by Oliver Robinson | Oct 8, 2015 | News
HSX has been recognised by the Hampshire Scout Youth Council for inspiring the next generation of Explorer Scouts!
At a glittering award ceremony at Lyons Copse on Saturday 3rd October, the team was presented with the Youth Shaped Spotlight Award for enabling young people to take part in international expeditions, honing their skills development and just being generally awesome!
Clare Symonds, Dave Holmes-Evans and Rosemary Harrison from the Cambodia Team also gave a first-hand account of their preparations for their 2016 expedition to the Youth Council earlier in the day and even managed to encourage a couple to join the ranks.
We would like to thank HSYC for the award and congratulate the other winners and runners up!
Here’s the trophy in all its glory:
Please head to the ‘contact’ page to find out more about how you too can get involved in the multi-award winning Hampshire Scout Expeditions.
by Ian | Dec 23, 2014 | News, Trip Report
As is tradition for HSX, December saw the group once again converge on Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre for our annual Christmas celebrations.
Saturday morning saw participants divide into 6 teams for the adventure race, a 3 hour orienteering race across the New Forest with teams trying to gain as many points as possible. This year the race was “expertly” organised by Andy Humphreys, Josh Hicks and Alan Braithwaite, who had promised us a slightly different event from years gone by. One by one the teams converged at the back of the Mountbatten Lodge for the 10:00 start time for the race, provided with map for each pair, and given a quick briefing. Unlike previous years, we were told the finish of the race wasn’t to be as simple as expected, with the finish line being at Ferny Crofts legendary Assault Course!
At 10:00 the klaxon sounded and the teams dispersed, each heading in different directions, depending on their chosen route choice. The routes were incredibly varied this year, and unlike in previous years, it didn’t seem possible to get around the entire course within the allotted time, so route strategy would prove criterial to gain maximum points (and more importantly avoid the dreaded 2nd place!!!).
Around 13:00 the teams began arriving at the assault course, absolutely cream cracked after the last few hours’ exertion, only to be told we weren’t finished yet… Brilliant! One by one we were briefed that the finial element to the race would involve a timed circuit of the course in our teams, with 30 points available for the fastest time, 20 points for 2nd place and 10 points for the 3rd fastest time. Having put in a good shift in the run, we all knew it would be important to dig deep for one last push… easier said than done, when you’ve already covered around 15miles!!!
Upon completing our laps, we each headed back to the Lodge for a cup of tea, chow down some lunch and thaw out with a ‘warm shower’… well Ferny Crofts version of a warm shower!
The afternoon was passed comparing routes, fixing tents from stores, decorating the hall and preparing dinner… a 4 course banquet!
In the late afternoon the numbers swelled, as we were joined by more HSX members as well as special guests. As the atmosphere grew we were invited to take our seats, and one by one the courses were served. The evening was spent catching up with friends, swapping stories, and more importantly conceiving plans for adventures in 2015 and beyond! After dinner, our illustrious leader MC Kinger took to the stage for the usual Karaoke, which continued late into the night… and well into Sunday morning!!!
After a monumental tidy up on Sunday morning, we all gather for the HSX Christmas forum… our annual meeting to reflect on the achievements of the last 12 months, inform the group of the progress made behind the scene and our plans for the up-coming year! Towards the end of the forums we had presentations from Steve Knaggs on a sport climbing trip to Kalymnos in 2015, Bakewell launch his plans for the 2016 expedition to Cambodia and Oliver Robinson also provided an update on the progress of the HSX Antarctica team. The forum also saw Chris Slater outline his plans for an expedition to Patagonia, planned for December 2017.
With much excitement and anticipation for the year ahead the forum closed, groups broke up for quick discussions on differing aspects brought up in the meeting. After lunch and tidying the hall we parted on our merry ways, excited for what lay ahead.
I’d like to take this opportunity for wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, all the best for your adventures in 2015… whatever shape or size they may take!
Yours in Scouting
Chris Slater
by Ian | Feb 23, 2014 | News, Training, Trip Report
Click here for HSX Antarctica’s training in Scotland.
