| During 2008/9 five young people from West Berkshire | | | | would keep us company for the remainder of the day. |
| decided that the Pyrenees would be a great | | | | Five hours later, after hail stones the size of marbles |
| adventure for this award; after all we had done | | | | had rained down on us, lightning that seemed very |
| Bronze in Berkshire, Silver in the Brecon Beacons, all | | | | close at times we arrived very relieved and extremely |
| on horseback, it seemed logical that the next step | | | | wet at our third camp site near Viliella. Although, we |
| would be abroad. Where do we start? | | | | could be penalised in the award for what happened |
| Fortunately our leader, Carolyn was keen to see the | | | | next at the camp site, there are some things that help |
| venture through and with her encouragement we | | | | to build relationships between different nationalities and |
| were able to source a riding centre in the Pyrenees | | | | far outweigh the rules of an award. It was on this |
| with the help and guidance of Emma Getliffe at Have | | | | occasion that barriers between our group and another |
| Horse Will Travel and Pierre and Carol Enoff in Porta, | | | | group of young people, who were being guided on the |
| that would enable us to hire horses and be | | | | same route by another leader, began to come down. |
| self-sufficient. | | | | The French young people felt really sorry for us having |
| Eventually after many months of preparation and | | | | being caught out in the storm, that they helped put our |
| emails flying back between us and Emma, on 4th | | | | tents up for us, made hot chocolate for us on our |
| August 2009, with expedition food packed, we | | | | arrival and took our horses off us to put them to bed. It |
| embarked on what was to become an amazing | | | | made the day seem really special and we had a |
| experience in France, Spain and Andorra. | | | | fantastic evening with them. |
| We left Heathrow airport at 7.10am on Tuesday on a | | | | Day 4 dawned brightly and we were keen to be off |
| flight to Barcelona; we were somewhat surprised | | | | on the final leg of our journey. We had packed up by |
| when two of our leaders left us for an upgrade into | | | | 8am and were in the saddle by 8.15am for the last |
| First Class courtesy of British Airways! On arrival in | | | | 20km, which would take us up to the col between |
| 40° C in Barcelona, all our careful plans were thrown | | | | France, Spain and France at Portella Blanca |
| out of the window when it transpired that the route to | | | | D’Andorra. Mike decided that he needed to get fit |
| Porta had to be changed due to engineering works on | | | | for Mont Blanc and decided to walk with us – we |
| the rail network. However, we arrived at 7pm at La | | | | soon left him behind! The views were spectacular and |
| Pastorale to be greeted by the owners Pierre and | | | | our route finding was spot on. We were surprised |
| Carol, somewhat tired and hot. | | | | when we began to be followed by what we thought |
| The following day was changed and we were asked | | | | was a wild horse! Unbeknown to us one of the French |
| to start our expedition after lunch. After a familiarisation | | | | young people was poorly, so went back with Pierre, |
| ride in the local area we packed our horses and set | | | | and his horse had followed us. We were delighted to |
| off on the first leg of our four- day expedition – | | | | see Carolyn and Jan walking into meet us as we |
| from Porta to La Tour de Carol. This should have | | | | headed back to Porta just in time for the afternoon |
| been a straightforward start to the expedition and | | | | thunderstorm again! |
| Pierre was keen that we should make good time to | | | | What have we gained from this expedition? |
| the first camp site. However, according to our route | | | | There are so many things that will stay with us for the |
| cards we should take between 6-7 hours, which left | | | | rest of our lives. During the expedition we learnt so |
| an hour or so to sort horses out at the beginning and | | | | many things; our navigation improved, we learnt self |
| end of the day. We eventually found the correct place | | | | reliance, team work, sorting out problems – |
| in about 8 hours. Pierre and our leaders met us at the | | | | navigation is difficult from a horse, you can’t all |
| camp site and camped with us. | | | | crowd around the map to seek agreement. We have |
| The second leg of our trip took us into some | | | | learnt that there is more than one way to look after a |
| spectacular scenery from Latour de Carol to a wild | | | | horse. Pierre is passionate about the way his horses |
| camp site near Girul. Our navigation began to become | | | | are treated; they don’t have shoes, yet they are |
| more confident as we got used to the Spanish | | | | able to cope with terrain that is rugged. They don’t |
| 1:50,000 maps with no grid lines. We were able to have | | | | have bits in their bridles, yet they are easy to control |
| some great canters on fantastic shoe-less and bit-less | | | | and have soft mouths. Our horizons have been |
| horses. At our second campsite we again camped | | | | broadened; we have seen new countries and new |
| wild and were getting into the swing of things, | | | | wildlife – the eagles soaring overhead was amazing. |
| managing to cook, get tents up and get the horses | | | | We are truly grateful to the following people without |
| sorted before the inevitable thunder storm. | | | | whom this expedition would not have been possible: |
| The third day turned out to be a bit of an epic! We left | | | | Carolyn Ashmore – who enabled a dream to |
| Girul and made good time into Meranges and then into | | | | become reality |
| Eller, despite taking a slightly different route to the | | | | Emma Getliffe from Have Horse Will Travel |
| original planned one. Unfortunately, we did make a | | | | Pierre and Carol Enoff in Porta, France for entrusting |
| navigational error when leaving Eller and followed an | | | | us with their horses |
| incorrect GR route! We then had to correct our error | | | | Mike Purchase our assessor |
| and retrace our steps back to Eller! On arrival back at | | | | Jan Porter – who gave up her time to be an |
| Eller we knew we had at least another four hours of | | | | invaluable staff member on the trip |
| riding before our next camp site and to make matters | | | | West Berkshire D of E unit for allowing the trip to go |
| worse the usual thunder storm arrived early. At 1700m | | | | ahead |
| being in a thunderstorm can be quite frightening, | | | | And finally….. |
| particularly Pyrenean ones! However, we were in good | | | | Our parents for supporting us with funding for the |
| spirits, particularly when Mike, our assessor said that he | | | | expedition. |