Expedition & wild camping training

Written By john fisher

Dartmoor and Snowdon 2025 I Book Now

Dartmoor
Friday March 21st Evening - Sunday 23rd Midday
Friday June 6th - Sunday 8th - Includes Greenland module

Snowdonia
(Trekking focus and Kyrgyzstan Module)
Friday June 20th Midday - Sunday 22nd Midday

Greenland Training on Dartmoor
(Extra Photography Module Available)
Friday June 6th - Sunday 8th

 

Our expedition and wild camping training weekends provide an excellent opportunity to develop your outdoor skills from a day hiker to a wild camper or expedition team member. During the training, participants can learn the camp craft, essential techniques for river crossing, how to cook, set up tents, call for help in a remote location and - very importantly - protect the fragile remote environments they are visiting. Our goal is not simply to give you a wild camping experience, but to train you to become an environmentally conscious wild camper, and a resilient expedition team member.

Prior to the weekend in the wilderness, we run a series of live interactive Zoom training sessions. The lectures cover expedition preparation, nutrition and equipment. We also send a professional guide to meet your group on a shopping trip to help you buy the right clothes and equipment.

If you are trying this for the first time, we can provide you with a rucksack and sleeping bag at a small extra cost.

This training experience fosters self-reliance and prepares individuals for adventurous expeditions and wild camping excursions. It is rated GREEN on our traffic light system of rating events. You must be able to hike for four hours carrying 15 kilos on uneven ground. The Dartmoor June weekend also includes a Greenland expedition module covering musk ox behaviour and equipment you need in an Arctic summer environmentThere is also an additional module taught by professional photographer Ned Neylar as part of the training for the Greenland Photography Expedition. The Snowdonia June training and trekking weekend includes a Kyrgyzstan module (altitude, physical preparation, what to take). This will be more strenuous than Dartmoor but with no wild camping.

 
 
 

Itinerary

DAY ONE: FRIDAY – ARRIVE
Dartmoor - Arrive 6pm - 10 pm
Meet and greet at a campsite in Ivybridge in Dartmoor.
Decompress as you prepare your dinner by the campfire

Snowdonia - Arrive 2pm
Meet and greet 2pm
Tents - How to set up / types/ and all you need to know 2:30 - 4:30pm
Expedition camp craft / cooking 4:30 - 5:30pm
Short intro navigation hike 6:30 - 8:30pm

DAY TWO: SATURDAY – WORKSHOPS, THEN START THE EXPEDITION
Expedition cooking seminar / practice
Expedition equipment check
Half-day hike
Calling for help in an emergency
How to choose / set up a wild camp
Water purification

June only in Dartmoor
Polar bear and Musk ox behaviour seminar
Polar bear watch

Snowdonia only
Steep ground confidence / moving on scree

DAY THREE: SUNDAY – RIVER CROSSING DAY/ BACK TO IVYBRIDGE
Emergency practice
River crossings /deep water crossings (June only)
Signs of cold weather illness seminar
Lunch and Q&A - finish at 2pm

June only in Dartmoor - Greenland equipment check

Snowdonia only - moving on exposed ground

 
 
 

Training Goals

Basic skills

  • How to pitch a tent

  • How to choose a wild campsite

  • How to efficiently pack an expedition backpack

  • What equipment to take

  • Camp craft

  • How to cook in the wilderness

  • How to be hygienic and environmentally conscious in the wild

  • Four hour hike with backpack

Advanced skills

  • Calling for help in a wild environment

  • River crossings

  • Deep water crossings (not in the March or Snowdonia course)

Extra Summer Greenland skills module (June in Dartmoor only)

  • Musk ox behaviour

  • Polar bear risk in Greenland

  • Cold weather gear / intro to cold weather illness

  • Discussion on multi-day expedition events

Extra trekking plus Kyrgyzstan skills module (June in Snowdonia only)

  • Altitude sickness

  • Hiking on scree

  • Physical assessment

  • What to pack for Kyrgyzstan

  • How to move on steep ground

  • Six hour plus steep ground hike

 
 
 

What Is included

  • Camp fees

  • Tents, cooker, fuel

  • Three Firepot dehydrated expedition meals (Saturday: breakfast and dinner, Sunday: breakfast)

  • Emergency equipment

  • Two half-day hikes: (Dartmoor)

  • Or - one large hike plus navigation hike Snowdonia

  • Emergency call for help procedures

  • Essential first aid kit advice

  • Wild camping lesson

  • River crossing lesson

  • Deep water crossing (June only)

  • Expedition food preparation lesson

  • Pre-expedition Zoom seminars covering equipment / nutrition

  • A guide-led expedition shopping experience in London

  • Greenland module at Dartmoor in June

  • Kyrgyzstan module at Snowdonia in June including altitude module

Extra module Greenland module in June:

  • Polar bear risk lesson.

  • Musk ox behaviour and safety.

  • Greenland expedition-specific kit check.

  • An optional lesson in photography from professional photographer Ned Neylar.

 

What Is not included

  • Parking (small onsite fee for Saturday night or park locally for free)

  • Backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner (can be hired for £80)

  • Alcoholic drinks

  • Snacks

  • Saturday and Sunday lunches

  • Friday dinner (bring it, and you can cook it by our campfire!)

