A thrilling Ten Tors Challenge for our 35 and 45 mile teams

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King’s Bruton had two 35 mile and one 45 mile Ten Tors Teams travelling to Okehampton Camp in great excitement on Friday 9th May. Five training weekends on Exmoor, Quantocks, South Dartmoor and North Dartmoor, over three terms had prepared the teams for the 2025 Ten Tors Challenge. They had trained in some tough conditions on Dartmoor, mist, wind, rain, snow, cold, and the occasional sunny interval. They had practiced all the skills required to work as a team over two days in navigating themselves around Dartmoor covering 35 miles and 45 miles and visiting 10 Tors, carrying all their equipment, clothing, first aid and food necessary to survive on their own.

Base camp had been set up very early on Thursday 8th May, and a Friday evening meal of Bolognese, pasta, choccy pudding and custard was well received by the teams. A night drink of hot chocolate, squirty cream and marshmallows was the last luxury before two days of navigation and tough walking. 

‘Chariots of Fire’ sounded at 0500hrs on Saturday 10th May, and the three teams tucked into a hearty breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, croissants, porridge and tea - their last meal for a while. The teams made their way to the start along with 400 other excited teams. An excellent parachute display by the Red Devils was followed by the Ten Tors Prayer and then the guns went off and the Challenge was underway at 0700hrs.

All three teams made good progress on a hot but beautiful day on Dartmoor. The Orange 35 mile Team were able to reach Water Hill on Saturday night, which had been their initial aim and was a reflection of a great days’ walking. The Yellow 35 mile Team walked on the other side of Dartmoor and they too reached their destination of Standon Farm on Saturday night. Sadly, one of their team member's had to pull out at Postbridge with a recurrence of an old knee injury. The Green 45 mile team were aiming to get past White Barrow before 2200hrs and they achieved this and were able to camp wild on Saturday evening.

Sunday, and staff watched the results board closely to see if all the teams teams had arisen at 5am to set off at 0600hrs. The first Tors were reached and the teams were off and running (not literally) but walking at a good pace. The Orange 35 mile Team were the first team to be spotted coming from Okement Hill. They approached the finish in a deluge of rain as Dartmoor sought to remind them of how tough and unpredictable the weather could be on Dartmoor. They reached the Finish at 11.36hrs - a fantastic effort from a hard-working team. The Yellow 35 mile Team and Green 45 mile team somehow managed to meet at their last Tor, Dinger Tor at the same time! It was fitting that they walked together to the finish, as there were sisters and brothers in both the Green and Yellow Teams! It was wonderful to see two King’s Bruton teams cross the line together at 1300hrs.

All three teams were delighted to finish and to complete the Challenge, and they did so in good times and with a smile on their faces and blisters on their feet! An emotional welcome from the many parents who came to cheer on their children was a great highlight of the last day. There were tough times for all over the Event and in the training weekends, but the togetherness and camaraderie shown by all at the end was testament to the journey that all have been on over the past three terms. The Ten Tors Staff were very proud of all in the efforts during the training and in the actual event and look forward to coaching a new batch of ‘Ten Torers’ for 2026.

Major Barrow, Ten Tors Manager - Contingent Commander, King’s Bruton CCF

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