Queen’s had two 35 and two 45 mile teams in the Ten Tors Challenge this year. After a rigorous training and selection programme that started last September, the teams travelled to Dartmoor last Friday to plan their routes, discuss team strategy and attend final briefings. Saturday saw an early start with a 05:00 wake up before a procession to the start and then the field gun sounded at 07:00 and the teams were off.
Both 45 teams made up of Year 10 and Year 12 pupils, maintained a blistering (literally) pace all day and into the night, reaching their planned camping location just before 23:00. Their navigation was flawless and they had completed between 65 amd 70kms of walking before camp. After an early start on the Sunday both teams arrived at the finish in time for lunch.

The 35 teams made up of Year 9 and 10 pupils were equally impressive with their navigation and decision making. They walked well over half the overall distance on day one, but still had some difficult terrain to complete on day 2. They made it to the finish line within half an hour of each other, with all the teams safely back by 15:30.

Everyone finished with tired limbs, beaming smiles, and memories they will never forget. The atmosphere at the finish line was incredible, with thousands of proud parents and well-wishers applauding every team’s progress up to the finish. The resilience, determination, and commitment demonstrated by all teams were truly inspiring!