Ten Tors News (03) January 2007

The day started with scrutineering and it was a little disappointing to still note that a few walkers still did not have the correct kit or that it was packed incorrectly. Also on display were a large number of Christmas presents, some more worn in than others! With boots it is important that people use them around the house (when new) or walking around generally before they embark on a major walk. You need to look after your feet, new boots + long walk = blisters which results in unhappy and slow walkers.  

On the completion of the scrutineering the minibuses were loaded and we set off to the Cotswolds with the weather forecast predicting continuous heavy rain and strong winds we were expecting, at the very least, to get very wet! As it happened the weather was not as bad as predicted with only a few heavy downpours during the day. One of the most memorable things of the day was the mud! This caused difficulty in going up hill, down hill or just trying to walk on the level. On a number of occasions a new sport of mud skiing / skating was entered into either intentionally or unintentionally. 

On the whole the 35 milers managed to navigate around the route with a reasonable degree of success although there was the occasional interesting navigational decision. Most even went the correct way round! The 45 milers seemed at times to decide to take a more scenic route than had been intended while the 55 milers managed to find a football that they preceded to kick around the majority of their route. Some of the skills they displayed in being able to dribble through mud and large puddles would not be out of place at Aston Gate.

On the whole a successful and enjoyable day. The rain held off, most teams completed, only one run in with a farmer that I know about and hopefully the navigational skills of the walkers have been increased.

Jon

Laurence adds....

Another good performance all round. Especially well done to the team who rallied round to assist when one of their members took a tumble. Stuart was very impressed with your actions.

I do have a small amount of lost property:
One woollen glove - small black
One black hat with red stripe marked E3/304

Please - the vans are NOT rubbish bins. The amount of waste left on the floor and on the seats was unacceptable.

And lastly our next trip will be to Dartmoor itself. Do make sure you have ALL the right kit, full fuel (gas or meths) one cooker between 2 AND a billy to cook in. We cannot take you onto the moor if we find that kit is missing or not up to standard. Also once again we have use of Meldon New Hall for the Saturday evening (indoor toilets, kitchen, somewhere to get warm) but all boots must be left at the entrance.