Trekking, 'Alps', Switzerland, Valais, Jul 2010, ID 1015

1034 (Surbiton) Sqn ATC

The Expedition started with 4 cadets and 2 staff being driven early in the morning to Gatwick airport en route for Geneva. A delayed flight led to a small panic with trains and buses but eventually the group arrived at the campsite at Bonatchiesse high up in the Val de Bagnes in the Valais region of Switzerland. There they met up with the food and equipment for the week driven over by another two members of staff (who had their own small panic with two episodes of engine overheating on the steep gradients).

The campsite was sparsely populated among the pine trees with views up to some of the closer peaks. The campsite facilities were very clean with hot water and good washing facilities.

A number of walks were planned for the week. On the first day, Sunday, we ascended the north east side of the valley. As is typical of many of the paths, the ascents are unrelenting with over 1000 metres of climbing on paths threading their way up the mountainside avoiding crags and gullies. In the 1000 metres we passed through the hay meadows on the valley floor, through the coniferous woodland, to the alpine meadows and up to the alpine heaths.

The following day was a walk on the south west side of the valley and the opportunity to see the Grand Combin (mountain) and a number of its many glaciers. On the Tuesday there was an opportunity to see the Mauvoisin Dam at the head of the valley and to appreciate the complexity of the hydro engineering in the valley, which is designed to make maximum use of all the water to generate electricity.

On Wednesday the group caught the bus down the valley to Le Chable and the gondola lift to Les Ruinettes followed by the short walk to the Cabane de Mont Fort for an overnight stay. The following morning we followed part of the Chamonix – Zermatt ‘Haut Route’ and then descended down to the Cabane Louvie and down again into Fionnay.

On the last day we walked to the Cabane Brunet for a last look at the high mountains. On Saturday, the main party returned down the valley and back to Geneva and the UK as the car set off back with all of the equipment and without the overheating of the outward journey.

The group worked well together with a good range of skills and experience from the staff and a group of cadets who got on well and were of similar walking ability. The food for the expedition was generally popular (perhaps with the exception of the lunches of Scottish oatcakes with ‘toothpaste cheese’). This was the first overseas expedition for 1034 Squadron; hopefully it was the first of many.

Some quotes from the cadets were as follows:-

“The scenery was amazing and definitely provided a distraction from the heights we still had to climb”

“The scenery was different from where we are used to, Wales and the Lakes, and we did not get wet whilst walking!”

”It had its challenges but the fact we were close friends helped us through”

“Overall I would rate the trip very highly and I am very pleased that I had the opportunity to go on it”

Our thanks go to the Squadron CO and Committee, Headquarters Air Cadets and to the Ulysses Trust and the RAF Charitable Trust who made this Expedition possible.

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