This year’s two 35 mile teams have certainly done us proud. Our first ever all boys’ team with Team Leader Edward Hall, navigators Harvey Camilleri and James Darcey, plus Tom Rushton, Robert Lee and Luke Andrews finished at 11:24am and were very closely followed at 11:48am by Romilly Penman (Team Leader), Anna Stone (Navigator), James Griffin, Olivia Danby, Oliver Willis and Julian Beck. To have both teams finish before midday is a fantastic achievement and Mrs Head and Mrs Forsyth are incredibly proud of them. Meanwhile, Oliva Notman tackled the most demanding of the Jubilee Challenge routes, walking 15 miles and taking in the highest point of the Moor. We welcomed her over the finish line just before 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. Well done everyone!

The idea of the main challenge is for teams of youngsters to walk across Dartmoor on a set route which visit the 'Ten Tors' and will last over two days. There are four levels of challenges which are set over one of 26 specific routes; the bronze routes are 35 miles long for pupils aged 14 - 15 years. The silver routes are 45 miles long and open to 16 and 17-year-olds. The gold routes are 55 miles long and open to 17 - 20-year-olds. The Jubilee Challenge is designed specifically for young people with special needs, both physical and educational. Incorporated within the Ten Tors Event in 1977 as the Special Event, it was renamed the Jubilee Challenge in 1996.

The teams must be self-sufficient, carrying all that they need to complete their route safely despite the terrain and the weather. The latter can be very changeable and at times quite extreme. Success or failure can depend very much on the extent to which a team has been trained for all eventualities.

The teams meet at the Okehampton Army Camp on Friday where they prepare kit and camp overnight. On Saturday morning the teams set off at around 7.00am. The bronze participants must camp on a Tor whereas the silver and gold teams can camp anywhere on the moor. The next day the teams must visit the furthest Tor on their route and return to the Okehampton camp by 17.00 thus completing the expedition.

Teams at Stover start training for the event in the previous winter and continue up until the event start time.

Stover School’s Team Manager Amanda Head is very proud of all the pupils who are taking part in this year’s events.

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