for the Yeo Explorers, adventuring through the Alps - quite a challenge.
The expeditions involved the usual walking and climbing but this year also a new skill for many of us - via ferrata (a mixture of walking and climbing where you clip yourself to cables to avoid any nasty accidents).
Thirty-one of us went this year, including seven leaders, and everyone had a great time despite walking further, higher, on more difficult routes and for more days than on any previous camp.
We flew into Milan and crossed the border on foot the next day. We had two main 'base camps'; the first being a campsite in a village called Saas Grund, near the well known resort of Saas Fee, on the Swiss side of the Swiss -Italian border. The second base was an international (and slightly scary) Scout campsite in Kandersteg, a couple of hours on the train from Saas Fee and Saas Grund.
From these two campsites we made several expeditions of different styles and difficulty levels to suit the different abilities of group members.
Many of the trips involved staying overnight in mountain lodges; typically Swiss buildings which seemed very luxurious compared to our tents.
We climbed about five mountains including Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in Europe which a group of our older members conquered towards the end of the trip and which required a whole new set of skills and equipment, such as crampons and ice axes.
My personal highlight would have to be the via ferrata course which challenged (and at times terrified) us all, but made for some amazing memories.
All the Explorers would like to thank everyone who made Switzerland 08 such a success, and I would especially like to thank Tony Harding and Andy Hutchins.
Jess Cox ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
