Marathon 2025 was held on the 15th of November in West Wickham.

For more details, you can email the organisers. To receive all the news about Marathon and our other event, Forward, you can sign up to our Events mailing list here.

Marathon is CUSAGC’s annual incident hike for members of the Scouting, Girlguiding and SSAGO aged 14 and over (that includes leaders!). The challenge is for teams of 4-5 to gain points by visiting as many as possible of 26 checkpoints in 9 hours, over about a 70 sq. km area. Teams are given grid references for the checkpoints and must choose their own route. The majority of checkpoints are unmanned, but teams can gain more point at manned checkpoints where there are further challenges to complete.

Three trophies are available to be won: one for under-18 Scouting teams, one for under-18 Girlguiding teams and one for teams with members over 18 years of age. However, the number of checkpoints you visit is up to you, so it can just be a stroll in the countryside and opportunity for a pub lunch! This makes Marathon Challenge suitable for all levels of ability. Due to the distance covered, time needed to complete challenges at manned checkpoints, and the fact that some navigation may be in the dark, only the very best teams will manage to visit all 26 checkpoints.

Where is it held?

It’s normally somewhere west or south of Cambridge, as we aim for somewhere a bit less flat than the fens – but always within comfortable reach of City. In 2025 it was based in West Wickham, Cambrigeshire. Previously it has been held in Clavering, Essex (2024); Ashdon, Essex(2023); Steeple Morden, Bedfordshire (2022); Potton, Bedfordshire (2021); Radwinter, Essex (2019); Clavering, Essex (2018); Burrough Green, Cambridgeshire (2017); Thaxted, Essex (2016).

When is it held?

It is normally a Saturday in the first half of November, depending on Cambridge University Term dates, and trying not to clash with things like Remembrance weekend and SSAGO Rally! Marathon 2025 was held on the 15th November.

Who can enter?

Any member of Guiding or Scouting aged from 14 upwards is eligible to enter, as are SSAGO members. This includes older Scouts and Guides, Rangers, Explorer Scouts, Scout Network, Girlguiding Inspire, and Leaders/Occasional Helpers of any section. Teams should be of 4 – 7, but if you can’t find other people to enter with, we may be able to place you with a team – contact us if this is the case.

Can I have more information?

Entry forms with more details can be found at the top of this page. Or email marathon@cusagc.org.uk at any time for more information.

Can I help?

There is no requirement for leaders to stay and help during the event, but we are always looking for willing volunteers! Let us know if you’d like to help!

Marathon 2025 Report 

Marathon Challenge 2025 was based in West Wickham Village Hall I South East Cambridgeshire. There were the usual 26 checkpoints distributed within a 5km radius of the hall, and teams were challenged to visit as many of them as they could in 9 hours.

Most checkpoints were traffic cones with orienteering stamps and a glow stick for extra fun at night, but 4 were also manned by CUSAGCers and other scouting/guiding/SSAGO volunteers with a challenge for teams to complete. At base G, teams were tasked with creating the best shelter for a small rubber duck that they could, to protect it from the rain. Memories were put to the test at base H where participants were tasked with playing Kim’s game, a memory game involving remembering many random objects. Mini trebuchets were built and fired on West Wratting Recreation ground as participants were challenged to launch a small rubber duck as far as they could. Finally, at base R in Balsham Scout Hut, participants had their first aid knowledge and skills tested in a mock scenario.

The rest of the volunteers spent the day in HQ at West Wickham Village Hall where there was a lot of phoning groups to check where they were and radioing bases for their scores; which involved more recitations of Shakespeare than we would’ve expected! There was also the annual chaos bulk cooking chilli for nearly 100 people and writing jokes to send out to the volunteers on bases to share with their dinner.

This year we had 13 teams take part, including explorers, rangers, leaders and SSAGO members and all successfully braved the damp weather to visit many checkpoints. Teams walked the long distances between the cones and checkpoints but no group managed to reach all 26, though we calculated that this year this would quite literally involve walking a marathon! The most checkpoints visited was an impressive 20, and all teams returned back to HQ in time to receive a nice warm dinner. We also successfully ate all of it with no food waste, which was a bonus.

We were finally ready to announce the winners and award trophies. Congratulations to Woodsmoke Explorers for winning the event overall and winning the explorers trophy! Congratulations also to 28th Cambridge leaders for coming second and winning the adults trophy, and to 1st Ely Rangers for winning the rangers trophy. Well done to all teams who took part – Marathon is designed to be a challenge and everyone put in great effort this year! We hope you all had a great time taking part too.

We would like to thank all volunteers whose hard work before and during the event made it all possible; Derrick (for providing the radio system); 26th Cambridge for the minibus hire; West Wickham Village Hall for the hall hire; West Wratting Parish Council for letting us use their recreation ground; all the local landowners for putting up with the noise and tents; and last but not least all the participants for your energy and enthusiasm which makes the event worth running.

Hopefully see you all again next year for another successful Marathon!

Isabella and Filip

Marathon Challenge Organisers 2025