Corporal Pete Brown Army Photogr Army
APOSW-2018-019-Ten Tours 001
The Ten Tors is a vital high-level military resilience exercise - called Exercise WYVERN TOR - The Ten Tors Challenge is also one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today. In all, 2400 youngsters aged between 14 and 19 will take part in Ten Tors, with a further 400 youngsters with physical or educational needs taking part in the Jubilee Challenge. The majority of the teams who enter Ten Tors are from schools and youth groups from across the South West. These include scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units, all of whom have trained hard over the last few months and are ready to accept the challenge! Those teenagers taking part will trek unaided over different 35, 45 or 55 mile routes and will encounter some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England. They will rely on their navigational skills and will carry all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go. It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.
BRITISH ARMY PRESS RELEASE**********
TEN TORS 2021 EVENT TO BE CANCELLED BUT ITS SPIRIT TO STAY
One of the UK’s biggest outdoor adventure events for young people due to happen over the weekend of 8th and 9th May will no longer take place due to England’s latest lockdown roadmap.
This is the second year that the demanding trek over the Northern part of the Dartmoor National Park has had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but whilst the youngsters will not be able to gather in Okehampton to undertake the event together, there will be an opportunity to participate in virtual events in the true spirit of the challenge.
The annual challenge, now in its 61st year, tests the limits of the participants over the varying routes, encountering some of the wildest landscapes and highest peaks in Southern England who rely on teamwork, navigational skills, sheer grit and determination to succeed.
The event is led by the British Army’s Headquarters Southwest based in the heart of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire and involves 1000 Reserve and Regular personnel from all three services across the region along with partner agencies such as the Duchy of Cornwall, British Red Cross, Dartmoor National Park, Devon and Cornwall Police, local authorities and a host of volunteer organisations.
In a statement Colonel Neville Holmes MBE, Commander Headquarters South West and Director Ten Tors said:
“It is with regret that I have to announce it is no longer possible to hold a physical Ten Tors event on Dartmoor this May. As you know, we have been working closely with the local authorities and Ten Tors Policy Committee to plan a safe and enjoyable event but the restrictions that will still be in place over that period mean this is no longer possible. I know this will be a huge disappointment to many however, given that safety is always our number one priority, I hope you understand.
We are planning to enable a virtual event which teams may wish to conduct closer to home during 2021 to keep the Ten Tors ‘flame alive’.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the enablers and volunteers who continue to support the event and hope that we will be able to deliver a full Ten Tors in May 2022.”