This past weekend, the 4th Bramhall Scouts Wolf Pack entered two teams in the Border Hike competition at Gradbach in the Peak District.
The competition challenges scouts with a blend of navigation, incident response, and teamwork, all while testing their scouting skills. After setting up camp on Friday evening, the scouts registered their paperwork and prepared their gear for an early start on Saturday morning.
As night fell, the rain began to fall… and intensified through to dawn. The scouts rose early for breakfast, packed their lunches, and headed for kit checks, where they received grid references to plot their routes on the maps. With no prior knowledge of the course, teamwork became essential.
Once their routes were checked and scored, they headed into the hills, navigating through thick fog and heavy rain to various incident locations. These incidents presented challenges ranging from knot-tying tests to problem-solving and memory challenges.
The first group returned in the early afternoon, drenched but still laughing. The second team followed suit, in equally high spirit and just as soaked! After a quick debrief and warm showers, it was time for a pre-dinner feast of the emergency rations they had carried.
The rain persisted into the evening, but the scouts spent their evening in card games, hot chocolate, and cake with custard in the mess tent. Overnight, the downpour continued, accompanied by 40 mph winds. Happily, none of the scout tents leaked or shifted, in no small part to their impressive pitching skills.
Sunday dawned bright and clear. The Scout Network led a “Scouts Own” gathering, sharing thought-provoking words and a heartfelt rendition of “One More Step Along the Road.”
The awards presentation followed, recognising all scouts and explorers for their efforts in what was acknowledged as the wettest Border Hike in its 43 year history. Our teams achieved a commendable third place—an outstanding result for their first competition, reflecting their teamwork, knowledge, and dedication.
As scout volunteers, we are incredibly proud of the positive attitudes displayed by all scouts in such challenging conditions. We watched them gain valuable skills and look forward to returning next year for a drier competition!





