Ten Tors challengers cross the finish line

Teams taking part in the Ten Tors have been crossing the finish line throughout Sunday morning and into the afternoon.

A total of 2,400 teenagers started the challenge on Saturday, to navigate themselves in teams of four or six across routes of 35, 45 or 55 miles (56, 72 or 88km).

Supporting them was Ray Mears, TV presenter, author and survival expert - who praised participants' navigational skills.

True to form, Dartmoor's weather kept teams on their toes - with an enforced break on Saturday due to heat, making way for forecast rain on Sunday afternoon.

A festival atmosphere at Ten Tors

Torquay Boys Grammar described "tough times" but said team work got them through.

One member added: "It's the best thing for camaraderie you could ever do as friends...there were really really tough times but we picked each other up, but we're here now, we got through it."

Another said they had had to find endurance to complete the challenge, adding: "The first day we tried really pushing, getting 30 miles done, which meant today was a bit easier."

A team from Wellington School in Somerset was the first to cross the finish line for the 35 mile (56km) route at about 08:30 BST on Sunday morning, with QEH Bristol following them.

Medals ready for the Jubilee Challenge

Alongside the main expedition there was also the Jubilee Challenge, in which about 400 young people with special physical or educational needs complete routes of up to 15 miles (24km).

This year's Ten Tors was also host to the first Jubilee Challenge Plus.

Organisers said this was aimed at young adults with special educational needs and disabilities who were capable of an overnight stay, but may find the Ten Tors challenge inaccessible.

Students from Bideford College completed the Jubilee Challenge Plus and described the event as "painful" but "fun".

Crossing the finish line, one said: "[I am] tired and in a lot of pain at the moment but I got through it and I'm very happy about that. I'm very proud of myself."

Another team mate added: "I'm very exhausted after all of that, the sun has not helped.

"It was fun, obviously walking up the hills was not so fun, but going down was pretty fun.

"It was just relieving at 17:00 yesterday getting to the camp and going to sleep."

Ray Mears gave a motivational speech to young people

On Saturday, Ray Mears told the BBC: "We need to roll this kind of thing out across the whole country because it's so powerful."

"What you don't see of course is all the incredible training they have been doing for months."

Describing Dartmoor as "really special", he said the terrain made navigating challenging, making a compass vital.

He said teamwork was essential, adding: "There will be moments when they will feel like they want to give up...but they find a way of working together."

Ten Tors finish line

Lt Col (Retd) Tony Clark OBE was awarded with his own honour at the 62nd Ten Tors challenge.

The advisor to Director Ten Tors received an award for the 31 years of service he has dedicated to the event.

Lt Col Clark said he was "delighted" to be recognised and the perpetual award, named in his honour, will go to the "champion enabler" of future events.

He said: "I started off 31 years ago looking after the Moor Support Group who are responsible for everything that is going on outside on the moor as opposed to what's going on in the camp.

"I was really delighted to receive an award for the number of years I've put into Ten Tors as an advisor and it's going to be a perpetual award, awarded to the champion enabler - the people who are helping to run Ten Tors for the youngsters here, and my name will continue to go for it."

Lt Col (Retd) Tony Clark OBE received an award for his years of service to Ten Tors

Mr Clark also praised the young people involved in the challenge, describing them as "future ambassadors of Dartmoor".

He said: "People complain about youth, it's nonsense, give them the right challenge and they can actually turn up trumps.

"The enthusiasm, the ability to talk to people, learning about Dartmoor.

"Dartmoor is my home, it's the most wonderful place and if I can get them enthused, they are the future ambassadors of Dartmoor and they're the most amazing people."