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98-463: Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike in early May, on Dartmoor , southwest England . Organized by the British Army , starting in 1960, it brings together teams of six young people, with the 2,400 young participants hiking to checkpoints on ten specified tors . The majority of entrants are schools, colleges, Scout groups and Cadet squadrons from South West England , though groups from across

196-477: A first aid kit ; they also collect drinking water from the moor and use water purification tablets. Each team has a nominated team leader, who is responsible for ensuring that the team's route card is stamped at each tor. All the teams start at 0700 on the Saturday from an area of flat land next to Anthony Stile, close to Okehampton Camp on the northern edge of Dartmoor. They stand in a semicircle and set off when

294-408: A Silver or Bronze route previously. The organisers stress that the event is not a race – although teams often compete to see who can finish first – but a test of endurance, navigation and survival skills , because of not just the distances and the challenging terrain, but potentially also the weather; conditions on Dartmoor can vary considerably and change suddenly. In 1996, for example,

392-472: A break from the rain, but this brought near-freezing temperatures across the whole moor. Throughout Sunday the weather worsened again. Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School 45 mile team S1915 were the first team to make it across the finish line on the Sunday morning at 9:20. Teams often choose odd dress code for crossing the finishing line. School uniform, kilts, miniskirts and Chinese dragons have all featured in

490-480: A cannon fires. They have 34 hours to visit each of the ten tors on their route in the correct order. Teams must not pass through a checkpoint between 2200 on Saturday and 0600 on Sunday morning; nor may they pass the eighth tor until the Sunday. Those on 35 mile routes must camp at one of the manned tors on their route, while 45 and 55 mile teams may camp anywhere on the moor (minimum of 1km away from any checkpoints). Teams must arrive back at Anthony Stile by 1700 on

588-490: A clear blue sky, but cloud obscured the tops of * West Mill and * High Willhays even then. Cloud and a fresh breeze built up through the day, but by 17:50, a blue sky was breaking through. Sunday was very similar with the first finishers (M1306 - Downend Scouts, at 08:35 Route M listing, 2011 ) walking in under a blue sky, but again the cloud gathered through the day. Notes from the Event . The largely overcast and cool weekend

686-408: A heavy backpack. Winter hiking requires a higher level of skill and generally more specialized gear than in other seasons (see winter hiking below). Proponents of ultralight backpacking argue that long lists of required items for multi-day hikes increases pack weight, and hence fatigue and the chance of injury. Instead, they recommend reducing pack weight, to make hiking long distances easier. Even

784-490: A high degree of activity, and a rapid increase in elevation. Other threats include attacks by animals (e.g., bears, snakes, and insects or ticks carrying diseases such as Lyme ) or contact with noxious plants that can cause rashes (e.g., poison ivy , poison oak , poison sumac , or stinging nettles ). Lightning is also a threat, especially on high ground. Walkers in high mountains, and during winter in many countries, can encounter hazardous snow and ice conditions, and

882-563: A large number of hikers are involved. For example, years of gathering wood can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients, and can cause deforestation; and some species, such as martens or Bighorn Sheep , are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Generally, protected areas such as parks have regulations in place to protect the environment, so as to minimize such impact. Such regulations include banning wood fires, restricting camping to established campsites, disposing or packing out faecal matter , and imposing

980-458: A lesser extent other Asiatic countries, like Turkey, Israel, and Jordan. In the Alps of Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, France, and Italy walking tours can be made from 'hut-to-hut', using an extensive system of mountain huts . In the late 20th-century, there has been a proliferation of official and unofficial long-distance routes, which mean that hikers now are more likely to refer to using

1078-408: A list of " Ten Essentials " equipment for hiking, including a compass, sunglasses, sunscreen, a flashlight , a first aid kit, a fire starter , and a knife. Other groups recommend items such as hat, gloves, insect repellent, and an emergency blanket . A GPS navigation device can also be helpful and route cards may be used as a guide. Trekking poles are also recommended, especially when carrying

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1176-714: A long-distance way (Britain), trail (US), The Grande Randonnée (France), etc., than setting out on a walking tour. Early examples of long-distance paths include the Appalachian Trail in the US and the Pennine Way in Britain. Organized hiking clubs emerged in Europe at approximately the same time as official hiking trails. These clubs established and upheld their own paths during the 19th and 20th centuries, prioritizing

1274-470: A manned Tor, before being escorted off the moor by the military the following day. (61% finished Complete, + 25% with fall-outs) From 2008, the event was much changed, with different routes and use of the moor to help bird conservation in the nesting season . Steeperton Tor and Hare Tor were dropped from the Tor list, and the pass from Dinger to Kitty Tor known as "Death Valley" was zoned off limits. Each team

