14-17°C, sunny.

9.2: Practice, independent travel with staff and instructors on mostly mobile checkpoints. I headed out on foot to the most easterly point on any of the routes. If groups go wrong here they could get lost in a complex of routes in wooded valleys. Besides that, the routes are circular and we have all day; no coach deadline.

Training/Practice. D1: walking with two groups to teach journeying and navigation. Both seemed to progress though poor stamina was apparent later in the afternoon. The weather was, at least, mild and dry

9.3: rain all day, pah! Routes are north to Milford where the coaches are due later than last year. It’s just as well because two groups ran late. Both made a mess of navigation by taking numerous wrong turns. I walked in from the north towards the usual place where groups go astray and they appeared in 6 or 7 hundred metres. Once they recognised me and realised I would walk them out, the tears came. Half of the group sobbed; relief I assume. Limping on wet sore feet, we returned at 1km/hr to the minibus.

Here’s a tricky one, this group did this yesterday too. It’s up to the school, but if I were their supervisor, I would not recommend them for an assessed expedition yet.