Waterford Scout County MPCs

County MPCs provide another County activity that is non competitive and focuses on providing challenge and adventure with the opportunity for hiking and lightweight camping. They were devised after the success of the National MPCs and are organised by the Scout Programme Coordinators with the help and participation of the Scoutleaders in the County.

Above: The contingent from the Waterford Scout County on the 2007 County MPC.
Click to view a larger image.

The 2009 County Mountain Pursuit Challenge was held in the Comeragh Mountains and took place from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 4th October 2009. Basecamp at Ned Curran's cottage in Coumtay is shown below. Some 92 scouts and 20 leaders from the County took part in the event. The route took in an ascent onto the plateau, across to the Nire Valley and back down Comeragh Mountain itself. Some tough wind and rain was thrown in for a few hours on Saturday afternoon but hats off to Eoin McMahon and the lads for the fire that warmed us up on Saturday evening.

The 13th Annual County Mountain Pursuit Challenge was based in the Monavullagh (southern) end of the Comeragh Mountains and took place from Friday the 21st to Sunday the 23rd of September 2007. The organisers managed to pick one of the few dry weekends of the year although a fairly gusty night was in store for the Saturday night. All survived and the storytelling went fairly well too. There is a full account and loads of photos on our County MPC 2007 page.

What is a Mountain Pursuit Challenge? Just that - a weekend in pursuit of a challenge in the mountains. For 2006 the organisers the of the Waterford Scout County MPC upped the ante on previous years and went for a full backpacking event. They also ensured that there would be mist, heavy downpours and a good strong wind for the ascent of one of Ireland's highest mountains - Galtymore. The event took place from the 29th of September to the 1st of October 2006 in the southern side of the Galtee mountains and despite the adverse conditions was a great success. More than 50 scouts and leaders took part and you can read the report on our County MPC 2006 page. We also have a County MPC 2006 Gallery page with a selection of the photos entered into the Altitude sponsored photo competition which was held on the event.

Above: Members of the Waterford Scout County Venturers on the 2006 County MPC.

The County Mountain Pursuit Challenge for 2005 took place in the Comeragh Mountains from the 16th to the 18th of September 2005. It was a great success and you can read the Expedition Report of the event on our County MPC 2005 page. Our County MPC 2005 Gallery page also has an outstanding selection of photographs taken by participants in the event.

The 2004 County MPC took place in the Knockmealdowns from the 28th to the 30th of May 2004. It was the tenth such event and a full Expedition Report is now available.

Above: Members of the Waterford Scout County at the summit of Knockmealdown (794m).

The 2002 Waterford and South Kilkenny Regional was titled 'The Galty Witch Hunt' and was held in the Galtee mountains. Check out our Regional MPC 2002 page for a full report. The 2001 Waterford and South Kilkenny event was titled 'The Quest of the Nire' and was held in the Comeraghs from the 21st to the 23rd of September. The starting point was the Nire Valley car park and from there the 70 or so participants headed in the direction of basecamp at the Gap. There was two routes on the Saturday. The high level route ascended onto the plateau and made a strenous circuit from Coumlara across to Coumshingaun, up onto Fauscoum (792m - the highest point in the Comeraghs), along to the top of Knocaunapeebra before traverseing the Mahon Falls to the heights above the Nire valley. From there the teams descended into the Spillogues which was the high camp. The low level route crossed directly into high camp from the Gap before an enjoyable circuit of the Spillogues and a spot of swimming!

Above: Members of the 3rd and 7th Troops with scouts from Tramore and Thomastown on the summit of Galtymore (919m) during the 2002 Regional MPC.

When all teams were back together, they were challenged with finding the brown rock of the Nire, from which the valley gets its name (Gleann na h-Uidhre). Ballygunner proved wisest and quickest and were well rewarded for their efforts. Billy Collins amazed all with his Scouts Own service on Sunday morning and before crossing the Nire river on the way back to the carpark, the 2nd Annual Floating Object Race was held. This year was the first that ducks were allowed to enter and there was even a special ducks only category. For the 2nd year running the 3rd De La Salle with a particularly on form duck took first place in what was a technically demanding course.