1372-549: A quota on the number of hikers. Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace , following strict practices on dealing with food waste , food packaging, and other impacts on the environment. Human feces are often a major source of environmental impact from hiking, and can contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. ' Catholes ' dug 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) deep, depending on local soil composition and covered after use, at least 60 m (200 feet) away from water sources and trails, are recommended to reduce

1470-520: A rewarding experience for them, particularly if a route is chosen with their interests in mind. Young children are prone to becoming fatigued more rapidly than adults, requiring fluids and energy-rich foods more frequently, and are also more sensitive to variations in weather and terrain. Hiking routes may be chosen with these factors in mind, and appropriate clothing, equipment and sun-protection need to be available. Natural environments are often fragile and may be accidentally damaged, especially when

1568-646: A selection of four routes of between 7.5 to 15 miles (12.1 to 24.1 km), both on road and cross-country. Many military units and civilian groups provide support for this event and the Jubilee Challenge, including the Royal Wessex Yeomanry , Exeter UOTC , 243 Field Hospital RAMC , 6th Battalion The Rifles , two Sea King HC4 helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron , 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment , two Gazelle helicopters from 7 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers), Bristol UOTC, and

1666-692: A single C Squadron. Unusually, B Squadron is the senior of the regiment's five squadrons. This is because the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry is the senior Yeomanry regiment in the Yeomanry Order of Precedence , having been raised in 1794. It is not designated as A Squadron (which would be the usual practice) because there was already a Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry squadron in the Royal Yeomanry with which it could be confused. In summer 2014, this Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Squadron joined

1764-596: A square black patch behind the cap badge to represent the RTR affiliation. Until July 2014, each squadron wore the cap badge of its antecedent Yeomanry regiment, meaning that, unlike most other British Army regiments, the RWxY still had four cap badges. On 5 July 2014 all squadrons, including Y Squadron (formerly A Squadron the Royal Yeomanry), adopted a single unifying cap badge featuring the white dragon of England. For

1862-411: A variety of factors, including local climate. Day hikers often carry water, food, a map, hat, and rain-proof gear. Hikers have traditionally worn sturdy hiking boots for stability over rough terrain. In recent decades this has become less common as some long-distance hikers have switched to trail running shoes . Boots are still commonly used in mountainous terrain. The Mountaineers club recommends

1960-477: Is Johann Gottfried Seume , who set out on foot from Leipzig to Sicily in 1801, and returned to Leipzig via Paris after nine months. Thomas West , a Scottish priest, popularized the idea of walking for pleasure in his guide to the Lake District of 1778. In the introduction he wrote that he aimed to encourage the taste of visiting the lakes by furnishing the traveller with a Guide; and for that purpose,

2058-402: Is a danger for all hikers and especially inexperienced hikers. Weather does not need to be very cold to be dangerous since ordinary rain or mist has a strong cooling effect. In high mountains a further danger is altitude sickness . This typically occurs only above 2,500 metres (8,000 ft), though some are affected at lower altitudes. Risk factors include a prior episode of altitude sickness,

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2156-519: Is a marked long-distance trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia . It is over 500 km (310 mi) in length and stretches from Hisarönü ( Ovacık ), near Fethiye , to Geyikbayırı in Konyaaltı about 20 km (12 mi) from Antalya . It was conceived by Briton Kate Clow, who lives in Turkey. It takes its name from the ancient civilization, which once ruled

2254-449: Is an historically important early sign of an awakening appreciation of the mountains, though it is chiefly designed to contrast the simple and idyllic life of the inhabitants of the Alps with the corrupt and decadent existence of the dwellers in the plains. Numerous travellers explored Europe on foot in the last third of the 18th century and recorded their experiences. A significant example

2352-433: Is especially hazardous in high mountains, crossing rivers and glaciers, and when there is snow and ice. At times hiking may involve scrambling , as well as the use of ropes, ice axes and crampons and the skill to properly use them. Potential hazards involving physical ailments may include dehydration, frostbite, hypothermia, sunburn, sunstroke, or diarrhea , and such injuries as ankle sprains, or broken bones. Hypothermia

2450-511: Is more straightforward and a crossing can be made, if advanced arrangements are made with Canada Border Services . Within the Schengen Area , which includes most of the E.U. , and associated nations like Switzerland and Norway, there are no impediments to crossing by path, and borders are not always obvious. Hiking in winter offers additional opportunities, challenges and hazards. Crampons may be needed in icy conditions, and an ice ax

