24 Peaks

Why book with Charity Challenge

• Everything is included from the moment you arrive. Unlike other operators we include everything from hostel accommodation, your evening meal when you arrive, transfers to the start of the trek and back again and plenty of lunch and snacks whilst on the trek.
• The very best Mountain 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.
• The highest quality 24 Peaks Lake District experience on the market!

Level of Difficulty

The 24 Peaks challenge is graded as extreme. This is perfect for adventurous types who have previous experience with strenuous mountain walking within the UK, and who are looking for their next challenge. You can tell your supporters that on your 24 Peaks Challenge you will be:

• Trekking for around 24 hours across 2 days
• Summiting 24 challenging peaks in the Lake District, including Englands highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
• Trekking across some of the wildest and most remote areas of the Lake District.
• Being self sufficinet when out on the hills. There are no resupply points during the days.

Clothing and Equipment

This challenge 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 a warm layer, along with a hat and gloves.

Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners Cotswold Outdoor.

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. Participants found without kit marked on the kit list will not be allowed to take part in the challenge.

Training

This challenge is a great adventure that will have you trekking up and down an incredible 24 Peaks, therefore requiring a good level of fitness. The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, hill walking. 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 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.

Money

During the trek there will be opportunities to purchase an ice cream, some extra snacks or a cup of tea. For this you should need no more than £50, 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. Therefore, the main thing that you will not be covered for is cancellation, and you can see our cancellation policy in our terms and conditions here. If you wish, you could look into your own policy that covers cancellation for travel within the UK.

Group Size

Our minimum group size is 8 and the maximum is 50. There will be one mountain leader per 12 participants.

Leadership

We employ experienced and fully qualified mountain expedition leaders to accompany and lead you. The mountain leaders are first aid qualified and have extensive experience in leading expeditions 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 and will be in radio communication with the vehicle drivers at the base of each peak.

Climate

As you know, the weather in the UK can be highly unpredictable and at times erratic, so being prepared is the key! We 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 all weather, including warm and sunny temperatures as well as wind and downpours.

Terrain

The majority of this challenge takes place over mountain paths within the Lake District, which, although uneven underfoot, are fairly well maintained and regularly used. However, there are a couple of small sections where you will be climbing down over rocks and using your hands to help you up and down. These sections are very few and far between, but may be termed a slight 'scramble'. 

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 Lake District 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 ‘Fix the Fells’ who maintain the excellent footpaths we will be walking on. For more information about Fix the Fells please visit their excellent website by clicking 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 pages, where you will be able to view a list of the other projects that we currently support.

Challenge Timings

Your challenge begins on the evening before the trek, and you should arrive at the confirmed accommodation by approximately 7pm in the evening. You will then meet the leader, as well as the rest of your challenge team, in time for your safety briefing.

The challenge will begin the next morning with a very early start and some breakfast prior to beginning the trek. You should expect to be trekking for around 12 hours each day.

You should expect to finish the challenge by approximately 6-7pm.

Getting there

We will confirm all of your 'Final Details' one month prior to the challenge.

The base for your challenge is normally the YHA Ambleside.

Limited car parking is available at no extra cost. We would strongly encourage all participants to car share where possible to limit the disturbance to local residents. The nearest train station is at nearby Windermere and buses and taxi's can take you from the train station to the hostel.

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.

Accommodation

You will spend three nights in same-sex, dormitory-style accommodation with shared bathrooms. It is all part of the challenge!

Food & Drink

You will be provided with all meals during the challenge from Saturday onwards. Breakfast and a packed lunch are included on both days during the challenge, plus dinner on the Saturday night. You may also wish to bring additional sweets and snacks to keep you going throughout the challenge.

Please note that dinner on the Friday and once the challenge is completed on the Sunday is not included. 

Toilets

There will be bathroom facilities both at the start and end of the trek each day. However, during the challenge such facilities will be limited to the great outdoors!

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 summits of the hills can be very different to down in the valleys. Please make sure you carry an additional warm layer, waterproof jacket and trousers and a hat and gloves.
• The ascent of Scafell Pike is particularly steep and does involve the use of your hands to a small extent.
• 12 hours is a long time to be out on the hills. Ensure that you eat lots throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.

Emergencies

Your Mountain Leader will have a mobile phone and radio in case of emergencies and the team are trained to deal with any emergency situations. The event is not run as a race though and you will not be expected to walk at a pace beyond your capabilities. Should you find yourself unable to continue for any reason, then our support team will be able to assist you coming off the challenge. A support vehicle will be available at all checkpoints. Emergencies will be coordinated with the local Mountain Rescue service.