Weekend Advanced fitness and Admin Drills Pontsticill Brecon Beacons

Discount to £120 for members

Intent: This weekend is designed to enable a person to live out of a Bergen or ruck sac for a weekend without support of car etc. When we leave on Saturday morning we will be out for the duration. It is designed to tire yourself on day one and yet administer yourself while fatigued and recovering and squaring your admin away, an option part of the weekend will be a night navigation for a few hours which is more designed to get people used to working the ground at night, where underfoot conditions have a compounding effect on fatigue, concentration, navigation and orientation. It works the bodies balancing muscles more and relies on different capabilities than in the day. The second day is lighter kit speed march which is faster paced but still at your own pace. There are a number of other evolutions over the weekend yet all of these are optional and/or can be at a reduced level and so it’s up to the individual how hard they work on each day. Sleeping out is done in a wood-line and a location where tents can be used to. This is a progression from vehicle support to being self sufficient. If we have any issues or anyone feels the need that they need support then that will be organised when on the ground. Flexibility is one of the principles of war!

Expectations: Too many people don’t sign up for these days because they think it’s going to be some sort of SAS hill session. Its NOT or doesn’t have to be, these days are provided to encourage people to get out into the open air, in the hills, to start to help them to become healthier. If you want to be flying over the hills at speed with 65lbs then these days can be for you to though. We work at a nice progressive pace which varies depending on which team you are in which is changeable throughout the day. And with the added flexibility of weight carried it can make for a very chilled progressive day over the hills or a challenging advanced day that is gust busting if you decide to do all the evolutions which are optional. Either way they are great days, very chilled and designed to help, motivate you and increase your confidence in the hills and in the elements. This might help you with fitness or even taking your kids out on hikes in the future. Its very basic drills that will help someone wanting to join the Army, do selection or just gain some experience to help them on back to back events. I work some of the events and most need the help because their admin is appalling and on the day of the event they are wet, overweight, black in sleep and food and are in RAG order, you dont need to be so get on the weekend and work on drills. Its basics.

You will be shown how to administer yourself over this time, what kit might work better, packing of kit, preparation for sleep, such as putting up a hammock and Basha, etc. Basic stuff which is all you need to survive in the harshest of conditions. This is the kit we always carry no matter if on Expedition with Trident Adventure or in the Brecon Beacons doing a fitness day. If you can get it to work in a woodbine in Brecon it will work in some of the harshest places on earth. Its basic stuff – just done well.

You will need to bring your own food and water for 2 days, although we will provide stern tabs and extra water. Here is a list of some of the kit you should have, if you dont have it speak with us as its not all essential. You do not need to be purchasing alot of kit at all and so speak with us.

Essential Kit:

Wearing on day: Venting on the go kit IE 2 x synthetic tops (1 spare if you get cold on the go) Trousers, socks, synthetic underwear if possible/sports bras, quality boots and lightweight windproof jacket quality belt

Accessable kit:

Food to eat on the go (such as food bars)

2 litres Water (preferably in a camel back or hydro kit that you can use on the go without stopping)

Lightweight hat and gloves that will protect from wind and rain but not overheat when on the go

Map, compass, head torch with spare batteries (all of these on a tether IE 2mm para cord)

Carrying Kit:

Dry bags of some kind enough to stop water ingress when raining 1 x very large to fit all in main compartment and 4 medium size ones

Day sack or Bergen that will allow you to comfortably carry all the below kit

Water proofs jacket and optional waterproof bottoms  

Roll mat cut slightly so that it covers your main body – you can cut into quarters and then re-tape so you can fold and stow away in back of Bergen or day sack

Sleeping bag for all UK climates down to at least-10 already in a Gortex BIVVI bag (Take out of stuff sack)

Optional blanket (lightweight material if you have one)

Lightweight cooker such as a JETBOIL with gas or a Hexi cooker with blocks

Lighters x 3, turbo lighters or flint lighters or preferably both

Spare water container- An Ortleib water bag 4-5 litres is a good idea of water bottles

Tent, or preferably waterproof Basha (*large rectangle waterproof cover with eyelets on the sides), thin 2mm para cord x 40m to attach it to the eyelets in 20ft lengths, with hammock with cord that extends out on each end by at least 3m to wrap around trees

Lightweight towel optional

Med kit waterproofed to contain, bandages, paracetamol, ibrofen, tape. For strains etc.

