by Tilly | May 6, 2017 | Expeditions, Patagonia 2017, Training
Below is a little debrief of all the 2016 training we have done so for Patagonia 2017- Our 4 week expedition to Chilean Patagonia over Christmas and New Year 2017. We hope you Enjoy!
June- Ferny Crofts
This training weekend was to introduce ourselves and do some team building. We started the weekend by developing our group skills via frisbee golf, crate stacking, and a pioneering activity where we had to make a bridge across a “river” (a path). That evening we relaxed by the fire with our dinner.
On the second day, we did personal training in the morning which involved a lot of running! Once we had cleaned ourselves off, we prepared and ate a lovely cooked breakfast. We then got ready for going on a local hike around the New Forest. During this we all took it in turns to try out some map reading navigation which also gave us the time to bond as a team. We finished the day by showing of our (non-existent) volley ball skills and had a BBQ lunch.
September- FC (HSX’s 30th birthday)
The weekend began by meeting some other members of HSX including the Cambodia team 2016. We then went for a hike where we navigated on our own and did challenges and activities at each destination point. Once we got back we did some research on Patagonia and Torres del Paine and brainstormed fundraising ideas. We also did some rock climbing and abseiling on the mega tower at Ferny Crofts and then celebrated the 30th birthday of HSX with volley ball and cake.
October- North Wales
We arrived late and the lads had to sleep in tents and the lass slept in a lovely warm bed. The first day consisted of hiking up Try-Fan via Heather Terrace. This gave u some great views and at the top, we all watched Rob and Steven jump from Adam to Eve on the summit. The evening was spent relaxing and eating with both the team and the rest of HSX. The next day we went rock climbing, scrambling and abseiling which was quite challenging but nevertheless fun!
December- FC
A HSX tradition is to complete an adventure race on the Christmas weekend. We had to travel from point to point in the quickest time possible in teams. The points were distributed randomly across the New Forest area surrounding Ferny Crofts. Our team completed this, it was very muddy and the time limit was three hours. We then did an obstacle course in which Rob and Nathan jumped in a pond for extra points. Because we were the newest expedition team, we also had to cook Christmas dinner for everyone which was pretty “decent”.
To catch up on our training for 2017 – keep your eyes peeled for a post coming this week!
-The Patagonia Team
Don’t forget to take a look at our website! www.hsx.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter! @HSXOfficial
Find us on Instagram! @official_hsx AND
Find us on Facebook! facebook.com/hampshirescoutexpeditions
by Tilly | Apr 30, 2017 | Event Report, Expeditions, Patagonia 2017, Patagonia 2017, Training, Trip Report, Video
This Easter 47 Explorers, Network and Scout Active Support members returned to Great Tower for an amazing weekend walking, climbing and ghyll scrambling in the Lake District.
Arriving on Thursday, some at a respectable time, others at 1:30 am after getting lost near (not in) a ford, everyone’s beds were calling for a good night’s sleep.
Friday started with a fabulous hearty breakfast and everyone getting split into groups for the day.The Patagonia team lead by Chris, Rich and Ellis went for a day’s scrambling at Jakes Rake on Pavey Arch providing some quality team bonding as they prepare to head off on their expedition this Christmas.
Dave, Matt, Dan and The FC All Stars took to Multi pitching at Guillecombe Butress and walking group one started from Dungeon Ghyll car park and headed over Angle Tarn.
After dropping groups off, Nick and Tilly headed to Shepards Crag. With a first attempt at Kransic Crack Direct (HVS 5a) which didn’t go to plan, they then moved to Brown Slabs area for an attempt at something ‘a little less scary’. This took longer than expected so after a 8 hour day at the crag Tilly only managed to get one climb completed, and an abseil in a rescue attempt to collect Nick’s gear from the rock. However, she did get to play with a husky puppy for about 4 hours so all was not lost.
The walking group lead by Alan spent the day conquering Stickle Tarn ending up in Ambleside where Ed bought a lovely red coat and Ross was forgotten.
