Ten Tors

''UMHC does not compete or have anything to do with Ten Tors. The major challenge event in which we partake is the Welsh 3000s where teams every year are set free on the Welsh Mountains aided by a couple of students in mini busses rather than the army and RAF''

Overview
Ten tors is an British Army run event that happens on Dartmoor in the south west of England. It consists of 2400 people aged between 14 and 20 walking over ten of Dartmoor's tors.

The event consist of 3 challenges:


 * Bronze - 35 mile event for those aged 14 to 15 years.
 * Silver - 45 mile event for those aged from 16 to 17 years.
 * Gold - 55 mile event for those aged 18 to 20 years, or 17-year-olds who completed a Silver route the previous year.

The Event


The event takes place on the second weekend of May each year and consists of a two day hike covering a set distance. Teams of six must complete the distance carrying everything that they require over the weekend.

The walk starts at 7am on the Saturday with the army shooting at the watching spectators. Teams then walk all day until they stop overnight with the majority of the walking done. Teams cover the majority of the distance during the first day, and stop overnight before ending up back at the starting point.

Participant receive medals and team certificates if successful. Whoo!

Many members of the club have completed the event, some in a higher hilarity of fancy dress than others. Six-foot inflatable crocodiles, while considered essential by some, are not currently on the required kit list. If you do decide to take your croc on a 55 mile walk I suggest inflating him at the end of the event, not the start.

Tips
For those hoping to do the event here are some things you need to know before embarking.


 * Fancy dress is highly recommended
 * Megaphones are very heavy but do allow for a higher quality of abuse to other teams
 * 6 foot inflatable crocodiles made good 3-person pillows
 * Sandals are a must for the post-event hobble around Burger King
 * Boomerangs are not advised as you will have to carry the person who gets hit with it even if you are in sight of the finish

Other Activities
For those who have helped out in the running of the ten tors the event has another side to it not seen by the competitors. Whilst the teams are out on the moor the trainers and managers retreat into the Army naffi and get royally drunk. Which is a very sensible idea.

For those who want to watch people walking around then a visit to Princeton is a must, whilst there you can sip beer in the Plume and Feathers pub.