Page 10 - Wish Stream Year of 2018

Exercise BICICLETA CADET
OCdt Golding
EX BICICLETA CADET was a summer moun- taineering exercise, which took place in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia,
Spain, over the period 14th – 20th April 2018 with the aim of gaining five quality mountain days towards future qualifications. It comprised four Officer Cadets and a qualified permanent staff instructor. The exercising troops flew from Gatwick Airport to Malaga before collecting a hire car and driving the two-hour
which was known as the ‘Waterfall of the Petri- fied Trees’ due to a number of trees wedged in the falls which are calcifying over time. On our return to Granada, a couple of us decided 14 miles wasn’t enough, and joined the three-hour free walking tour of the city before enjoying the well-earned tapas the city is famous for.
Throughout the week, the routine was similar and a great variety of walks took the group
route up into the mountains, to the
historic town of Granada. The five
weeks prior to our arrival saw fre-
quent heavy rain; however, when
we arrived, the weather was ideal
for the exercise with mainly clear
skies and moderate to high tem-
peratures throughout the week. The previous rain meant that below the snow line, spring was in full force with levels of greenery which residents told us was unheard of.
Our first day of walking was Sunday 15th April. Breakfast, consisting of ridiculous numbers of eggs, copious rashers of bacon, toast and fresh juice was followed by a quick brief for the day’s route from the instructor. This route took us past numerous waterfalls, the most impressive of
up to mountain peaks, down into steep-sided valleys, and traversing ridges just below the snowline. The group consisted of physically fit and enthusiastic individuals which allowed us to gain access to more remote, challenging and enjoyable walks. The
most arduous day saw them cover 15.4 miles and climb 1871 metres in under five hours. In comparison, a more leisurely route of 16.2 miles and a similar elevation gain but on tougher terrain took the team almost seven hours.
In summary, the expedition was a success which gave all participants five quality mountain days, and we greatly appreciate the help The Sand- hurst Trust gave us in conducting this training.
The five weeks prior to our arrival saw frequent heavy rain
8 SANDHURST