Page 9 - Cadet Review Autumn 2022

AIR CADETS
NORTH
REGION
OPEN GOLD
EXPEDITION
Following a successful Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expedition, held in the North Yorkshire Moors at the end of June and beginning of July this year, eleven cadets and young adults from across the region travelled to the National Air Cadet Adventure Training Centre at Windermere at the end of August.
The participants formed two teams, and were a mix of personnel from several Wings across the region, with the event being co-or- dinated by the Central and East Yorkshire Wing DofE Officer, Flight Lieutenant Charlotte Bridges. On arrival at Windermere the teams were given the opportunity to refine their route plans, kit and offered
a shake down walk and training session close to the centre, which allowed them to brush up their skills in advance of a challenging and interesting four days and three nights of their expedition.
Both groups would complete the minimum requirement of 8 hours planned activity daily and which also meant that they would walk in excess of 80 kilometres / 50 miles
in wild country and be completely self-sufficient, with the exception of water replenishment en route if they needed it.
Having experienced days of
high temperatures prior to the expedition this was envisaged to be an important point. The weather,
as always, was unpredictable and the teams spent many hours in waterproof kit rather than needing sunhats and suncream! Their stories follow below, but before you read of their adventures they all successfully completed their expeditions and delivered a presentation for each team to the other cadets who had concurrently been attending a week long Adventure Training camp (more on this in another article).
NORTH REGION
THE ADULT
TEAM
EXPEDITION
By Civilian Instructor Louis Webb
Our expedition started in Windermere in the Lake District and saw us through Langdale, Wrynose Pass, Furness Fells and back to Windermere.
The team consisted of six individuals, three of whom are Civilian Instructors and three who are Staff Cadets. During our 4 days, 3 nights expedition, we covered over 80km on foot. On our journey we encountered a variety of terrain from roads to fields, bogs, hills, farm land, woodlands and of course mountains! The weather also gave us a fair share of medley, from wind, rain, overcast, to bright blue skies and the warmth of sunshine. With hindsight, this all just added more to our adventure and experience! Together as a team we certainly bonded and became stronger, we now look back and despite little errors and mishaps, we have obtained, not only many wonderful memories but more inspiring friends.
There is no denying, that at times we faced some challenges as a team
CADET REVIEW AUTUMN 2022 9