A summaryBOOKINGS FOR 2024 ARE NOW CLOSED - DO GET IN TOUCH IF INTERESTED FOR 2025
**NOTE: BURSARY PLACES AVAILABLE - PLEASE ENQUIRE**
For lots of resources including videos, testimonials, pictures and FAQs, make sure you visit www.chrispacke.com. There you'll also find messages for you from girls who did Wolf Pack previously, so make sure you check those out.
We are very excited to bring Wolf Pack back again in 2024 to a group of adventurous young women, led by Chris Packe and Elena Harris.
Wolf Pack is a year's journey for a tribe of girls becoming women, aged 13-15 years (academic Years 9 to 11). They take place during half terms and school holidays through the seasons, in beautiful environments in Sussex, Dartmoor and the Peak District.
Risk, challenges and meaningful shared experience in the warm company of strong role models and fellow adventurers are vitally important for young people, to discover their huge capabilities, what they might stand for, and to develop a deep-seated self-reliance. Security is important, but in the teenage years its layers must be carefully removed in order for the young person to emerge. Yet the availability and encouragement of such experiences may often be limited, or crowded out by digital influences. Wolf Pack exists to facilitate deep encounters, learning through experiences in the natural world at the edge of comfort and ability, where the magic happens.
The adventure begins in the woods, travels through wild Devon moorland, steps it up further in the Peaks and culminates with a final Fire Quest.
Skills learned include bushcraft and survival skills, campcraft, navigation, foraging, nature awareness - but the beauty of quality, immersive time in nature is that it tends to offer up exactly the lesson a person needs at the time... but often does not expect.
We invite you to come and discover the vast resources already inside you, learn new skills, make new friends, discover new possibilities and perhaps take an important step or two in the journey of adulthood.
THE JOURNEYS IN 2024 (13 days in total):
May 25-27 (Sat-Mon) - The Woods, Sussex: Establish the tribe, bushcraft, campcraft, firecraft, day games, night games
July 25-27 (Thurs-Sat) - The Moor, Devon: A 3-day expedition into wild Dartmoor, travelling and sleeping light, putting our skills to work
August 24-27 (Sat-Tue) - The Hills, Peak District: A more challenging 4-day expedition, stepping it up from the Dartmoor experience
October 19-21 (Sat-Mon) - The Forest, Sussex: Culmination event including a Fire Quest
...and once it's all done, it's not necessarily all over. Graduates of the Wolf Pack programme (boys and girls) can choose to join the Wolf Pack All Stars mountain expedition in the Lake District in April the following year. This is a 5 day trip for age 15+, that takes their Wolf Pack experience and applies it to a bigger, higher, epic mountain trip.
COST
- £1,200 (equivalent to £90 per day) if paid in one go
- £1,250 if paid in 4 fixed stages (£500 deposit on booking, £300 at end of February, £250 at end of March, £200 at end of April); let Chris know if you want to do it this way and he'll set it up
- PARTIALLY FUNDED PLACES: If this programme appeals to you, but feels out of reach financially, then please do not turn away. Chris has a patron, the Spayne Lindsay Foundation, who supports his youth programmes, and we can have a conversation about how we might be able to help. Get in touch with Chris and we can talk about it
- What's included: food (25 hearty meals!), accommodation, mentoring, tuition, activities, materials, group equipment
- Not included: Personal kit and travel costs. For the Devon event, an efficient option (and great fun) is to hire a minibus and drive the whole group. We would expect this to cost c.£70 per person on each occasion. For the Peak District trip, we usually travel together by train (also c. £70). Note that this travel time is not included in the indicated times for these two trips; we would be leaving early and arriving late on these days, or you can meet us there at the 4pm start time
BOOKING PROCESS
1. Get in touch with Chris (use the 'Message Mentor' button - please make sure you leave your direct email and phone number)
2. Also check out the videos, references, testimonials, FAQs and other resources on www.chrispacke.com
3. Then it's time for a conversation between parent / guardian and Chris
4. After that, Chris meets / Zooms / speaks with the potential participant, to break the ice, and allow him to find out for himself from Chris what it's about so he can make his decision
5. Once all are happy, and the participant has decided for themselves that they want to join in, we can go ahead with the booking
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO
- In order to be able to offer a programme like this, we require the full commitment of the participating young women (and their families). In a bonded group like Wolf Pack, an amount of synergy is lost by an individual missing one trip, and the whole group is affected, not just the absentee; each member carries a responsibility for the wider group. Participants will be able to meet or speak with Chris before committing, in order to be fully informed to make the decision.
