended climbing season. With numerous and highly varied frozen waterfalls throughout the valley we were spoiled for choice, from the

Ex TIGER WINTER INTRO was a winter mountaineering exercise for members of Regional Command Headquarters.  The unique challenge of the exercise involved making Adventurous Training accessible and worthwhile for a group of ‘more-mature’ service personnel, who still had the urge to be stretched and challenged, but without the intensity of demanding physical activity associated with

At the end of September 58 members of the RNR came together from 12 units for the annual RNR Sailing Expedition, this time bigger than ever.  Build Up Keen to build on the success of previous years, a dedicated small team of Naval Reservists spent months planning this weekend of adventure in the Solent. Each RNR

Originally planned for 2020 but delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fourteen members of 37 Signal Regiment finally set off for the adventure of a lifetime on 21 November 2022.  PLANNING  Planning and executing an oversees expedition is no mean feat. From funding, medical plans, pre deployment training, sourcing kit and equipment,

Exercise Dragon Himalayan Endeavour; a major pan-Army expedition to summit Himlung Himal (7126m) was first put into motion 2019. Led by Major Gethin Davies, it wasn’t until September 2022 following a necessary expedition pause due to COVID-19, that the 25-strong expedition arrived in Nepal. Between 2019 and 2022 the team began their expedition training which

Ex Dragon Barbarian Odyssey 4 – 5 – 13 Nov 2022 Diving Expedition to Malta Achievements 5 Newly Qualified Diving First Aid Trained in (BSAC Oxygen Administration) 7 Newly Qualified Ocean Divers 1 Newly Qualified Advanced Diver Logbook experience for all Sports Divers and Dive Leaders towards their next diving grades. Depth progression Sports Divers

Sixteen members from the National Reserve Headquarters Royal Artillery (NRHQ RA) took part in Exercise COCKNEY RATTLESNAKE 22 in September 2022, an overseas adventurous training expedition to the Lake Tahoe region of California and Nevada, USA.   The aim was to complete the 172-mile Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) around the Lake Tahoe basin rim (not shore

Who?8 RAFMA adventurers from across the UK. What?The northern portion of the Grande Randonnée (GR) 20, widely considered Europe’s toughest trek. A total of 105km trekked and 8,100m climbed over 9 days, starting in Calenzana and finishing in Vivvazona. When?8-20 September 2022 – the tail end of the summer season on Corsica. Delayed from 2021

The Yukon – A land of never-ending mountains, endless forests and swarms of mosquitoes. The above statement sums up how the twenty-one participants on Ex DRAGON MAPLE will remember much of the Yukon. The journey from Whitehorse to the base location at Kluane Lake took two and three-quarter hours but the Alaska Highway seemed to

Medical Operation Support Group: 3-11 September 2022. DOLOMITI OWL was an Army Reserve Adventurous Training expedition in the Italian Dolomites.  A self-supported, lightweight 8-person team from the Medical Operational Support Unit (MOSU) completed the alpine Alta Via 1 route – 120km and 21,600 feet of ascent – over a challenging 6 days, using mountain huts.

As the Unit Adventurous Training Officer (UATO) for 2 R IRISH and with the pandemic restrictions starting to disappear, I decided it was time to get the ‘boots back on a trail somewhere’. The last unit expedition had been to the Pyrenees, and I wanted to do something similar but keep it in Europe as

The winding path following the Bharbun Khola bent round to the South as we approached Kakkot, in the afternoon sunshine. We were met by 6 women carrying immense loads in Doko Baskets. The usual team chorus of ‘Namaste’ began. They looked quizzically at us. There had been no trekking groups this deep into the Dolpo

EXERCISE ITALIAN ODYSSEY 22 – 42 ENGINEER REGIMENT (GEO) Spending 20 hours traveling through 4 countries in a minibus isn’t ideal, but as day breaks on the winding road leading out of Innsbruck, it all becomes apparently worth it. Resting high above our campsite is the Marmolada Glacier. After setting up camp in the town

Over 17-30 Jul 22, 11 members of 71 Engr Regt took part in Exercise Northern Baltic Express.  The aim of the exercise was to introduce soldiers to offshore Adventurous Sail Training, promote teamwork and cohesion and push individuals both physically and mentally beyond their comfort zones.  The Exercise was split into 2, 1 week legs

The Royal Armoured Corps competed in three offshore races this summer, with teams of soldiers and officers from multiple units, Regular and Reserve*.  The aims of competing in are to develop participants’ sense of competition, courage, leadership and resilience, with a view to enhancing operational effectiveness; and to develop individual and team sailing skills, with

EXERCISE COCKNEY STRANDLOPER – SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY – MARCH 2020 – A report by Maj L.E.S. Webb RE “I wish I was still there” (Quote by Major Lizzie Stileman who is now ( as at 01 Apr 20) fully committed to operations in support of COVID19) This report will share the story of Exercise

In November 2019, soldiers from 106 Regt RA deployed to Malta on Exercise Cockney Abyss 3 in order to gain BSAC scuba diving qualifications through the MOD Approved Centre Dive Deep Blue and follow on our programme of introducing soldiers to the sport of scuba diving. Some of the team had absolutely no diving experience

Military personnel require mental and physical robustness to withstand the rigours of military life and specifically, operational tours such as Afghanistan or Iraq. Adventurous Training (AT) is the only way in which the fundamental risk of the unknown can be used to introduce the necessary level of fear to develop adequate fortitude, initiative, and leadership.

