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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 word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. 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. The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom The Combined Cadet Force (CCF is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Team walking during the event
Team walking during the event

Contents

Event Format

Teams of six are required to visit ten tors; on the top of each tor is a checkpoint. A tor is a rock outcrop formed by Weathering, usually found on or near the summit of a Hill. There are twenty-six different routes over three different distances lettered from A to Z, 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. Navigation is the process of reading and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another Survival skills are techniques a person may utilize for an indefinite duration in order to survive a dangerous situation (also see Bushcraft) 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). Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)

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. Okehampton is a Town and Civil parish in Devon, England, at the northern edge of Dartmoor, on the River Okement. 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. Emergency rations are items of Food and Drink that a person will be able to rely on for 1 night or a night and a day 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 stand in a semi-circle and set off when a cannon fires. They have 24 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.

History of the event

The first Ten Tors Expedition took place in September 1960, with around 200 young people taking part. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. By 1980 the numbers had grown to more than 2,600. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) To protect the environment, the numbers are now limited to 2,400 individuals - 400 teams of six teenagers. The Army uses the event as a large scale logistics exercise. Logistics is the management of the flow of Goods, Information and other resources including Energy and people between the point of origin and the point

Until 1967 the event was organised by the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. This responsibility passed to Headquarters South West District, and in 1986 to 43 (Wessex) Brigade, the regional Headquarters of the Territorial Army in the South West. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) History The British Army 's 43rd Infantry Brigade was originally created during World War I as part of the 14th (Light Division The Territorial Army ( TA) is the principal and Volunteer reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces branch of the United Kingdom Many military units and civilian groups provide support for Ten-Tors and the Jubilee Challenge including the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, Exeter UOTC, 243 Field Hospital RAMC, 6th Battalion The Rifles, two Sea King HC4 helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron, 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment, two Gazelle helicopters from 7 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers), Bristol UOTC and the Dartmoor Rescue Group. The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is an Armoured Regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four Squadrons each of which bears the Cap The Royal Army Medical Corps ( RAMC) is a specialist Corps in the British Army which provides Medical services to all British Army The Rifle Volunteers is a regiment of the British Territorial Army. For the band The Rifles see The Rifles (band. For the novel by William T WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 848 Naval Air Squadron is a Squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. 39 (Skinners Signal Regiment is Territorial Army regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942

Since 1977, an additional event, The Jubilee Challenge, has been held for children with physical and learning disabilities. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays This 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. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in the spring and summer of 2001 caused a crisis in British Agriculture and Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Traditionally, on the morning of the event a list of songs is played over the loudspeakers - in 1986 Cat Steven's "Morning Has Broken" woke the tented village at 6 a. m. - other favourites such as "Chariots of Fire", "In the Army Now" and "I Will Survive". Chariots of Fire is a musical score by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis (credited as Vangelis Papathanassiou for the British film In the Army Now is an album by English Rock band Status Quo. It was released in 1986 2004 was the first year that this CD line-up was changed, to large uproar and complaints. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 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, leading to an unusually high number of retirements. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

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. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

On Sunday 4 March 2007 a fourteen-year old girl was swept away by rain-swollen Walla Brook near Watern Tor, while training for the event. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 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. The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Derriford Hospital, is a medium-sized Teaching hospital situated in Plymouth, England. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. [1] Several other groups were also evacuated by helicopter after weather conditions in the training area, Dartmoor National Park, deteriorated. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. As a result the teams are now allowed to carry a mobile phone for any emergencies. [2]

In 2007 the decision was taken on the Saturday evening to abandon the event half-way through, as a result of severe weather conditions. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The decision was also influenced by the high drop-out rate of 15% on Saturday. Having been informed of this decision, participants spent the night camped at a manned Tor, before being escorted off the moor by the Army the following day. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. [3]

The 2008 event has been subject to wide scale changes to the routes and use of the moor itself. To help bird conservation, Steeperton Tor and Hare Tor have now been omitted from the Tor list, and the pass from Dinger to Kitty Tor known as "Killer Valley" has also been zoned off limits. Another important change to the training for Ten Tors involves the use of the North moor: every team is now only permitted two training walks on this half of the moor, again owing to bird nesting. A review of these changes is scheduled for 2011.

Manned Tors

The tors used as checkpoints on the Ten Tors challenge are:

Previously Used Tors

Ten Tors Prayer

Every year before the start of the event the following prayer is read. Hound Tor is a Tor on Dartmoor, Devon, England and is a good example of a heavily weathered Granite outcrop

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 [4]

Jubilee Challenge

Since 1977 the event had also paid host to the Jubilee Challenge which is a shorter version of ten tors for competitors who are impaired in some way (be that a severe learning difficulty or physically disabled) thus showing that any one can take up the challenge . Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The Jubilee challenge takes place on the Saturday, over distances of 7. 5, 8. 5, 11, and 15 miles.

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ BBC News, Moor trek stays after girl dies, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6419743.stm>. Retrieved on 5 March 2007 
  2. ^ BBC NEWS | England | Devon | Moor trek stays after girl dies
  3. ^ BBC News, Ten Tors expedition is abandoned, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6649257.stm>. Retrieved on 13 May 2007 
  4. ^ The Dartmoor Ten Tors Expedition
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