Training Weekend 1 Report
Read on for the fab report on the training weekend by Robbie and Jess ...
"BEG Training Weekend 18th-21st April 2008
Well, what can we say? The weekend started as it meant to go on. It was freezing. We were in the wilderness. There were no showers (greasy hair, Jessica!). But also, there was good company and lot’s to be done!
We started with the usual team building: a good game of Guess-Who to break the ice, featuring Brad Pitt (Jono), HRH the Queen (Ruth, obv) and Jordan (Sara). Then began the serious stuff – route plans! All went well apart from the fact Jessica, Hannah and Robbie forgot how to use a ruler. Duh! We then all kipped down on the wonderful floor of Cappercleuch Hall and did our best to sleep through the snoring.
The day began at 7.00 am with long queues for the sophisticated washing facilities and bacon rolls. After rigorous purging of our rucksack content, Ruth joined us again after a night’s recuperation (she went home after feeling too fluey to stand sleeping on the floor) and we set off on our adventure into the wild!
We walked…and walked…and walked…and walked…and yeah, you guessed it, we walked some more…then, out of the mist, strode our saviour, bearing biscuits and a Thermos…Dan! So we sat down and had a cuppa.
We then continued to walk for the rest of the day. Aided only by Ailsa’s extraordinary singing talent, we soldiered on until Traquair appeared on the horizon.
We made camp in a field at Damhead Farm among the sheep. We put up our tents without too much mishap (apart from the rip – sorry guys!), dug the toilet pit and put up its tent (once we’d figured out what pole went where) and cooked our tea. We were joined later on at the campfire by Les and Kris and his family who taught us some essential Polish, for example beer, biscuits and potato. After a feast of toasted marshmallows we departed to our tents where we tried to sleep despite the cold and the tent-prodding (yeah, we know it was you, Chuck!)
The next day, we continued up into the forests and hills of the Southern Upland Way. We threw some cheese to the fairies at the Cheese Well and spied the Point of Resolution, where we swore never to walk so far again.
Covered in blisters and begging for mercy, we made it to the top of the Three Brethren thanks to Jessica’s life-saving I-Spy game, which continued all the way to Yair despite Ron’s attempts to befuddle us with his smarmy intellectualism (so what if we don’t know our hills!). Then, just as Aimee was about to kill us I-Spyers and we were all dying of exhaustion, the canoe-shed surfaced before us. We collapsed onto the grass crying with joy…and pain. Nevertheless, we recuperated slightly with tea and cookies and had a quick brief down before we all headed home…to our nice, warm, comfy beds and hot, clean showers!
Oh and by the way, we did actually enjoy ourselves. Yes, it was painful and cold in parts but nothing could beat the sense of achievement we felt at having completed the 21 mile trek. Together. As a team. Go guys! We are the champions! *thumbs up, cheesy grin, twinkle on the teeth*"
Robbie Hopper and Jessica Macdonald
"BEG Training Weekend 18th-21st April 2008
Well, what can we say? The weekend started as it meant to go on. It was freezing. We were in the wilderness. There were no showers (greasy hair, Jessica!). But also, there was good company and lot’s to be done!
We started with the usual team building: a good game of Guess-Who to break the ice, featuring Brad Pitt (Jono), HRH the Queen (Ruth, obv) and Jordan (Sara). Then began the serious stuff – route plans! All went well apart from the fact Jessica, Hannah and Robbie forgot how to use a ruler. Duh! We then all kipped down on the wonderful floor of Cappercleuch Hall and did our best to sleep through the snoring.
The day began at 7.00 am with long queues for the sophisticated washing facilities and bacon rolls. After rigorous purging of our rucksack content, Ruth joined us again after a night’s recuperation (she went home after feeling too fluey to stand sleeping on the floor) and we set off on our adventure into the wild!
We walked…and walked…and walked…and walked…and yeah, you guessed it, we walked some more…then, out of the mist, strode our saviour, bearing biscuits and a Thermos…Dan! So we sat down and had a cuppa.
We then continued to walk for the rest of the day. Aided only by Ailsa’s extraordinary singing talent, we soldiered on until Traquair appeared on the horizon.
We made camp in a field at Damhead Farm among the sheep. We put up our tents without too much mishap (apart from the rip – sorry guys!), dug the toilet pit and put up its tent (once we’d figured out what pole went where) and cooked our tea. We were joined later on at the campfire by Les and Kris and his family who taught us some essential Polish, for example beer, biscuits and potato. After a feast of toasted marshmallows we departed to our tents where we tried to sleep despite the cold and the tent-prodding (yeah, we know it was you, Chuck!)
The next day, we continued up into the forests and hills of the Southern Upland Way. We threw some cheese to the fairies at the Cheese Well and spied the Point of Resolution, where we swore never to walk so far again.
Covered in blisters and begging for mercy, we made it to the top of the Three Brethren thanks to Jessica’s life-saving I-Spy game, which continued all the way to Yair despite Ron’s attempts to befuddle us with his smarmy intellectualism (so what if we don’t know our hills!). Then, just as Aimee was about to kill us I-Spyers and we were all dying of exhaustion, the canoe-shed surfaced before us. We collapsed onto the grass crying with joy…and pain. Nevertheless, we recuperated slightly with tea and cookies and had a quick brief down before we all headed home…to our nice, warm, comfy beds and hot, clean showers!
Oh and by the way, we did actually enjoy ourselves. Yes, it was painful and cold in parts but nothing could beat the sense of achievement we felt at having completed the 21 mile trek. Together. As a team. Go guys! We are the champions! *thumbs up, cheesy grin, twinkle on the teeth*"
Robbie Hopper and Jessica Macdonald
posted by Ruth Norman at
20:54
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