EXPEDITIONS IN WILD COUNTRY

1. EXPEDITIONS IN WILD COUNTRY

2. 4 days and 3 nights, min 8 hrs a day (around 80Km), Wild Country Snowdonia Numbers Minimum of 4 and maximum of 7 in a Group You choose your groups All expeditions must take place between April and October. See Calendar on Broxbourne D of E Website Nights are spent camping. At least one substantial meal is to be cooked daily. See Kit list and Menu forms onBroxbourne D of E Website Training must be completed before Practice expeditions. Practice expeditions must be carried out before the Qualifying Expedition. We will accompany you on some practice expeditions, but the Qualifying Expedition is not accompanied by adults. You may only do your Qualifying Expedition when we feel you have sufficient knowledge and experience. We would not normally expect you to do less than 2 practices. REPORTS are required of Qualifying expeditions. See Report guidance on Broxbourne D of E Website REGULATIONS FOR DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD BROXBOURNE SCHOOLGOLD EXPEDITIONS BY FOOT

3. EXPEDITIONS IN WILD COUNTRY All those going into wild Country should be familiar with the following. • Distress Signals • The accepted signal is 6 blasts on a whistle (or flashes with a torch, or shouts, or waves of something bright) followed by a one minute pause then 6 more blasts et • This is continued until acknowledge. • The acknowledgement is done in the same way, but only 3 blasts, flashes etc are used. • Mountain Rescue • The civilian Mountain Rescue Teams in this country are volunteers and unpaid. The RAF teams and helicopters exist to rescue RAF aircraft crews should they crash in mountains but will always help others unless they have one of their own rescues underway. • If you do need the services of rescue teams follow the procedure under “accidents” in the Safety Precaution section. • Phone the police first. • If the casualty is in a dangerous position on steep ground it may be necessary to secure him or her. • The helicopters are only called out by the Rescue Team if the casualty is at risk of losing their life.

4. EXPEDITIONS IN WILD COUNTRY • Lightning • A violent thunderstorm can be frightening in the hills. Keep off summits and ridges and do not shelter behind rocks, in caves or hollows. Sit out on the open hillside on spare clothing or a rucsac. Tuck your knees under your chin and clasp your hands round your legs. Put any metal objects, several feet away from you. • Wind chill • The loss of heat from your body can be increased tremendously by even a slight breeze. The effective air temperature is then much lower. • E.g.. Suppose the air temperature is 8oC and the wind is 15mph (that is Force 4). The effective air temperature is then 2oC if you are stationary and -13oC if you are walking at a steady pace. • Lapse rate • As you gain height, so the air temperature drops. If the valley temperature is 18oC it will be 6oC lower at 1,000 metres in humid conditions and 9oC lower in dry air. A warm summer’s day in the valley will be almost like winter on the tops, even before you take account of wind chill.

5. EXPEDITIONS IN WILD COUNTRY • Route advice • When ascending a steep slope a zig-zag attack is often better than going straight at it. • Be very careful about descending convex slopes. You won’t be able to see below you and such slopes should be avoided unless you know the terrain • To save endless ascents and descents, follow the line of the contours rather than using a direct route. If there are paths around, however, they invariably make the going easier. Don’t cut corners off established paths, as this increases erosion. • An early start and early arrival at camp is by far the best way. • Wild Country requires physical fitness if you are to enjoy an expedition there. • Maintain you pace but shorten your steps when going uphill. • Some people find walking uphill with a heavy rucsac hard going to begin with. The answer is to slow down and find a comfortable pace that you can maintain. Everyone has such a pace, no matter how slow. Don’t keep stopping and starting. Go at the pace of the slowest in the group. • Wet grass and wet smooth rocks are slippery. Be careful in wet conditions. Try to avoid stepping on smooth horizontal rock slabs.