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2024

No departures found for 2021

Fri 16 Jul - Sun 18 Jul 2021

OVERVIEW

What to expect

ITINERARY

What you will do

COSTS

Ways to pay

ESSENTIAL INFO

All you need to know

Everything you need to know

This page provides you with a variety of information about the challenge that you might find useful.

Food & Drink

Training

Clothing & Equipment

Challenge Timings

Getting There

Level of Difficulty

Why book with Charity Challenge?

Safety

Toilets

Money

Accommodation

Responsible Tourism

Terrain

Climate

Leadership

Group Size

Insurance

Food & Drink

Dinner the evening before the challenge is included to help you settle in to the accommodation and meeting your fellow trekkers. A full safety briefing with your leaders will follow straight after dinner.
Breakfast, a packed lunch on the day of the challenge is provided, along with your celebration dinner after the challenge. Breakfast is also included on the final morning before you check-out.
The drinking of alcohol the night before the challenge is strongly discouraged for your own health and safety during this tough challenge.
We would recommend that you bring along a few of your own snacks to keep you going throughout the challenge.

Food & Drink

Dinner the evening before the challenge is included to help you settle in to the accommodation and meeting your fellow trekkers. A full safety briefing with your leaders will follow straight after dinner.
Breakfast, a packed lunch on the day of the challenge is provided, along with your celebration dinner after the challenge. Breakfast is also included on the final morning before you check-out.
The drinking of alcohol the night before the challenge is strongly discouraged for your own health and safety during this tough challenge.
We would recommend that you bring along a few of your own snacks to keep you going throughout the challenge.

Training

The Giant’s Causeway Challenge is a long, sustained event over 12 hours and covering undulating terrain with some steep ascents and descents. It requires a good level of fitness. The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, walking with particular emphasis on building up stamina on ascents and descents. However, if you do not have the luxury of living near the hills, then the stairs at home (or an office block) are a great place to start. Most training should be part of an ongoing lifestyle, but if this is not the case then you should begin training 2-4 months prior to the challenge and gradually build up as suggested. Remember to use the walking boots that you will be wearing on the challenge in order to get them worn in, and take the daysack that you will be using during the challenge.
There is no substitute for walking in the outdoors so try if possible to get out on a weekend and, if possible, train in an area with steep hills to help prepare yourself for the undulating terrain you will face on this challenge. You should progress to training with your boots on from week 4 at the latest, but preferably from week 1. The more you exercise before the expedition, the more you will get out of it. Also see your Charity Challenge Fitness Training notes.

Training

The Giant’s Causeway Challenge is a long, sustained event over 12 hours and covering undulating terrain with some steep ascents and descents. It requires a good level of fitness. The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, walking with particular emphasis on building up stamina on ascents and descents. However, if you do not have the luxury of living near the hills, then the stairs at home (or an office block) are a great place to start. Most training should be part of an ongoing lifestyle, but if this is not the case then you should begin training 2-4 months prior to the challenge and gradually build up as suggested. Remember to use the walking boots that you will be wearing on the challenge in order to get them worn in, and take the daysack that you will be using during the challenge.
There is no substitute for walking in the outdoors so try if possible to get out on a weekend and, if possible, train in an area with steep hills to help prepare yourself for the undulating terrain you will face on this challenge. You should progress to training with your boots on from week 4 at the latest, but preferably from week 1. The more you exercise before the expedition, the more you will get out of it. Also see your Charity Challenge Fitness Training notes.

Clothing & 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 will be indispensable. The terrain is uneven and can be very rough, so it is vital that you use a strong pair of canvas or leather boots with good ankle support for this challenge, coupled with a pair of good quality walking socks. Sports trainers are not suitable. The benefits of a comfortable day sack cannot be underestimated - so make sure that you train with this. Other essentials are high quality gore-tex waterproof and windproof jackets and trousers, as well as technical/wicking t-shirts rather than cotton shirts. We would like to emphasize that jeans should not be worn on this challenge. A full kit list for this challenge can be found here. Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners, Cotswold Outdoor.

Clothing & 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 will be indispensable. The terrain is uneven and can be very rough, so it is vital that you use a strong pair of canvas or leather boots with good ankle support for this challenge, coupled with a pair of good quality walking socks. Sports trainers are not suitable. The benefits of a comfortable day sack cannot be underestimated - so make sure that you train with this. Other essentials are high quality gore-tex waterproof and windproof jackets and trousers, as well as technical/wicking t-shirts rather than cotton shirts. We would like to emphasize that jeans should not be worn on this challenge. A full kit list for this challenge can be found here. Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners, Cotswold Outdoor.

