1 ESTUARINE EMERSION Royal Marines, modern day commandos with a motto of “By Sea, By Land” love an estuary and we have our very own at Hever Castle. Just keep pumping those legs and mind your head on the low bridge!
20m long mud run with a rope scramble for exit.
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2 TUNNEL RATS Commandos spend a lot of time on their bellies! Tunnel systems are often part of an established defence network and Commandos make it their mission to attack in the dead of night when enemy defences are at their weakest. Use your hands and knees and crawl fast!
10M long winding tunnels crafted out of wriggly tin and earth.
10M ESCAPE HATCHES
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3 SMARTY TUBES These drainage pipes are often used as road culverts. Road culverts make excellent hiding places for roadside explosive devices placed to disrupt enemy movement around the battlefield. It is important to be able to navigate even the tightest and dirtiest of these quickly and efficiently.
8m long and 2’ or 3’ wide drainage pipes sunk into the ground. The more difficult ones are semi-immersed in water.
8M
WET SIDEGetting progressivley deeper
DRY SIDE
TRACK
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4 THE WIRES The enemy will use a number of devices to hinder your progress and obscure your view. Real Commandos let nothing faze them. You will need to be agile and be able to trust your instincts as you make your way up this tricky glade.
40m long wooded glade dissected with metres and metres of elastic cord.
40M
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5 SLIPPERY SLOPE Targets for Commando raids are often well defended and more often than not sit in commanding positions on top of hills. With the route pre-laid for you by a suitably steely mountain leader all you need to do is move uphill quickly using the ropes left out for you.
30m long steep muddy slope with large ropes hanging down to assist progress.
30M
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6 MONKEY BARS Commandos on raids often have to support their body weight on pre-set scaling ladders and often there will be a considerable drop below! Fear not you weaker few as there are balance beams and rings for you to use instead!
5m long ladders of varying step width suspended above a muddy pool and built in an old Second World War V2 bomb crater.
LADDERS (KIDS)
LADDERS (ADULTS)
BALANCE BEAM
MUD
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7 THE SCRAMBLE Modern day Commandos often conduct operations from small boats and often have to board much bigger ships. Often the steep sides of these ships will be scaled using scramble nets and it is this, minus the rolling deck in heavy seas, that we have replicated.
8m high scramble net.
8M
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8 DOOM DROP Commandos often have to adapt and overcome obstacles at speed and whilst under fire. Trust your instincts and go for this!30m slippery slide with a steep entry
and long run off.
30M
RUN OFF
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9 CATACOMBS OF DOOM
Commandos have to adapt to their terrain and some of the missions in the past have used cave systems as a means of covert approach. Feel the walls as you make your way through this tunnel system and watch out for the creepy crawlies.
30m long cave system originally tunnelled out by Lord Astor’s workers on the estate at the same time as they were digging the lake.
EXIT
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE
ENTRANCE
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10 PETER’S POOL Modern day Commandos love a bit of water. Often a covert approach will involve a long silent patrol up a river or stream where the scouts will have laid a rope to assist with navigation and deeper sections of the water. Just follow the rope and trust the Commando in front of you!
Large 30m wide clay marlpit once used for brick making and now filled with chest-deep muddy water.
30M
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11 CREEPY CRAWLY The “Commando crawl” is a technique practised by modern day soldiers and it enables fast movement over rough ground but without exposing the person to enemy fire. Keep your backside down and use your elbows and the inside of your knees.
A 12m low scramble net supported on scaffold poles over a muddy section of ground.
12M
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12 RIVER CROSS Commando raids are often staggering in their speed of execution. A well drilled patrol can cross a fast flowing river in a matter of seconds. Listen to your instructor here and he will explain the techniques required. Prepare to get wet!
A crossing of the River Eden using suspended and tensioned ropes.
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13 THE CHASM Designed to simulate a large chasm, canyon or dangerous river crossing we have set up more obstacle crossing techniques. This time you can cross using the Tyrollean Traverse or, like the real deal, the suspended Commando Crawl. The obstacle replicates what the Royal Marines call “the tank” at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
A 20m crossing of another clay marlpit filled with water.
20M
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14 THE BLOCKER The enemy will often try and slow your progress down with man made obstacles. Beware of the booby traps though. Play with a leap and a gate vault or as a team.A 6’ dramatic obstruction of piled up logs.
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15 THE FROGGER Adapt, overcome and have a bit of fun. Commandos, renowned for their sense of humour in adversity, will often cleverly adapt equipment and other bits of kit left around to suit their purposes. In this instance we have used tractor tyre inner tubes.
A 15m crossing of the River Eden using inflatable tyres.
15M
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16 WOBBLY BRIDGE Commandos will often have to navigate a makeshift bridge as they quickly cross rivers and larger streams. Stay low and don’t hang around. Trust your balance.20m long pontoon style bridge with a twist.
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17 SHEEP DIP Sometimes in a Commandos life the only way is the hard way. Not everyone’s idea of fun, just hold your breath and let our instructors do the work!
A 2m long and 2’ wide submerged drainage pipe.
2M
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18 THE WALL Often the last and hardest part of any raid - the scaling of the ramparts or walls. This 12’ wall with suitable trail rope and footholds to assist your progress would have been scaled by one of your mountain leaders in advance. You’ve just got to get to the top!
A 12’ high wall with trail rope and footholds.
12FT
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ROUTE MAP
EVENT VILLAGE
WARM UPAREA
BRIEFING AREA
CAR PARK
START
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KEY1. Estuarine Emersion2. Tunnel Rats3. Smarty Tubes4. The Wires5. Slippery Slope6. Monkey Bars7. The Scramble8. Doom Drop9. Catacombs of Death10. Peter’s Pool11. Creepy Crawly12. River Cross13. The Chasm14. The Blocker15. The Frogger16. Wobbly Bridge17. Sheep Dip18. The Wall
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