One weekend in April on Dartmoor. I volunteered to join a team of hill and moorland & lowland leaders to form a team of expedition trainers for the Army Challenge known at Ten Tors.

All but one, are all recently qualified through an independent training provider, Peter Goldsmith and his associate trainers.

The leadership team have a combined number of years of experiences greater than the combined age of the young people we are training.

We all have different abilities and skills to contribute and our fitness levels are similar, yet mine, is at a good level, although I am when crossing the wild moor, a tad slower than the 20 something year olds!

The purpose of this weekends training, was to help train a group of young people, six in total, with top up navigation and orientation of landmarks, long distance walking techniques. With the main part, to boost their confidence levels by giving the freedom to make errors and improve the knowledge on the Tors (Hill on a Moor). We had options to reduce distances yet keep to long days with early morning starts.

The training scheme lasts for six months amd is complex based on the number performance criteria’s set by the Army.

Consideration towards the young peoples competency level, and then the level of fitness needed to be reached to complete an intense 45 miles within 24 hours over a 36 hour weekend.

The initial training starts mid September with navigation, concentrating on day walks and learning about their kit and adapting to the weather and learning how to “concur the elements”.

The number of young people usually starts with enough to run two teams with a few left as what can be described as spare. Once the initial training on the day walks finishes it soon progresses to weekend walks. This is when a few drop out for a variety of reasons and then you are left with what can be described as “match fit” young people and all by first week in May, where final weekend walk which is simply push up the number of miles, a great level of fitness and more importantly a high quality of wellbeing.

As for the “spares” this year we do not have any, but within the Ten Tors numbers other groups have a handful hopping to gain a place and not a care who. They are happy to form the a role of simple plodding along, keeping themselves to themselves and getting to the Sunday finish line.

This weekends training was written by one leader, and at a time where the final team members can be changed. He had aimed the weekend to build both the physical reliance and the confidence to work as a team.

Working as a team is definitely the hardest part to achieve. The 45 mile team age ranges from 15 to 17, the younger age are still in state school and the older students can be either in work, six form or further education. The age range can lead to clashes between one or more, you can end up with strong leaders that simple cannot work together and then there are great navigators that simple get pushed to background.

A good Ten Tors team needs a combination in strengths in decision making and navigation.

With an extra layer of strength from the ones that simple walk along to make number up, but given a chance will happily bounce towards running the team.

Training Team

The weekends team leader, works as a paramedic in Devon and a keen ambassador for Dartmoor. His teenage years were spent on Dartmoor training to take part in the same challenge. Although, in his time the rules, safety precautions and training styles were of a different nature. His calm personality is a winning quality.

I worked with him for the daylight hours on the Saturday. Starting at 0600 to drive to a location, where, if needed, we were ready to walk out to the group.

By day, he works as a paramedic, across Devon, he works long shifts over a few days in a week, offered overtime where he can fit it in. His work is a high functioning, quick decisions based on his in-depth training and nearly a decade of working. Yet, his wit and passion is second to none.

Quite an inspiring person.

He had created the weekends route, ensuring that we all had electronic copies. For those that have used OS Maps, will appreciate the term GPX and the files. They enable the use to work the distance against a walking speed and follow the route. He had also organised for us all on the Friday evening suitable accommodation. We are part of a scout group, which can bring some great advantages, one being the ability to book a scout hall to use as a bunkhouse. The weekend’s supervisor team was at the minimum you would want, four adults and three cars.

The weekends, team leader had for the Saturday afternoon, invited additional support to meet the group at one check point. This support, turned out to be such a benefit to the weekend. They arrived with a huge box of flapjacks, extra advice and a knowledge on the personalities of the team. A role, that at the time, pushed the Saturday walk forward, boosting the moral when it was at the lowest.

Our bodies are not naturally built for 14 hours of walking, with a full camping kit, across an open Moor. They met the group at hour 9, after a long leg of walking, making mistakes and starting to want to give up.

The supervisors plan, also gave me a tummy tremble, based on the length of the walk and time we would get to base camp. Which we had to put up too.

The other two.

The other team members are two people that I have spent weeks, if not months together making sure young people are trained, are safe, and having fun.

One of them looks out for my safety, giving me supportive commands and picking me up when I fall or face plant after getting the dimensions of a rock wrong.

The other is the Ten Tors team leader, he has many years of experience with a variety of teams and capabilities. His patients is outstanding, over the years he has helped dozens take part in the event. He gives up hundreds of hours to complete the admin, attend meetings and simple help with the training.

Together the four of us have skill sets that are so different, yet, we work well.

Ten Tors Challenge

The Ten Tors challenge runs in early May where the weather one year can be winds, rains or even snow and the next it can be 25 degrees with little wind and dried up rivers.

Each year, for many decades, over 2000 young people take part in one of the four challenges, three based on various lengths of distance and a fourth. The fourth challenge is called Jubilee Challenge, this challenge has helped many people with protected characteristics achieve a suitable challenge.

The weekend in April’s route.

The route, distance, terrain covered can be described with one word.

Brutal

Saturday, we had set alarms for a 5 am wake up for a 6am leave.

If you are familiar with Dartmoor, the names below will mean something. However, if your not have a quick looking into Google maps.

Leaving our bunkhouse in South Tawton, at sunrise to walk across the Northern parameter of Dartmoor. With several “Zigzags” up and over Tors to rest in a wild camp location, near Bagga Tor, the nearest villiage is Mary Tavey.

Sunday, they were up and left for 7 am to walk for a further 10 hours, “zigzagging” through the middle parts of North Dartmoor ending up in a beautiful location next too Postbridge.

The competing team

This years team are competing in the 45 mile weekend challenge. This is a physical challenge, with disciplines around starting and stopping, reaching a series of checkpoints and simply just keep walking, with a full kit for as long as you can. The teams have to start with 6 young people. Never drop beneath 4 and most importantly recognise that pain is not a reason to pull out. Unless you’ve injured yourself.

The inner “shoulder monkey” is the biggest reason why we all stop pushing our body and mind.

Long distance walkers will tell stories about how they work through the pains and desires to stop.

Walk through the blisters, ignore the foot bruising, make sure you, sleep fully dressed, your then ready for day two!

Our team, already have minor injuries and pains that you would get with a training regime of walking long distances every two weeks. Especially through the UK’s winter, short daylight hours, long hours of walking and generally in the rain.

What I’ve found is that a determined young person looks like is they are prepared to wear a supported knee brace, to prevent an injury. Place layers of foot bandages around their feet and hips that feel like they are being crushed by a rucksack the weight of a 4 year old, wrapping car sponges on the bag straps to give separation from bag to belly. You have to consider these young people have small bellies and ruck sacks are not proportional to weight and age.

Conclusion

The purpose of writing this post is to highlight, that bringing a team together, no matter what for, it is about working together, towards a common solution. We all have strengths and weaknesses, working together, training willing people, we will get there.

Our team of six young people, are from across Devon, different lifestyles, fitness levels and definitely different personalities. They are absolutely focused on completing the event.

We had hiccups, we had tears, yet they all finished the walking with a smile and gratitude towards our weekend being spent with them.

My thoughts are with all the other volunteers giving up there weekends to help make this event happen.