2548-498: Is not a hard climb, and is not usually considered part of the Alps. This implicit claim of Petrarch and Burckhardt, that Petrarch was the first to climb a mountain for pleasure since antiquity, was disproven by Lynn Thorndike in 1943. Mount Ventoux was climbed by Jean Buridan , on his way to the papal court in Avignon before the year 1334, "in order to make some meteorological observations". There were ascents accomplished during

2646-536: Is probably Robert Louis Stevenson 's journey through the Cévennes in France with a donkey, recorded in his Travels with a Donkey (1879). Stevenson also published in 1876 his famous essay "Walking Tours". The subgenre of travel writing produced many classics in the subsequent 20th century. An early American example of a book that describes an extended walking tour is naturalist John Muir 's A Thousand Mile Walk to

2744-696: Is recommended on steep, snow covered paths. Snowshoes and hiking poles , or cross country skis are useful aid for those hiking in deep snow. An example of a close relationship between skiing and hiking is found in Norway, where The Norwegian Trekking Association maintains over 400 huts stretching across thousands of kilometres of trails which hikers can use in the summer and skiers in the winter. For longer routes in snowy conditions, hikers may resort to ski touring , using specialised skis and boots for uphill travel. In winter, factors such as shortened daylight, changeable weather conditions and avalanche risk can raise

2842-634: Is the most popular of the routes and runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side and then another 780 kilometres (480 mi) on to Santiago de Compostela through the major cities of Pamplona , Logroño , Burgos and León . A typical walk on the Camino francés takes at least four weeks, allowing for one or two rest days on the way. Some travel

2940-652: Is today referred to as the "Father of the National Parks". In 1916, the National Park Service was created to protect national parks and monuments. In 1921, Benton MacKaye , a forester, conceived the idea of what would become America's first National Scenic Trail, the Appalachian trail (AT). The AT was completed in August 1937, running from Maine to Georgia. The Pacific Crest Trail ("PCT")

3038-726: Is very popular and a permit is required . The longest hiking trail in Chile is the informal 3,000 km (1,850 mi) Greater Patagonia Trail that was created by a non-governmental initiative. In Africa a major trekking destination is Mount Kilimanjaro , a dormant volcano in Tanzania , which is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world: 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level and about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) above its plateau base. The equipment required for hiking depends on

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3136-521: The Ancient Near East . The path was established in 2007 as a pilgrimage route between Urfa, Turkey , possibly his birthplace, and his final destination of the desert of Negev . National parks are often important hiking destinations, such as National Parks of England and Wales ; of Canada ; of New Zealand , of South Africa , etc. Frequently, nowadays long-distance hikes (walking tours) are undertaken along long-distance paths, including

3234-523: The Camino de Santiago , or Way of St. James, has become more recently the source for a number of long-distance hiking routes. This is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. The French Way

3332-557: The Middle Ages ; Lynn Thorndike mentions that "a book on feeling for nature in Germany in the tenth and eleventh centuries, noted various ascents and descriptions of mountains from that period", and that "in the closing years of his life archbishop Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne (c. 1010 – 1075) climbed his beloved mountain oftener than usual". Other early examples of individuals hiking or climbing mountains for pleasure include

3430-943: The National Trails in England and Wales, the Kungsleden (Sweden) and the National Trail System in the United States. The Grande Randonnée (France), Grote Routepaden, or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden (The Netherlands), Grande Rota (Portugal), Gran Recorrido (Spain) is a network of long-distance footpaths in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. There are extensive networks in other European countries of long-distance trails, as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, and to

3528-796: The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars and the Royal Devon Yeomanry to form four squadrons. The Wessex Yeomanry was granted its royal title, becoming the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, on 8 June 1979. Initially designated as infantry, in the 1980s it was redesignated as a reconnaissance regiment and became one of the Military Home Defence Reconnaissance regiments. Following the Strategic Defence Review ,

3626-511: The U.S. Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890, establishing Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The Sierra Club , which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. The spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writings inspired others, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to help preserve large areas of undeveloped countryside. He

3724-535: The right to roam in England and Wales. An early example of an interest in hiking in the United States is Abel Crawford and his son Ethan's clearing of a trail to the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire in 1819. This 8.5-mile path is the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States. The influence of British and European Romanticism reached North America through the transcendentalist movement , and both Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) and Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) were important influences on

3822-498: The 18th century in Europe, and arose because of changing attitudes to the landscape and nature associated with the Romantic movement . In earlier times walking generally indicated poverty and was also associated with vagrancy. In previous centuries long walks were undertaken as part of religious pilgrimages and this tradition continues throughout the world. The Swiss scientist and poet Albrecht von Haller 's poem Die Alpen (1732)

