Page 67 - Light Dragoons 2023 CREST

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Orienteering and Cross-Country
2022 has been an epic season for the Light Dragoons Orienteering and Cross-Country team. The team had the honour of being one of the 6 keystone regimental events and since the con- cept’s disbandment has been a more overlooked sport. Despite these new hardships there has still been an unwa- vering appreciation for the thrill of the cross-country race. Nothing beats the cold winter morning, burning lungs, mud streaked legs and the physiological
battel with someone hot on your shoul- der. The LDs competed in the north cross-country league, the team came 4th with stellar efforts put in by WO2 Costello and LCpl Walker. The orien- teering events have been less popular; however, it has provided great training for current and future crew command- ers. Tpr Pocklington showed excellent skills beating all LDs in the Catterick Garrison orienteering event. There was tough competition with the true experts
coming equipped with wrist mounted compasses, studded boots and shin pads. The LDs were no match for these sea- soned experts. Looking forward to 2023 the team will look to deploy on an over- seas tour to compete in a multi-day event and acquire shin pads and wrist mounted compasses to bring the orienteering and cross-country team to the next level.
OLSG
Adventurous Training
This year the Regiment were fortunate enough to have enough ‘white space’ in the FOE to allow troops to take part in a multi-activity week of adventurous train- ing. The AT camp was a 3-week package at Halton Camp, Lancaster. Sqns rotated through each week and conducted hill walking, mountain biking, rock climbing and ghyll scrambling.
Troops arrived on the Sunday, have a cen- tralised brief, were broken down into their groups for the week and then sent on their way to prep for the day’s activity.
The rock climbing was delivered as a dis- tributed training package, which meant each week 6 individuals became qualified in Rock Climbing Single Pitch Foundation (RSF). This is a prerequisite for anyone who would like to take their rock-climbing qualification further through the JSAT scheme.
The Ghyll scrambling (Ghyll is a northern word for mountain stream) was delivered by an external company. This involved walking up a mountain and sliding back down via the narrow streams and ravines that the mountain had to offer. This put a lot of personnel out of their comfort zone but was well received from all that took part.
The whole 3-week package was a huge suc- cess. We managed to get around 150 LD personnel through the activities, with 18 of them walking away with a qualification. It certainly put some in their ‘stretched’ zone, but also invigored some to pursue their newfound love of AT!
CWRP
Scrambling at Scarfell
MTB at Whinlatter Forest
SSM Costello breaking the clouds on Blencathra
CO and 2IC in the Lake District Summer 2022
Troops at Clough Head
CO, Adjt and RSM
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