The Overland
Reported By Sophie
We practiced for this at the Breacon Beacons
Ticehurst Scouts that entered: Hannah, Callum, Sophie and Meghan!
It was an early and dreary start for the team on Saturday morning (30/03/09) as we had to pack our equipment, sort our maps out and carry 40kg between the team for 4 on our backs for 25miles. We had to do the 25miles in 2 days but we did 15miles the 1st day and 10miles the next day but while walking we had checkpoints with different challenges on and we had to try and earn as many point as we could and the top marks were 20. After that the adventure began. . .
Day 1 – Saturday 28th March 2009 (15miles)
It was as struggle at first because our first few minutes was a hill, we were confused where we were on the map and it was freezing cold but the journey did continue. We were all really enthusiastic.
We came to our 1st checkpoint which was naming the different types of clouds. Then we had to take another bearing right down a steep downhill which was confusing but we got over it.
As we all walked down this long hill for about half an hour we came to another checkpoint with was of course the 2nd checkpoint which was a spider web and we had to try and get through with out touching the rope which was quiet easy as the holes were quite big and then we took another bearing which had a few ups and downs but it was flat aswell.
We thought our next destination was our lunch stop but we were wrong. That was ages away as we realised when we arrived at checkpoint 3. At checkpoint 3 we had to make a lift and carry a bucket from one end of a rope to another but the catch was there was a brick in the bucket and all we had was 4 poles and 4 pieces of rope which were not very strong and on this challenge we did fail as we ran out of time so we had to move on and take another bearing. This was the longest path yet from checkpoint to checkpoint but we coped.
As we reached checkpoint 4 we heard loud banging but it was not any old banging, that was the noise of our next challenge was to use empty milk bottles, tins and ice cream boxes to make a song that everybody would know and the team decided we would play the England tune which turned out really successful and then we had to take a bearing again.
As checkpoint 5 was in our sight we knew this was the place for lunch and we were right. As we arrived we did the challenge and that was to set up a table for a romantic dinner for two professionally and that was hard but in the end it look alright then we finally got lunch and also took a bearing again. We all knew we would get lost at one point and this was it. We were stuck in a wood for 1hour and 30mins and as it was a race that was bad news but as another team came we were able to ask them for directions and they were right.
As we arrived at the 6th checkpoint we found out it was about first aid and the problem was someone had been shoot in the hand and they person who shoot him in the hand went into shock and then we had to put them in many medical positions and that was quite hard but our revision paid off but then we had to take another bearing and that lead us up a steep hill which lasted for 30ish minutes.
After climbing that tiring hill we reached the 7th checkpoint which was where there was a massive box with items in and every member of the team had to put there hand in the box not knowing what they were doing and put 20 items on a piece of wire in the order the items were in the sheet and we did really well on that one but we did not get all of them on the wire and afterwards we had to take another bearing which leaded us all they way down a long hill this was great as we were quick. As it was dark at this point all we could see was little glows of light and that gave us a hint of what the challenge could be.
At checkpoint 8 we realised the little lights was mini camp fires and that was the challenge. We got a flint, matches and cotton wall and we had to try and make a fire not making it run on the cotton wall but on sticks which we were great at but then the usual we took another bearing and that was where we went wrong as we walk in the totally wrong direction. We had missed all our turnings and then we ended up asking for directions and we had to walk along a main road for about 20 minutes and that hurt all our feet and as we were being timed we were in a rush. In the end we did all finally arrive and we arrived at 9:14pm and that was 15mins late than what time we were mean to be back so we had to pitch our tents up and cook all in the dark. That was tricky. When 2 people were doing tents the other 2 were cooking which was for starter was soup, main course was pasta and the pudding was custard and a hot drink at the end but we got marked on all of that as I think we did well. Then we washed up and went to bed but we had to be careful as we had to leave at a exact time and if we were late which got less points but we had to remember the clocks went back 1 hour that night and lucky we did remember that. By the time that was all done it was about 10:30pm.
Day 2 – Sunday 29th March 2009 (10miles)
We got up at 7:00am and swapped around so the other 2 were cooking and the other 2 were putting the tents away. For breakfast we had porridge and then bacon and pitter bread. When everybody had eaten that we all put the last of the things away and checkout and we left on time 9:24am. We got into a bad start as we went up a hill for about 30mins and we got lost for 1hour and 30mins and by that time we turned round and reached a viva point and sadly we got pulled out of the game because it was mean to take 20mins to walk there and it took us 2 hours 15mins and so we were to slow and that’s why we got pulled out. We were so cross and upset but it was only ourselves to blame. So in total we probably only did 19miles out of the 25miles!
Then we got taken to the finishing line and waited for the other 64 teams to arrive but we were not the only ones that got pulled out there were about 20 other teams so that did not make us feel that bad. After waiting in a hall for 7 hours doing nothing people were presented with there rewards and we were rewarded nothing as they pulled us out! I think that was so unfair as we did not even get the choice if we wanted to continue or not but our family was proud of us anyway!