Ten Tors
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Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike organised and run in early May for 2,400 young people by the British Army on Dartmoor. The majority of entrants are schools, colleges, Scout groups and Cadet squadrons from South West England, though groups from across the UK regularly take part, as do teams from Australia and New Zealand.
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[edit] Event Format
Teams of six are required to visit ten tors; on the top of each tor is a checkpoint. There are twenty-six different routes over three different distances, using a total of nineteen different manned tors: twelve Bronze routes (35 miles/56km) for those aged 14 to 15 years, ten Silver routes (45 miles/72km) for those aged 16 to 17 years and four Gold routes (55 miles/88km) for those aged 18 to 20 years, or 17-year-olds who completed a Silver route the previous year. Teams normally train for a few months before the event.
The organisers stress that the event is not a race - although teams often compete to see who can finish first - but a test of endurance, navigation and survival skills: not just because of the distances and the challenging terrain, but potentially the weather. Conditions on Dartmoor can vary considerably and change suddenly. In 1996, for example, the event was struck by a heavy snow storm - leading to some teams still being out on the moor a day after the event was supposed to have finished - whilst just two years later, temperatures reached 26ºC (78°F).
Participants arrive at Okehampton Camp on the Thursday or Friday before the hike, watch a safety briefing video and have their equipment checked, a thorough process known as scrutineering. Teams must carry all their food, clothing, tents, stoves, fuel, navigation equipment, maps, emergency rations and a first aid kit; they also collect drinking water from the moor and use water purification tablets. Each team has a nominated team leader, who is responsible for ensuring that the team's routecard is stamped at each tor.
All the teams start at 0700h on the Saturday from an area of flat land next to Anthony Stile, close to Okehampton Camp on the northern edge of Dartmoor. They have 34 hours to visit each of the ten tors on their route in the correct order. Teams cannot pass through a checkpoint between 2000h on Saturday and 0600h on Sunday morning; nor may they pass the eighth tor until the Sunday. Those trying for a Bronze medal must camp at one of the manned tors on their route, whilst Silver and Gold teams can camp anywhere on the moor. Teams must finish back at Anthony Stile by 1700h on the Sunday, having visited all ten tors on their route, in order to qualify for a medal.
Participants wake up to the delightful sound of chariots of fire which is enough to motivate anyone to get walking. Along with this, other 'wake up' songs include Tina Turner's You're Simply the Best, In the Army Now by Status Quo, and Shining Forehead by Andy Hutchings. Unfortunately, these are known to not be particularly good songs to have stuck in your head when walking around Dartmoor for two days.
[edit] History of the event
The first Ten Tors Expedition took place in September 1960, with around 200 young people taking part. By 1980 the numbers had grown to more than 2,600. To protect the environment, the numbers are now limited to 2,400 individuals - 400 teams of six teenagers. The Army use the event as a large scale logistics exercise.
Until 1967 the event was organised by the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals. This responsibility passed to Headquarters South West District, and in 1986 to Headquarters 43 (Wessex) Brigade. Many groups provide support for Ten-Tors and the Jubilee Challenge including the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, Exeter UOTC, 243FD Hospital RAMC, the Rifle Volunteers, two Sea King HC Mk 4 helicopters from the 848 Naval Squadron, 57 City and County of Bristol Signal Squadron, two Gazelle helicopters from 7 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers), Bristol UOTC and the Dartmoor Rescue Group.
Since 1977, an additional event, The Jubilee Challenge, has been held for children with physical and learning disabilities, which involves a selection of courses of between 1.7 miles and 15 miles, both on road and cross country.
Ten Tors was cancelled in 2001 because of foot-and-mouth disease but went ahead in 2003 despite the War in Iraq.
Traditionally, on the morning of the event a list of songs is played over the load-speakers - including such favorites as "Chariots of Fire", "In the Army Now" and "I Will Survive" . 2004 was the first year that this CD line-up was changed, to large uproar and complaints. The CD went back to normal the next year.
In 2005 one of the original teams from the 1960 Ten Tors took part in the event, which was held on 14-15 May in particularly adverse weather conditions: constant rain on the Saturday, combined with a bitter wind, led to an unusually high number of retirements. Only 8 groups managed to finish all three distances of 35, 45 & 55 miles.
In 2006, the event was held over the weekend of 13-14 May with high temperatures on the Sunday resulting in several cases of dehydration.
On Sunday 4 March 2007 a fourteen-year old girl was swept away by rain-swollen Walla Brook near Watern Tor. The rest of her group raised the alarm using a mobile phone, but despite being evacuated by a Royal Navy helicopter within 20 minutes, she died later that night in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. Several other groups were also evacuated by helicopter after weather conditions in the training area, Dartmoor National Park, deteriorated. [1]
[edit] Manned Tors
The tors used as checkpoints on the Ten Tors challenge are:
- Beardown Tor
- Black Tor
- Combestone Tor
- East Mill Tor
- Great Mis Tor
- Hare Tor
- Hartor Tor
- Kitty Tor
- Lynch Tor
- Pupers Hill (not actually a Tor but due to a lack of hills on the south eastern side of the moor pupers hill is used)
- Rough Tor
- Shilstone Tor
- Sittaford Tor
- Sourton Tor
- South Hessary Tor
- Staple Tor
- Steeperton Tor
- Trowlesworthy Tor
- Watern Tor
[edit] Ten Tors Prayer
Every year before the start of the race the following prayer is read.
- O God who has made the Earth of great beauty,
- and who has given us the Spirit of Adventure,
- we thank you for the beauty of the world,
- for the courage and vigour of young people,
- for the companionship and for the opportunity
- to enjoy all these gifts.
- We pray that you will keep them safe on this great venture
- and grant that they may meet each challenge
- and difficulty with unselfish courage and so find the
- true spirit of comradeship as shown to us by
- Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen [2]
[edit] Jubilee Challenge
Since 1977 the event had also paid host to the Jubilee Challenge which is a shorter version of ten tors for competitors with special needs. The Jubilee challenge takes place on the Saturday, over distances of 7.5, 8.5, 11, and 15 miles.
[edit] See also
- Four Inns Walk, a 45-mile competitive event in the Northern Peak District, often attempted by young adults, as well as other teams of fit, experienced walkers
[edit] External links
- Official Ten Tors website at Exeter University, which includes accounts written by past team-members telling of their experiences of the event.
- BBC Ten Tors 2002