Challenge Timings

Precise arrival times and instructions will be sent out 1 month prior to the challenge.

Your challenge begins the evening before the trek and you will need to arrive at the accommodation in Bushmills for 7pm for dinner and to meet your leaders before your safety briefing. 
In order to maximise the time available to complete the challenge we will have an early breakfast before transferring to the start of the trek at 6.30am to ensure we start trekking at 7.30am.
You will be walking for approximately 10-12 hours, which makes your trek a very long day. You can expect to arrive back at the finish at around 7pm. After having time to get clean and refreshed we will celebrate together with dinner at the accommodation.

Challenge Timings

Precise arrival times and instructions will be sent out 1 month prior to the challenge.

Your challenge begins the evening before the trek and you will need to arrive at the accommodation in Bushmills for 7pm for dinner and to meet your leaders before your safety briefing. 
In order to maximise the time available to complete the challenge we will have an early breakfast before transferring to the start of the trek at 6.30am to ensure we start trekking at 7.30am.
You will be walking for approximately 10-12 hours, which makes your trek a very long day. You can expect to arrive back at the finish at around 7pm. After having time to get clean and refreshed we will celebrate together with dinner at the accommodation.

Getting There

We will confirm the event location at no later than 1 month prior to the start of the challenge.
Your accommodation will be provided at the HINI hostel in Bushmills.
Bushmills is less than an hour and a half by bus from Belfast with frequent services. Please check the Translink website for precise timetables and to book tickets.
We will send across all driving details, plus the address of the accommodation, at no later than 1 month prior to departure.

Getting There

We will confirm the event location at no later than 1 month prior to the start of the challenge.
Your accommodation will be provided at the HINI hostel in Bushmills.
Bushmills is less than an hour and a half by bus from Belfast with frequent services. Please check the Translink website for precise timetables and to book tickets.
We will send across all driving details, plus the address of the accommodation, at no later than 1 month prior to departure.

Level of Difficulty

The Giant’s Causeway challenge is graded as tough. This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind, who have taken part in other trekking challenges and now wish to test themselves in a slightly more demanding environment. You can tell your supporters that on your Giant’s Causeway Challenge you will be:
•    Trekking for around 12 hours in a single day.
•    Covering a full marathon on undulating coastal terrain. That’s 26 miles!
•    Ascending over 1000m in a single day.

Level of Difficulty

The Giant’s Causeway challenge is graded as tough. This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind, who have taken part in other trekking challenges and now wish to test themselves in a slightly more demanding environment. You can tell your supporters that on your Giant’s Causeway Challenge you will be:
•    Trekking for around 12 hours in a single day.
•    Covering a full marathon on undulating coastal terrain. That’s 26 miles!
•    Ascending over 1000m in a single day.

Why book with Charity Challenge?

•    Everything included from the moment you arrive. A welcome dinner on the first evening, breakfast on the morning of the trek, packed lunch and then dinner upon competition of the trek to help you celebrate.
•    The very best challenge walking leaders, who are fully qualified, highly experienced, knowledgeable and fun. They will do everything to help you complete the challenge and have a great time doing it.
•    Two night’s accommodation to give you the opportunity to enjoy your accomplishment with your new trekking friends.
•    The highest quality Giant’s Causeway charity trekking experience on the market!

Why book with Charity Challenge?

•    Everything included from the moment you arrive. A welcome dinner on the first evening, breakfast on the morning of the trek, packed lunch and then dinner upon competition of the trek to help you celebrate.
•    The very best challenge walking leaders, who are fully qualified, highly experienced, knowledgeable and fun. They will do everything to help you complete the challenge and have a great time doing it.
•    Two night’s accommodation to give you the opportunity to enjoy your accomplishment with your new trekking friends.
•    The highest quality Giant’s Causeway charity trekking experience on the market!

Safety

Charity Challenge considers the safety of all of our participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have set up Challenge Safe, one of the most advanced and thorough safety management systems in the industry. Challenge Safe formalises our ethos when it comes to safety, and brings together the procedures and risk management strategies that we use to audit all aspects of our challenges, from vehicles to accommodation to the challenge activity itself. Your welfare is absolutely paramount!
Here are a couple of important points that you should be aware of:
•    The terrain on the challenge is often rocky and in wet conditions can be extremely slippery. Please make sure that your walking boots have good grip. Trainers are not appropriate as they lack grip.
•    The weather on the coast can be very different to inland. Please make sure you carry an additional warm layer, waterproof jacket and trousers and a hat and gloves.
•    12 hours is a long time to be out on a trek. Ensure that you eat lots throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
•    The terrain across the cliff tops can be very loose and rocky and should be taken with care.
•    Cliff tops are extremely dangerous and can be very exposed. please listen to your leaders and stay away from the edges of any exposed cliffs.

