3 minibuses, 2 landrovers and a control vehicle : Templer Way 2018 a personal view

It’s hard to believe that this year saw Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton running their Templer Way sponsored walk for the eighth time.

It’s come a long way from the 20 or so participants we had in 2010 to almost 200 in 2018. I remember chatting with fellow team members Kate and Helen in the pub one evening in early 2010 about holding a sponsored walk down the Templer Way as ‘a bit of an experiment’. Little did we realise back them how much it would grow in popularity and become such a flagship fundraising event for the rescue team. Feedback from our participants say it's down to a few key things; they feel it is a great route, it’s a for a good cause, team members are friendly, and they are kept well informed through team member Alan Pewsey’s fabulous use of web and social media.

By March this year Alan’s social media marketing campaign had been picking up a pace and we were hopeful of around 200 participants. We were aiming to raise around £6,000, a big sum and a large proportion of the running costs the rescue team needs to raise each year to remain operational. In early April I dusted off the plans we had used in previous years and Alan, Kate and I discussed improvements we could make for this year’s event. A week before the event the web registration was closed, participant data collated, final checks done and plans completed.

The morning of the Templer Way Challenge 2018 dawned with fog and rain on Dartmoor. We were hopeful that the forecast of some sunny spells later in the afternoon would be true as by then walk was due to reach Shaldon. Despite the weather the start was a hive of activity; participants were registering, our team members were arriving, and equipment was being issued. After the pre-start brief to our team members it was onto thanking our participants for turning up on what was a very wet and misty day. We then struck off from the Haytor Car Park into the thick fog towards the start of the Templer Way tramway. After a quick countdown and we were off, no more planning, no more paperwork just the event to play itself out.

In what seemed like no time we were in Shaldon and as the number of smiling finishers gradually grew I knew that we were going to have another successful event and I could start to relax. When we greeted the last participant and presented them with their medal I felt a growing sense of pride in what the volunteers of Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton had achieved in running such a marvelous event.

We now know that the event raised over £7,000 and we already have many participants asking when the event will be next year. Team member Neil officially takes over the organisation of the event in 2019 when I’m sure it will be even more successful. As for me, in 2019, I plan to take part in the event as a participant and skip hand in hand down the route with my wife, something I’ve been promising her since 2010

Craig Scollick

Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton