If you've been following this blog you'll know I've been taking an expedition leaders course over the past few months. Well last weekend was my assessment - as part of the assesment we were to supervise a group of cadets taking there Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition. This was to span both the Saturday and the Sunday, but to stay within the rules these pics are only from Saturday - a full set of pics will follow later this week.
1. 08:20 am-----
2. 09:00 am
I was also tasked to transport the cadets taking part to the starting location in Helmsley (N. Yorkshire). My car is what's called a Supermini and wasn't up to the job. So I borrowed a slightly bigger car for the weekend. Even so we still filled the boot floor to ceiling and they all had stuff on there knees while sat in the back as well. I don't think we'd have got any more in if we tried.
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3. 10:20am
Here are my team for the weekend. These are the four cadets from my ATC squadron who are going to undertake the expedition. They also provide me with a group to lead so I can be assessed for my course. This picture was taken at the begining of the expedition, hence the smiles. From left to right - Cpl Hildreth, Cdt Corden, Cdt Fowler, Cdt Oeshlarger.
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4. 14:00pm
The cadets have been walking for 4 hours now, I have met them on various points and the route and walked with them a few times to check there safety. The last checkpoint is the campsite where we will be spending the night. While waiting for my group to turn up, I have set up my tent before the rain starts (it had been raining on/off all day). It's a v. small 2 man tent, I bought it as it's really light to carry (only 2kg). However it's not even big enough to sit up in, I also think it's more suitable for 1 and a rucksack - see pic 12.
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5. 15:00pm
The cadets are running late so I go out and look for them. I find them walking down this hill. They are just off the shot to the right. This is the view down the hill, looking at the campsite in the distance.
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6. 15:40pm
My team have finally made it to the campsite (with only the odd navigational error). First job is to get the tent up while it's dry. They may have just walked 13 km, but they can't get yet. They must get themselves set up for the evening and get all there kit away before they can rest. Luckily the rain had held off so they could do this in the dry. It's actuallya three man tent, but they decided to only use this tent as it gave them less to carry.
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7. 16:45pm
Tea time, at least for the cadets. While they cook, they must be supervised at all times to ensure there safety. You can lose tent, even eyebrows through a moments carelessness. They are using a Trangia, which is a methalated spirts burner. I think here they are coooking Chow mein in the left pan, and pasta in the right one.
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8. 17:35 pm
These guys will never win at hide 'n seek! Actually the boots stay in the porch section of the tent, to keep the sleeping area mud free. This scene just reminds me of all those cartoons when someone hiding behind the curtain is found by there toes sticking out.
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9. 19:10 pm
All the cadets have eaten and it's time for us to eat. Leaving the cadets in the care of a number of volunteers, the rest of us have gone to a local pub to get something to eat. It seems slightly unfair that somebody has to stay behind, but the cadets have to supervised all times to ensure there safety. It is part of our responsibility as our Duty of Care to other peoples kids that we take on these expeditions. I have been the one to stay behind on previous occassions.
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10. 19:15
Here we all are, all 18 of us that have descended on this pub looking for something to eat after eating out of our rucksacks all day. Some of them are other people taking the course, and the rest are assessors and tutors. On the left in the foreground are Louise, Shona and Ian, on the right are Steve (red T-shirt) and Charlotte. The guy you can just see in the background (at the end of the table) is the course director.
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11. 20:45 pm
This is the bit of the evening I've been looking forward too - desert. Here there are not one, but 2 slices of Sticky Toffee Pudding (I only ordered one!!!!) with Walnuts, Toffee sauce and Ice Cream. I was tempted to take a photo message and send it to the cadets, but I didn't in the end. Not out of any sense of niceness, I had no mobile signal at the time.
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12. 23:00 pm
Bed time. It's been a long time and now it's time to try and get some sleep. The green thing in the foreground is my sleeping bag (3 season bag, good for 0 deg C). It's on a foam sleeping mat (about 1/2 inch thick) which is the only thing that makies sleeping on the ground comfortable. The other half of the tent is taken up with my rucksack. There is no other room in my tent, but it does the job for the evening. One more day to go.
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Well that's it for this month. I'll hopefully post more photo's + a video later in the week. If you're wondering why I've done all this pop on down to Chad's Blog and have a gander.
