Andrew Findlay - Devon on Ashburton, 1971

Hi, I was sent on an outward bound course by my employer, the John Lewis partnership, in 1970 or 71. I was 16 and the venue was Holne Park in Devon. The experience has stayed with me throughout my life as the course tested you to your limits of endurance, or so it seemed at the time. Our instructor was Tony Blyth(e) I think and he was ex sas and an expert cave diver. We were allocated to patrols ( because we were on call for rescue operations on dartmoor and the surrounding coastal areas) I was in Gilbert patrol. `I had a terrible fear of heights which was overcome by abseiling down the 200ft cliff known as Berry Head. Another memory is canoeing to the mouth of the Dart estuary during a gale, with massive rollers coming in. Also caving down the maggot's crawl, very claustrophobic! The solo expedition was great, on my own on Dartmoor with a piece of string and a plastic sheet for shelter. The rope course was terrifying although you were dead safe really.All great character building stuff although I doubt if it would be allowed today with current risk assessment requirements for crossing the road etc.. I would love to here from anyone who remembers me, I stood out because I was a hippy with long hair, the only one on the course. I was accompanied by junior leaders from the army, police cadets and trainees from Lloyds bank! All in all it was a great though traumatic experience, and I'm very glad i did it. I remember a lad from Lloyds bank named Malcolm, football crazy Rammer, an Army junior leader who we named Scotty, and a lad from Bermuda named Douglas


Cheers

Andrew Findlay