From the very first moment that I read that quote in Bill Bryson's Wanderlust inspiring book 'A Walk in the Woods' I was transfixed by its simplicity but also by the sheer sense of joy contained therein.
It has stayed with me as a sort of mantra and maintained my sense of Victorian boyish enthusiasm for little adventures (and flannel shorts). Luckily for me Living so close as I do to the Cairngorms national park adventure is never far away.
In terms of taking you, The American Resident, sightseeing To do my wonderful home justice would require a car (which I don't have) bread and tea by the hundred weight (which we would never fit in the old sack) and about 3 week s(which I'll never get off work). However if I were to condense down to just three key things, what it is about Scotland that I love, it is the solitude of her remote places, the natural beauty , and the fascinating sense of being lost within the long, rich history of people and places.
So how can I show you all three in a microadventure whilst keeping the bread and tea bills down and the transport public?
The answer Bennachie (BEN - ah - HEE) A small cluster of low hills in the Aberdeen country side. Not vast, or remote or dramatic, but prominent above the rolling countryside and perfectly accessible for a little adventure that won't take more than a day.
Bennachie above the Aberdeenshire countryside
From Aberdeen it is a quick 30 minute train Journey to Insch where we can alight at the little station, double check our rations before heading off to the Back o Bennachie car park where our route proper begins.
From here we breath deep wafts of pine scented air and stroll up the path through the trees. Soon enough the trees start to shrink as we climb and the soil thins.
Before long we emerge out onto the heath just below Little Oxen Craig the first of our small summits to be topped on our trip and the home of an Historic granite quarry. This is the lowest summit and wont take us long to top out but from here we will be able to see our highest point, the prominent Mither Tap summit. With most of the climbing done we can enjoy the views as we hop across the plateau between the remaining three summits. Stop for a dip in one of the lochans if you are feeling Bold:
If we keep our eyes peeled on the tops we may spot, Grouse, Osprey and possibly the Highlands famous red deer, and many other animals besides.
On reaching Mither tap our walk has reached its peak (literally) and we can examine the site of a former Iron age hill fort with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. A perfect place for a spot of lunch
The imposing summit of mither tap.
After that there's just enough time to pop back down a different route, through more ancient pines and into Insch for a final cup of tea and a train back home.
One day ; My three greatest passions for Scotland : Nature, Solitude and History.
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
-Nelson Mandela
Pearls of wisdom from arguably the most Noteable leader in a generation. A sentiment also that I strongly relate to, I have never been an 'alpha' when it comes to leadership. 'packs on and follow me' just doesn't sound like the sort of thing you are likely to hear from me. Due in part to the way I have always preferred to learn throughout my education career and also by dint of my tendency towards being a softy red socialist I believe that in educating young people a back seat approach allows them to develop best. Of course different situations require different reactions and the ability, confidence and skills to come to the fore and take over in a crisis are paramount for the outdoor leader.
Today I had cause to consider the implications of different leadership styles compared with different types of expedition groups as well as the importance of a support network of professionals guidelines and practices whilst taking groups overseas as I eagerly followed the The Young Explorers Trust's forum on Inclusive expeditions.
The The Young Explorers Trust is an association which encompasses many of the leading youth expedition providers and gives advice and support to explorers, leaders, and corporations as well as offering professional support and good practice evaluations to expedition leaders. They have played a fundamental role in monitoring the progress of British Standard 8848 (named for the height of Everest 8848m) which sets out safe practice guidelines and baseline procedures for all corporations which offer adventurous activities and expeditions outside the UK.
In their Bi-annual forums the The Young Explorers Trust discuss a variety of key issues to do with expedition with young people. From BSI standards to leader selection and development the work of the YET forum is influential and often results in standards being developed to which many companies conform.
This year the topic at the forefront was of Inclusive Expeditions, a title whose brevity belies the vast range of topics it covers.
Inclusive, good-quality education is a foundation for dynamic and equitable societies.
- Desmond Tutu
For me Inclusive Expeditions refers to a simple and broad concept that ALL young people should have equal access to the opportunities provided by overseas expeditions. By nature of my past experiences with expeditions and youth development The first aspect of Inclusive expedition which concerns me is the Provision of expeditions that manage to escape the current, seemingly elitist, principles dictated most obviously by the sheer cost of a single expedition. But also more subtly in the manner of the advertisement of international expeditions.
