As a former Group Scout Leader I would like to thank you for your words of encouragement and hope that the many others that have read the negativity in privious postings will at last give it a go.When working with young adults we have to be responsible and given the adverse conditions of night walking in December surely prevention is better than cure. I know it's a tough challenge (so my husband keeps telling me) but hey why lose out because of a particular size of bandage etc. Well done for completing the event.:)

I found myself on the Tour de Trigs over the first weekend of December having responded to a plea on this forum for a third team member and having heard and read a good deal about the event, I was looking forward to a tough but hopefully, enjoyable 50 odd mile challenge walk. Gladly, I was not disappointed. After spending the week before watching the weather forecast for the coming weekend closely and anticipating gales and heavy rain over north Oxfordshire, the weather in fact turned out kinder than expected with rain early and late in the walk but with a decent enough night. Conditions underfoot however, were another story. Mud, thick mud made the going through footpaths over ploughed fields heavy work and my light weight boots could well have had bricks attached to them for all I knew! It’s not called a tough challenge for nothing! The route was excellent, taking us over some great undulating walking country, with well spaced and well marshalled checkpoints. Overall, I thought it was an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable event – I have every intention of being back next year.

One small disappointment was the distinct lack of LDWA members taking part. Bearing in mind that 50 mile plus events are few and far between, I find this surprising. There were however, many young people taking part in what is undoubtedly a classic long distance walk and I am sure that with more presence from the LDWA many of these youngsters could well be future members, a thing that we should surely encourage. I already hear some LDWA voices saying that they’d enter but for the strict rules regarding kit requirements. That seems a shame to me. I can fully appreciate that people, including myself, much prefer to wear Ron Hill type tracksters rather than walking trousers and walking shoes or trainers rather than boots but these are Scout run events and I can see the logic and necessity of these rules on such events. Many of the young people taking part may have limited experience of walking in what might be adverse weather conditions and at night and need these rules for their benefit and to encourage them to be properly prepared for all weathers and conditions. To do otherwise, may very well result in them being deterred from pursuing long distance walking as an activity – something we certainly should not be wanting to happen. I think that by avoiding events such as these because of the rules governing kit is depriving oneself of what is undoudtedly, a cracking good challenge walk.

Many Thanks to Steve and Nigel for taking me on board their team - it was good walking with you, guys.

I enjoyed the Tour de Trigs – I think that many other LDWA members would do, too!