  • Personal equipment, including waterproofs, boots

 

  • James is the leader of this expedition. He is a veteran of over a 100 expeditions. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and the British Exploring Society and a member of the Arctic Club. He has experience in both Greenland and Svalbard.

    James also holds multiple qualifications and is both a Leading Practitioner/ Recognised Professional with the Institute for Outdoor Learning. He keeps TV and film crews safe, trains expedition participants to prepare for extreme and hostile environments, and leads award winning educational trips for young people.

    To meet learn more please click here.

  • We aim to prepare you to be the best you can be for your expedition. Together we will:

    • Increase your enjoyment

    • Increase your connection with the natural environment

    • Reduce pre-expedition stress and anxiety

    • Increase the resilience of yourself and the team

    • Make your expedition safer

    Zoom sessions:

    • 30mins to one hour long

    • Will be live allowing you to ask questions

    • Have Q&A time included

    • Be recorded in case your life gets in the way

    • Start at 7:30pm during a week night

    Planned Sessions : A planned zoom seminar schedule will be sent out mid-February covering:

    • Session 1: Welcome - Your training - the risks

    • Session 2: Expedition equipment

    • Session 3: Face to face meet and shop

    • Session 4: Expedition nutrition

    • Session 5: Expedition team work

    • Session 6: Logistics - last chat

  • I am a total beginner. I'd like to know what personal equipment to bring or how to pack my rucksack? Is this course still suitable for me?

    Yes. The basics are covered step-by-step with a professional guide in an educational and stress free way. You will be able to learn essential equipment choices in a Zoom seminar with a Turn Wild expedition leader. This pack also contains a clear packing list. You will also have the opportunity to meet a Turn Wild guide in London and get expedition shopping advice. So you can embark on your weekend full of confidence and the right mindset to learn.

    Do I have to spend a lot of money on equipment?

    No. For the weekend, you will only need your personal hiking basics plus some personal camping essentials. We will supply the big cost items like tents and cookers. We do have a few sets of equipment you can hire from us - this includes a sleeping bag, backpack, dry bag, and liner. (£80 for the weekend - size and stock depending).

    I am an experienced wild camper. Would this course be good for me?

    Yes. It will allow you to upskill and take on adventures in places like Scotland, Kyrgyzstan, and Greenland. You will cover various river crossing techniques, packing tips, expedition nutrition and have access to experienced guides.

    How fit do I need to be?

    For the expedition training course in Dartmoor, you need to be able to hike for four hours over undulating ground, sometimes off paths carrying 15kg.

    For the Snowdonia course you need to be able to hike with a day pack for 7 hours over multiple days and ascend over 1000m on the first day. We will go up the Watkins path which is challenging, at times with scree, and will take over 7 hours and has a 1400m ascent.

    What happens if I cannot make one of the Zoom training sessions?

    We understand that we all live busy lives. A recording of the Zoom session will be made available if you cannot make it. You can then watch it whenever you get a chance. If you have any questions after this, you will, of course, be able to email / talk to one of our professional guides.

  • The total cost is £299 per person. All bookings start with a one on one call with one of our qualified guides. This call is to make sure all your questions are answered so that all team members know about the expedition challenges and the commitment that must be made in preparation. You may also ask any further questions you may have around the expedition. After this call, a deposit of 30% will be sent to you to secure your place. The balance is due 50 days before the start of the expedition. For cancellations made within 30-40 days of the trip commencement date, Turn Wild reserves the right to retain 50% of the balance payment. For cancellations within 30 days of the departure date, Turn Wild will retain 100% of the total fee. For any further questions or to secure a place, please contact us via the details below. Thank you, and let your adventure begin!

    Contact Ian on 07901 916 169 or Ian@turnwild.com. Find more about Turn Wild’s terms and conditions here.

  • General Equipment

    • Small microfibre towel

    • Power bank

    • Water bottle

    • Medications

    • Sunblock

    • Insect repellant

    • Hand sanitiser

    • Kindle / book

    • Spoon

    • Large camping mug (for cooking)

    • Lighters

    • Poo kit

    • Dry bags

    • Wet wipes

    • 65-75 litre bag

    (Dartmoor)

    • Day bag

    Sleeping:

    • Sleeping bag - rated to zero minimum. Down will cost more but save you weight

    • Thermals / liner or both depending on your sleeping system

    • Sleeping roll / folding mat

    • Inflatable mat (optional)

    • Inflatable pillow or dry bag with clothes inside

    • Ear plugs

    Feet:

    • Boots (No hiking shoes)

    • Socks (Minimum two pairs. One dry for sleeping in)

    • Camp / river crossing shoes

    Legs:

    • Hiking trousers

    • Gore-tex waterproof overtrousers: ones you can put on over boots

    • Light shorts (optional)

    Torso:

    • Base layers x two (one to sleep in)

    • Midlayer - thin long sleeve

    • Warm layer (down jacket)

    • Waterproof jacket (check it is waterproof - re-proof if needed)

    Extras:

    • Cap

    • Gloves

    • Warm hat

    • Midge net

 
john fisher
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