Following 3rd Timperley’s Cubs spring camp challenge 8 of our Cubs returned to Bibby’s Farm for the Pip Hartley Memorial walk. This is a 10 mile Hiking competition designed for Cubs around the local area. Thanks to “The four piglets” amazing display last year 3rd Timperley Cubs entered 2 teams this time around. On Friday the Cubs helped our Scouts who had entered 5 teams into the longer pike view hike set up camp and also got to know the 4th Hale Cubs who had entered for their 1st Time and were camping with us. That evening saw the Cubs relax and play “The best game, Ever!” before an early night as Saturday would be a very, VERY long day. 3RD Timperley’s 2 teams “ The Awesome Foursome” and “The Spicy Dynamites” got up around 06.30 to have a filling breakfast after which each team members had their rucksacks checked over to ensure all the right equipment was packed including first aid kits, whistles, Emergency rations and survival bags. Once everyone was ready it was time for a 20 minute safety briefing at 08.30. Afterwards the Cubs raced back to site to collect their kit so they could be on time (08.51 and 08.54) for the Bolton Mountain rescue kit inspection. Once cleared the teams headed off to route planning. With no help from the leaders each team were give a route card and an hour to plot their 10 mile hike for which they were about to venture on. Only after their routes had be checked, re-checked transferred to a second map and checked twice again were the teams allowed to go to the start and collect their “on going incident”. Both teams set off in good spirts around their plotted routes. Although the actual hike is not a race there were points to be gained along the way at various check points where Cubs faced different challenges such as Flint n Steel fire lighting, Lego memory game and spot the Cub Badge. Each Cub team pushed on throughout the day and were given a much needed boost, when, not only did the Spicy Dynamites met up with the Awesome Foursome, half way round but also the 3rd Timperley’s Scout teams who hiking without leaders, told them tells of being lost and found. The exchanges were fantastic with every team having at least one funny tale. With the afternoon turning into evening both Cubs teams only had a couple of miles left to go. These are the hardest miles to complete as by now the Cubs legs were aching, shoulders were hurting and with what little energy left finally returned back to camp to face the killer final check point …….. The 2 minute run. Exhausted both teams dragged themselves to the finish line and signed themselves in just after 7pm. That evening the Cubs and Scouts once again told each other their hike stories followed by a rowdy sing song around the camp fire. Sunday morning the Cubs had a well-deserved lay in before heading to Bibby’s Farms Scouts own and a short St. George’s Day service and show, where the Cubs were very quick to point out that “The princesses…….. was a man!” After this each section spilt up to receive their well-earned certificates and more Important their medals. Each of the leaders was delighted for the Cubs and once again they had shown great character and determination to complete the mammoth Challenge. The only thing left to do was to get the results score sheets to see where our teams had finished. The Awesome Foursome due to some navigational errors decided they would be happy “As long as they didn’t finish last” and so were really pleased to discover they had finished 31st out of the 32 teams that had entered. The Spicy dynamites on the other hand were aiming slightly higher they wanted do better than “The Four piglets” and finish 15th or above, but when the Explorers, Scouts and Cubs all came back together to be told the overall section winners our cubs didn’t have to wait to see the Score sheets and where they had finished as the organisers announced that in 3rd place out of 32 teams was “3rd Timperley’s Cubs – Spicy Dynamite” The look on the Cubs faces was priceless, a split second of total shock before realisation set in as they went up to collect their prize. What a fabulous achievement and if we thought the Four piglets had set the bar high, the dynamites had not only raised it but lunched it into outta space. This event is hard and we entered it to give our Cubs a real challenge, a challenge to test all their Scouting Skills. This year we entered two teams and these two teams contained 8 fantastic Cubs who once again made us all proud.