I can certainly say that In my entire time at a state comprehensive in Essex no one ever came to talk to us about the opportunities available on an expedition with companies Like British Exploring or World Challenge or any of the other providers large or small. This is not to blame the companies specifically for this missing information as both rely on members and former explorers passing on the message, and so in a self defeating circle of bad fortune schools like mine, struggle to get 'into the loop' as it were. That said even if a expedition weary furry faced adventurer had arrived at school, no matter how adeptly he could wet out appetites for adventure, would not necessarily have left with a horde of would be explorers following him, pied piper style out of town. Sadly for me at that tender age and I dare say the vast majority of the other pupils at my school, A £3000-£4000 bill for the expedition not including flights or personal equipment as is the case with most of the large providers, would have meant plans instantly getting scrapped. Granted fundraising is an acceptable option, Indeed in order to fund my training I am relying heavily on fundraising to cover costs *points to donation widget* ----->> *wink*. However as has been shown with the effect of recent university fee increases on recruitment from low income backgrounds, even in the presence of bursaries, assistance, fundraising or a variety of other payment options, for many people on low incomes the sight of a bill in the £1000's is enough to put them off from even inquiring further.
So in my mind the way to make expeditions more inclusive is a two fold approach;
Increase publicity of all forms of expedition schemes for all young people. Talks in schools, and youth groups should be universal. Essentially the more young people find out about the schemes the more chance we have of including a wider range of backgrounds. talks in SEN schools, At risk youth groups, Youth counselling and development organisations and a variety of other non-standard educational institutions will again increase the inclusivity of expedition.
The second 'fold' of this approach is to develop and build the bursary and funding portfolio and increase awareness of the funding options both in young people who we want to go on expeditions but also in groups and organisations that can help with funding. I believe a set of corporate bursaries to assist young people from low income back grounds to enjoy an expedition would not only benefit those young people but also by developing a more inclusive and therefore diverse group on expedition hopefully widen the perceptions of all members of the group by introducing them to the different pressures and struggles of a variety of lifestyles and backgrounds.
In essence I believe inclusive expeditions are not just fairer but objectively better for all those in attendance. The development of a 'gap- yah' set (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22294205) is not in my opinion beneficial to society or young people as a whole. We should be sending groups on expedition that are representative of modern British society, a variety of backgrounds, incomes and ethnicities will introduce the young people to a realistic concept of their future, working as part of a group with a myriad different lifestyles and former experiences that one's self can only be a good thing for young people.
Many groups are running 'accessible' or 'outreach' expeditions to assist the most vulnerable or at risk Young people and these all make an invaluable contribution to the lives of their participants. From specially catered trips for children with special educational needs, or physical disabilities to programmes for At Risk or vulnerable Youths. For example British Exploring's Brilliant Dangoor next generation programme which works with NEET (not in education employment or training) Young people (which I hope to be lucky enough to work on in the future). And so there are now a huge variety of options for young people with difficult issues to over come in terms of expeditioning.
But we mustn't for get the middle ground. If expeditions are to be truly inclusive we cannot simply run 'normal' programmes for those that can afford the bill and 'outreach' programmes for those with specific issues. We must cater in a fully inclusive manner and make the thrill of expeditions available to everyone.
Because essentially Expeditions are Excellent, even if you exclude the invaluable personal development aspect everyone deserves a chance to go to Excellent places and do Excellent things !
'Before anything preparation is the key to success'
- Alexander Graham Bell
With that in mind I am rushing around at the last minute packing for the training weekend. I'm making up for this last minute rush by bringing plenty of spare gear for my fellow Trainee Leaders. pictured below is my personal gear: bottom left pile. The rest of the picture contains an additional 3 tents and 2 sleep mats.
My weekend in Windermere (incidentally the title of my first hill-walking romance novel) will be accompanied by the best of the lakeland weather. Three days of rain.
'Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion'
-Cicero
I'm not sure that my fluency is up to the standards of a Classical Roman Orator and I know for a fact that I'm have far to much of a loud mouth to be considered discrete. And so with a little trepidation I have started offering my services as a 'speaker'. My family will happily reassure you that for me speaking will provide no challenge at all. Shutting up on the other hand....
As part of my Fundraising for the Expedition I have taken to letter writing, sending out a description of myself, the society and our expedition along with a request for donations to any local charitable groups, Round tables, Rotary clubs, Organisations and people on the street as I can find addresses for. In Return for any potential donations I am offering myself as a provider of post consumptorary oration and light entertainment, i.e. an after dinner speech and maybe a juggling act or magic show.
Batch no.1 hot off the press and ready for shipping out.
I am also organising to provide talks to a few schools and Youth Groups about the Expeditions British exploring offer and benefits, costs and funding options, in order to further the cause of the society and hopefully recruit a new generation of keen young explorers to take off on adventures around the world.
