Irish Triple Challenge

Level of difficulty

This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind, and are looking for a weekend challenge to test themselves. Participants should feel comfortable cycling for around 4-5 hours and including ascents and descents. You will not need to be to an experienced kayaker or have ever even been in a kayak, just somebody with a willing sense of adventure.
During the challenge you will be:

•    Climbing to the summit of the Carrauntoohil – 13km, and approx. 5-6 hours trekking.

•    Cycling 55km along part of the Ring of Kerry, included the lung-pumping ascent of the Gap of Dunloe – approx. 4-5 hours in total.

•    Kayaking 1.5km around Loch Muckross, taking approx. 1.5 hours.

Booking with Confidence

We understand that there may be a little uncertainty around booking in the current climate so we have created a 'Booking With Confidence' policy to help you book your next Charity Challenge with absolute confidence.

Book with the knowledge that:

• We are putting significant measures in place to make your challenge Covid Safe
• We have flexible payment options
• We have ATOL and International Passenger Protection financial cover for your peace of mind*

We will offer you a number of options if we cannot operate your challenge due to Covid-19 :

• postpone your challenge to a later departure
• join any other challenge
• transfer your place to another person
• receive a refund of monies paid for the challenge

Full info and T&C's on our Booking With Confidence policy

Keeping Safe post-Covid

This challenge is planned to start running in 2021 when we hope that we will live in a ‘post-Covid’ world. Please rest assured that Charity Challenge will continue to monitor all of the latest advice from both the government and local authorities and will ensure that all of our safety systems are up to date.

Our safety advice for our UK challenge’s running in the autumn of 2020 can be viewed here. This document will be amended as and when the advice changes.

Emergencies

Your leading team are trained to deal with emergency situations in remote areas and will be carrying a mobile phone and radios in case the emergency services need to be contacted. The event is not run as a race and you will never be encouraged to go at a pace ‘beyond your ability’. There will always be a wide variety in people’s abilities which will be carefully managed by the leaders. If we find that you are unable to complete any day of the activities, then we will arrange for you to be collected by the support vehicle and taken to the accommodation. 

Accommodation

Accommodation will be in a local youth hostel. You will be sleeping in same-sex dormitories with shared bathroom facilities. Remember, it's all part of the challenge!
The precise location of the hostel will be provided one month prior to the challenge.

Challenge timings

You will be sent precise timings and locations one month prior to the start of this challenge.

Friday evening: The group will meet at the hostel at approximately 8pm to have the challenge safety briefing. It is vital that you attend this briefing.

Saturday: The challenge itself commences with the cycle route. There will be some initial checks to make sure that everyone’s bike is correctly setup and that everyone is comfortable on their bike. The challenge will then begin at around 9am.
We anticipated that you will reach the kayak section at approximately 2-3pm and that this section will take approximately 2 hours to complete.
From the loch it is then a short 5km cycle back to the accommodation where there will be the opportunity to freshen up before dinner.

Sunday: Today is an early start as we have a short bus transfer to the start of the trekking route. You should expect to be leaving at approximately 7am and beginning the trek at 8am. We anticipated that everyone will have completed the trek and returned to Killarney by 2-3pm.
Upon returning to Killarney you will be free to depart.

Please note that depending on the number of people taking part in this challenge it may be necessary for some groups to complete the challenge in a different order of activities.

Responsible Tourism

At Charity Challenge we are committed to responsible tourism. 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 will give you some background on how to travel responsibly but we won’t lecture you. 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 local accommodation options check out the Visit Killarney website. 
For extra information, please visit our Responsible Tourism page.

Terrain

Cycle: The cycle route uses good quality paved country roads.

Trek: The trekking route follows a good quality footpath. The section up the devil’s ladder has some loose, scree rock that can be slippy when wet.

Weather

As you know, the weather in Ireland can be highly unpredictable and at times erratic, so being prepared is the key! This challenge can run 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 prior to the challenge but always ensure that you bring with you clothing and equipment suitable for all possible weather conditions. Remember that sunny weather at the bottom of the mountain doesn’t guarantee sunny weather on the top!

