JDRF South Downs Trail Challenge

Why book with Charity Challenge?

Everything included from the moment you arrive. Free car parking, breakfast buffet, lunch and snacks at checkpoints throughout the day and then a glass of champagne and food to celebrate at the end.

• Chip timing package to record your time.
• Fully routemarked event.
• High quality waterproof maps and electronic route details provided.
• Support Leaders roaming the entire route to help and support you.
• Safety checkpoints along the whole route. Food and drink will be available at each checkpoint, along with firast aid assistance.

The usual high quality Charity Challenge event experience!

Level of Difficulty

The JDRF South Downs Trail Challenge is graded as extreme. This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind, who have taken part in other trekking and running challenges and now wish to test themselves in a slightly more extreme environment. You can tell your supporters that on your JDRF South Downs Trail Challengeyou will be:

• Covering a marathon distance of 26.2 miles.
• Taking on the varied, undulating terrain of the South Downs National Trail.
• Ascending over 600m across the whole route.

Clothing and Equipment

Equipment of good quality and durability could make the difference between a fantastic challenge experience and an uncomfortable one. For this challenge, waterproof and well-worn in boots or trail shoes will be indispensable. The terrain is uneven and can be very rough, so it is vital that you use either boots or trail running shoes with good grip. Sports trainers are not suitable.

A full kit list for this challenge can be found here and this outlines the different kit required for those looking to trek during the challenge and those looking to run.

Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners The Outdoor Shop, Outdoor Hire and Cotswold Outdoor.

Training

The JDRF South Downs Trail Challenge is a long, sustained event of up to 12 hours and covering remote terrain with steep ascents and descents. Therefore it requires a good level of fitness. The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, walking and running along similar terrain. However, if you do not have the luxury of living near the great outdoors, then the gym or running/walking in your local area are good places to start. Most training should be part of an ongoing lifestyle, but if this is not the case then you should begin training 4-6 months prior to the challenge and gradually build up. Remember to use the clothes, equipment and especially the shoes that you will be wearing on the challenge in order to get them worn in.

The more you exercise before the challenge, the more you will get out of it. Also see your Charity Challenge Fitness Training notes.

Money

During the challenge there are limited opportunities to spend any money. You will pass through a small village with a shop. We would advise you should need no more than £20.00, excluding your joining and returning home travel costs.

Insurance

We don’t offer insurance for our UK trips, as any medical emergencies would naturally be covered through the NHS. If you wish, you could look into your own policy that covers cancellation for travel within the UK.

How will I follow the route?

The route will be fully waymarked with very easy to follow route markings. On top of this you will also be provided with a high quality, waterproof Ordance Survey map of the route. We will also provided written route directions in an electronic form alongside pdf copies of the route and gpx files for those wishing to use GPS technology.

Additional to this, the route will also be monitored by our Support Leaders and all particpants will be required to sign in at each checkpoint.

We employ experienced and fully qualified mountain leaders to work as Support Leaders. The mountain leaders are first aid qualified and have extensive experience in leading expeditions throughout Britain and overseas. They will be carrying full safety equipment and mountain first aid kits with them at all times.

Climate

As you know, the weather in the UK can be highly unpredictable and at times erratic, so being prepared is the key! We will run UK challenges between April and October, and although the summer months of June-August should be, in general, warmer, sunnier and more stable in terms of the weather conditions, we all know that this isn’t always the case. Please check the weather forecasts up to ensure that you bring clothing suitable for warm sunny walking weather and also sudden wind and downpours should they occur.

Terrain

Despite its location in the UK, the difficulty of this trek should not be underestimated as it includes one long day of hiking or running, with tough ascents and descents. The route is on good paths, but it's the variation of terrain that makes this challenge a unique and fun experience. In particular terrain along the cliff tops of the Severn Sisters Country Park can be loose and rocky, and the ascents and descents here are short but steep.

Responsible Tourism

At Charity Challenge we are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism. On this challenge in particular, we always liaise with the rangers at the South Downs National Park to make sure that we minimise our impact on the local environment. Our leaders care passionately for the environment and will be keen to talk to you about how you can do your bit to conserve the local area and enhance your experience. We believe that acting responsibly should add to your enjoyment of the challenge so we won’t lecture you about not dropping litter. Instead we’d like to encourage you to support the ‘South Downs National Trail’ who maintain the excellent footpaths we will be walking on. The South Downs National Trail have an excellent website that provides information on their fantastic work and allows you to donate to them directly. Their website can be viewed here. We would also like to encourage all our participants to spend a little extra time in the local area. Why not consider booking an extra night in a local B&B, and go out for a meal in one of the excellent local pubs after the challenge? Not only will you be able to celebrate your achievements but you will also be putting more money back into the local area. For extra information, please visit our Responsible Tourism section.

Challenge Timings

Your challenge begins early in the morning and you will need to arrive at the registration point for 6.00am in order to maximise the time available to complete the challenge (precise arrival times and instructions will be sent out 1 month prior to the challenge) When you arrive you will be able to register and then enjoy a breakfast snack whilst meeting your support team and listening to the safety briefing.

After registration you will be transferred to the start of the route for a 7.30am start. Please note that this transfer takes approximately 45 minutes so please arrive at registration promptly.

We expect the final people to arrive back at the finish at around 20.00. Delays can happen, and the return time will all depend on the speed that you walk, so please do try and book flexible return arrangements. at each checkpoint we will be imposing cut-off times so that we can safely manage the event At the finish there will be food available before you depart.

Getting there

We will confirm the event registration point in Eastbourne no later than 1 month prior to the start of the challenge. 

Food & Drink

A simple breakfast will be available at registration, however we would encourage you to see this as an added breakfast and to make sure that you have had a full breakfast before arriving.  Lunch will be available at each checkpoint in the form of a packed lunch and pasta salads. Food will also be available at the finish point. The drinking of alcohol the night before the challenge is strongly discouraged for your own health and safety during this tough challenge.

Toilets

There will be toilet facilities both at the start and end of the trek; however during the challenge such facilities will be limited to the great outdoors!