Anyone up for a nice walk in Devon?

by Steve Harris

OK - the Ten Tors Challenge 2012 is a little more than a walk: a two-day trek, calling in at ten checkpoints across Dartmoor, whose moods in whatever month of the year can change from benign to vindictive within an hour.  The ten checkpoints are on a set of tors - some of the many granite outcrops which are scattered across the moor, topping the hills between rivers and valleys, leats and mires.  Tents, stoves, sleeping bags and everything else required for a two day expedition must be carried and navigation must be spot on.

Two teams of cadets from Portsmouth Grammar School CCF rose to the challenge, a Year 10 team doing the 35-mile route and a Year 12 team the 45-mile route. When they stood on the start at 0700 on Saturday 12^th May, having woken to 'Chariots of Fire’ at 0500, it was the culmination of weeks of training and preparation and a tough selection process.  Encouraging words were spoken by top brass, the bugle sounded, the guns fired and, within 30 mins, 2,400 young people disappeared into the depths of the moor. 

A weekend of superb weather, tremendous effort and teamwork saw them reappear at the finish line on Sunday afternoon, foot sore and weary, but justifiably elated at what they had achieved. 

Congratulations to:

35 Mile Team

Al Harding (Team Leader)

Rowan Dixon

Ollie Howard

Helen Jones

Alex Taylor

Dominic Waters

45 Mile Team

Chris Weekes (Team Leader)

Freddie Bell


Christian Davison

James Hammond

James Langrish

Jonathan Munro