Plymouth and Cornwall Wing of the RAF Air Cadets spreads from Okehampton and Kingsbridge in the East to Hayle in the West and covers some of the more deprived wards in the country. The Wing has always prided itself in making activities available to all cadets regardless of their family circumstances. This is particularly so […]
Ten Tors Challenge 2017 – Plymouth & Cornwall Wing ATC Read More »
On the evening of 26 February 17, 11 members of Air Cadet Organisation’s volunteer staff gathered at the Inchree lodges in Onich in the Western Highlands of Scotland with the objective of furthering their knowledge and experience of the British mountain environment. Two members of the team would be undertaking a Joint Services Winter Climbing
Western Winter – HQ Air Cadets Read More »
This ambitious, adventurous and demanding expedition is one of the most successful mounted by the Army Cadet movement following two years of planning. It comprised of two independent groups sub-divided into the three AT activity teams – the Tugela River descent and the Drackensberg and Zulu Trail treks. The ethos of each activity was that
Ex KwaZulu-Natal Venturer – ACF and CCF (Army) Read More »
Thirty cadets from Dorset & Wiltshire Wing of the Air Training Corps participated in the Dartmoor Ten Tors Challenge on the weekend of 8th and 9th May 2016. The Ten Tors is a challenge for teams of 6 young people aged between 13 and 19 to walk between ten checkpoints on ten tors over a
Ten Tors Challenge 2016 – Dorset & Wiltshire Wing ATC Read More »
If you look up the GR20 online you will see it described as “the toughest long distance trail in Europe”. Spanning 300 miles and crossing Corsica from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south the GR20 crosses some of the most spectacular mountain terrain in Europe and is coupled with an incredible Mediterranean
Ex Dragon Steel Corsica – 3rd Battalion, The Royal Anglian 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 »
Bristol University Air Squadron deployed to Iceland on EX MIDNIGHT SUN to carry out a cycling and walking tour of the Golden Circle. The initial plan was to fly out to Iceland to then cycle a route starting from Reykjavik, travelling into the Landmannalaugar National Park. We would then return via a different route and
Ex Midnight Sun – Bristol University Air Squadron 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 »
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 »
During October half term, 13 cadets and 3 members of staff made the long trip via Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg to Volharding Game Ranch in the northern district of Limpopo, South Africa. The cadets from Reed’s CCF and our state partnership school, Hinchley Wood were in for an incredible 10 days in the South African
Ex Southern Leopard 2015 – Reed’s School Combined Cadet Force Read More »
Ex Madagascar Blue was a trekking expedition to the island of Madagascar. On the 29th of August nine Officer Cadets from the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps flew to Antananarivo to begin a three week expedition, taking in three of Madagascar’s National Parks and experiencing the landscape and culture of a very different country. Madagascar
Ex Madagascar Blue – Cambridge University Officer Training Corps Read More »
The overall aim of this overseas expedition was not only to teach the Cadets and Staff about adventurous training but also to teach them life skills in adapting to change within a new environment, teamwork and leadership. The Cadets were aged between 15 and 18 and both Cadets and Staff were from Cumbria and Lancashire
Pyrenees Adventure 2015 – Cumbria and Lancashire Wing ATC 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 »
The Tour de Mont Blanc is one of the most popular long-distance walking routes in the world, traversing through France, Switzerland and Italy as it circumnavigates the immense Mont Blanc massif, the highest mountain in Europe. The full distance is usually walked in 10 days; due to work and time constraints we had decided from
The overall aim of the expedition was designed to introduce and develop overseas leadership skills for adult volunteer staff by participation in a real ‘expedition situation’ where they are the participants. Each day was spent in the mountains developing technical, journeying and leadership skills in a demanding high alpine environment. The area chosen was the
Exercise Mercantour 2015 – HQ Air Cadets Read More »
On 14th April 2015, our intrepid team boarded flights to begin their journey to the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The aim of the expedition was to complete a demanding six day trekking expedition culminating in the summit of Jebel Toubkal , the highest mountain in North Africa, whilst increasing cohesion between our geographically disparate
Exercise Northern Atlas – Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Read More »
A “Very Polite” Walk in the Alps – Reservists on the Tour du Mont Blanc. By Sapper Kimberly Gee and Sapper Kofi Steele (Reservists with 75 Engineer Regiment, currently studying at Manchester Metropolitan University) When presented with the opportunity to attend Ex Northern Ypres Paccard, trekking the Northern half of the Tour du Mont Blanc,
Exercise Northern Ypres Paccard – 75 Engineer Regiment Read More »
Exercise Drakensberg Duke 2 saw 4 LANCS returning to South Africa for a second year, keen to test itself once again on some of the challenging trails of the Drakensberg Mountains in Kwa-Zulu Natal province, a World Heritage location. The expedition was led by me, Major Nick Kennon, with WO2 Richard Shipton as JSMEL and
Exercise Northern Drakensberg Duke 2 – 4 Lancs Read More »
