The Surrey County Night Challenge is open to all Explorer Scout Units. The Challenge involves navigating a route in the Surrey countryside at night and completing a number of incidents at checkpoints on the way. The Advanced Challenge of 22-24 kms is designed for experienced teams whilst the shorter Intermediate Challenge of 10-12 kms is ideal for newcomers.

The 2013 Night Challenge will be based at Bentley Copse area. Entry packs will be distributed towards the end of 2012.

On the evening of Saturday 3rd March 170 Explorer Scouts set out from the 25^th Dorking HQ at South Holmwood to tackle the Diamond Jubilee County Night Challenge. Working in teams they were challenged to navigate round a 10km circuit in the Surrey countryside and locate four manned bases and other points where questions had to be answered. At the manned bases the teams had to undertake various incidents such as panning for diamonds, firing blow pipes at targets, following a rope trail in the woods and peeling an apple to make the longest possible strip of peel. After a break at HQ for hot drinks the teams taking part in the Intermediate Challenge retired to their tents but 19 teams in the Advanced Challenge set out again on a second circuit of with another four incident bases to find. The weather, which had been spring-like at the start, changed for the worse after midnight, with mist coming down over the hill tops and rain. This made navigation of the forest area around Leith Hill even more of a challenge.

In the Advanced Challenge, two teams from the defending champions, Maverick Explorer Unit from Woking District, were beaten in to second and third places by 2^nd Molesey from Esher District, who completed the course in a very fast time and achieved the highest points score. Three members of the team were awarded the “Bruce Wood Trophy” by County Commissioner Roxanna Bostock – the fourth was missing was absent, having left early to go and play in a hockey match!

The “Goldstone Trophy” for the Intermediate Challenge was awarded to the Wey Ahead unit from Woking, ahead of their Martian compatriots from Woking and the Eiger unit from Walton & Weybridge.  There was also a competition for Network Scouts and Reigate Network were awarded the “Andy House Trophy” named in memory of Andy, who was commissioner for Explorer and Network Scouts when he tragically died last year.

The Network Challenge was won by Reigate Scout Network.

The Scout Fellowship Trophy (awarded to the team competing in the "best spirit") was awarded to the Bonington Unit of Spelthorne Explorers.

Download the results of the latest and previous Night Challenges using the links on the right of this page.