Top Tips

Should one member of a team wish to retire, the remaining walkers may continue as long as at least three Scouts are still walking. If not, those wishing to continue must join up with other walkers to form a scratch team. Any incomplete team will not qualify for a trophy; the complete team that started must finish together to qualify for a trophy.

All teams must carry at least two mobile phones as it allows walk officials to call you if you are overdue at a checkpoint and find you if you are lost or in need of help.

You need to give us your mobile numbers at checking in when you arrive.

Please don’t give us other family member’s mobile numbers as they may get worried if we give them a call to find out if you are lost and where you are!

Teams using mobile phones for support or assistance from team supporters will be disqualified.

We do not ban the use of GPS. But why would you feel the need for one?

Hopefully you have entered the event to test your navigation skills and endurance against nature. If you use additional aids you are only really cheating yourself.

We don’t believe that a GPS will make a lot of difference to a good team, it may help a hopelessly lost team, but you’ve still got to be able to transfer the GPS data to the map to find out which way you need to go!

You can enter with whatever team name you wish. However, two things to bear in mind:

1. If you win a trophy would you rather have your Group or District name on it for posterity or something less meaningful like “Four Chaps in Yellow Coats”? It’s up to you.
2. If the name is inappropriate we will censor it in any publications. We will check names for inappropriate foreign translations as well.

There is no food available at the start. In previous years Scout Groups have provided Bacon Butties for sale as part of a charity fund raising activity. If this is available this year, we will let you know.

You should bring with you and carry, your packed lunch and maybe a few chocolate or energy bars. Water and/or squash is provided at most checkpoints. There is no fixed time or place for lunch, and time is not allowed for any stop you may make.

Try to place your entry on-line well before the closing date to avoid disappointment – the event is so popular that we do have to turn late team entries away.

Spend some time brushing up on your mapping skills.

To be sure you are not missing anything important you need to know about map symbols, scale, direction and distance. Knowing about these will help you unlock the secrets of maps. Map Reading Made Easy Peasey is a leaflet from Ordnance Survey which explains the main things you need to understand, especially when using Ordnance Survey Explorer maps at 1:25000 scale. The County Mountaineering Team is offering navigation training so please make use of this facility.

Boots or strong shoes. In the past we used to be very prescriptive and specified leather walking boots. Technology has changed and has introduced lighter materials. Please use common sense, the boots must be waterproof and designed for walking. There is a thorough kit check at the start and we will not allow you to take part in the event if your footwear is no good. NO Trainers, “designer” shoes or boots and avoid steel toe capped boots or you’ll get big blisters. Do not try breaking in new boots or shoes on the event. It will hurt – a lot.

Training for the event should involve some map reading and walking. Ideally this should be in the countryside but if this is not possible try navigating around your HQ, local park and neighbourhood. If you do not train it does not mean that you will not finish but it might mean that you get lost and end up walking twice as far as everyone else. The County Mountaineering Team is offering navigation training. As this is a navigation exercise it would help if all of the team could use a compass and understand a map.