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The Kinder Walk & Challenge
The Kinder Walk is organised on behalf of the Derbyshire County Scout Council and is open to all members of the Scout and Guide Associations, subject to the various trophy categories.
The Kinder Walk itself is approximately 29km and the Kinder Challenge is around 16km. The Walk is aimed at older Scouts, Explorer Scouts, Guides and members of Scout Network. It is a challenge of map reading and stamina in this exciting and rugged area of the Peak District.
The walk is a team event – for teams of between 2 and 5, see Categories and eligibility for details. Times vary between 3 and 8 hours, maybe this will be the year to break the record and yours could be the team to do it!!
The 2012 Event
We had an increased entry again this year with a total of 65 teams actually starting the event – 39 in the Walk and 26 in the Challenge. Record times were achieved in both categories in the Challenge and with the Edale Shield in the Walk.
Fastest time for the Walk was 3 hours 14 minutes and fastest for the Challenge was 2 hours 20 minutes – knocking 14 minutes off the record. For the first time for many years, every trophy was actually awarded.
My thanks are extended to all the many helpers on the event – Kinder Walk Committee, Derby Mountain Rescue Team, County Team and fellow Scouters without whom we could not run the event. We do of course hope them all back for the 2013 event!
The Next Event
The date for the event is 13th October 2013
The handbook and booking forms will be available on the 1st June 2013
Click here to download last years Walkers Handbook for more information about the walk
History
The first competition was held in October 1967 for the newly formed section of Venture Scouting. It was organised by the then Blagreaves Venture Scout Unit for Venture Unit teams from the Derby Area. There were a total of seven teams took part, with the winning team being Derwent VSU in a time of 7 hours 56 minutes.
The route was a circular one of 26 miles starting and finishing at Chapel en le Frith by way of Edale, Kinder, Hayfield, Buxworth and Combs. The weather for this first event was rain, rain and more rain!! The entry increased in 1968 to eleven teams with entries invited from beyond Derby, even one team from Huddersfield. Winners that year were Derwent 'B' team in a time of 9 hours 31.In the early years the route was not disclosed until the day of the walk, a different route being used each year. After a lapse of two years the event was resurrected in 1993 using basically the same route we have today. Over the years the trophy categories and their eligibilities have changed, the current categories reflecting the changes in age ranges in the Scout Association.
In 2008 we introduced the Kinder Challenge in an effort to encourage the younger members both into walking in the Peak and to participate in competitive walking events.