Scout Network

The Halloween Hike (established in 1995) is an event for teams of Guides, Scouts, Explorers and Rangers.  The hike is to encourage teams to work together, to put their map reading skills into practice and to take part in various challenges along the way; most importantly we want them to have fun!  The route for Guides and Scouts is approx. 5-6 miles; the route for Explorers and Rangers is approx. 8 miles.  The challenges take place at checkpoints manned by Scouting and Guiding adults.

The hike is day and night event wrapping up at midnight; start times are based on which class a team enters (see below).  The hike takes place on a weekend close to Halloween each year. 

Event Categories (revised in 2022):

Class 1:                 Any age of team (Scouts or Guides, no visiting Cubs or Brownies please) who will walk accompanied by a leader or unit assistant.  This is a training group so please make sure your adult is suitable to teach map reading as they go.  These teams will all walk mostly in daylight.

Class 2:                 Any age of team (Scouts and Guides) who will walk unaccompanied. These teams will start in daylight but most likely finish in the dark.  We will reserve earlier start times (i.e. less night walking) for younger/less experienced teams.

Class 3:                 Age 12+ (Scouts, Guides, Explorers or Rangers) who will walk unaccompanied. These teams will start in the late afternoon and walk predominantly in the dark with the last team in by midnight.  These are expected to be older, more experienced teams.

Trophies are awarded for classes 2 & 3 based on points scored on activity checkpoints around the route.  There is a 3rd trophy for the fastest team in Class 3.

Along the route there will be a number of check points with activities for the guides to take part in; the guides can score points for completing the activity.  Activities at checkpoints are designed to test team work and to be fun.  One checkpoint that needs a little planning is cooking.  The idea is to make a quick, simple and filling meal; everyone should be involved and points will be awarded for teamwork, quality, effort and edibility.  Ideas for the meal could be macaroni cheese, quesadillas, corn beef hash, stir fry, the list goes on.

The hike is a lot of fun and many young people take part year on year, we mix the activities up every year and the route is never the same twice.  The weather also plays its part, it’s been warm, dry, wet, cold, foggy, frosty and in 2023 we had to move the whole event 6 hours earlier to avoid a yellow weather warning! (just after the last team came in, the lightning started).

For more information you can contact the organisers here

Roll of honour

Learn all about the P&P Duke of Edinburgh's Award Unit here