// Trip Reports  

Report name	British School in Paris - D of E Gold Training
Date submitted	Nov-05

This team of boys flew into Liverpool Airport on Saturday October 22. If they had known then what the weather was going to throw at them, they may have got the first flight back to Paris!

We based ourselves at Thornbridge Outdoor Centre, Great Longstone in Derbyshire. To get over the travel lag, the team tested themselves on the high ropes and the zip wire on Saturday afternoon. Sunday was spent practicing navigation and incident management on the moors surrounding Stanage Edge. The weather was perfect for this, with visibility about ten metres. The group were well prepared and this exercise confirmed this.

Sunday Evening and Monday were a planning and provision-buying day, what a relief! It rained heavily all day. Then the expedition started, on Tuesday. All the paths were streams and it was blowing a gale, but the boys made good time to the camp, spirits a little dampened, but cheerful.

Wednesday, started okay, but then it became very bleak on Bleaklow! Driving rain and poor visibility meant navigation skills were fully tested, but the group were up to the task. Inevitably, they were putting the tents up in the rain, which they did quickly and efficiently. Then to finish the day, there was a stunning sunset.

Thursday was one of those days when it is a pleasure to be out - clear blue skies, warm sunshine and perfect views of the Peak District. The team had estimated every day at 4km per hour and fallen slightly behind this, due to the previous poor weather, but today they kept to it and were amazingly cheerful.

Finally, on the last day, it rained again, but this time it was just normal rain and they all ran the last kilometre! They celebrated with a traditional all-day breakfast.

This was a great week with a bunch of cheerful, mature, lads who it as a pleasure to be out on the hill with. I look forward to seeing them all on their qualifier.

Ian Fenton – Adventureworks Supervisor