1 st and/or 2 nd September 2012 Event Information Wiston Lodge www.wistonlodge.co.uk A residential Outdoor Centre which provides a safe and supportive environment for young people and vulnerable adults to develop personally, socially and emotionally. Charity No SC037778. Moffat Mountain Rescue Team www.moffatmrt.org.uk Volunteers provide life saving assistance to hillwalkers in the Borders 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. Charity No SC007510. A warm welcome to Everest Tinto 2012, a sponsored Hillwalk event designed to raise funds for two outstanding local charities: Wiston Lodge and Moffat Mountain Rescue Team. How it works By climbing Tinto Hill just over 7½ times, teams, families and friends can walk together to accumulate a group total, or the more adventurous (and fit!) can complete the whole thing as an individual. This can be done over the two days. It sounds tough but our two charities have come together to support you all the way to the summit and back again as often as it takes. Why do it? Apart from the sense of achievement and opportunity to fundraise for charity, participants will receive a T shirt, goody bag and a Certificate of Achievement on completion, free camping and entry to the Ceilidh. We expect that you will forge new friendships out of surmounting a challenge together. There are also prizes for top fundraisers! Entry Entry Forms are attached or can be downloaded from the website hyperlink. Fill it in and send it off with a cheque for 10 made out to Wiston Lodge, who are administrating this event on behalf of both charities. You are agreeing to raise at least 50 per person when you enter this event. Fundraising Once we receive your application form we will contact you, by email preferably, as soon as your place in the event has been guaranteed and then we will send you a link to obtain sponsor forms, explanation of how to set up your Justgiving Fundraising Page and any further information about the event.
A bit more detail Tinto Hill 707m rising from the Base Camp in Wiston Lodge at 250m Some history, myths and legends The cairn on top of Tinto hill, South Lanarkshire is the biggest in Scotland and it is clear from the large number of sites to be found around Tinto hill that it was considered a very special place by the Bronze Age people. The summit cairn may have been their way of fixing the date of the shortest day. During the covenanters, a meeting was taking place on top of Tinto Hill, the faithful were listening to the meenister when in the distance the Red Coats were spotted. When they got to the top of the hill not a soul was to be found, the worshippers had gone. But a baby could be heard crying. The Red coats investigated, and sure enough there was a baby left lying, abandoned in the haste of the covenanters ' flight. The Red Coats took the baby to the village but no-one claimed him. The soldiers named the child Tinto after the hill on which he was found. Tinto is thought to be derived from Gaelic teinnteach meaning fiery, and there s a couple of suggestions why. One suggests it gets its name from the underlying red rock. Others promote the idea of fires being lit at the top. Long a beacon post and a place of Beltane fires, it took thence its name of Tinto, signifying the hill of fire. Groome (1885), Ordnance Gazeteer of Scotland, p442 Beacons on Tinto would certainly be clearly seen for miles around, but it s not actually the highest hill in Lanarkshire, even though it may feel like it; Culter Fell is. However, there s an old rhyme: The height atween Tintock-tap and Coulterfell, Is just three-quarters o an ell Chambers (1842) Popular rhymes of Scotland, p245 An old Scots children's rhyme tells of the "kist in the mist" at "Tintock tap", kist being the Scots word for chest. On Tintock-tap there is a mist, And in that mist there is a kist, And in that kist there is a caup, And in that caup, there is a drap. Tak up the caup, drink aff the drap, And set the caup on Tintock-tap Chambers (1842) Popular rhymes of Scotland p245 Map The map required for this event is either/or: Landranger Series - 72 Upper Clyde Valley 1:50,000 Explorer Series - 335 Lanark and Tinto Hills 1:25,000 (larger scale, more detail) Team or Individual? Everest in 8848m high and the Base Camp on the Nepal side is at 5364m. Tinto is 707m high and our Base Camp in Wiston Lodge is at 255m. This represents just 7 ½ times, therefore if you were to do this as an individual you would need to climb Tinto 7 times to the top and once to Camp 2. Another way is get a team together and make a cumulative total (team of 8, each person climbs once; a team of 4 each person climbs twice). You have both days to gain your total ascent. 2
Timings Friday 14:00 Campsite available to participants and supporters Saturday 08:30 Registration tent opens 09:00 Start. Walkers may start at any time 18:00 All walkers off the Hill. Moffat Mountain Rescue Team to clear the hill by this time. 19:00 Talk by Peter Wright The Ribbon of Wildness 20:00 23:45 Ceilidh Sunday 08:30 Registration tent opens Start. Walkers may start at any time. 17:00 All walkers off the Hill. Moffat Mountain Rescue Team to clear the hill by this time. Registration A person of average4 fitness will climb Tinto in 1 ½ hours and spend 45 mins in descent. You should plan your time allowing for stoppages and report to the Registration accordingly. Leave enough time to complete your challenge each day. Route This is a vehicle free route and different from the tourist one which is to be found on the Eastern side of the hill. You will leave Wiston Lodge Base Camp, which is the first Checkpoint where your number and time will be recorded so keep your wristband visible at each of the following Checkpoints, and walk up the track through Wiston Lodge Estate grounds. Cross the stile and walk on the right border of three fields crossing two further