On the 19th October 2019 the Third Battalion, the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, alongside members of the First Battalion the Anglian Regiment mounted a unified Queen’s Division Rock Climbing Expedition in Croatia. The aim of this expedition was to build bonds between the division and also deliver a Rock Climbing Single Pitch Award as

In October 2019, we supported 6 Reservists to take part in a parachuting exercise. The aim of the exercise was to provide a mentally challenging and physically demanding two week parachuting course where moral courage and leadership would be tested. One of the participants describes the experience: A big thank you to The Ulysses Trust

2019 was a significant year for several reasons.  One of the biggest in the SCUBA Diving Calendar was the Centenary of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow after the end of the First World War.  This was marked with events throughout the year including the BSAC SCAPA 100 project that

EXPEDITION AIMS AND THE DIVING TEAM: Lt Cdr Jez Spring RNR, a Leadership Instructor based at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, has just returned from leading a sub-aqua diving expedition on the island of Borneo.  EX ASIAN ADVENTURE II (28 September – 13 October 2019) was the most ambitious Adventurous Training Diving Expedition undertaken by

Exercise COCKNEY ENDURO 2 (CE2) was a Unit Mountain Biking Expedition conducted in the high-altitude splendour of the Haute Alpes in Southern France, on routes following the final section of the Grand Route Chemins du Soleil (‘Path of the Sun’) descending from the mountainous and remote Verdon National Park through to the Mediterranean Sea. National

The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) unit, HMS WILDFIRE, has been conducting sailing expeditions for the past 10 years during which 30 members of the Ship’s Company have benefitted from essential navigational, boat handling, seamanship, team building and leadership training. This training has become particularly pertinent given the confirmation that RNR members will play a greater

On Sunday the 12th of August 14 Riflemen from across 6 Rifles plus two external instructors flew from Heathrow Airport to deploy on Ex Kazbegi-Bugle, a summer mountaineering T3 AT Expedition to the Georgian Caucus. The aim of the expedition was to deliver the Summer Mountaineering Foundation qualification to the 11 novice personnel on the

The Concept: In October 2018, the Regimental Administration Officer (RAO) for Northern Ireland Garrison Support Unit, Major J Swanson MBE, aspired to organise an Adventurous Training (AT) package to the Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada. His aim was to promote cohesion and develop the soldiers within the unit through level 3 AT training. For an expedition

Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan was a strong leader, powerful diplomat and seasoned traveller according to most Mongolians, who revere him. In the west and the Islamic world the view tends to focus on some of his more negative attributes. Focusing on the positives you soon realise that Genghis Khan had many of the skills required

In August 2019, eleven Army Reservists from 156 Regiment RLC, a Reserve supply regiment based in Liverpool, conducted an arduous adventure training expedition through the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.  Classified as a high risk and remote expedition by the Army’s Adventurous Training Group, this represented a real physical, mental and, in some-cases emotional challenge

On Wednesday 18th September 2019, the advanced party for Exercise Barbarian Odyssey 3, a 159 Regt RLC diving expedition, arrived in Gibraltar during early afternoon following a 2½ Hour flight from London Heathrow. The advanced party were there to complete an initial recce and other key activities in preparation for the arrival of the main

Exercise FINN GLACIER 19 was a 152 (North Irish) Regiment Type 3 mountaineering expedition to Chamonix, France, which was undertaken during the period 14 – 23 Jun 19. The proposed 9 Day training programme was delivered mainly as forecast within the JSATFA. Activities included a two day Alpine Mountaineering expedition up into the Glacier Du

Exercise Magma Fox ; 15,786ft descended, 15,626ft climbed, 170km ridden, 7 riders, 6 days, 1 Iceland. Iceland’s Volcanoes, synonymous with destruction, danger and death  – all three narrowly avoided thanks to sound instruction, a great guide and a smidge of good luck! (oh, and a strategically located man catching tree). Team Fox pushed themselves to

On 7 Jun 19, 8 members of the AGC(ETS) deployed on a 9-day expedition to climb Mt Blanc in France. The aim of the expedition was to summit Mt Blanc, develop the next generation of AGC(ETS) mountaineers to participate in large-scale Army/Joint mountaineering expeditions in the future, and to highlight the opportunities available in the