Scouts celebrate hiking success

TRIUMPHANT members of the 4th Lymm Scout Group have been celebrating their achievements on this year’s Cheshire Hike.
Four members, Owen Rabbit, 14, Grant Westley, 14, James Fathers, 16 and Dave Edwards, 16, scooped the top awards for completing the 43 kilometre two-day adventure.
Niamh Costello, 13 and Kate Pickford, 11, from the Lymm group also took part in the event which tests the scouts at various points with challenges such as observations, scout questions and puzzles.
The 2008 Cheshire Hike saw the Lymm competitors ward off strong competition from 300 other teams, as they hiked from Congleton to Knutsford.
All competitors were in teams of two and had to be completely self sufficient carrying a 25lb back pack with them that contained a tent, cooking equipment, food supplies and even a washing up bowl.
Owen and Grant were named the overall senior winners, while Junior Leader James and his team mate Dave won the senior plus title.
Scout leader Simon Fathers said: “I am very proud of all of them. It’s a very hard hike with a lot of extra tasks that they have to do. I think this year was a particularly tough hike as they woke up with their tents covered in snow on the Sunday morning!
“They have all been involved with the scouts and brownies since the age of six and generally we are a very active scout group and take part in a lot of events.”