The Backpackers Club Treasure Hunt took place over the weekend of April 17th-18th in the Eskdale area of the Lake District. Just over 50 participants entered the club's only competitive event of the year, backpacking is normally such a relaxing pastime!
The Treasure Hunt was devised in 1983 by long-time member Tom Pape, who we sadly lost to a heart attack in December 1997. Tom's idea was born out of the club's annual involvement as checkpoint marshals for the rather more serious Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon, and the organisation is now very ably carried out by Bruce Brown and Harry Chatten. Sometime in the near future, the event will probably, I hope, be named after our dear friend Tom.
Checkpoints are scattered around the area as a sort of low-key one and a half day orienteering event. Grid references are sent out a couple of weeks earlier to allow time for routes to be planned. You prove you have visited a checkpoint by answering questions at each site, such as the number of planks on a footbridge or the height of the cairn on a hill-top.
There are three classes, A,B & C. C is for youngsters and families, their checkpoints being mostly in the valleys and easier ground, B is for the more ambitious, taking in medium hills and further valleys, A is for the masochist, taking in mountain tops and other tough ground. 'A' clues are awarded more points than B, which are awarded more than C, competitors collect only C checkpoints, while B collects B & C, and A collect A, B & C. Classes A & B will camp out in the hills Saturday night.
The list of questions for each checkpoint is only given out at the 9.00 am start, the only other timing aspect is you must be back by 2.00pm Sunday. There is no set route, you choose your's to match your own ability. It is not a race, the winners are decided purely on how many points you have collected.
The weather was incredibly kind in comparison to the forecast given, Saturday was nearly all sunny, with just the odd snow flurry in the higher altitudes, Sunday started well, light rain by dinner time, then dried up for the prize presentations. Snow covered the ground above 2000 feet.
Tony Wilson
19 April 1999
Last updated: 25 April 1999.
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