Above: The team from Ballygunner which was successful in the Quest of the Nire on the 2001 Regional MPC.

Going back over the last few years, after the success of the first Regional MPC in the Knockmealdowns in 1995, the Waterford and South Kilkenny Region SICSI faced a huge demand for a second in 1996. The event was held in the Galtee Mountains in Co.Tipperary and almost one hundred scouts of all ages and experience took part in what was a brilliant weekend. The weather was fantastic for the two routes, one for those with plenty of experience (i.e. the full pack carrying, Lowe and GoreTex wearing lunatics) and a second for the younger Scouts. All the routes passed through the top of Galtymore at 919 metres and for many it meant the bagging of their first Munroe (Mountain over 3000 feet).

Above: Members of the 3rd and the 7th Troops on the summit of Knockmealdown during the 1999 Regional MPC.

At highcamp 1 De La Salle led a great campfire while at Highcamp 2 near Loch Muskry the elder Scouts joined up with another group of Gavin Cooke on the RMPC

Scouts who were doing the Sionnach Adventure, an event similar to an MPC run by Scouting Ireland SAI (Scout Association of Ireland). On Sunday there was a smaller hike which included some navigation and for those who were very brave a heartstopping dip in the icy Lough Curra. In all it was a brilliant weekend as well as a great start to the new Scouting year.

The 1997 Waterford and South Kilkenny Regional MPC was held from the 19th to the 21st of September in the Comeragh mountains. There were once again a choice of routes and basecamps. The first was at Loch Mohra below Knockanaffrin for the younger scouts and the second was at the Spillogue Lochs for the more experienced. The weather wasn't quite as kind as in the two previous years but at least the Loch Mohra basecamp escaped the hurricanes! Tom Casey estimated it at a Force 8 (well he had to when the pole on his and Billy Collin's tent broke). Heavy mist made navigation a real challange but all routes were completed successfully. As well as the senior and intermediate hike there was also a third route for those who were very new to the mountains. It was Pat Murphy's last event as ARC Scouts and despite disappointment that he wasn't thrown in Loch Mohra it was yet another successful weekend of mountaineering. Pictured above is Gavin Cooke of the 7th at basecamp on the weekend.

Above: Members of the De La Salle Venturer Group help out on the route for younger Scouts on the 1999 RMPC.

Having used our three nearest mountain ranges for RMPCs since 1995, it was decided that the 1998 Regional MPC would be held in the Wicklow mountains. The event took place from the 18th to the 20th of September with most troops from the Region once again taking part. There were two different routes which were based around the fantastic Glendalough area and for many Scouts it was their first taste of what Wicklow has to offer.

Above: The Waterford and South Kilkenny Regional MPC 2000 contingent at Ned Curran's in the Comeraghs.

1999 saw us back in the Knockmealdowns with a good dose of mist and fog to test the navigation skills. Crotty's March was the title of the 2000 Regional MPC which was held in the Comeraghs from the 7th to the 9th of July. It was organised by the leadership team of the De La Salle Scout Unit and despite less than ideal weather conditions, it proved to be very successful.

Above: On the summit of Galtymore during the 1996 Mountain Pursuit Challenge.

1995	Knockmealdowns	2003	Comeraghs
1996	Galtees	2004	Knockmealdowns
1997	Comeraghs	2005	Comeraghs
1998	Wicklow	2006	Galtees
1999	Knockmealdowns	2007	Comeraghs
2000	Comeraghs	2008	Comeraghs
2001	Comeraghs	2009	Comeraghs
2002	Galtees	2010	TBC

Above: Taking a rest break in the Knockmealdowns during the first ever Regional MPC.

There is a gear check every Friday night on a County MPC and all the gear listed in the box below will be required by everybody taking part in the event. Obviously everybody is responsible for bringing their own supply of food for the weekend. It is recommended that scouts operate in patrols of between 3 and 4 so that they can share tents, cooking equipment, first aid kit, maps and compasses. We strictly carry out the gear check and have no choice but to send home any scout, venturer or leader without the minimum equipment. The gear check can also be downloaded in pdf format here.