After months of training, May sees the Ten Tors Challenge with 2400 teenagers in 200 teams of six trekking over Dartmoor visiting 10 different tors on 35, 45 or 55 mile routes depending on their age. These routes are navigated by the teams using map and compass, while carrying all their own tents, cooking equipment, food and drink together with spare clothing.
This year saw 342 cadets in 57 teams from cadet forces including 17 teams from the RAF Air Cadets, from Plymouth & Cornwall Wing, Devon & Somerset Wing, Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing and the Combined Cadet Force.
The teams assemble on the Friday for scrutineering and allocation of their route for their chosen distance allowing for some planning before getting an early night. Dartmoor is notorious for its wide-ranging weather which has seen the event being held in all extremes of weather from heatwaves to heavy snow and storm force winds but nobody had planned on space weather producing a spectacular display on the Friday night as the aurora borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights, shone brightly in the dark skies over Dartmoor.
At 0700hrs on the Saturday morning, following some encouraging words from bush craft and survival expert, Ray Mears, with the firing of a cannon and a fly pass from one of the support helicopters the start of the event was signalled. The moors soon disappeared with the mass of thousands of participants making their way towards their first checkpoints, for team managers it is a nervous time as they will not see their team until they reach the finish line.
The event rules prevent teams from passing the eighth check point on the first day. This means that all participants must camp out overnight on the moor, however those keen to finish make an early start on the second day, although route cards are not endorsed on passing check points before 0800hrs.
Thanks to months of training the vast majority of participants crossed the finishing line to collect their medals and enjoy the satisfaction of completing the challenge that is Ten Tors.
