Mersey Weaver District featured in Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News on Tuesday (03/04/12), the article which can be found below:
A TEST of map skills and teamwork saw scouts and explorers from Runcorn and Widnes join more than 700 young people for a hiking event.
Cestrian Explorers – who are based in Runcorn – as well as Widnes and 1st Moore scouts took part in the Cheshire Scouts’ annual hike competition at the weekend.
The event started at 7.30am on Saturday from three separate sites, with groups traversing Cheshire’s lanes and footpaths to meet at Poynton Leisure Centre for presentations on Sunday afternoon.
The hike tests map reading and navigation, observation and practical skills over a two days period, with participants also being set challenges at each of the check points.
Awards were made to the two merged districts that now make up Mersey Weaver – Widnes and North West Cheshire.
The Widnes winners were Ian Larsson and Jack Flanagan of Acquila Explorers in the senior section and Michael Bannerman and Dyllan Edge, also of Aquila, in the senior plus section.
Demand for places in the competition is now restricted and places were filled months before the hike was due to take place.
Deputy county commissioner Dave Hopley said: “We’re now forced to run a waiting list because the numbers keep flooding in. “We’re joined by a number of guide teams, but the vast majority of those taking part are Scouts and Explorer Scouts from Cheshire.”
The hike began in 1964 and is now an eagerly awaited date in the calendar.
Dave said: “We had participants as young as 11 taking part carrying their full equipment for 30km with an overnight stop.
“The whole weekend is huge undertaking with, as well as the hundreds of young girls and boys taking part, we need a whole army of adults to man the checkpoints, staff the start and finish, acts as route marshals, look after the evening campsites and generally make sure everyone is safe during their challenging experience.”