So with these in mind I have to start planning speeches, rehearsing charming and hilarious anecdotes and preparing for potential hecklers. Luckily for the school talks I can rely on the thrilling prospect of adventure and a certain degree of authority based largely on the size differential between me and the children I am talking to, to keep my audience silent and attentive. Talking to large groups of adults who are not legally obliged to remain in the building with me until at least the home time bell, is another kettle of fish.
Pitching to crowds which could potentially be so varied really is leaving me with a knotted feeling in the pit of my stomach. As already mentioned most people who have met me will attest to the fact that I will win gold the day verbal diarrhea makes it into the Olympics Despite this, and the fact that I seem to receive relatively good reactions to a greater proportion of the sentences which spew fourth; I have, to date, employed a conversational technique inspired by the US military, i.e. put enough conversational rounds in the air and eventually some will land where you want.
After dinner speaking is going to call for some sharpshooting rather than Full auto spraying and for this I will have to resort to practice. Well planned speeches, rehearsal in front of the mirror and a pocket full of flash cards just in case will all be called into action. But developing these skills can only serve to benefit me in later life, and so begins the first of many Areas of personal development which this trainee leader scheme is going to assist me with.
You never know, by the end of the process I may be able make a blog post that takes less that half an hour to read. I might even start reining in sentences under 100 words . And one day, if I work hard I may be able to accurately express myself in 140 characters or less ( I mean come on twitter can't I go a little over Even my dissertation allows 10% either way on the word count. My messages to Stephen Fry are so groundbreaking they need to go over that limit I'm sorry).
But as Shakespeare said through the lips of Polonius (or the actor playing him):
So here I go setting off on the journey of a life time. And I don't just mean 6 weeks In Norway. I mean Me, Grabbing My life in both hands and taking it in the direction I want. No more sitting back and letting it wash over me.
'A genuine Leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus'
-Martin Luther King Jnr
I hope through British Exploring's 2013 Trainee Leader Programme to foster and develop within Myself the skills required to become a 'molder of consensus'.
The road ahead stretches before me and I still have many miles to cover before even leaving UK soil. However I hope to return from 6 weeks in a tent refreshed (even If I don't smell as such) and determined to redouble my efforts to achieve all my goals. Armed with a host of experiences and arsenal of skills to bring to all the aspects of my life.
My two great passions In life are the study of science and experiencing the great wide world we live in; Climbing/walking/cycling up things, sliding/running/rolling/jumping off said things and just being in and around the wonders of nature that are all around. The concept of combining these two things into a fruitful career has always lingered in the back of my mind as a great Idea.
'My Heart is in the Highlands' -Burns
However since starting A new Job At an Outdoor sports Retailer in 2011 and Meeting a host of Amazing and Inspiring People It has become more and More apparent that with the right combination of qualifications and sufficient experience that great idea is not an untenable dream.
So with Trepidation I set out on my journey and was very pleased to be excepted on to the British Exploring societies Trainee leader scheme, A set of 4 weekends of training followed by 6 weeks expedition In Norway and a final set of assessments designed to develop within me the skills experiences and attitudes required to Lead a new generation of adventurers into the wilderness and foster within them the same love of wild places and thrilling activities that I am so grateful to have been introduced to.
On the 15th of Feb I set out on the unnecessarily epic (due to public transport difficulties) journey to an ominous looking scout camp (Lots of barbed wire, Silos and Military checkpoint style gates) to attend the first training weekend.
A great weekend of introductions, to each other, the staff and the expedition, despite a certain degree of death-by-powerpoint. As a whole they weekend was brilliantly informative and the concepts of Leadership we were introduced to really hit home for me. I could Identify strongly with the ideas and theories and see how each thing related to the good and bad 'leaders' I have come across in my lifetime as well as being able to spot within myself my position on the spectrum of leadership and how to learn, improve and develop what I already have to be the most effective Leader I can be.
I have been very fortunate In my life to meet, travel with and be lead by a variety of inspirational people who have really molded me into the person I am today, I do not need to name them, I hope most of them Know who they are and How important they are to me but I would like to thank them for all that they have done for me.
" I a younger mountaineer,
With thoughts of adventure,
Betroubled by failure and danger,
My greatest wish is not to discourage,
For what I know of his breed-
There is little risk"
-W H Murray
As part of this thanks I wish to repay the debt I feel that I owe to them. And in order to that I intend to work long and hard to be able one day to provide that inspirational leadership to someone else, who will hopefully in time look back and reflect positively on the role I played in their personal development.
Next step.... Fundraising to pay for this mammoth adventure that lays before me.......
