Dartmoor Beast
Encyclopedia
The Dartmoor Beast is an annual charitable
fundraising
challenge run in aid of the charity Cancer Climber Association (CCA) UK. The challenge takes the form of a daytime navigation exercise held in the Dartmoor National Park in the county of Devon
, England
. The challenge is usually held on a Saturday in late August or early September. The Dartmoor Beast takes its name from the various big cat
sightings that have been a recurring feature of local folklore
in the Dartmoor
, Exmoor
and Bodmin Moor
areas for many years and from the Royal Marine Commando speed march held during the final stages of qualification for the coveted Commando green beret
.
of between 4 and 8 participants hike
or 'yomp
' either a 20 km or 30 km route across Dartmoor carrying a pack of either 10 kg or 15 kg respectively. No prescribed route is laid down for teams entering the challenge, but various checkpoints must be visited at places around the moor. Teams are left to plot and navigate their own route between checkpoints, making use of map
, compass
, map reading skills and global positioning systems. Whilst the challenge is not a competition, a climate of friendly and sportsman like rivalry contributes to the sense of achievement for all teams participating in this race against the clock.
of equipment aimed at ensuring safety whilst on the moor. Adequate clothing, food and water must be carried by each team member, in addition to maps, first aid kit, torch and other important items. The weight of each team members backpack is checked at the start, finish and various points along the route, and time penalties are levied for every kg under the prescribed weight that each team member is found to be carrying. In practise this means that the 10 kg or 15 kg must not include the weight of food and water that will be consumed on route. Participants that are found to be carrying less than the required weight find their payload increased by one or more of the many rocks that litter Dartmoor.
, or 'clag' as it is locally known, which combined with the absence of many linear features (such as walls, paths, fences, forest edges) provides a challenging test for even the most confident navigator.
(RMR) Bristol
and representatives of the CCA. The checkpoints provide an opportunity for RMR staff to assess the fitness, progress and morale of each team, ensuring their safety throughout the competition
.
, in Bridstowe, Devon - which acts as the start/finish and command post for the event.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
challenge run in aid of the charity Cancer Climber Association (CCA) UK. The challenge takes the form of a daytime navigation exercise held in the Dartmoor National Park in the county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The challenge is usually held on a Saturday in late August or early September. The Dartmoor Beast takes its name from the various big cat
British big cats
British big cats, also referred to as ABCs , phantom cats and mystery cats, are Felidae which are not native to Britain which are reported to inhabit the British countryside. These sightings are often reported as "panthers", "pumas", or "black cats"...
sightings that have been a recurring feature of local folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
in the Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
and Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
areas for many years and from the Royal Marine Commando speed march held during the final stages of qualification for the coveted Commando green beret
Green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of World War II. It is still worn with pride by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course and any member of the British Military who has passed the All Arms Commando Course.There are certain other military...
.
Teams
TeamsTEAMS
Teams is the plural form of team.TEAMS may also refer to:*TEAMS , a competition sponsored by JETS*TEAMS , an Kenyan initiative to link the country to the rest of the world through a submarine fibre optic cable....
of between 4 and 8 participants hike
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
or 'yomp
Yomp
Yomp is Royal Marines slang describing a long distance march carrying full kit.British Army slang for the same thing is 'tab'. The term 'tab' has its roots in an acronym, being an abbreviation of Tactical Advance to Battle...
' either a 20 km or 30 km route across Dartmoor carrying a pack of either 10 kg or 15 kg respectively. No prescribed route is laid down for teams entering the challenge, but various checkpoints must be visited at places around the moor. Teams are left to plot and navigate their own route between checkpoints, making use of map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
, compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
, map reading skills and global positioning systems. Whilst the challenge is not a competition, a climate of friendly and sportsman like rivalry contributes to the sense of achievement for all teams participating in this race against the clock.
Payload
Each individual participating in the challenge is required to carry a backpackBackpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
of equipment aimed at ensuring safety whilst on the moor. Adequate clothing, food and water must be carried by each team member, in addition to maps, first aid kit, torch and other important items. The weight of each team members backpack is checked at the start, finish and various points along the route, and time penalties are levied for every kg under the prescribed weight that each team member is found to be carrying. In practise this means that the 10 kg or 15 kg must not include the weight of food and water that will be consumed on route. Participants that are found to be carrying less than the required weight find their payload increased by one or more of the many rocks that litter Dartmoor.
Navigation
The Dartmoor National Park is notorious for being a difficult environment in which to navigate, especially if visibility is poor. The moor often experiences extensive hill fogFog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
, or 'clag' as it is locally known, which combined with the absence of many linear features (such as walls, paths, fences, forest edges) provides a challenging test for even the most confident navigator.
Staffing
In previous years the challenge has been staffed by voluteers from the Royal Marines ReserveRoyal Marines Reserve
The role of the Royal Marines Reserve of the United Kingdom is to support the regular Royal Marines in times of war or national crisis. The RMR consists of some 600-1000 trained ranks distributed among the five RMR Centres within the UK...
(RMR) Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and representatives of the CCA. The checkpoints provide an opportunity for RMR staff to assess the fitness, progress and morale of each team, ensuring their safety throughout the competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
.
Rewards of participation
Each team member who completes the challenge receives a completion certificate and prizes are awarded for the fastest team on the 20 km and 30 km routes and various other notable achievements. The event culminates in a barbecue hosted by the RMR and CCA at the Fox and Hounds Public HousePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, in Bridstowe, Devon - which acts as the start/finish and command post for the event.