3920-837: The 50th anniversary of the Ten Tors event. To mark the occasion the Duke of Edinburgh visited the event on Sunday morning to speak to finishers and present some with the commemorative 50 years medals. It also marked the first year that teams carried a GPS tracker which enabled the organisers and team managers to track the participants' progress directly. The first finishers were 20th Torbay Explorer Scouts (Joshua Owen, Matthew Ryder, Luke Hayward, Jacob Shah, Paul Moroz, and William Fordyce) and King Edward's School Bath (Robert Wilcox, James Plumstead, Benjamin Smith, Edmond Venables (son of Stephen Venables ), Jonathan Tracy, and Mark Humphreys) who walked over

4018-519: The 55 mile event, Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School were the first to finish. (73.7% complete 18.9% with fall-outs) Hiking In the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom, hiking means walking outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational purposes. A day hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day. However, in the United Kingdom,

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4116-561: The Camino on bicycle or on horseback. Paths from the cities of Tours , Vézelay , and Le Puy-en-Velay meet at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. The French long-distance path GR 65 (of the Grande Randonnée network), is an important variant route of the old Christian pilgrimage way. The Abraham Path is a cultural route believed to have been the path of Islamic , Christian , and Jewish patriarch Abraham 's ancient journey across

4214-616: The Challenge; teams falling below this number could merge in earlier years, while later rules required a badly reduced team to forfeit. There are 26 different routes over three different distances, lettered from A to Z, using a total of 19 different manned tors: 12 Bronze (Junior) routes of 35 miles (56 km) for those aged 14 to 15 years; 10 Silver (Intermediate) routes of 45 miles (72 km) for those aged 16 to 17 years; and 4 Gold (Senior or Arduous) routes of 55 miles (89 km) for those aged 18 to 19 years, or 17-year-olds who completed

4312-552: The Dartmoor Rescue Group. The first ever Junior Army Team from Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Armoured Corps JLR RAC finished the Gold Course with 24 minutes to spare, despite several of the six-strong team having severe foot injuries. They were cheered home by an honour guard of Royal Marines and Paratroopers who walked with the boys over the last mile. Tavistock Times reports "Hurricane Force" winds during

4410-465: The Gulf (1916), a posthumously published account of a long botanizing walk, undertaken in 1867. Due to industrialisation in England, people began to migrate to the cities where living standards were often cramped and unsanitary. They would escape the confines of the city by rambling about in the countryside. However, the land in England, particularly around the urban areas of Manchester and Sheffield ,

4508-639: The Renaissance in Italy (in German in 1860) declared Petrarch "a truly modern man", because of the significance of nature for his "receptive spirit"; even if he did not yet have the skill to describe nature. Petrarch's implication that he was the first to climb mountains for pleasure, and Burckhardt's insistence on Petrarch's sensitivity to nature have been often repeated since. There are also numerous references to Petrarch as an "alpinist", although Mont Ventoux

4606-496: The Roman Emperor, Hadrian, who ascended Mount Etna during a return trip from Greece in 125 CE. In 1275, Peter III of Aragon claimed to have reached the summit of Pic du Canigou, a 9134-foot mountain located near the southern tip of France. The first ascent of any technical difficulty to be officially verified took place on June 26, 1492, when Antoine de Ville, a chamberlain and military engineer for Charles VIII, King of France,

4704-671: The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR). All five squadrons train Challenger 2 crewmen. The RWxY has conducted Challenger 2 driver training at Bovington, Sennelager (Germany), and Salisbury Plain Training Area, and live firing at Lulworth and Castlemartin Ranges. Each squadron maintains the traditions of its forebear regiment, maintaining a sense of pride and rivalry. In 2011, there was a Regimental Celebration of 40 years since

4802-570: The Royal Wessex Yeomanry, becoming Y Squadron. The Earl of Wessex is the Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry. The Royal Wessex Yeomanry Tactical Recognition Flash (TRF) is taken from the 74th (Yeomanry) Division , whose insignia was a broken spur in a black diamond during the First World War. It signifies that its units were once mounted but now serve as infantry. The TRF took its colour scheme from

4900-530: The Sunday, having visited all ten tors on their route in order, to qualify for a medal and complimentary pasty. Teams that finish the challenge as a complete six also receive a certificate. The first Ten Tors Expedition took place in September 1960, with around 200 young people taking part. By 1980, the numbers had grown to more than 2,600. To protect the environment, the numbers are now limited to 2,400 individuals: 400 teams of four to six teenagers. The Army uses

