CCF Easter AT Camp

In the first week of the Easter break 10 cadets and 6 staff rode the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne over 4 days, camping each night and dining on ORP (Operational Ration Packs).

Day 1 took us from Cheesefoot Head to Harting Down, camping at QECP. Day 2 on to Washington Camp, day 3 to Housedean Farm and day 4 to the finish at Eastbourne. The chalk ridge runs West-East and gives some wonderful views north across the Hampshire and Sussex countryside and south to the coast and English Channel. The Downs are bisected by a number of rivers, railway lines and main roads, each of which provide some exhilarating, long, bone-rattling descents, followed by some longer, gruelling, quad-burning climbs. Over the four days, the cadets cycled 160km and climbed 3390m. The weather was kind, staying dry during the days with some rain overnight; just enough to keep the chalk greasy and mud sticky! A few tumbles thankfully resulted in nothing more serious than bruises and hurt pride. When “technicals” were more than punctures, Jethro, our lead guide and mechanic, was able to conduct running repairs along the trail to keep us all moving.

Very well done to Eleanor, Thomas, Ben, Finn, Ted, Teddy, Zac, Felix, Charlie and Torquil for completing this significant challenge. Thank you to Jethro Hepworth, Rob Newton, Phil Cheeseman, Sasha Gibbins and Anabel Sexton for riding with the cadets, and to Anne Harris and Steph Jones for their seamless logistical efficiency in keeping us provisioned with food and water en-route, while transferring tents and camp kit between locations in the minibus and lorry.

David Nighy, CCF Contingent Commander

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