Four members of Nene Valley Network are in the final stages of preparations for their Explorer Belt. They will be the first members of Nene Valley Scouts to have achieved their Explorer Belt in over 10 years.
The Explorer Belt is a challenge of a lifetime. It is a chance to take part in a ten day expedition that brings a real understanding of a different country, its culture and way of life. They will develop this understanding by travelling through their chosen country, working as part of a small team to complete a series of projects and most importantly by meeting local people. It is an experience and an achievement that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Their Explorer Belt will take place in Northern France following parts of the Western Front, 100 years after the end of the First World War. The main project will be to investigate the effects of WW1 after 100 years. Seeing how the landscape, buildings, and people's lives have been changed.
Some of the smaller projects that will be undertaken are:
Compare photographs taken then and now.
Lay a wreath at the Menin gate.
Converse in French with a local.
Throughout the expedition they will be travelling by a variety of different modes of transport; Walking, Cycling, Bus, and Train. This will give them the most opportunities to get to key places along the route, meet local people, and to experience the different culture.
Their route will start at Amiens and follow the Somme Valley visiting battle sites on the way and paying their respect to fallen soldiers at the many war memorials and cemeteries. They will then head north towards Arras and Lens, spending a couple days at various museums and preserved trench sites. They will eventually end up in Ypres where they will spend a few days exploring the area on bicycles along the different commemorative cycle paths which visit a lot of key areas.
They will be keeping a daily blog along their expedition, so make sure that you come back each day to check on their progress.
