Adventurous Training 2018

In the first week of the Easter break, twenty-three cadets headed west to Snowdonia for our annual dose of Adventurous Training.

This year we ran two parallel programmes: AT for the 3rd Years and AT+ for the 4ths, building on the skills and experience they gained last year.

The Third Year cadets started their week with a day canoeing on the lower reaches of the R Conwy, before heading off into the mountains for a two day expedition, wild camping on the lower slopes before summiting Moel Siabod the next day. They then jumped back into the canoes to paddle to gorge walking, descending flumes and shutes and experiencing the “washing machine” (rinse cycle). They finished the week with a day of coasteering on the west coast of Anglesey, traversing, swimming and pencil-jumping their way around a rocky headland.

The Fourth Years completed a Mountain Skills qualification run by the National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin. This was very much a practical course with the cadets being instructed as they experienced two quality mountain days, summiting Yr Aran and scrambling the iconic Nantlle Ridge. This was followed by a kayak course, collecting a paddle sport award while learning moving water skills on a variety of craft, which were then put into practice kayaking the Rivers LLugwy and Dee, or in open canoes on some faster reaches of the Conwy.

Both groups also enjoyed a day split between mountain biking along the Marin Trail and outdoor climbing and abseiling on a local crag. Evening entertainment was provided by our instructors with a damp blindfolded woodland rope trail, bivouacking and campfires in the woods and an egg-drop challenge.

Thanks to our excellent team of instructors and to our own motley crew of Mr Snowball, Mr Beard, Mr Maier, Miss Howe and to Nicky Burlock.

David Nighy