Sunday
Waking up to lovely weather (which doesn’t often happen in Scotland) we hurriedly packed our bags ready to hit the slopes. With two vans packed full with excited people, we departed from Badaguish and arrived at the lower car park of the ski centre. The aim for the day was to head into the Coires and practice winter skills, so we broke off into our two separate groups and everyone headed east towards Coire Laogh Mor. At the outset it became clear the the Cairngorms had LOADs of snow, with people often sinking ankle deep with each step. WE eventually decided to “post-hole” to make the trudge through the snow easier.
When we arrived at our base for the morning ice axes and shovels were pulled from bags and we dug an avalanche pit, in order to assess the risk of a possible avalanche. After ascertaining that the slope was suitably firm we took to practising self arrests, using an ice axe to break a fall. In order to become proficient in this vital skill we took in turns to fling ourselves down hill in different types of ways, including head first on our backs!
After a quick bit to eat the two groups rejoined and set off for a bit of a walk. Zig-zagging up the side of the Coire, we made good progress up hill with those at the front breaking trail.
From the top of the top of the Coire we headed south west on a gentle incline to the summit of Cairn Gorm. The weather station on the summit appeared as a huge mound of ice and snow, with staff desperately trying to de-ice it as the recording instruments had become frozen open! With fantastic views of the surrounding area, we headed down the ridge between Coire Laogh Mor and Coire Na Ciste back to the car park.
Monday
Today we once again split into our two separate groups, starting off at the top ski centre car park, with the aim to head into Coire an t-Sneachda. Unlike yesterday the winds had picked up overnight and during our walk in we were accompanied by large amounts of spin drift, which was literally getting everywhere!
Once at the base of Faicaill Ridge we continued to practice our winter skills, today learning about security on steep ground, practising snow bollards, t- axe belays, placing deadman anchors and using body belaying to support a climbing partner.
Following on from this, we headed further into the Coire, and proceeded to practice with crampons on the hillside. After a light snack the group headed out of the depths of the Coire toward the moraines below Fiacaill a Choire Chais, to inspect the snow for snow holing later on in the week. After locating some potential campsites we zig zagged up the sides of the Coire up the ridge to reach 1141. After the precarious climb up the ridge we headed back down to the ski centre in glorious sunshine.
Tuesday
Tuesday we headed up towards Glen Avon from the bottom carpark.
From the bottom car park we trekked up in some form of sunshine towards The Saddle skirting around the mighty Cairn Gorm. From The Saddle we were supposed to be able to see Loch Avon, but as heading up in the morning the cloud had rolled in and a white-out engulfed us – weather that could continue for the rest of the day, so we couldn’t actually see anything! This gave us a great chance to practice our micro-navigation skills with the group walking in a straight line, with the person at the back directing the group to ensure we stayed on our baring.
After a spot of lunch we walked, in the clouds, towards Bynack Beg before going down into the valley of Strath Nethy and out of the clouds. A nice scenic walked into Glenmore Lodge to be picked up awaited us after coming down Bynack Beg’s ridgeline.
Wednesday
We had planned a shorted walk for Wednesday after the 20km walked the day before… however this didn’t really materialise!
We headed from the top carpark in the beautiful Scottish sunshine, up the ridgeline one the west side of Coire an Lochian. After a brief break we decided we were walking far too fast for our planned route and would have been completed the route in a couple of hours. In order to turn into more a day we decided to extend our route to take in the second highest peak in the UK, Ben Macdui.
After deciding on the new plan the clouds rolled in again, giving us less visibility than the day before… typical! A longish walk in yet another Scottish whiteout were becoming all too familiar to us – were was the Alpine conditions from 2013! Not waiting to look on the negative side, we used the conditions to reinforce the navigation skills we’d learnt on Tuesday.
After eventually reaching the summit we headed back towards the familiarity of Sneachda, passing only a handful people brave enough to tough-out the conditions. After reaching the top of the Goat Track, we proceeded to handrail the cliff at the top of the Coire, keeping a good distance between use and the monstrous Cornice along the cliff tops.
