Youngsters gave up their home comforts to spend a freezing weekend tramping through the Chiltern Hills trying to find their way.
Members of 2nd East London Scouts and their volunteer leaders from the Isle of Dogs joined 100 other scout teams from all over Britain braving the winter weather in this year’s Southern 50 Challenge Hike.
The 24-hour challenge was to complete one of three routes up to 30 or 50 miles, when they were given 20 different map references of checkpoints they had to navigate to—in the right order.
The East London team completed their 30-mile route in just 12 hours and 10 minutes.
The Southern 50 is a test of orientation skills, physical ability and teamwork.
But any local knowledge of the hilly terrain through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire didn’t help. The routes change every year and are not disclosed until the event itself.
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