Getting to and from the challenge

You should plan to arrive on Friday evening with plenty of time to make the safety briefing at 8pm.

Exact timings and instructions will be sent one month prior to the challenge date, including the precise address for the accommodation for the challenge. Killarney is situated in the south west of Ireland and is easily accessed from the mainland UK by a variety of options.

Flights: It is possible to fly directly to (Farranfore), Kerry Airport which is 15 minutes outside Killarney. However, this is not a major airport and so not regularly served by major airlines.
More major airports are Shannon (2 hours drive), Cork (2 hour drive) or Dublin (5 hours drive).
Hire cars are readily available at all of these airports.

Train: Killarney is linked by rail to both Cork and Dublin and has regular services. It is a 3 hour train journey from Dublin to Killarney and a 2hr journey from Cork. 7 connections are also available every day to travel from Farranfore to Killarney by train.
For timetables and tickets please visit the Irish Rail website here.

Bus: Killarney is very well served by the Irish national bus service, Bus Eireann. For more details, and to book tickets please visit their website here.

Please note: Whilst we shall do all we can to stick to this finish time, please make sure you book flexible return tickets as delays can happen and we cannot guarantee a precise finishing time or be held responsible for any missed transport.

Group size

Our typical group size for this challenge is between 10 and 30 people. We always try to operate on a small group basis. Typically, there will be one challenge leader for each 10 participants. 

Toilets

During the days of the challenge toilet facilities are limited to the great outdoors. Your leaders will be able to give you advice on the appropriate toilet etiquette for each day.

Insurance

From the 1st January 2021 the Irish governments agreement around healthcare for UK nationals visiting Ireland is changing. We encourage all participants to make sure that they are aware of these changes by reading the UK government advice here.

We would recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that includes cover for medical treatment and associated costs. Your safety when travelling with Charity Challenge is our main concern, which is why it is a booking condition that you have a suitable travel insurance policy, which covers you for the adventurous nature of your challenge, the activities you are undertaking, and the altitudes. We have chosen to partner with specialist travel insurance providers Campbell Irvine, who offer cover for an extensive number of adventurous activities. Cover is available directly from Campbell Irvine for most European residents and includes cover for emergency medical and repatriation and for your cancellation or curtailment of the challenge. Full details including costs may be found by clicking here.

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:

• Make sure you have all of the kit listed as essential on the kit list.
• The Irish weather can be extremely variable, so we recommend that you have two hats and gloves and warm layers to ensure that you always have a dry item to wear on each day.
• This is a significant physical challenge over a prolonged period of time. Please make sure that your fitness level is suitable to meeting this challenge.
• Make sure that you take care around the campsite.

Training

This challenge will have you biking, kayaking and hiking around the stunning McGillycuddy Reeks, therefore requiring a good level of fitness.

The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, hill walking and cycling. 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 hills so try if possible, to get out on a weekend and train in an area with steep hills. 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.

Your training should also include some cycle training, preferably including some hills. The cycling section of this challenge takes place on paved country lanes, and you should gear your training to being comfortable on a bike and have experience of cycling up hills.

For the kayaking, no prior experience is necessary, although if you have the opportunity to go to a local kayaking club then this would help you when you arrive for the challenge. Kayaking requires good upper body strength, so if possible, doing some exercises or light weights to build your strength would be advantageous.

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, you may wish to change kit between each activity. You will be able to leave any extra equipment in the support van.

A full kit list for this challenge can be found here.

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

Trek Section: The trek takes place in a remote and mountainous environment, away from roads and immediate access to vehicle evacuation. It is therefore extremely important that you come prepared with the correct kit for this challenge. Please ensure that your waterproof jacket is able to keep you dry when subjected to rain for several hours at a time, and that you also have waterproof trousers as legs get just as wet as tops. Footwear should also be waterproof and most importantly should have good grip. Sports trainers are not appropriate for the terrain of this challenge. We also ask you to ensure that you bring with you additional warm layers, along with hat and gloves. It is important to remember that the weather on the summit can often be considerably different to the weather at the bottom.

