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Scouts take on Ten Tors challenge for 50th year

Fiona Lamdin & Clara Bullock
BBC News, Somerset
BBC Six children from the scouts are walking next to each other wearing hiking gear and carrying backpacks. They are in a field at the start of the Ten Tors challenge. BBC
North Somerset scout teams took part in the Ten Tors challenge for the 50th year

Scout groups have taken part in the famous Ten Tors challenge for the 50th year in a row.

The Gordano and Axe Scout Districts from Somerset took on the challenge, which sees teams of six young people aged between 14 and 19 participate in an unsupervised hiking challenge of 35, 45 or 55 miles across Dartmoor.

The groups first took on the challenge in 1975 and ever since more than 4,000 children from them have taken part.

This year, all 126 children participating successfully finished the challenge.

A woman is stirring a big pot with rice and peas in it. She is smiling at the camera.
Sue Ivens has contributed to the challenge using her cooking skills

One of the key people in the decades of Ten Tors challenges for the scouts from North Somerset has been Sue Ivens.

She has been cooking for them the night before ever since the groups first entered the challenge, and this year fed the teams on rice and peas.

A view over the hills in Dartmoor. A big group of young people wearing hiking gear and carrying backpacks is spreading out over the area.

The Ten Tors Challenge is attempted by 2,400 teenagers in 400 teams of six.

This year the North Somerset groups sent 21 teams, a total of 126 kids.

A group of six children is walking along a grass area with hills in the background. They are laughing and holding on to their yellow hats in the wind.

The teams had to be self-sufficient, carrying all that they need to complete their route and stay out overnight safely.

There are 14 checkpoints the children had to reach, mostly Tors and some Beacons and hills.

A group of five children is sitting around a table with maps spread out in front of them. They are talking to each other and taking notes.

The children have to navigate their own way around Dartmoor.

Teams in the main expedition set off from Okehampton Camp at 07:00 BST and and had to return by 17:00 BST on Sunday.

A group of three children wearing yellow hats are standing next to each other eating rolls. They are smiling. Behind them is a food stall.

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