28th Ayrshire28th AyrshireThe Explorer Belt Expedition is open to both Venture Scouts and Ranger Guides and lasts 10 days, during which time each team, of at least two people, has to walk a minimum of 160km in a foreign country. The team also has to complete a number of projects and write a log for each day.
This summer, Blair Smith and myself, participated in the Expedition to the Rhone Valley region in the south of France, along with a group of Venture Scouts from all over Scotland. Leaving on the 14th July, we travelled by bus down to a secret destination in the Rhone Valley where we packed our kit, ready for departure on the expedition the following day.
The next day each team was dropped off the bus at an unknown destination, given maps, some money and instructions to be in a certain place in ten days time. This was the start of ten days of hard work and also an excellent adventure; the expedition's billing as the experience of a lifetime was true. The people we met, the views and scenery we saw and the weird and wonderful places we camped all made this one of the most worthwhile and enjoyable things I have every done.
Unfortunately disaster struck on day four when Blair hurt his leg badly enough that he had to go to hospital in the town of Crest. Sadly this was the end of the Expedition for Blair. However I was lucky to be able to continue with another team of two girls from Aberdeen and it was with them, after 170 km of walking, that I reached the end point of the Expedition at Pont d'Arc on the Ardeche River.
After the expedition itself we had a few days of rest, activities and visits before we came home on August 3rd. It was, however, on 8th September when I gave my presentation to my Venture Unit and other invited guests, including members of some of the other teams whom were on the expedition, and managed to gain my Explorer Belt and Award.
All I can say to finish off is that this was the greatest experience and I hope that I can convince other people to take part in the Explorer Belt Expedition in future years.
Martin Snodgrass, 28th Ayrshire Venture Scout Unit
Interested in the Explorer Belt? You can read all about it at Explorer Scout Badges and The Explorer Belt .