Safety

Charity Challenge considers the safety of all of our participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have set up Challenge Safe, one of the most advanced and thorough safety management systems in the industry. Challenge Safe formalises our ethos when it comes to safety, and brings together the procedures and risk management strategies that we use to audit all aspects of our challenges, from vehicles to accommodation to the challenge activity itself. Your welfare is absolutely paramount!
Here are a couple of important points that you should be aware of:
•    The terrain on the challenge is often rocky and in wet conditions can be extremely slippery. Please make sure that your walking boots have good grip. Trainers are not appropriate as they lack grip.
•    The weather on the coast can be very different to inland. Please make sure you carry an additional warm layer, waterproof jacket and trousers and a hat and gloves.
•    12 hours is a long time to be out on a trek. Ensure that you eat lots throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
•    The terrain across the cliff tops can be very loose and rocky and should be taken with care.
•    Cliff tops are extremely dangerous and can be very exposed. please listen to your leaders and stay away from the edges of any exposed cliffs.

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!

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!

Money

During the trek there are not many opportunities to spend any money. We would advise you should need no more than £20.00, excluding your joining and returning home travel costs.

Money

During the trek there are not many opportunities to spend any money. We would advise you should need no more than £20.00, excluding your joining and returning home travel costs.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided on the night before the challenge in the HINI Bushmills. You will be staying in same-sex dormitory style rooms with shared bathrooms. It's all part of the challenge!

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided on the night before the challenge in the HINI Bushmills. You will be staying in same-sex dormitory style rooms with shared bathrooms. It's all part of the challenge!

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 Giant’s Causeway 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 National Trust’ who maintain the whole UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giant’s Causeway, including the excellent footpaths we will be walking on. The National Trust have an excellent website all about their work at the Giant’s Causeway and we would recommend that you check this out before arriving for the challenge. 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 more information about accommodation and what else to do in the local area then please visit Discover Northern Ireland.
For extra information, please visit our Responsible Tourism section.

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 Giant’s Causeway 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 National Trust’ who maintain the whole UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giant’s Causeway, including the excellent footpaths we will be walking on. The National Trust have an excellent website all about their work at the Giant’s Causeway and we would recommend that you check this out before arriving for the challenge. 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 more information about accommodation and what else to do in the local area then please visit Discover Northern Ireland.
For extra information, please visit our Responsible Tourism section.

Terrain

Despite its location in the UK, the difficulty of this trek should not be underestimated as it includes one long day of hiking, with tough ascents and descents. The route is predominantly on good paths, but it's the variation of loose gravel and rocks that makes this challenge a unique and fun experience. In particular real care needs to be taken when walking along any cliff tops.

Terrain

Despite its location in the UK, the difficulty of this trek should not be underestimated as it includes one long day of hiking, with tough ascents and descents. The route is predominantly on good paths, but it's the variation of loose gravel and rocks that makes this challenge a unique and fun experience. In particular real care needs to be taken when walking along any cliff tops.

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.

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.

Leadership

We employ experienced and fully qualified challenge walking leaders to accompany and lead you. They are all ‘Mountain Leader qualified and hold outdoor specific first aid certificates. They have extensive experience in leading challenges throughout Britain and overseas. They will be ultimately responsible for the running of the itinerary and the safety of your group. They will be carrying full safety equipment and mountain first aid kits with them at all times.

Leadership

We employ experienced and fully qualified challenge walking leaders to accompany and lead you. They are all ‘Mountain Leader qualified and hold outdoor specific first aid certificates. They have extensive experience in leading challenges throughout Britain and overseas. They will be ultimately responsible for the running of the itinerary and the safety of your group. They will be carrying full safety equipment and mountain first aid kits with them at all times.

Group Size

Our minimum group size for this challenge is 20 and the maximum is 50. There will be one challenge walking leader per approximately 10-15 participants and you may find you will naturally walk in smaller groups according to your own pace.

Group Size

Our minimum group size for this challenge is 20 and the maximum is 50. There will be one challenge walking leader per approximately 10-15 participants and you may find you will naturally walk in smaller groups according to your own pace.

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.

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.

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ATOL protected

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate

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