Bike Section:  We would recommend a pair of cycling shorts or trousers to wear for this section. You will have the opportunity to change into them before completing this section. Whilst you are welcome to take your day-sack on the bike with you, we would recommend that you keep this in the support van to make the bike section more comfortable. Because your bikes are being hired we cannot guarantee that they will be compatible with cycling shoes and so we recommend that you prepare to wear trainers for cycling in.

Kayak Section: You do not need to have a wetsuit or swimming costume for this section. Most people complete this part of the challenge wearing the same clothes that they used for the cycle section. However, if you wish to bring separate clothes for this section then you will have the opportunity to change into them before undertaking this section of the challenge. You will need to wear shoes or trainers whilst in the kayaks, so you may wish to consider bringing along a spare pair of old trainers.

After you have completed the kayak section you will still be required to cycle the final 5km back to the accommodation in Killarney.

Please be aware that because of the environment that this challenge takes place in our leaders may ask to see the vital parts of your kit during the initial briefing. Participants found without kit marked as essential on the kit list may not be allowed to take part in the challenge.

How do we follow the route?

This is a fully supported, leader led challenge. We do not provide route marking for either the cycle or the trek.

Leadership

You will be accompanied by fully qualified challenge leaders who are all first aid trained. Our leaders are the very best, and many of them lead on our overseas challenges. They have a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and are there to keep everyone safe and happy. We always ask all of our participants to respect any decision that any of the leaders has to make.

For the cycle and kayak sections of this challenge you will be instructed by qualified cycle and kayak leaders. For the trek your leaders will all hold a mountain leader qualification.

How is the group managed?

Our maximum group size for this challenge is 30. Charity Challenge operates all of it’s challenges as team events. This challenge is not run as an individual event so please come prepared to help other members of the team. As all of our challenges have a strong ‘charity fundraising’ aspect then this is a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people who have incredible stories to tell. 

Depending on the final number of people we may need to have separate groups doing the activities at different times.

Food and drink

On Friday evening you will need to provide your own food. There are plenty of excellent places to eat in Killarney. 

On Saturday you will be provided with a breakfast and a packed lunch during the day along with snacks and water at several checkpoints. You may also wish to bring your own snacks or energy bars to help power you through the day. Dinner will be provided at the hostel.

On Sunday you will be provided with breakfast and a packed lunch to take on the trek.

We can easily cater for most dietary requirements. Please indicate your dietary requirements on your booking form. If you have any concerns about this then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Why book with Charity Challenge?

•    We are a multi-award winning challenge events specialist with over two decades of professional experience organising and leading challenges worldwide
•    Thorough safety management systems in place (Challenge Safe) 
•    The very best 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.
•    Fully qualified cycle and kayak leaders who will also provide expert instruction to guide you through each activity.
•    Hire of bikes and kayaks is included in the cost, as well as all safety equipment.
•    Cycling part of the famous Ring of Kerry one of Ireland’s most stunning routes.
•    Summit the highest mountain in Ireland, Carrauntoohil (1,038m).
•    Kayak on Loch Muckross in the shadow of Ross castle.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

We do not professionally vet your medical details. Please assess for yourself whether you are fit and able to take on the challenge. Please review the detailed Trip Notes and itinerary to get a better idea of what is involved. Please speak to your doctor or specialist if you have any concerns about taking part. If you think that there are things we can do to make the challenge more accessible/comfortable for you, it is your responsibility to let us know, and we will then let you know if we can accommodate your request.

Medical Support

First Aid qualified staff will be provided with the medical details that you give on your booking form but please note that they are on the challenge to support with medical matters related to the challenge environment and terrain itself, i.e. heat/cold, high altitude and so on. They will deal with any incidents and accidents (cuts, sprains, breaks and so on). They are not intended to continue any ongoing specialist medical care that you receive in the UK for pre-exiting medical conditions, and should not be assumed to have any professional experience of your specific medical condition.

If you have any specific needs around pre-existing medical conditions, you should discuss with your family doctor or specialist in advance and can discuss any advice given by them with the challenge leader or doctor.