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Adventurous Training at Capel Curig - September 2011

"In the beginning there was darkness, McDonalds and smiling faces - then the weekend began!"

We set of at around 8pm and finally arrived in Capel Curig, Wales at 11:30pm Captain Davanna quickly showed us around the important areas (our ablutions and dorms) of the campsite and we eventually got to bed.

Saturday began bright and early with a 7am breakfast, true Army style of full english before setting off on our adventurous training - group one to Tremadog for climbing and abseiling and group two leaving the camp on foot to experience a low level mountain/hill walking course. It then rained, a lot!

Group two walked to the top of a large hill with a great sense of accomplishment as we gazed at the ground below us. Moving to the trees for cover we had lunch whilst group one climbed up a cliff face in the intense rain and wind. We were given some tasks of finding places like a mound in the middle of a forest. The tasks were to confirmthat we can work by map and compass and do not necessarily need towns in the distance to assist us in navigation. It was really good to do the mix of longer distance walks and then shorter distance small tasks allowing us to improve the quality of what we do. A bit wetter then when we started we made our way back to the campsite and relaxed whilst waiting for group one to return.

Group one took a 30 minute drive to find a very sharp incline which we had to climb with no ropes!! (it was just a short sharp hill). After plenty of puffing and panting from the adults we arrived at our rock face and very wet it was too! We were shown how to use the equipment and then how to look and feel a rock face to assist us with our climb. Once the 3 ropes were in place and we split down into teams it was time to climb. It was a true Welsh Autumnal day of rain, wind, sun and rain. This did not deter Chris |(our Instructor from UK Outdoor Adventure) from encouraging us to climb. Cdt Diver managed to get to the top of all 3 ropes and earnt himself the new name of spiderman from Capt Smales. We all managed to get over 3/4 of the way up all the ropes. With new skills learnt and some sore fingers from rock gripping it was time to change the rope walk to the top of the rock face we had been climbing.... yes there was an easy way to the top! and it was all about the going down. Abseiling down for all of us ended a brilliant time at the Rock face.

With all teams back and fed we were appraised on what CCAT has to offer us; most of us agreed that we now "had the bug" for AT and some were interested in gaining qualifications. It was soon movie time - "Paul" was the film of the day prior to naffii and bad ready to swap adventures tomorrow.

Sunday. Some say it was too early. But in cadet spirit we all went to breakfast and the packed our kit, ready for the journey home later.

Havinf swapped activities, group one claimed they did the walk etc in superfast time; however as the training day was a shorter one we feel we were quicker on the climbing! It could have been the weather that assisted us all as today as there was no rain, just wind - and plenty of it!

A mixture of sausages and perseverance got us through the morning phase and after lunch we started to abseil, the wind was furious, so some of us did not make it down the easy way and had to walk back down.

All too soon it was back to camp to collect our kit and say good bye to Chris and his team from UK Outdoor Adventure.

Leaving Capel Curig behind us, we started the journey home looking forward to next year and what is now to be know as "Exercise Araf Titan" - YES, we will be coming back.

Written jointly by all those on the "blue rave bus".