After making it to 1141 we began the familiar decent back down to the car park to meet Russ.
Thursday
We left late Thursday morning and walked up to Coire Sneachda, through driving rain with 60mph gusts that almost took you off your feet, carrying everything we would need for the night of snowholing.
When we arrived we found some previously dug snow holes that we sheltered in, giving us a chance to regroup our thoughts after being utterly drenched from the walk up. We ate some lunch and mercifully the rain and wind let up, and we were even treated to a glimpse of the sun!
Given the relatively warm temperatures and rain of the morning the snow holes we had just sheltered in were not good enough to spend the night in, so we got to work digging out our own ones. In pairs we started to dig corridors into the snow, big enough to stand in (unless your a giant like Chris). Once we were suitably fair enough into the slope we began to dig the main chambers we would sleep in, eventually linking up with the next group over.
As the snow holes took a while to dig the night was drawing in when we eventually finished. Tired out from all the digging and shifting from the day we got in our snow holes and got down to the important business… cooking a much needed warm meal! Revived by dinner we set in for an early night.
Friday
Waking up early at 7:30 we went about getting cooking breakfast, getting a hot drink and packing away our damp kit, ready for the walk out. At 9am we were joined in our snow holes by Besty, Dan, Smudge and Chris, who closely resembled the abominable snowman, more then their normal selves, having battled through the 60mph head wind and blinding spindrift to make it in.
After they had a quick breathier and regain feeling in their wind burnt faces it was decided we would try and make the most out of the day, rather than just head straight back to cavitation. We decided that we would use our last day in the hills to demonstrate what we had learnt over the course of the week. We were each tasked with setting up one of the form of anchor, like practiced on Monday, before taking it in turns to do some more Ice Axe arrests. The weather was truly dreadful (or typical Scottish weather as we kept being reminded by the leaders) and we kept popping in and out of the snow holes to warm up.
By 11am it was decided that we’d had enough of the being whipped by spindrift, so we put on our crampons and made our way back to the bus. We zig zagged up the side of Fiacaill a Choire Chais, and with the wind behind us, came very close to being blown over on a number of occasions.
by Ian | Dec 18, 2013 | News
It’s that time of the year again to renew your membership with HSX. At a cracking price of only £30 which includes county and national subscription as well as uniform and training support.
Contact Alan or Dave to get the details of how to pay..
Merry Christmas to all….
by Ian | Dec 3, 2013 | Expeditions, News, Training
Hi Guys,
I hope everyone is tip top and looking forward to Christmas… not long to go now!!!
As you know every January HSX heads off to the hills on our roaming weekend, in order to grab some fresh air and attempt to burn off all those mince pies we’ve been enjoying over the festive peroid!
This year is no exception and HSX will be returning to the Brecon Beacons over the weekend 25th-26th January. The aim of the weekend is to brush up on our Mountain Leader skills, including micro-nav, night navigation and wild camping.
If you would like to attend the weekend please contact the Event Director Chris Slater (chris.slater@hsx.org.uk) by Sunday 5th January 2014.
If you have any questions please do not heistate to contact me, my details are below for those who don’t already have them.
See you soon,
Chris
by Ian | Apr 13, 2013 | Nepal 2013, News
Following on from last week’s sponsorship update, the Nepal Team have yet more exciting news to announce! We are delighted to announce that headwear company Buff have agreed to help to support our expedition, with the team being issued with a set of Original Buff and one set of Polar Buff’s.
Part of the deal will see the team join Team BUFF UK, the company’s hub for sponsored athletes, providing regular updates on their progress throughout the rest of the training and the expedition itself.
Additionally, we will be producing our very own video, demonstrating how we wear our Buffs, which may be used for future promotional campaigns. You never know, next time you’re enjoying some Quality Shopping Hours (QSH) you might just be spot the Nepal Team in your nearest gear shop!!!
Once again thanks go out to Rosemary Harrison, whose hard work has helped land another great sponsor to support the expedition.
