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District Expedition Challenge - 24/06/2010
Three teams entered this years Expedition Challenge Event organised by Huddersfield South West District. After weeks of preparation, kit checks and last minute team changes we were finally ready. The teams gathered at Marsden Scout HQ for the official kit check and route plan. It took a while to transfer the route onto the OS maps (it seemed to take some teams a while to even find Marsden on the OS maps!) but finally we were ready to go. Start times were staggered but all three teams were off before lunch and on their way to Brun Clough. The first check point had two challenges - CPR and make a smiley face from a rock using a chisel. Next was Tunnel End at Diggle where the challenge was to filling a water container by pouring water down a pole. The routethen followed the canal into Uppermill, with a quiz sheet/treasure hunt to complete on route. At checkpoint 5 there was a mapping/picture challenge and at checkpoint 7 there was a knotting challenge involving lashings and splices! All three teams reached the campsite in good time and set about putting up their tents and making tea. On Sunday the teams were up and organised early and ready to set off for their staggered start times from 9am. The first check point was Pots and Pans Obelisk - quite a steep climb for first thing in a morning! The challenge there was to identify objects on a compass bearings course. Things went a bit wrong at this point for all teams in the event - except Golcar A. The team infront went wrong and missed the turn down to Slades Rocks. Everyone else followed the team infront and the SWEAT team had to do a sheep dog exercise to round everyone up and get them back on track. This gave Golcar A a huge advantage and they stayed ahead for the rest of the day. No more challenges on day 2 but lots of opportunities to take pictures of required items (eg a train, a restricted bridleway sign, a Yorkshire flag etc...). The first team reached the finish (Marsden Scout HQ) at 1:30pm. Other teams followed in the next two hours and everyone waited anxiously for the results. At 3:30pm there was a presentation by the new County Commissioner, Mark Stageman. Golcar A came first, B came 4th and C came 9th. This was a fantastic result and all the teams did really well. All participants gained their expedition challenge badge and Golcar A were awarded the huge wooden shield. Many thanks to the District Team and SWEAT for organising this event - it takes a lot of planning. Next task is to update all those record cards for challenge badges, nights away, hikes away etc...
View more photos from this event, in the event gallery.