On Saturday the Patagonia Team plus some new HSX members, I think they were from Andover? Climbed at the Bowder Stone Maximum effort was had all around with newcomer Emma completing a climb she was convinced that she couldn’t do. Well Done!
Everest Dave and everyone else headed back to Shepard’s crag to learn about gear placement, and have a go at lead climbing. Florence and Bradley successfully completed their first Trad lead climbs and Dave found out what ‘being a snake’ meant from the youngun’s. Every day is a learning day after all.
Matt and Lucy trekked further down the crag over everyone’s favourite scree field of doom to Brown Slabs to make easy work of the one climb Nick and Tilly completed the day before. Dan and Tilly also headed out to Brown slabs completing Brown Slabs Crack (VS 4c) and also smashing their way up Kransic Crack Direct, much to Dan’s delight.
The walking team, getting in much needed quality mountain days for ML assessments went to Keswick, completing the Dollywagon and Neathermost Pike routes. Not only did they find an epic bothy full of cakes, they also stopped momentarily to pose like a 90’s boyband, overall the team had a pretty chill day out.
Easter Sunday came around too soon, and the Easter bunny was nowhere to be seen. Probably held up in some traffic in Ambleside. After a wild night camping on Helvellyn on the Saturday and no sightings of the Easter Bunny either, the Patagonia team’s Sunday started with a walk out with the day ending up in Keswick for some shopping and a mooch round the market.
Dave, Lucy and Dan multi pitched Troutdale Pinnacle, a respectable 6 pitch Severe 4a, however due to the rain turned into an E 50 equivalent.
On Sunday, the last two surviving members of the Cambodia Leader Team and ten other brave souls confronted the cold minus temperatures of the water to go Ghyll Scrambling at Church Beck. Ghyll Scrambling if you don’t know it, is working your way up a scramble, that scramble however has a river running through it, which sounds lovely if it was 30 degrees and not -3. After 2 hours in the water jumping into plunge pools only resulting in instant brain freeze, some rather spectacular dance moves and slowly loosing sensation in every part of our bodies we completed the scramble and returned back to base for warm showers and copious amounts of tea.
With the weekend drawing to an end, there was time for one last bit of fun. One of our resident chef’s Karina had spent the day making some lovely vegan friendly Easter nests for us to nibble on while Ian briefed us on the rules of quizzmania. After a purchase of a quiz book during the day Ian decided it was time to unleash some facts. Many have said that this could be a new tradition for the Lake District… We shall now wait in anticipation for quiz night next year… with prizes…
An early start on Monday leaving before 7 meant for early nights all around. The Easter Bunny came over night, meaning treats for the bus journeys back.
Thank you to everyone who helped organise this trip in any way, especially Steve and Karina on doing a marvellous job with the food and keeping us from going hungry.
Our next trip is to the Peak District in June for a weekend of climbing. Keep your eyes peeled on our website for details soon.
We hope to see you there!
Don’t forget to take a look at our website! www.hsx.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter! @HSXOfficial
Find us on Instagram! @official_hsx AND
Find us on Facebook! facebook.com/hampshirescoutexpeditions
by Tilly | Feb 5, 2017 | News, Patagonia 2017, Training
Hello One and All!
The time has come to sign up for The Lakes 2017!!
Trip takes place from Thursday 13th April- Monday 17th April, aiming to leave Ferny Crofts @ 6pm
We will be staying in indoor accommodation at Great Tower SAC and will have a packed weekend of walking, climbing and Ghyll Scrambling.
If you are Explorer or Network age and a Hampshire Scout, you are more than welcome to join us!
So the Cost..
£130!! (Pretty great deal if you ask us!)
As usual please fill out the Google form and payment can be paid by BACS (details below) or by cheque payable to: HAMPSHIRE COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL
Bank: HSBC
Sort Code: 40-46-39
Account Number: 51260936
The deadline to sign up is the FRIDAY 17th MARCH!!!! So get your forms in Now!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.
