Leaders: Gillian Tuddenham, Mark Tuddenham, Peter Smith, Gill Smith, Liz Porter, Olly Rees, Elliott Lorimer, Damian Aubrey

Members: Sonya Rahaman, Steph Jones, Alex Crowe, William Walker, Sara White, Lucy Harvey, James Hayward, Malcolm Roderick, Kelda Gould, Kirsty Patterson, Rebecca Pullinger, Laurie Holt, Peter Derrick, Liz Gourd, Claire Campbell, Karmen Chiu, Ares Kokkinos, Joseph Faircloth

Assessors: Graham Derrick, Nina Derrick

Dates: 21 July – 1 August

2007 was a successful year for Brathay Gold expeditioners with all 18 participants completing their gold venture. Participants came from all parts of the UK to undertake their training, practice and assessment parts of the award.

Accommodation was at Shackleton Lodge allowing us to utilise Brathay’s facility to its capacity. Classroom activities made use of BEG’s overhead projector, flipcharts and other resources. The upstairs meeting room was converted to an office where we had my laptop with memorymap software and laminator. Gill Smith provided all the catering and went shopping daily to Windermere.

Training was undertaken in the initial half of the course encompassing all the aims and objectives set down by the Award. This was interspersed with many team games and activities including ‘walking the tightrope’. A particular focus was put upon navigation and all the groups spent Sunday 22 wandering around the ‘maze’ of Loughrigg Fell. All individuals succeeded in the training and had sufficient skills to function as a team and complete their practice expedition.

The practice expedition took place in the Coniston Fells on Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 July. There were three groups who walked the same route with staggered starts. Weather was showery as they walked across the Blawith Fells to camp at Goat’s Water. The following day all three groups ascended Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How in misty, wet and windy weather testing their navigation and team work skills. All groups accomplished their aims and finished at teatime in Coniston in more pleasant weather.

The following two days were far less physical allowing the groups to rest and prepare for their main venture. The groups had freedom to select their own aims and routes anywhere within the Lake District. The group then met the assessors who tailored the aims and routes slightly to suit their logistics.

Group 1 –
Aim – reviewing the Wainwrights
Route – Patterdale to High Street to Grisedale Tarn returning to Brathay

Group 2 –

Aim – Artisitic inspiration of the Lake District
Route – Ullswater to Helvellyn to Borrowdale to Langdale returning to Brathay

Group 3 –
Aim – Tourism
Route – Patterdale to Ullswater to Skiddaw finishing in Borrowdale

All groups performed admirably exhibiting teamwork, leadership and practical skills in all weather conditions. Everyone completed their proposed journey and fulfilled their own aims. Safety was obviously of paramount importance and each group was served by two supervisors whose work was very much appreciated by both myself and the participants.

The final day was spent preparing and delivering the presentations. A lot of hard work clearly went into these presentations and of particular note the Beatrix Potter story of group 3 – this may appear in a future edition of ‘No Limits’! The climax of the week was the celebratory dinner prepared by Gill whose culinary contributions were tremendous and our gratitude goes out to her.