Ten Tors 2023

[rosyAndMoo]

Hi
My son is taking part in Ten Tors this year with his school. I’m nervous excited for him and would love to be on Dartmoor when he starts and finishes. We have booked a hotel nearby for the Friday and Saturday nights, but have no idea where to park on the day (want to plan in case we need to pre-book parking). (If anyone lives local and has some great tips for evening meals for us that would be appreciated too)

Are there any parents of teens here who have done this? We don’t mind a bit of a walk from the car park to the camp but not miles and miles!

Also, anyone here who can put my mind at ease before my (still) 13 year old is let loose with 5 friends, a map and a compass overnight on Dartmoor? (I know it’s well organised… doesn’t stop me being nervous! He is just pumped to be chosen and I don’t think realises quite how far 35 miles is!)

@GEF1969 yes you can but it is an early start in the morning and you may have to book parking

For return you can follow their progress so be able to time when you get there, but again traffic/parking can be a bit of a nightmare! Usually put a one way system in place

Thank you how do we go about booking the parking?

On the website. It’s a 6am sort of timing though!

www.tentors.org.uk

There are hotels etc nearby if you want to get there on Friday. Kids will be there already with leaders having set up base camp

The start is very emotional if you can be there, although was very misty one year DC did it so it was slightly disconcerting seeing them go off into the gloom!

Funnily enough I was just chatting about 10 Tors with DD (45km'er last year in the heatwave). The new would-be teams at school are off to the Brecons this weekend and she was remembering how they stopped for a snowball fight last year.

The start and finish looked huge fun. (DH & I had no idea we could be there so spent the weekend in London!).

I think there are usually details on the 10Tors website.

I am away, but I'll look to see whether I have any emails from last year.

I've found our letter from last year in email:

Parents were advised to prebook parking via the Ten Tors website. They were advised to allow an hour to get to the carpark from A30 Okehampton junction.

The Challenge starts at 7am with a parachute display and deployment of Royal Artillary guns.

On the Sunday there is a display board at the public information building that updates to show when teams have passed through each of their route checkpoints, updated each minute (the website is a bit slower to update).

Good luck to anybody competing this year.

Hi, yes, but the start lines are quite far back. If your child is in group/route A-D they are quite close to the barrier where the parents can see, the other groups aren’t really visible from the start line

For those going to the start lines: the car park is about a 10-20 minute uphill walk (depending how fit you are!) we had to queue through Okehampton to get onsite. For context we stayed at the Travelodge at Widden and we left at 4.30am to get to the site and the start line. We got there with enough time to change into walking boots and walk to the start line and get a place near the front of the crowd. Our son was in group/route allocation B that year so we could wave to home from the start line - it was his first year. Last year we didn’t go as our son was doing the 45 mile route and those groups aren’t visible from the start line.
Hes not taking part this year as he has his GCSEs, but he’s already planning on the 56 next year!

good luck to all. My sons 35 was in the rain and fog and last year the 45 was in the blistering heat (they were stopped twice for compulsory rest breaks last year - all teams were, and if it had been 1*C warmer it would have been called off for safety!

Thank you. I will look into the Travellodge. I have no idea as to the best location to stay. I have had a couple of suggestions but Widden wasn't one.

There are a couple of hotels in Okehampton

The YHA is really near but probably all booked out already.

Good luck to anyone taking part this year!

DD can’t do it this year due to GCSE’s but loved her 35 and 45 (heat edition!) trips!

we never saw the starts but made the trip to the finish for the sunday returns. It was VERY emotional seeing any team return, let alone her little squad! such an achievement and an impressive set up overall. The army are an incredible resource over the weekend