Many pupils last week during half term took the opportunity to go on trips and explore different parts of the world, aiding their classroom learning, or developing new skills. For Year 13 pupil Austin Burnand, this involved taking a trip to Norway to participate in Nordic skiing. Thank you to Mr Stephen Macpherson for the following report of the trip:
‘During February half term members of the CCF attended a Nordic Skiing course in Norway. The course was organised by the Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training (CCAT) and took place in the Gaustatoppen area near Rjukan. This six-day course is designed to teach students the basics of Nordic skiing on high-level terrain, with the specific aim of completing an overnight self-supported ski tour, staying in a mountain hut at the end of the course. Nordic skiing, also known as cross-country skiing, is the oldest form of skiing.
Just getting to the resort was a mission - we flew to Oslo and then travelled another three hours by car deep into the Norwegian interior where the course would take place. The following morning we were kitted out with our skis, boots and poles before being given our first taste of Nordic skiing. The first four days were aimed at giving the group the basic skills we would need for our expedition, moving forwards, turning, slowing down and stopping. Each day we learnt new skills on the pisted tracks before heading out on a short journey to practice what we had learned. The group progressed very well and by the end of day four we all had enough ability to take on the next challenge; a two-day ski tour on the infamous Hardanger plateau, Hardangervidda in Norwegian.
The plateau is a large mountain plain, covering an area of about 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi) at an average elevation of 1,100 m (3,500 ft). It is also famous for its part in the World War II story The Heroes of Telemark, a true story about the Norwegian resistances attempt to sabotage the Vemork Norsk Hydro plant in the town of Rjukan.
Thankfully we began our expedition on the Krossobanen cable car which took us from deep in the Rjukan valley to the edge of the plateau. Once on the Hardanger plateau the scenery was awe-inspiring. Luckily, the weather was kind to us and we made good progress over the terrain. The hut was about eight kilometres away, but the scenery was so good nobody noticed the distance; indeed, it was almost a shame to arrive at the hut! Any disappointment was short lived as soon as we walked into the Norwegian Trekking Association Hut (DNT) - not quite the basic shack we were expecting! Once we arrived we set about making a fire, collecting water and preparing a meal, after which the logical night cap was a night ski to fully absorb the splendid isolation. During the night the wind picked up and the temperature dropped but nobody noticed - in fact everyone had the best night sleep of the week!
In the morning the sun was shining but the strong northerly wind made for a chilly start to the day, a little hint at how exposed this area can be. Once again we made good progress especially with a strong tail wind and before we knew it we were back at the cable car which unfortunately marked the end of the week. The progress that the group made during the week was nothing short of amazing, some had basic alpine skiing experience but most had never been on any kind of Skis before. In six days we had gone from falling over on flat ground to gliding effortlessly down off-piste slopes in a truly wild mountainous area. It was a fantastic trip that really helped coordination, teamwork and fitness levels, and I am looking forward to this trip growing in popularity.’
Many other adventurous courses and activities are available to cadets and adult staff (CFAV), these can be found here.’