4998-511: The Ten Tors record for earliest complete team home was broken by R1809, Dartmoor Plodders, with a time of 08:19. This stood until 2009. (52% finished Complete, + 29% with fall-outs) In 2005, one of the original teams from the 1960 Ten Tors took part in the event, which was held on 14–15 May in particularly adverse weather conditions: constant rain on the Saturday, combined with a bitter wind, leading to an unusually high number of retirements. (76% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) In 2006,

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5096-534: The UK have regularly taken part, as have teams from Australia and New Zealand. However, from 2012, only teams from the South West of England are eligible to take part, due to the large numbers of entrants. Teams of six are required to visit ten specified tors ; on the top of each tor is a checkpoint. Each team is required to visit all of the specified checkpoints in order. Up to two members per team may fall out during

5194-679: The area. The Great Himalaya Trail is a route across the Himalayas . The original concept of the trail was to establish a single long distance trekking trail from the east end to the west end of Nepal that includes a total of roughly 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi) of path. The proposed trail will link together a range of the less explored tourism destinations of Nepal's mountain region. In Latin America , Peru and Chile are important hiking destinations. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru

5292-502: The best places to cross by Dartmoor Mountain Rescue. Some young people stayed at river crossings for a number of hours, selflessly helping others to cross whilst putting their own chances of finishing on hold. Especially on Saturday, navigation became extremely difficult as fog and mist reduced visibility to as low as 10 metres: a few less experienced 35 mile teams did not even make their first tor. The weather lifted overnight and gave teams

5390-604: The book was a major success. Another famous early exponent of walking for pleasure was the English poet William Wordsworth . In 1790 he embarked on an extended tour of France, Switzerland, and Germany, a journey subsequently recorded in his long autobiographical poem The Prelude (1850). His famous poem Tintern Abbey was inspired by a visit to the Wye Valley made during a walking tour of Wales in 1798 with his sister Dorothy Wordsworth . Wordsworth's friend Coleridge

5488-480: The country. However, this regiment traditionally recruits from Devon , Dorset , Gloucestershire , Shropshire and Wiltshire , along with neighbouring counties such as Cornwall , Hampshire , Oxfordshire and Somerset . Each squadron keeps within its title the name of its antecedent, county, yeomanry regiment: Under the Future Soldier Programme , C and Y Squadrons will amalgamate into

5586-409: The death was halted for the case to be considered for criminal charges. Several other groups were also evacuated by helicopter after weather conditions on Dartmoor deteriorated. The event itself was abandoned at 21:30 on Saturday 12 May 2007, halfway through, due to severe weather conditions; the decision was influenced by the high drop-out rate of 15% on Saturday. Participants spent the night camped at

5684-896: The development of extended hiking routes. In 1938, the first long-distance hiking trail in Europe, the Hungarian National Blue Trail, was established in the Hungarian wilderness, stretching approximately 62 miles (100 km). In the Middle East, the Jordan Trail is a 650 km (400 miles) long hiking trail in Jordan established in 2015 by the Jordan Trail Association. And Israel has been described as "a trekker's paradise" with over 9,656 km (6,000 miles) of trails. The Lycian Way

5782-672: The distinction of being the oldest hiking club in America. It was founded to protect the trails and mountains in the northeastern United States. Prior to its founding, four other hiking clubs had already been established in America. This included the very short-lived (first) Rocky Mountain Club in 1875, the White Mountain Club of Portland in 1873, the Alpine Club of Williamstown in 1863, and the Exploring Circle, which

5880-634: The distress whistles of another team which had two of its members trapped chest deep in Raybarrow Pool . After calling in the Dartmoor Rescue Group and helping the other team, X2414 walked in at 17:19, almost twenty minutes after the close of the event - this would normally debar a team from receiving their awards. The Director Ten Tors, Brigadier Piers Hankinson, met the team at the finish and presented Kingsbridge with their gold medals. The event weather, following days of heavy rain,

5978-415: The end of the day the number of people who would not complete had increased to over 500. (81% finished complete) The first team to finish was the 35 mile CCF team from Churcher's College, Petersfield, Hants. They came over the line at 8:24   am and was a mixed team: Olivia Hart, Francesca Hussell, Jerome Greig, Ben Kelson, Edward Rodge, and Owen Tutt, around 45 minutes ahead of all other teams. In

