Test March Series

The Point to Point test march is staged in the Eastern Beacons range and is the oldest test march to remain unchanged still active on Selection. The RVs are spread out across mountainous terrain with a sequence of demanding climbs and testing descents, predominantly across established trails with two sectors of off trail terrain. Point to Point remains the truest fitness time trial test march with high ground speed movement required to beat the clock in a bid to pass through multiple summit RVs, featuring a number of the steepest ascents in the range. Cliff faces, exposure to high winds and a potential river crossing form the prominent hazards to this test march.  Exercise Point to Point operates off the OS#160 Brecon Beacons map sheet.

The Ricochet test march operates off a hand drawn sketch map. Map sheet OS #160 Brecon Beacons is carried for safety backup. The terrain is flat to undulating with extremely wet underfoot conditions over the multiple zones of marshland and bogs. In warmer months reed and grass length can reach waist height, providing a major barrier to ground speed. Disciplined observation of basic navigation is required, with the route trace following the ricochet trajectory of an imagined bullet. Ricochet has the heaviest load bearing requirements of the Brecon Beacons test marches and owed to the nature of the landscape is the keystone test march and barrier to the Elan Valley-Green Desert Phase of the series. Low visibility and taxing underfoot conditions provides the greatest hazard and difficulties to successfully negotiating this Sketch Map test march exercise.

The Black Sabbath test march is staged across the sinister but spectacular Black Mountain landscape and is based on the legendary old Heavy Carry route; a night march with a load in excess of 80lb.  The route is mountainous with especially punishing intervening terrain consisting of high hills and pockets of marshland between summit RV points.  Intelligent route selection observes both established trails and off trail/cross terrain, with water crossings, marshland, cliff faces and scree slopes forming the natural hazards to be avoided/negotiated. The Black Sabbath Test March introduces the steepest and most physically challenging ascent in the entire Brecon Beacons/Black Mountain range and is widely acknowledged as the most demanding individual test march. Black Sabbath operates off the OS #160 Brecon Beacons map sheet. The Black Sabbath exercise area should not be confused with The Black Mountains of OS 161.

The Three Kings test march operates off the OS #160 Brecon Beacons map sheet. The march is staged in the western Beacons and is unique in that it follows a linear route .The march area is mountainous, taking on three major peaks across spectacular terrain and features the single longest expanse of open and featureless terrain of the entire Test March Series, the major hurdle of the Three Kings march.

The Green Desert Phase consists of two test marches; Elan North and Elan South, staged over consecutive days under field conditions, and cumulatively assessed as a singular test. Elan Valley is widely referred to as the Green Desert, a barren green landscape of rolling hills and vast, empty, flat to undulating expanses of marshland, hidden bogs, reeds and babies’ heads, with serious fast moving water obstacles. The terrain is treacherous, taxing and slow going underfoot with limited landmarks and prominent features to support navigational aid. The Elan Valley is prone to extremely heavy levels of rainfall and poor visibility throughout the year. Both routes encounter multiple cliff features and streams that can flood into rivers, presenting a serious obstacle and hazard. The Green Desert phase is the most physically and mentally taxing element of the Test March Series and the final barrier to the Endurance march; The Long Drag. Elan North & South operate off OS:147 Elan Valley map sheet.

The Long Drag is the final test march in the series and is staged across the Brecon Beacons & Black Mountains, OS #160 & 161. This endurance march visits segments encountered on the Point to Point, Iron Man, Ricochet and the Three Kings routes. Known more commonly as Endurance over the last 25 years this final hurdle is the longest march in the series, with phases of the course undertaken across two windows of darkness. The legendary Long Drag has been in place since the original 1953 SAS Selection course and is both the ultimate soldiering test march and a Special Forces pilgrimage of world renown.