Page 144 - AGC Journal 2018

AGC JOURNAL 2018
Exercise
Key Bavaria
By Private Jonathan Allport
The Exercise was a five day Adventure Training package which
consisted of Rock climbing, mountain biking and hill walking
located within different regions of Bavaria.
On our Way
We arrived at the Drei Muhlen Lodge in the evening of
Saturday 30th June ready for our first activity the following
day. The Lodge consisted of bedrooms with a kitchen
and dining area. We had our tea cooked every night from
chefs, which I didn’t complain about as their cooking was
better than mine.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing took place in the hills of Ziegenwies in
Füssen. After going through all the rope safety drills it
was time to climb; the wall was around 30 metres high
and had three different routes, each with their own views Rock
of the surrounding lakes and castles. After climbing it climbing
was time to abseil. The drop was about 50 metres, and
as I don’t like heights this was not great for me. I made
the mistake of looking down when I was right at the
start of my descent, which made the relief even stronger
when I finally got to the ground. Before we went back
to the lodge we had time to go to and visit the beautiful
Neuschwanstein Castle, which stands on a hill above the
town of Hohenschwangau.
Mountain Biking
This was the most physically demanding activity, 25
miles of very hilly German countryside. We rode through
various small villages and experienced some beautiful
scenery before stopping at a lake. As it was the middle of
the summer, it was only right that we got in the water. It
wasn’t as warm as it looked, but it was good to cool down. Mountain
biking
Hill Walking
The final activity was hill walking near the town of
Hohenschwangau, which is also the name of the castle
we visited on this day. This was the most relaxed activity,
taking in views from the top of hills and the edge of lakes.
We got back to the lodge in plenty of time to see England
knock Colombia out of the World Cup on penalties.
Endnote
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. I
could integrate with soldiers from the Regiment that
I wouldn’t normally mix with. I had chance to try out
various activities that I would not normally choose. The
activities, instructors and facilities were all fantastic, and
the location was excellent, especially as it was the middle
Hohenschwangau
of the summer.
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Harz
Mountains
By Second Lieutenant Ben Ramsden
The aim of this event was to build team
cohesion and bond as a group whilst in
a more challenging environment.
The Long Road Ahead mountaineering and half mountain biking. The mountain
biking group sped through the tracks and trails of the
Members of 30 Army Education Centre Group set out on a Sonnenberg region, stopping occasionally to appreciate
14 hour drive to the Harz Mountains in Germany for a week the incredible views of the wooded valleys and peaks. The
of mountaineering and mountain-biking. The journey mountaineering groups, led by Amanda Willcox-Jones and
was long and mainly to the sound of ‘The Best of the 80’s’. myself, similarly ascended and descended the tracks and
I awoke face pressed against the window, to the sight of trails of the Sonnenberg region, discovering a wide variety
Germanic forests, mist spilling out of the trees. The gloomy of flora, fauna, and remnants of the Harz’ industrial past.
depths of the forest around the vehicle had an ethereal
presence, hiding flora and fauna and possibly the remains Mittelbau-Dora
of Varus’ legions. The week ahead looked to be an exciting,
yet challenging experience. On our return from our Germanic excursion we stopped at
the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. Amid the bleak
Brocken remnants the group reflected upon the birthplace of the V-2
rocket and the justification the Nazis used to commit their
The week began with the entire group, of 11 members, inhumane acts. We were given a guided tour of the cave
trekking up the Brocken, the highest peak in the region, a system used to manufacture the V-2 rocket parts and were
hotspot for witching and the inspiration for Goethe’s Faust. shown the caves where thousands of forced labourers were
The day began in the sweltering heat alongside the lakes put to work.
and streams of the forest. As we walked past the glades and
brooks, we encountered an abundance of wild blueberry The Return Journey
bushes and forest sorrel. On the peak, Henry Watts and I
gave a presentation on the history of the region ranging Passing through Paderborn on our return home, the group
from antiquity to the Cold War. decided to stop at 41 Army Education Centre for a visit and
to explore Paderborn itself. It was a good opportunity
The Activities to build closer bonds with our colleagues in Germany.
Following this, we jumped back onto the transport and
For the rest of the week, the group was split, with half headed home to a warm, but welcoming, England.
Neuschwanstein Castle,
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