The idyllic Welsh landscape belied the brutal 40-mile challenge facing soldiers at this year’s Exercise Cambrian Patrol.

Just on the cusp of the forestry near Glynneath, where more than 1,000 troops received orders and completed battle preparations, flows some of Wales’ most stunning waterfalls. Henrhyd Falls, in particular, was pushed to bursting point when Storm Amy arrived during the first phase of NATO’s toughest patrol test. Torrential rain continued through the opening weekend, leaving some participants battling horizontal downpours. Officer Cadet Zara Pollock of the East Midlands University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) described the conditions as “the first time I’ve experienced horizontal rain,” though her team still secured a bronze medal.

A total of 109 teams took part, with 20 gold medals, 54 silver, 22 bronze, eight completion certificates, and five patrols unable to finish. Lieutenant Robert Blackman of 9 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps led his team to gold, describing the challenges as “immensely satisfying” despite exhaustion. He highlighted the battlefield casualty scenario and night-time section attacks, complete with luminescence and pyrotechnics, as key moments that tested focus and teamwork.

The 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards (QDG) joined forces with Austria’s 7th Infantry Brigade, earning a silver medal. Corporal Cellan Williams, from Carmarthenshire, praised the combined effort, saying: “Working well together is key for wherever we are in the world.”

Brigadier Mark Davis CBE, Commander of 160th (Welsh) Brigade, which runs the event, celebrated both the competitors and the hundreds of staff supporting them.

“2025 marked the 66th year of this event and it was as tough, wet and testing as it ever was,” he said.

He noted standout performances from the Scots Guards, Northumbria UOTC, and the joint QDG-Austrian team, and confirmed next year’s focus will include lessons from the conflict in Ukraine.

The top-scoring patrol this year was the Nepali Army.