CCF Adventurous Training

Date: Tuesday 31 March 2009

Antony Jones was kind enough to send me this report - slightly amended!

On arrival in the beautiful Lake District, the weather was far from welcoming but spirits were soon raised by a trip into Keswick for fish and chips, courtesy of the Colonel. The next day was also cold but pupils still persevered and took part in kayaking and climbing. The next day involved mountain biking on some dubiously maintained cycles, and another trip to the rock face for more climbing, this time higher and more technical. All pupils had improved after the previous day and the sun came out that afternoon, and was to stay with us till the end of the week.

Morale raised, we next tackled the high ropes' course, enjoyed by all, and then did a light walk in preparation for the two night expedition to come. The next day we set off in the minibus to pitch tents in the stunning Seathwaite valley at a farm which was to be home for the next few days...alongside several sheep and other farmyard creatures! At this point Mr. Hawkins' morale plummeted as the tea shop he had clearly frequented far too often displayed a closed for the season sign...This man can navigate the entire Lake District from teashop to teashop!

Scafell Pike was the day's challenge, and in two groups we set off to the summit with a very disgruntled SSI Ferguson murmuring all the way about 23 years under canvas and marching hill after hill....on one shoulder, he exclaimed, an angel saying, "Go on, the view will be amazing at the top", but on the other a devil saying, "But, it is still beautiful from here, so why go through all that pain!" All pupils reached the top and, despite having walked for most of the day in thick fog, once at the top the clouds dispersed and we were all treated to the stunning mountainside all around us. The descent proved a trifle painful on ageing PE staff's knees but the warming, if highly calorific, army ration pack soon filled a void.

The next day another ascent of the mountains was planned again in two groups. Mr Barnard cruelly teased the SSI about a walk around the Lake before offering him one of two very steep options....the only time I have ever seen him at a loss for words! One group began a route up Great Gable, the other to get there after an ascent which worryingly Mr. Hawkins would only say would be 'challenging'...translation from the Frenchman soon made me realise it would be hell on earth, and so it was! It was shortly after lunch on this day that the drama truly unfolded as a certain Laurence King took what appeared to all to be an innocuous slip which soon caused him to be unable to bend his leg. Mr Hawkins was left with little choice but to ring the emergency services who arrived via helicopter to Allan's Crags. Mr. Jones was greatly relieved there was no room for an extra passenger as had been feared, so it was left to the SSI to drive to Carlisle later to pick up Laurence, happily with only soft tissue damage.

Another night under canvas and then a welcome trip to one of Mr Hawkins' recommended tea shops for scones all round before a pleasant stroll back to camp or to Keswick, if you were one of the girls...there is still some debate over whether this was a navigational error or deliberate subterfuge by the girls, clearly missing a day in the shops. The final evening was spent tidying and being addressed by the Colonel on what was a very enjoyable and successful week with Remy Bertlin rightly being awarded the best cadet on adventurous training prize.

Thank you, Mr Jones, and congratulations to all who took a full part in a most adventurous week!