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6076-470: The event as a large scale logistics training exercise. Until 1967, the event was organised by the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals . This responsibility passed to Headquarters South West District, and in 1986 to 43 (Wessex) Brigade , the regional Headquarters of the Territorial Army in the South West. Since 1977, an additional event, The Jubilee Challenge, has been held for young people with physical or learning disabilities. This involves

6174-509: The event was held over the weekend of 13–14 May, with high temperatures on the Sunday resulting in several cases of dehydration. On Sunday 4 March 2007, Charlotte Shaw was swept away by the rain-swollen Walla Brook near Watern Tor , while training for the event. The rest of her group raised the alarm using a mobile phone , but despite her being evacuated by a Royal Navy helicopter within 20 minutes, she died later that night in Derriford Hospital , Plymouth . In December 2009 an inquest into

6272-510: The event was struck by a heavy snow storm, leading to some teams still being out on the moor a day after the event was due to have finished; while in 1998 temperatures reached 26 °C (79 °F). Participants arrive at Okehampton Camp on the Thursday or Friday before the hike, watch a safety briefing video and have their equipment checked, a thorough process known as scrutineering. Teams must carry all their food, clothing, tents, stoves, fuel, navigation equipment, maps, emergency rations and

6370-520: The event. A cold northerly wind on the Saturday of the 1996 event turned to rain and snow overnight. This continued through Sunday, accompanied by fog and driving wind. Requests from Tor party commanders, two of whom had their tents destroyed, added to pressure to abandon the event, and there was a mass evacuation of the moor on the Sunday afternoon, the first time the event had been terminated early. Fifty-one teams completed their routes, but no record remains of their success. Ten Tors, A History Ten Tors

6468-405: The facings of the collars and cuffs of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars ( buff ), and the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, Dorset Yeomanry and Royal Devon Yeomanry (all scarlet ). In 2016, the colour scheme of the TRF was changed, replacing the scarlet with blue, and the 'broken spur' replaced by a complete spur. The regiment wears a brown beret, similar to that worn by the King's Royal Hussars , with

6566-411: The finish line, The Maynard 35-mile team, got back to camp at 10:20, setting a new time record for the school. The Maynard 45-mile team also completed the challenge in a respectable time, finishing at 13:59. The 2012 event was notable for the selfless efforts of one team, X2414 Kingsbridge Community College (55), who were on schedule to complete their route shortly after 16:00 when they diverted to answer

6664-400: The founding of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, although, at this time, the Dorset Yeomanry was not part of the regiment. The Earl of Wessex , the Regimental Colonel, visited, met members of the regiment and their families and also participated in a private guided tour of the neighbouring Tank Museum . Like all of the regiments within the British Army , the regiment accepts recruits from all over

6762-474: The hazard level of hiking. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Haller, Albrecht von ". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. Royal Wessex Yeomanry The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is a reserve armoured regiment of the British Army Reserve consisting of five squadrons . Formerly part of 43 (Wessex) Brigade ,

6860-418: The highlands of East Africa . Hiking a long-distance trail from end-to-end is also referred to as trekking and as thru-hiking in some places. In North America, multi-day hikes, usually with camping , are referred to as backpacking . The poet Petrarch is frequently mentioned as an early example of someone hiking. Petrarch recounts that on April 26, 1336, with his brother and two servants, he climbed to

6958-401: The last kilometre of the course side by side, despite a failure in the alarm of the QEH team, delaying the team by a full hour. The first 35-mile team to cross the finish was Churcher's College, Hampshire, getting back to cap with a record breaking time of 09:21 on the Sunday morning. This was also the first all-boy team to cross the finish, and second overall. The first all-girl team to reach

7056-486: The line together at 7:37 to break the record for earliest finishers by 40 minutes, and also finishing four and a half hours ahead of any other team on their route. This also meant the scout group had crossed the line first for three consecutive years. Notable other finishers were the 'Denbury Boys' who, made up of men who completed the first ever Ten Tors, successfully completed the 35 mile event. (81% finished Complete, + 14% with fall-outs) The 2011, Challenge started under

7154-552: The outdoors movement in North America. Thoreau's writing on nature and on walking include the posthumously published "Walking" (1862)". His earlier essay " A Walk to Wachusett " (1842) describes a four-day walking tour Thoreau took with a companion from Concord, Massachusetts to the summit of Mount Wachusett , Princeton, Massachusetts and back. Established in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club has

7252-522: The past. However, this year, the Launceston College 45 mile team decided to cross the line in brightly coloured morphsuits . Whilst the rain was beginning to lash down and the traditional Dartmoor high winds persisted, the team sacrificed their finishing time (12:15) to show the spirit and good humour that makes Ten Tors. The finishing gate was left open for an extra 45 minutes. By 11:00 on Sunday morning, over 300 people had dropped out, and by

