What is the Mid Sussex Challenge Hike?
The Mid Sussex Challenge Hike is a one-day competition challenge hike with entry open to all Scout Troops in the Mid Sussex District with teams comprising of 4 Scouts with a maximum total team age of 52 years. The hike involves walking approximately 11 miles on Saturday, visiting a number of checkpoints en route where they complete incidents and camping on the Saturday night. Teams carry all their equipment for the weekend including the overnight camp, except the tent which is transported from the start to the campsite by the organizers.
This is a joint event held with Scouts from Brighton and Hove District who will be running their Bakers Dozen Hike alongside our hike, following the same route, checkpoints and camp site but presenting their own Trophy at the finish.
What’s so good about the Mid Sussex Challenge Hike?
It is a good introduction to a hike competition for scouts of all ages and is a steppingstone and training ground for the Overland Hike.
What does it involve?
The Mid Sussex Challenge Hike involves a 1-day competition hike over a set route navigating from checkpoint to checkpoint, carrying everything you need for the weekend. You will need to be a good walker and an accurate navigator.
Where and when does it take place?
The event takes place either on the South Downs or in the Weald to the rear of Brighton/Worthing but can be as far north as Horsted Keynes in the Weald. The exact location of the start and campsite is a closely guarded secret until two weeks before the hike. All teams will carry a tracker to ensure the location of every team can always be pinpointed throughout the hike.
What sort of physical training is needed?
You need to prepare your body if it is to walk 11 miles in one day. You will need to start training by walking shorter distances first. It’s best then to slowly build up to the full 11 miles. It’s also a good idea to build up the weight in your rucksack slowly until you are carrying all the kit you need for the hike.
What level of Scouting Skills are expected?
The skills needed are no different to any that are already in the Scout training programme. You may need to brush up on your navigation and camp craft but there is nothing that is specific to the Mid Sussex Challenge Hike.
What essential equipment is needed?
The kit list page in the Information and Rule Book has a full list of everything your team will need to be either wearing or carrying. Pay special attention to boots and waterproofs so that you don’t get blisters or are soaked through. Don’t forget that rucksacks are not waterproof so make sure you use a liner of some sort.
How precise do we need to be in complying with the weight limits?
The total weight can be spread out through the team, but if your total weight exceeds the limit, you will need to reduce it before you can start. The kit list is a minimum so don’t miss any of it out to save weight. Weight can be saved by careful planning of the menu. Look carefully at the weight of such items as stoves.
What are the rules on tentage?
Teams will need to bring to the start suitable tentage for all 4 team members remembering that a mixed sex team will require 2 tents. Ensure your tent is clearly marked with your group name as it will be taken by vehicle from the start to the camp site.
How does the points system work?
There are 20 points available for the incident at each checkpoint. These can be gained for how well a team does on the incident and for teamwork. There are also 20 hike points available between each checkpoint. The campsite is also a good place to gain points.
How are the hike points calculated?
The hike points (20No between each checkpoint) are calculated based on a hiking pace of 3 miles per hour with a small allowance being made for ascent. When you leave a checkpoint, your time is entered onto the log card. When you arrive at your next checkpoint hand the log card in as soon as you get there. The checkpoint staff will calculate how many hike points you have gained in that section. You lose points for every minute late you are over the expected time but do not gain any extra marks for walking faster than 3 miles per hour. You therefore don’t need to run to gain full marks.
What happens at the initial check-in?
At the start you will be called into the hall at your allocated start time, so it is worth turning up a little bit earlier. You will have received details of your allocated start time a couple of weeks in advance. Once in the hall all your kit is checked and weighed. If you have any items missing, then you will need to talk to your leader who will accompany you through the team check in so that you can find any items that are missing.
Once your kit has passed, the admin team will check the names and ages of all the team members. They will issue a tracker and some hints and tips on how to do well in the competition. They will also go through with you what to do in an emergency, including taking your mobile phone number and sealing the phones in a bag.
The last thing to happen at the start is that you are given a map reference of the first checkpoint and a log card to be completed at all the checkpoints. After that you can start hiking!
Are there any rules about routes between checkpoints?
The route between checkpoints follows public footpaths and bridleways. Although parts of the Sussex are open access, as shown on Ordnance Survey maps, and have ‘the right to roam’ you should always stay on the footpath and bridleways. There may be some very short sections of road walking, particularly close to the start and finish of the hike. Bearing these rules in mind, pay close attention to the map to work out the shortest distance between the checkpoints.
What is a Via Point?
A Via Point is a place on the route that you must visit between checkpoints. They are not on every section and are most often at road crossings. If you miss a Via Point, then you won’t get any hike points for that section.
What happens at the checkpoints?
When you arrive at a checkpoint the first thing you must do is check in. This means all 4 team members smartly walking to the check in desk and handing over the log card. The person on the desk will direct you to an area where you should wait until called to do the incident. Use this time to have a drink or some food. When you have completed the challenge collect the next map reference only when you have worked out where you are going should you put on your rusk sacks and Check Out. When you check out don’t forget to collect your log card.
Water is available at all checkpoints.
What kind of incidents can we expect at the checkpoints?
The incidents can be a test of scouting skills, common sense or just fun. They could include first aid, pioneering, knotting, compass skills, senses, logic puzzles, estimation, ball skills, map making, backwoods cooking, equipment recognition, bird calls and many more!
What about the courtesy checkpoint?
The courtesy checkpoint may be anywhere along the route. The people at this checkpoint will not tell the team they are being marked. It could, for example, be a test of how polite the teams are at a road crossing or how they respond to someone on the campsite.
What happens at the campsite?
The campsite is a place that tests many scouting skills including camp craft and cooking.
What kind of meals are recommended?
The meals you eat are very important as well as replenishing all that energy you have used on Saturday’s hike; they must also be enjoyable.
What happens in the event of an emergency?
When you leave the start, you are given a set of emergency instructions that tell you what to do should anything go wrong. Included in these instructions is a telephone number that can be called should you have a problem. There is a team on standby to come and find you and take you to the campsite. If you get really lost and can’t tell the organizers where you are then we will come and find you.
What happens at the Finish?
When all the teams have been marked and parents have arrived everyone who has completed the hike is presented with a Mid Sussex Challenge Hike certificate. Once this has been completed the nail biting really starts. The results of the competition are announced, and the winning team is presented with the trophy which they can keep for one year.
Are there any rules for leaders and parents?
Parents should have no contact with their teams once they have checked in at the start. In emergency parents should contact their child’s scout leader who will have details of how to contact the organizers of the hike.
The organizers ask that a leader accompanies the team through the start process in case there are any problems with the kit.
What are the two most important things that a team needs to get right in order to do well in the Mid Sussex Challenge Hike?
You need to ‘be prepared‘ with your training and equipment and your team needs to have a really good ‘team spirit‘.
