Each year the British Army Benevolent Fund hosts the ‘Cateran Yomp’. The Yomp, as it is affectionately known, is a 54 mile (86 km) endurance march through the Scottish Highlands designed to raise money for British veterans and their families. This year’s event, held on 06 June—coinciding with the 57th anniversary of the Battle of Binh Ba—drew participants from across the world. The event itself draws on a Royal Marines tradition, where the location and distance were used as a training milestone. Approximately 1000 civilian and military participants took part, from a multitude of different countries. The ‘classic’ approach to the event is to compete in a team of at least four, with all members required to successfully complete the course together and finish in under 24 hours to qualify for a gold medallion.
5/7 RAR’s team was led by CPL Ben Worsfold, and included PTEs Hein Aung, Zander Nash, Jason Wulff, Connor Schmidt; LCPL Roly Williams, and the Padre. The team was exceptionally well supported by CPL Fleur Tolman from the 1st Health Battalion (1 HB), who acted as medic, chief cheerer and general counsellor. After an 8-hour vehicle transit, the team arrived at the event ‘hub’ in Blairgowrie on the afternoon of 05 June, registered, partook in the pre-event pasta party, and got their heads down in preparation for an early start and a long day on 06 June.
H-hour was 0700 hours and saw the ‘Wandering Roos’ depart the start line in the last wave of walkers. What followed was a ‘delightful dawdle’ through the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains in mild and, at times, drizzly weather. The scenery was spectacular and the volunteers at the various checkpoints hospitable and generous. In fact, the food was so good at some of the checkpoints it was often a real effort to keep walking. One particular culinary highlight was the provision of ice cream cones at an unofficial stop. There were, however, plenty of tough kilometres of walking between feeds. The team was aided by the extended hours of daylight and did not have to switch to head torches until after 2200 hours.
Like all of these endurance events, everyone in the team went through highs and lows at various times, with one particular low for most being a few kilometres of very marshy walking beside a loch, combined with a serious headwind and increasing rain. More than one of us was in the hurt-locker at the ‘silver checkpoint’, which was a bit daunting with 30 km still to go. The team pulled together exceptionally well and was resolute in its determination that everyone would finish. People paired off with their allocated battle buddies and coaxed one another through the night. In the early hours of 07 June the patrol made it back to Blairgowrie after about 110,000 steps, in a respectable time of 19 hours 30 minutes.
Overall, the event was a great experience for everyone and an excellent way to mark the completion of the KUDU rotation.
- The Wandering Roos
*Photos credited to @cateran_yomp on Instagram