Spare 2mm para cord and para tape optional for a number of uses from laces, broken straps etc.

Toiler roll or tissues with lighter to burn off tissue after use

Dry Bag 1: WARM KIT

Warm fleece with zip preferably (Life saver)

Duvet warm jacket (Life saver) with warm hat, gloves and food bar in pockets and optional 100-300ml water pouch

Dry Bag 2: ADMIN KIT

Warm kit for admin area-Spare clothes that you can put on to warm back up such as:
Socks pants trousers 2 x synthetic tops sports bra etc plus some lightweight footwear (old trainers with innersoles pulled out)

Dry Bag 3:

Food for admin area enough to sustain you for the Sat night Sunday morning such as boil in the bag, noodles etc (Will eat this HOT)

Brew Kit- pre make this up, a good idea is to have a plastic container with coffee, coffee mate and sugar so its good to go. Just add a load to hot water and you are good.

500-1000ml flask to make noodles or brew

Spoon or Spork x 2

Sterilisation water tabs in a tab holder (We sell these in the shop)

Spare bag to put rubbish in

Notes:
Spare Bags:
It’s worth taking spare waterproof bags if you have then. Essentially as nasty as its sounds you will be living out of 2 bags, wet bag and dry bag, you will use wet kit when you need to go on the ground and then get back into dry kit. Wet has to stay with wet kit and dry kit needs to stay away form wet kit. Its not as bad as it sounds and it makes that hammock and sleeping bag feel nicer than it is.

Water Resup:
It’s worth taking water sterilisation tabs so you don’t have to carry loads of water, we will provide water for you and steri tabs if needed. But its expected you have it. Its best to have a container that is in multiples of 1litre as they steri tabs are designed for.

Food:
Most people find they do not have enough food and so take more than you think you need. Its worth investing in some arctic 1000cal bags that you just add boiling water too and then some noodles too that you can just add water too and some spare bars so you can eat in the morning or at night when in your hammock. Its also good to take a small bag or push of herbs, seasoning salt etc or tabasco to add to. All this can be used in the boil in the bad once eaten to save you having to wash anything, then your water boiler can just be used for coffee or tea

ADMIN:
The cars will be close so bring extra kit and you always nip back if needed, its no great shakes. This is a learning weekend to help you better understand how to admin yourself unsorted but the support can be there if needed to warm you into it.

*Sleep in a hammock preferably if you have one, on the floor under a basha in a gortext bivvi bag or in a tent if you have to. Its your call and there is plenty of space in the woods. This weekend is about doing a number of different physical sessions over a short period of time, learning how to administer yourself, and understand where your capabilities lie even when very fatigued. 

*People have a tendency to stick in their comfort zone, especially when carrying weight. So use this weekend to see where you’re at and so next time add another evolution  so you gently increase your capacity. 

*Make sure you know where the RV is at the start of Sat morning. There is no comms on the ground. Any issues just give us a shout prior to the day

*Anyone with any medical conditions or issues then please PM me prior to the days activities.

Fitness Level: If you are not experienced please do not get put off, we have support staff that are there to facilitate supporting all our levels and we do that well. Come along, thats how you start your journey to be stronger in the hills or just in light undulation movement across the ground. All our days are based on a very manageable distance in the time given and is fully designed for a basic level of fitness. All we ask is that you can walk for a duration of 4-5 hours without weight before you attend the day.
Any questions then please just ask.

Joining instructions: These will be send out a few days before once wee have all the numbers in, but read all above as all the information you need is here.

Location: We will send you details in the joining instructions of exact location we start from. The location shown here is for guidance purposes only but in most cases is accurate.

Note: EOF Members discount will automatically be applied at checkout.