7350-544: The possibility of avalanches . Year round glaciers are potentially hazardous. Fast flowing water presents another danger and a safe crossing may requires special techniques. In various countries, borders may be poorly marked. In 2009, Iran imprisoned three Americans for hiking across the Iran-Iraq border. It is illegal to cross into the US on the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada. Going south to north it

7448-679: The previous 15 years teams are noted as stopping at their second Tor onwards. In 2011, the first teams to stop reached their fifth Tor before doing so. It was also the 60th anniversary of Dartmoor as a National Park so everyone received a participant certificate. (75% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) The first team to reach the finish line was the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 45-mile team, who reached camp at 8:56   am. They were soon followed by both Torbay Explorer Scouts and Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School 45-mile team, who performed an excellent display of sportsmanship by finishing

7546-607: The public's 'right to roam' across some private land, were periodically presented to Parliament from 1884 to 1932 without success. Finally, in 1932, the Rambler's Right Movement organized a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire . Despite attempts on the part of the police to prevent the trespass from going ahead, it was successfully achieved due to massive publicity. However, the Mountain Access Bill that

7644-543: The regiment joined 3rd Division in July 2014, to provide armoured (main battle tank) resilience to the three armoured regiments within the Reaction Force. In 2015 the regiment was moved from the operational command of 3rd Division to 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade , and later to 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team , but members of the regiment still wear the 3rd Division formation badge to reflect their role in supporting

7742-627: The regiment merged with the Dorset Yeomanry in July 1999 and was reorganised. Before the Army 2020 plan, the regiment had three roles: Since 2013, the regiment has been the United Kingdom's only Armoured Reinforcement Regiment, providing armoured (main battle tank) resilience to the three remaining regular Army armoured regiments: the Queen's Royal Hussars (QRH), the King's Royal Hussars (KRH) and

7840-634: The risk of bacterial contamination. Fire is a particular source of danger, and an individual hiker can have a large impact on an ecosystem. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker accidentally started a fire that burnt 5% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Because hikers may come into conflict with other users of the land or may harm the natural environment, hiking etiquette has developed. Hiking can be hazardous because of terrain, inclement weather, potential to get lost, or pre-existing medical conditions. The dangerous circumstances hikers can face include specific accidents or physical ailments. It

7938-570: The rule change was broken with a time of 08:17 by 20th Torbay Explorer Scouts. For the first time, an all-girls team from Torquay Grammar School for Girls also broke the record for successfully completing the 35-, 45- and 55-mile events consecutively and with the same team members (Tamsin Owen, Joyce Nie, Francesca Hill, Amelia Skerritt, Rebecca Stanley, and Hannah Short). There were fewer dropouts than in other years in almost perfect weather conditions. (79% finished Complete, + 14% with fall-outs) 2010 saw

8036-596: The three armoured regiments in the division. The regiment can trace its history back to 4 June 1794, when a meeting of country gentlemen at the Bear Inn in Devizes decided to raise a body of ten independent troops of yeomanry for the county of Wiltshire, which became the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry . The Wessex Yeomanry was formed on 1 April 1971 by re-raising cadres from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry,

8134-466: The top of Mont Ventoux (1,912 meters (6,273 ft)), a feat which he undertook for recreation rather than necessity. The exploit is described in a celebrated letter addressed to his friend and confessor, the monk Dionigi di Borgo San Sepolcro , composed some time after the fact. However, some have suggested that Petrarch's climb was fictional. Jakob Burckhardt , in The Civilization of

8232-676: The use of hiking boots on long-distances hikes is controversial among ultralight hikers, because of their weight. Hiking times can be estimated by Naismith's rule or Tobler's hiking function , while distances can be measured on a map with an opisometer . A pedometer is a device that records the distance walked. The American Hiking Society advises that parents with young children should encourage them to participate in decision-making about route-finding and pace. Alisha McDarris, writing in Popular Science , suggests that, whilst hiking with children poses particular challenges, it can be

8330-467: The vegetation is so dense that human passage is impeded, a machete is used to clear a pathway. The Australian term bushwalking refers to both on and off-trail hiking. Common terms for hiking used by New Zealanders are tramping (particularly for overnight and longer trips), walking or bushwalking. Trekking is the preferred word used to describe multi-day hiking in the mountainous regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal, North America, South America, Iran, and