stiles. You are now above the fell wall and on the hill proper. From here you will walk up the gently rising grassy path through the heather to Camp 1 (Checkpoint). Make you way up the steepening path now towards the zig-zags and a fence on the right. Climb up the rough path by the fence up to Camp 2 (Checkpoint) Wallace s Seat atop Pap Craig. William Wallace is believed to have kept a look out here for his enemies coming through the gap in the hills at Abington to the South. Move on up the steep red rocky path to the Summit cairn (Checkpoint), the largest cairn in Scotland. Well done, you ve done it! Check out the views as Tinto holds an isolated position as a sentinel for the Southern Uplands to the South. On the way down make sure to check in at the Checkpoints including the finish and go carefully as you may be tired. Repeat as necessary to complete the Challenge. Safety The route will be marked by flags along the route and 2 Moffat Mountain Rescue Team members will be stationed at each Checkpoint; Base Camp, Camps 1 and 2 and the Summit. All walkers should wear sturdy boots and clothing for a day in the hills as the weather can change very quickly. You should carry a small rucksack with a spare fleece, full waterproofs, some food and drink and of course a camera. It is the responsibility of all walkers to register before the walk and check in on their return to the finish. For further advice please contact Wiston Lodge. 3
Checkpoints Each Checkpoint will be manned by two members of the Moffat Mountain Rescue Team who are very well trained to look after you should you require support or medical attention. Success When you have completed your Challenge you will have achieved something really great and will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement collected from the Finish tent. Health and Fitness Please let us know on the Entry Form of any medical issues you have and don t forget any medication, inhalers and the like that you need before you set off on your climb. The fitter you are, the better you feel during and after the event so it may be worth getting some walking practice in and break those boots in if they are new before the event. First Aid St Andrews will provide First Aid cover at Base Camp and Moffat Mountain Rescue Team on the hill. Food There will be a tent where you will be able buy BBQ food with vegetarian options throughout the day. Funds raised When you have completed your challenge please ensure that all monies are collected in and a cheque is sent to us with all sponsor sheets. We will need these in order to claim any Gift Aid. We would appreciate this being done by 30 th September 2012. Supporters Where would you be without them? While you are away on the hill there is a lot to do for friends and family. There are many walks around the woodlands of the Estate, Climbing on the Wall and High Ropes course, Archery on the range and Canoeing on the pond for the Great for all the family. There will be a small charge for these Instructor led activities. Parking The Car parking will be clearly signed and is only a short distance from the Registration, Start and Finish areas. Camping Camping in the Camping field only, is available free of charge for participants but we ask for 6 per head per night for all others 4 for concessions (under 16 and over 65yrs). Parking is available by your tents; one car per tent with all others in the car park nearby. Talk Ribbon of Wildness. A talk at 19:00 on Saturday night on walking the watershed of Scotland by Peter Wright. Peter Wright regards the publication of Ribbon of Wildness as the crowning glory to an immensely varied and prolific range of activity over many years in many fields of interest. Now aged 64, he left school (legitimately, as he points out), at the age of 14. Walking the Watershed of Scotland in 2005 was achieved in the nick of time, as angina and the need for a triple heart bypass came in hot pursuit of this epic venture. ` 4
Peter Wright has done lovers of wild places a great service in providing the first comprehensive description of the Watershed`. Chris Townsend. Ceilidh Following Peter s talk at 20:00 there will be a Ceilidh and bar for a good old knees up if you can still lift them. This is designed to be a great warm down after a hard day on the hill. We would ask that you don t over indulge as the Hill will still be waiting for those completing the remainder of their challenge. Dogs We would prefer you not to take your dog on the hill; however they are the owner s responsibility to keep them on a lead in the Estate and in the farmer s fields and under close control on the hill. Please pick up after your dog while on the Estate, bags and bins are available. Insurance The event is covered by Wiston Lodge and Moffat Mountain Rescue Team public liability Insurance. Further Information If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Kerry on 01899 850 228 or info@wistonlodge.co.uk in the first instance and the appropriate person will get back to promptly with an answer for you. We are very pleased that you have shown an interest in this event to fundraise for two outstanding charities, and so if you think that the Everest Tinto 2012 Challenge is something you would like to do please complete the Entry Form and send it in to us to guarantee your place. So why don t you get some friends/family together to form a Team or if you are very fit and adventurous (and probably mad) you can do it on your own, Then get yourself walking fit whilst getting as much fundraising done as possible. Remember your great efforts will be helping support two outstanding charities that both do great work in their own individual fields. Both Wiston Lodge and Moffat Mountain Rescue Team look forward to supporting you to achieve your goals and have a great time in this beautiful part of Scotland. Tony Burley Event Organiser 5