Yachting, biking & mountaineering with The Army

It was a busy summer for CCF, with several lucky Army cadets taking part in adventurous training with the Army alongside cadets from across the UK.

Mountaineering in Wales

“Over the summer three Caterham cadets were lucky enough to go on a Mountain Skills course in Snowdonia. We spent five days hiking in groups made up of other army cadets from across the country, covering the amazing landscape and summiting mountains such as Moel Siabod and a section of the Glyders. My favourite moment of the course was sunset at the peak of Cnicht followed by a cowboy camp at the edge of a mountain lake.” – Sgt Roberts, Lower Sixth

Mountain Biking in Wales

“The first few days of my course were spent at a local forest park with graded mountain bike trails, where we learnt technical downhill mountain bike skills. We then took these newfound skills out into the wild for an independent navigation exercise, which also involved learning how to prepare and plan a route for a day out on the bike. The evenings at camp were just as enjoyable as the cycling itself and included lots of time getting to know cadets from around the country over games ranging from volleyball to giant Jenga.” – Sgt Amsel, Lower Sixth

Sailing by the Isle of Wight, France and the Channel Islands

“I spent a week on a crew with 9 other cadets sailing a tall ship in the English Channel. Starting in Portsmouth, we set out across the Solent, learning how to tack and jibe and practising our man-overboard drills. We spent the first night in Cowes on the Isle of Wight before spending nearly 14 hours crossing the Channel to the historical port city of Cherbourg-en-Contentin. With the adverse weather holding us in France for three nights, we were given the chance to explore the city’s rich military and maritime history as well as allowing me to practise my French before starting A-Level French in September! When the winds eased, we set sail for Alderney in the Channel Islands before crossing back to Cowes and thence to Portsmouth. I absolutely loved every minute of this expedition, and, having been recommended by the crew, I am hoping to complete a Leadership Voyage with Tall Ships sometime soon.” –  Sgt Mulcaire, Lower Sixth