8428-618: The word walking is also used, as well as rambling, while walking in mountainous areas is called hillwalking . In Northern England , Including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales , fell walking describes hill or mountain walks, as fell is the common word for both features there. Hiking sometimes involves bushwhacking and is sometimes referred to as such. This specifically refers to difficult walking through dense forest, undergrowth, or bushes where forward progress requires pushing vegetation aside. In extreme cases of bushwhacking, where

8526-400: The writer has here collected and laid before him, all the select stations and points of view, noticed by those authors who have last made the tour of the lakes, verified by his own repeated observations. To this end he included various 'stations' or viewpoints around the lakes, from which tourists would be encouraged to enjoy the views in terms of their aesthetic qualities. Published in 1778

8624-417: Was almost perfect walking weather - of the 390 teams which started 374 (95%) walked over the finish line, and of those finishing teams 316 (81%) walked in with all six team members. Over the last fifteen years of the event, this is the highest percentage of both Finishing and Complete teams. Sixteen teams either retired (just 7, less than 2%) or were 'crashed out', but even here the statistics are impressive – in

8722-459: Was another keen walker and in the autumn of 1799, he and Wordsworth undertook a three-week tour of the Lake District. John Keats , who belonged to the next generation of Romantic poets began, in June 1818, a walking tour of Scotland, Ireland, and the Lake District with his friend Charles Armitage Brown . More and more people undertook walking tours through the 19th century, of which the most famous

8820-495: Was cancelled in 2001 due to the foot and mouth epidemic , but went ahead the next year. (69% finished Complete, + 21% with fall-outs) For the second year in succession the Plymouth DofE Award 45 team took the honour of leading the teams over the finish line, at 08:49 ( Ten Tors Teams, 2003 ), improving on their time of 09:23 in 2002 ( Ten Tors Teams, 2002 ) (75% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) In 2004,

8918-419: Was cloudless, sunny, and warm with 100% visibility. Notes from the Event, 2012 (23% of participants did not finish) The 2013 event went down in Ten Tors history as one of the most miserable. Organisers said that if the weather had come a day earlier then the event would have been cancelled. Swollen rivers from rain over the previous weeks meant that river crossings were hazardous; teams were offered advice on

9016-565: Was established by four men from Lynn, Massachusetts in 1850. Although not a hiking club in the same sense as the clubs that would emerge later, the National Park Service recognizes the Exploring Circle as being "the first hiking club in New England." All four of these clubs would disband within a few years of their founding. Despite clubs such as the Appalachian Mountain Club, hiking during the early twentieth century

9114-608: Was first explored in the 1930s by the YMCA hiking groups and was eventually registered as a complete border to border trail from Mexico to Canada. In earlier times people mainly hiked for practical reasons, or on religious pilgrimages . Numerous modern hiking trail follow such ancient routes. The British National Trail the North Downs Way closely follows that of the Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury . The ancient pilgrimage,

9212-428: Was ordered to ascend Mont Aiguille. Because ropes, ladders and iron hooks were used during the ascent, this event is widely recognized as being the birth of mountaineering. Conrad Gessner, a 16th Century physician, botanist and naturalist from Switzerland, is widely recognized as being the first person to hike and climb for sheer pleasure. However, the idea of taking a walk in the countryside only really developed during

9310-787: Was passed in 1939 was opposed by many walkers' organizations, including The Ramblers , who felt that it did not sufficiently protect their rights, and it was eventually repealed. The effort to improve access led after World War II to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 , and in 1951 to the creation of the first national park in the UK, the Peak District National Park . The establishment of this and similar national parks helped to improve access for all outdoors enthusiasts. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 considerably extended

9408-407: Was permitted only four training walks on the north moor. A review of these changes is scheduled for 2011. The 2008 event was a total contrast to the previous years, with temperatures in the low 20s Celsius, and participants dropping out because of dehydration rather than hypothermia. (80% finished Complete, + 13% with fall-outs) In 2009, the Ten Tors' record for the earliest complete team home since

9506-548: Was privately owned and trespass was illegal. Rambling clubs soon sprang up in the north and began politically campaigning for the legal ' right to roam '. One of the first such clubs was 'Sunday Tramps' founded by Leslie White in 1879. The first national grouping, the Federation of Rambling Clubs, was formed in London in 1905 and was heavily patronized by the peerage . Access to Mountains bills , that would have legislated

9604-599: Was still primarily in New England, San Francisco , and the Pacific Northwest. Eventually, there were similar clubs formed in the Midwest and following the Appalachian range. As interest grew hiking culture was spread throughout the nation. The Scottish-born, American naturalist John Muir (1838 –1914), was another important early advocate of the preservation of wilderness in the United States. He petitioned

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