Latest news with #DartmoorPlodders
BBC News
13-05-2025
- BBC News
How teenagers coped with a digital detox during 48-hour challenge
Young people taking part in the Ten Tors Challenge across Dartmoor in Devon said it was amazing to "detach" for technology as they had to give up their mobile phones for 48 members taking on the trek were forced into a "digital detox" as they had nothing but the essentials and as part of the event rules, and had to surrender their phones before setting out on the moor. Participant Milly, who attends Ivybridge Community College, said: "I think this generation finds it so hard to be away from their phones."She said she missed listening to music more than anything because it was "motivating". However, the team improvised and sang together instead, she added. Milly said: "I would have listened to some pop music, something like that."The team leader for Dartmoor Plodders said it was "very rare" for young people to have time without their phones these Brown said the 2,400 teenagers who took part in the annual event, aged between 14 and 19 years old, had a weekend in the wilderness where there was much more to look at, think about and do rather than looking at a screen."It gives you a view that there is something else in the world other than the screen in front of you," he Brown said he did receive some complaints from his team about not keeping their "streaks" - messaging or interacting with friends every day - which he did not whether he could be separated from his phone for a weekend, he said: "It was a bit different then and whether I could nowadays, I don't know."My excuse is that I need it for work, but I probably could." One Dartmoor Plodder, Charlotte, who completed the 35-mile (56km) route, said the thought of her phone being in a plastic bag at the starting line, not on her person, was "horrendous", but it did allow her team to build stronger team members and sisters Scarlet and Eleanor said they kept reaching to their pockets for their phone during the said: "Sometimes I would reach in my pocket to get it and it wasn't there, which was sad."Eleanor said she was distracted by the moor and walking around, so she forgot she did not have her phone, other than when she wanted to message people. Parents Lyn and Mark Winsper said daughters Scarlet and Eleanor were usually "glued" to their phones at home, adding it was good for them to have a little bit of time without Winsper said: "We always encourage to get out and about, phones are not integral to them, but two days without them is good."Mrs Winsper also said whenever they did go out as a family walks or horse-riding, away from their phones, photos did end up on social media shortly after, so it was "all linked". St Ives Secondary School teacher Laura McCall said teenagers not having their phones was a "big deal" and it was not something to be "underestimated"."They are very much used to having contact, like a lot of us are with the outside world and the internet," she also said students had noticed the positives about having a break from their mobile phones and were proud of their achievements."It is nice for them to have that understanding that, as much as they feel it is a necessity to them, they can actually achieve a lot without the aid of that. "In class, you do get the odd student using their phone to check the time. They use their phone for so much more than just contacting people."On Friday evening, ahead of the two-day challenge, she said the event allowed the team to socialise with other schools and people from different backgrounds they might not have been aware McCall said: "They were here playing chess with the different schools, and we had a few girls from other schools and they were braiding each other's hair for the next morning."It was so lovely to see the interaction between them all and, for them, to have the freedom to have fun."Members of the St Ives team, who completed the 35-mile challenge, said they were looking forward to a good night's rest and seeing their families over getting their phones back. Sgt Tosh Hodgkins, from the Army's HQ South West cadet training team, said the challenge enabled the participants to be away from distractions and do nothing but talk to each other for 48 said: "They make their decisions without referring to anything electronic and it just opens up their worlds to what they can achieve without having to rely on technology and Google."It strips everything away and puts them back to the people they are and they rebuild themselves."
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Teamwork and adrenaline: How teens tackle the Ten Tors Challenge
After months of training, thousands of young people will be heading to Dartmoor to take part in the 63rd annual Ten Tors event, organised by the British Army's Headquarters South West, involves teams navigating routes across the northern half of Dartmoor in under two Plodders, an independent group who train young people for Ten Tors, said the challenge taught people everything they needed to know about surviving in the who is completing the challenge, said: "The best part of Ten Tors is the brand new people you get to meet along the way and the sense of community that's fostered by everyone going through the same challenge." There are three formats for the challenge - 35 miles (56km) for 14 and 15 year olds, 45 miles (72km) for those aged 16 and 17, and 55 miles (88km) for 18 to 19 year Dartmoor Plodders have been training for the event every other weekend since October who is with the team, said: "We usually start overnight camping in January, which is right in the middle of winter, so the weather isn't ideal, but it does help us train a lot." Fellow team member Megan added: "I think the biggest challenge for me is trying to stay positive especially when things are hard and that is what is so great about a team - they really help lift you up."They said the second gruelling day begins at 04:30 BST in the dark, often in the rain and after a bad night's sleep."It is quite easy to get demoralised," said Isaac."But if you keep pushing... you finally get there and you feel strong on the second day." Tom said Ten Tors "has given us all a variety of skills" and he was now able to go across Dartmoor using only a map and a compass."That is really cool thing to achieve," he said. Among the many Devon schools taking part in the challenge is Mount Kelly College in and team manager Tim Mycock said the teams had been training since September last year and everyone had played their part."The training can be hard, and the adrenaline comes in once you see all the other participants there," he said."It ups the ante that you are actually part of an amazing event, and I think the adrenaline helps them press on to achieve their distance." For participants Holly, Will and Caitlin, who have all completed the event previously, teamwork was a vital have done the 35-mile and 45-mile challenge, with the 55-mile to be their last."We have been training for a long time, since October 2023, and I think we are relatively confident of our performance," said added: "Finishing it as a team is the most important part."This year has been the hardest because we know we have the longest distance at the end." Mr Mycock said while "natural leaders take charge of the team", Ten Tors was definitely not an individual said everyone got to play a part - whether it be navigating, cooking meals, or boosting morale."You are only going to do it as a team," he said. For some, what could be waiting at the finish line was the biggest motivation of all."The best thing about Ten Tors is the sausage roll at the end," said Bryn, representing the Dartmoor Plodders.