This 6-day mountain walking expedition took place in the Tatra mountains of Poland with 9 members of the Army Reserve unit, 208 Field Hospital which is based in Liverpool. The aims and benefits of this type of expedition is to develop individual courage and leadership skills through controlled exposure to risk in a challenging outdoor environment,
Ex Northern Tatra Serpent – 208 Field Hospital Read More »
The aim of adventure training was to develop through authorised challenging pursuits and within an outdoor environment, leadership and the qualities necessary to enhance the performance of military personnel during peace and war. Our expedition was to take us, a group of twelve novice mountaineers and two instructors of the Royal Yeomanry, from Port de
Ex Cockney Yeoman Solero – Royal Yeomanry Read More »
It was nothing like I had ever seen before. The poverty, the way of life, it was like I had stepped into a film set, yet it was so surreal. There were children running around the streets, dogs lying in the roads and don’t even get me started on the traffic. It was so incredibly
Kalokath’s Cadet Venture 2014 – Oldham Hulme Grammar School CCF Read More »
On the 1st of September 2014, 5MI deployed to Morocco for a two week trekking expedition into the Atlas Mountains in conjunction with the Moroccan Army. Although originally this trip was intended for 5MI and the Int Corps Reserves only, it was opened up to the wider Corps. The 14 participants were Lt Col Bavin,
Ex Northern Phoenix Atlas – 5 MI Bn Read More »
Leeds University Officers’ Training Corps conducted an adventurous training expedition consisting of rock climbing and trekking in the Dolomites in Northern Italy. OCdt Victoria Carbutt takes up the story… Our first full day in Cortina d’Ampezzo consisted of an acclimatisation trek to Tonde de Cianderou from Camping Olympia (SH 1711m), which was to be our
Ex Northern Dolomites – Leeds University Officers’ Training Corps Read More »
12 cadets and staff from 461 (Chichester) and 2530 (Uckfield) Sqn’s ATC have just returned from a 12 expedition to Switzerland, made possible from a year’s hard fund raising and planning, including lots of generous donations notably the Ulysses Trust and RAF Charitable Trust. The group took the decision to travel by train rather than
Ex Swiss Adventure 2014 – 2530 (Uckfield) Sqn & 461 (Chichester) Sqn ATC Read More »
This expedition must rank as one of the most successful ever mounted by the Army Cadet Movement. 57 out of 58 participants, in two independent groups and 8 adults and 20 cadets, summited Point Lenana (4,985m) on Mt Kenya. Also a local primary school was given a brand new classroom that was built from scratch.
Ex Northern Kenyan Venturer – Army Cadet Force & Combined Cadet Force (Army) 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 »
City of Liverpool Sea/Marine Cadets deployed to Holy Island, Anglesey, North Wales from 10-15th August 2014 for Exercise Rip Curl. Prior to the exercise the cadets raised funds to pay for the local purchase of climbing equipment and wet suits (a total cost of £1798). Cadets from the unit carried out two bag packs at local
Ex Rip Curl 2014 – City of Liverpool Sea Cadets (TS Mersey) Read More »
On Monday 4th August, eight cadets dragged themselves out of bed in the very, very early hours of the morning to board a plane to Oslo. After travelling most of the day we arrived at Haugastol, the hostel which sat at 1000 metres above sea level. We ate like kings and prepared for the days
Exercise Viking Trek – Morrison’s Academy Combined Cadet Force Read More »
Twenty intrepid Cadets and four adults from Northumbria ACF spent two weeks experiencing working in the jungle environment of Brunei. The pre-exercise training had been conducted at our training centre at Otterburn focussing on team building, tactics, fitness and survival skills, interspersed with surprise meetings with creatures such as spiders and snakes, lizards and scorpions.
Encounters in the Brunei Jungle – Northumbria Army Cadet Force Read More »
For our 5th annual visit to the Alps with the 1034 (Surbiton) Squadron Air Training Corps, we again chose to go to Arolla in the Vallenois Alps. This is a well known, although remote high mountain centre with the campsite at 1970 metres above sea level. Camping Petit Praz claims to be the highest campsite
Alps 2014 – 1034 (Surbiton) Squadron Air Training Corps Read More »
After asking the question “How DOES all this kit fit in one rucksack?” it was time for 201 Field Hospital and a few lucky others to embark on an arduous expedition to Romania for 9 days trekking the Transylvanian alps followed by 3 stunning cultural days. We met our guide Florin Banner, an ex-Romanian soldier
Exercise Northern Fang – 201 Field Hospital Read More »
Norway is stunning in summer with beautiful slab rock mountains and fresh flowing clear water flowing into the fjords. After several winter trips it was a stark contrast and truly magical to see, when compared to snow capped peaks in the winter. After 10 months of planning it was time to take 12 members of
Ex Northern Curach – 32 Signal Regiment (V) Read More »
The Exercise, attended yearly, provides reservists with expedition training and the opportunity to develop and enhance command, leadership and teamwork skills. The 100 km march is physically demanding, with the reservists being required to complete 30 km, 40 km and 30 km marches on each day of the weekend in the Ypres area of Flanders,
Exercise Flanders March 2014 – HMS Calliope Read More »
Exercise Drakensberg Duke set off from Battalion HQ early on a Saturday morning to travel by coach to London Heathrow for a night flight to South Africa. In total there were twenty people ranging from the newest Kingsman all the way to the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Jonny Lighten. Ex Drakensberg Duke was the first
Exercise Northern Drakensberg Duke – 4 Lancs Read More »
