If you're going to be sat on the water for 2 weeks, you couldn't really get a better stretch of weather as we've just enjoyed. The CCF central camp at Wathgil ran for 3 weeks but, being with my own Contingent down in Cornwall during week one, meant that I was only available for the last two weeks. I went with my own unit to Wathgil … Read More »
Category Archives: Cadets
Summer Camp with Ellesmere College CCF
Each year, we take a group of cadets from Ellesmere College CCF on a central camp. We tend to alter the venue each year, so that we are not always returning to the same places and the cadets receiving the same input from the same regular staff year after year. This time we headed down to RAF St Mawgan near Newquay in Cornwall. Although accommodated … Read More »
Nesscliffe Climbing Tower with Oswestry School
Each year, Oswestry School CCF run a competition day for their cadets at the end of the Easter term. Using Nesscliffe Training Camp, which is conveniently only 15 minutes down the road, they had the cadets doing a rotation of 6 stands during the day - an ambush, a section attack, a deliberate attack, the firing range, command tasks, and the climbing tower. As for the … Read More »
Adventure Education Weekend with Oswestry School
We were fortunate with the weather this weekend as I headed into Snowdonia with a group of cadets from Oswestry School CCF. A couple of times a year, they put on an Adventure Education weekend, normally using the Army Training Camp at Capel Curig as their base for the trip. We had about 18 students in all on the weekend with 2 staff and 6 instructors … Read More »
Hill Walking Course with CCAT
Being involved in the cadet organisations opens up the possibility of running Adventurous Training courses through the military. One of those avenues is with CCAT (Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training), who run courses for senior cadets and adults out of Capel Curig and Halton Training Camps. This week, I've been at Capel Curig running a Summer Mountain Foundation which is an introductory hill walking course. We … Read More »
Three Day Cadet Exercise at Nesscliffe
A couple of times a year, I get to join the cadets from Ellesmere College on a tactical exercise. I deliver the weekly training for the Year 11 Advanced Infantry in the Army section, but it really all builds up to the tactical exercises. Once we arrived on Nesscliffe Training Area on Wednesday morning, and got the preliminary checks and safety briefs out of the way, … Read More »
10 Days of Mountain Biking with Bucks ACF
The last 10 days have been a lot of fun, but not the most comfortable block of work I've ever done. When I was asked to run 20 consecutive half day Mountain Biking sessions, I didn't really consider the implications for my back side! However, the less said about that, the better. All Army Cadet units run an Annual Camp (usually in the Summer). It's their … Read More »
Penally Camp with Ellesmere College CCF
After spending half of last week on exercise with Ellesmere College CCF, I've spent all of this week with them on their annual Summer Camp. Each year they take a group of cadets to an Army training camp for a week of military and adventurous training, and this year we headed to Penally on the South Wales coat near Tenby. Sunday was spent on a watermanship … Read More »
Ellesmere College CCF on Exercise
I've just returned from a 3 day tactical exercise at Nesscliffe with Ellesmere College CCF. We had been expecting to go to Swynnerton but, being a lowly cadet force, we lost it to a 'priority user'. Nesscliffe is a great training area local to the school but, being jus down the road we use it quite regularly and it's nice to go somewhere else once … Read More »
An Expedition Through Letterewe And Fisherfield
After spending three separate days in the hills with cadets from Ellesmere College CCF, the last three have been spent on an expedition. Each year, these expeditions try to give the cadets the opportunity to tackle mountains that most people wouldn't attempt due to their remoteness. By allowing three days, it gives them a day to walk in, a day to make their ascent and … Read More »
