1. Expedition and Route Planning.

2. Route Planning and Navigation.
For the assessment, groups should choose the purpose before planning the route.
It is no good doing a route then deciding to have churches as a purpose and finding that the route doesn't pass any.
It takes around 4 hours to complete a day's route and route card.
If there is not enough time in the programme, groups may have to work on the route at home if there is shortage of time.
Walking along roads is to be avoided wherever possible.
Try to keep to PUBLIC footpaths. (green on 1:25,000)
There may be checkpoints included by your assessor on your route.
These could take the form of a meeting point or a 'dead drop' where a message is left.
These should be shown on the route card.

3. Route Planning and Navigation.
Plan routes carefully.
There should be no unnecessary up and downs.
The minimum distance must be reached, check the distance carefully.
If the route is too short, start again.
It looks very sloppy to see a dog-leg or a big loop to make up distance.

4. Route Cards.
A route card is a comprehensive description of the route that groups will take on successive days.
From it you (or anyone) can tell the starting and finishing points, distances covered, heights climbed, times taken as well as a description of features passed on route.

5. A route card has a number of purposes:
It allows the group:
To envisage the route to be taken before the actual expedition.
Distance to be walked and height climbed, and prepare for it.
Quick reference guide during the expedition, telling them if they are on time.
What features they should be passing and what they can expect from different sections of the route etc.

6. Importantly it allows the supervisors:
To know if the groups are covering the correct distances in a sensible amount of time.
To know where the group should be at all times and to be able to meet them at the checkpoints.
To know if a group is late and take the appropriate actions.
It provides evidence of your thinking in case of an emergency.

7. Route Planning and Navigation.
At Bronze level, each line of the route card should be a description of the route between successive checkpoints.

8. How to complete a route card.
The basic information should be sufficiently detailed so that it is possible to walk without a map should the map become damaged by rain or lost en route.
It will contain a 6 figure grid reference as a start and then a description of the journey to another 6 figure reference.
This journey is to be broken down into direction, height gained or lost, description, estimated time.
In school we have available a version in Excel which can be downloaded from the school intranet.
The advantages of using Excel are that it makes it clear to read and times, distances etc. all add up automatically.

9. Route Planning and Navigation.
The reverse of the route card needs to contain details of the weather, equipment, team names and agreed emergency numbers.
Three copies are needed.
One for you to take.
One for the leader team.
One for the assessor.