Look forward to seeing you all there 🙂
Tilly
Tilly.griffiths@hsx.org.uk
Google form link https://goo.gl/forms/qJ85rA7pKQfvlZdm2
by Tilly | Sep 8, 2016 | Cambodia 2016, Event Report, Expeditions, Media, News, Patagonia 2017, Patagonia 2017, Team HSX, Training, Trip Report
” I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”
“I should think so- in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things! Make you later for dinner, I can’t think what anybody sees in them.”
Unlike Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, who is dead set against any kind of exploration or adventure, it is clear that HSX members have adventure running through their core.
Last weekend HSX celebrated the 30 year milestone,
That’s 30 years of leading, participating, and developing life changing adventures all around the world.
30 Spectacular years.
The weekend followed our normal September plan, a training weekend at Ferny Crofts, this year we had two current expedition teams in attendance, Cambodia, which are heading off this winter 2016 for 4 weeks, and Patagonia, a team heading off next winter 2017 to Chile. The expedition teams took part in their own programmes, some PT, first aid training and continuous team building were all on the cards. Those who were left also took part training, on how to lead expeditions, running events, learn about budgets etc…All of that exciting stuff.
On Sunday we had a classic big BBQ and were joined by HSX members from the past, who with them bought an exchange of stories and photos that have not seen the light for many, many years.
It was a great afternoon, where the newer members and current expeditions could see where HSX started and came from, and the older members from previous expeditions could see that the sense of adventure is still as strong as it ever was.
Even though we are 30 years old, we feel like we are just getting started, we have a fantastic future ahead, with more adventures, more expeditions and more exciting plans on the horizon.
Somewhere in the story, Bilbo decides that actually, an adventure can be quite exciting, he wishes to see the great mountains, smell the pine trees and hear the waterfalls, ultimately his sense of adventure is overpowered so sets of on a journey.
We still have a journey to complete, and a story to tell.
Thank you to everyone who has ever played any part in our adventures.
Here’s to another, spectacular 30 years.
by Tilly | Aug 19, 2016 | Expeditions, Patagonia 2017, Patagonia 2017, Training
If any member of HSX were given £1 for every time somebody asked the question, “Am I fit enough to join one of your expeditions?” or questioned whether they are the right person for “that kind of adventure” I think we would all be in a position to quit our jobs, buy a round the world plane ticket and travel the world forever.
But we don’t get £1, we just reply to each person the only way we know how. It’s simple.
We don’t have any fitness requirements, as long as you have a sense of adventure and willingness to participate, then you’re more than welcome.
Just so you know where I am coming from with this advice, I am a normal person. That is to say, I am not super fit nor super human, I don’t run marathons, I can just about crawl 5k, I don’t lift weights, I think push ups and burpees are quite frankly torturous, (I only do them so I can eat more food) and I don’t find carrying a backpack easy or fun, but periodically I set myself a bit of a challenge, something to look forward to, and I get fit and prepared for it.
My next challenge is Patagonia 2017, in this expedition, there will be a trekking aspect, I want to be able to enjoy this without worrying that I’m slowing people down, I want to take in and explore this most beautiful landscape, the fitter I am, the better my body can adapt to the environment.
As much as we don’t have any fitness requirements, we do promote it around expeditions, as the fitter you are, the more likely you are able to enjoy and get the most out of the expedition. That is why the leadership team have taken it upon themselves to get fit.
Recently we had a fitness session run by JK Lifestyle and Fitness who put us through our paces, although from the photos it just looks like we are lying on the floor, we did a multitude of circuits, it was hot, tough and challenging, but most importantly we completed it as a team, and had a laugh along the way.
Enjoy these photos of the leadership team turning delightful shades of beetroot…
Now, where’s that cupcake?
If our expedition sounds like something that you would be interested in… Why not join us ?
Please contact us and get involved!
In order to sign up, we have created a Google form to be completed by Saturday 27th August.
(https://goo.gl/forms/Zx2jGiLqKPXEzEpt2)
Email: (Patagonia@hsx.org.uk) or stay tuned to the blog for more details.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HSXPatagonia
Twitter: @HSXofficial #Pat2017
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