- A degree of physical fitness is required, and a mindset to take on the various challenges. Sometimes we will be carrying our equipment on consecutive days, often over rough terrain. By design, there is some struggle
- Similarly, this programme requires a degree of social / emotional skill, and an agreed willingness to engage in such challenges, as they come hand in hand with the physical endeavour. As with the physical aspects, it is fine (and normal) to struggle at times with social aspects, however for the benefit of the individual and the group, any participant must have the capability of functioning in a group situation, and be able to engage in the spirit of the programme
- Note that this course is very closely related to another Devon-based Wolf Pack, run by Wildwise, which has run for a number of years, Chris used to lead, and is still running - see www.wildwise.co.uk
- Bookings on this event are subject to Chris Packe's Terms and Conditions, available to view during the booking process and at www.chrispacke.com/about-me/terms-conditions
- The group size limit is 10, and the minimum group size is 7. In the case of the event not booking up to the minimum group size, the programme will be cancelled and bookers will receive a full refund
Chris is licensed by AALA to provide adventurous hiking activities.
OTHER THINGS I OFFER
These are the other programmes and events I run, which can all be found here on eequ:
Adventurous programmes for teenagers and nearly-teenagers:
Wolf Pack for Boys (aged 13-16 / Year 9 - 11)
Call to Adventure for Boys (aged 11-13 / Year 8 & 9)
Wolf Pack All-Stars (5-day mountain expedition for Wolf Pack graduates)
Lively woodland camps:
Feral Fathers (dads and sons, or dads and daughters, or dads and both)
Woodland archery:
5-hour immersive sessions for private groups on request
Some testimonialsHere is what the girls of Wolf Pack 2023 have to say (and some testimonials from parents further below). The girls have written messages to anyone considering Wolf Pack in 2024, and you can find these here (copy and paste this clunky link into a search engine):
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nghx2etdaos7d6td1ls2k/Messages-from-the-girls-of-Wolf-Pack-2023.pdf?rlkey=agm5rztoh0azch660tqxltyma&dl=0
"I came because my parents persuaded me. And yes I thought: “Ugh why do I have to do this?” But can I just say that this has been one of the best experiences almost ever. I have surprised myself and completed things I never thought I could do. The whole hiking thing was new to me and OMG it was so fun!" Ana, 15
"It’s very different from what you’d normally expect from this type of thing. I hate the outdoors but god I’ve loved this! I have learned a lot about myself and the kind of person I want to be. I’ve learnt my limits and how to keep pushing myself. I’m sad it’s over. Don’t miss this opportunity." Violet, 15
"The fears I was able to overcome, and the experiences I was uncertain of, ended up being important and entirely memorable. It really gave me new perspectives on things I was struggling with, and I have made friendships I hope to keep forever. I truly recommend and hope you give Wolf Pack a chance. I’m sure now it was the best decision I could possibly have made." Skye, 14
"If you are feeling unsure about Wolf Pack, don’t be. You won’t regret it. Seriously, don’t be thrown off by making friends, especially if you’re shy. I’m not the most talkative but the people I have met are so genuine, it’s safe to say I love them all." Kirsty, 14
"I never imagined Wolf Pack would be like this but I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s such a safe and special atmosphere that you couldn’t replicate anywhere else. I’m so glad I got to meet these girls and experience all these things." Lyra, 14
"It’s not as bad as it seems – any of it –and I really enjoyed it. It was a challenge that I probably would never have experienced otherwise. I made some forever friends and memories that I will always remember." AJ, 15
"I have honestly never laughed more around a group of people. It had a perfect balance of fun and concentration, which helps so many parts of an overall growth in yourself through the year." Hattie, 17
"I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to make friends and that everything would be tiring and awful. But everything was brilliant and I made friends that I will value for the rest of my life. I learned so, so much. When you look for them, there’s life lessons everywhere." Rose, 15
"I made friends & memories that will last a lifetime. Really unique connections with myself and others. Character building experiences in a strong-willed and safe environment. It pushed me to stretch my boundaries and discover so much about myself." Poppy, 15
And some from parents:
“She loved Wolf Pack. It has been such a positive, life affirming and confidence boosting experience for my daughter. She used to object to walks and camping but now she loves it and is trying to recruit her friends to go on a hike abroad when they are older! What a wonderful experience for them all.” Mary Harper-Stanford
"She absolutely loved this experience. I can’t recommend it highly enough. So grateful to Chris and the team for supporting them through this wonderful process, learning about themselves and continuing to become amazing humans.” Sarah Johnson
“At first it was naturally met with teenage suspicion, but upon completion she was the first to say how much she loved it. She made amazing new friends through this incredible shared experience. This has been a hugely positive experience for her – I am beyond happy.” Ivana Culham
“Chris and his team have provided guidance, nurturing, care and a smattering of danger for my daughter. Words can’t express my gratitude… I highly recommend Wolf Pack and the learnings it provides for a young adult.” Pete Montgomery