Royal Logistic Corps soldiers from the Logistic Support Detachment serving with 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment deployed on Exercise Dragon Corsican Legion, a 14-day expedition on the island of Corsica to hike the Grande Randonée 20 (GR 20).
The aim of this Adventurous Training package was to train personnel to Summer Mountain Foundation qualification standards and also to develop leadership and motivational skills, build self-confidence and strengthen team cohesion.
The GR 20 route is widely accepted as the toughest and most difficult GR route in Europe, with an accumulated ascent of 13,595m along a 180km trek. By way of comparison, the total ascent to climb Mount Everest is 8,848m.
The first day’s trek alone was approx. 12km long and included ascents of up to 1550m to hike to Refuge d’Ortu di u Piobbu (RV 1), where the team spent their first night.
Throughout the expedition, the team slept in two-man tents at designated points in the grounds alongside each refuge. Each refuge along the route was different and they provided limited cooking and cleaning facilities, small shops to purchase essentials and the option to purchase an evening meal for a set price.
Routine had set in after the first few days and the group were up raring to go at first light every morning.
Throughout the trek, the routes provided breath-taking views and amazing scenery making the jagged rock scrambles, relentless hills and steep descents more bearable.
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The Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps