A group From Queens University Officers Training Corp [UOTC] Belfast took part in EX FINN ALPINE ADVENTURE – a seven day exercise in the French Alps. The aim was to deliver an intermediate Mountain Biking and Basic Hill Walking Course to individuals who had either some experience in biking or in hill walking in a strenuous environment. The exercise was designed to be both testing and rewarding for both groups by testing them physically and mentally.
Day One for the mountain bikers saw them conducting runs on the lower grade routes to get a feel for the conditions and what riding in the Alps had to offer and the conditions to expect in the week. The walkers had a 10Km familiarisation walk to test the conditions and also acclimatise to the heat of the area.
Day Two for the bikers saw them attempt the next grade of route. Most riders gained some confidence - however there were a few falls and bumps along the way. The riders soon realised they were challenging not only themselves but the equipment as well. The walkers did a very steep uphill walk from Les-Gets along a 16km route. Everyone’s map reading and navigation skills were tested and each member of the group was given leg to lead. They had to lead the group from a to b, relating the map to the ground and calculate the leg's speed/time distance.
On Day Three the bikers were on the same grade route as the day before, this time trying to stay on the bikes for the full day which most people managed however there is always the unlucky few. The walkers did a 20km route over Mt Chery and into the surrounding hills, again being tested along the route with various map and navigation problems. On this route they practiced intersections using the landmarks along the route.
Day Four was a admin day. For the bikers this meant giving their bikes some much needed TLC after many downhill runs. One bike was given a near rebuild due to the punishment it had received after only two days riding. For the walkers it was a chance to rest after some cheeky uphill sections the day before.
Many members of the group also took the chance of parasailing and all landed safely back down to earth with the world’s biggest smiles, and all wanted to do it again.
Day Five was a very challenging day for the bikers as they attempted not only the more challenging of the routes available but also the jump park, with some very tricky and challenging obstacles to complete. They found this very rewarding. The walkers did a 24km route today in the area around Morzine. They went on all types of tracks, ranging from steep gravel paths to very narrow dirt tracks. This was made harder by the heat of the day and the lack of shade along the route. Again the walkers developed their map and navigation skills and showed much progression.
Day Six, the final day, saw both groups go all out to make their last day a success. The bikers took on the most demanding routes Les-Gets had to offer and pushed themselves and their bikes to the very edges of their limits. The walkers did a 26km route. Everyone returned that evening with massive smiles and a high sense of achievement from the day’s events.
Day Seven saw us depart Les-Gets with heavy hearts after a week that we will never forget in the French Alps and made the long trip home to Belfast.
Over the week many challenges were faced by all on Ex Finn Alpine Adventure and everyone was put outside their own comfort zone on at least one occasion. The Exercise was a huge success and all of the cadets will become better leaders in the future because of the skills they developed along the way. We delivered challenging and real life leadership training to our people.
We would like to thank all those that helped us financially, not least the Ulysses Trust, for without their help many of the cadets would not have been able to make the trip.
Thank You All, CSJT Slingsby, Queens UOTC
