Today at an incredibly early hour (of 05:30 in the morning!), five team members journeyed to the Bibbys Farm, Limbrick, the campsite of the Bolton Scout Trust, to provide the kit checking team for the 06:00 start of this year’s Pike View Hike.
The Pike View Hike is an annual one day long hillwalking and navigation challenge walk of varying length, depending on age and ability for Scout Association teams aged between 8-18 from all around the country, based upon the western part of the West Pennine Moors, principally the Rivington and Winter Hill areas.
Routes vary tremendously with regards to terrain, with the weather this year being very warm and sunny, except that is for the higher sections where a cooling wind blew throughout the day.
The 9 strong organising group is drawn mainly from experienced Scout Leaders in the Bolton South Scout District, including Bolton MRT team members Steve Fletcher and Mike Marsh, who were also on hand throughout the day alongside the previously mentioned other five team members (indeed Steve operated the overall Hike Control).
Throughout the day our five early rising team members, with of course Steve and Mike, provided immediate on hand Standby Rescue cover for the event, with further Bolton MRT members on home standby in case of need.
As it turned out, apart from a few cuts, grazes and the almost inevitable blisters, nothing happened to upset a yet again superbly and safely organised event.