Trekstock Merch for Good South Downs Challenge

Why book with Charity Challenge?

• Everything included  to ensure your safety and enjoyment on the day.
• Hostel accommodation the night before the challenge and breakfast to start.
• Packed lunch and snacks at checkpoints throughout the day and then a medal and fizz to celebrate at the end.
• Fully qualified Challenge Leaders to help and support you throughout.
• Safety checkpoints along the whole route. Food and drink will be available at each checkpoint, along with first aid assistance.
• The highest quality South Downs charity event experience on the market!

Level of Difficulty

The South Downs 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 tougher environment.

You can tell your supporters that on your South Downs Challenge you will be:

• Completing a marathon distance of 42km
• Trekking a full day on the varied and undulating terrain of the South Downs National Trail
• Ascending nearly 1000m across the whole route

Training

The South Downs 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 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.

Group Size

Our minimum group size is 20 and groups are typically made up of between 20-30 people. There will be one challenge leader for approximately every 10-15 participants.

Group Management

This is a leader-led challenge and you will be accompanied by our challenge walking leaders at all times.

We employ experienced and fully qualified walking leaders to accompany and lead you. The  leaders are first aid qualified and 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 first aid kits with them at all times.

Weather

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 March and November, 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, 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 Seven Sisters Country Park can be loose and rocky, and the ascents and descents here are short but steep.

Challenge Timings

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

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 leaders, 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 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 on the last day by approximately 6-7pm.

We expect people to be trekking for approximately 10-12 hours. 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.

Getting to and from the Challenge

We will confirm exact event locations in your 'Final Details' one month prior to the challenge.

The event registration point is usually at YHA South Downs, in the heart of the rolling Sussex countryside.

There is free parking on site a short distance from the hostel entrance. There is limited parking so please endeavour to car share wherever possible.

Southease train station is literally right on the hostel’s doorstep and can easily be accessed from Brighton or Eastbourne.

The event finishes in the small village of Falmer, just across the road from the AMEX football stadium.

Accommodation

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

Food & Drink

Breakfast on the morning of the challenge and a packed lunch will be provided as well as checkpoint snacks and drinks. The drinking of alcohol the night before the challenge is strongly discouraged for your own health and safety during this tough challenge.

Please note that dinner is not included, but is available at the hostel.

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 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 a good grip. Sports trainers are not suitable.

A full kit list for this challenge is available on the website 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.

Toilets

Public toilets are passed at several places along the route. Outside of these opportunities, toilets will be limited to the great outdoors!

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.

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 few important points that you should be aware of:

• The terrain on the Seven Sisters is steep 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. Walking poles are very useful.
• The weather on the coast can quickly change and there is little shelter from wind and rain. 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 the Downs. Ensure that you eat lots throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.

Emergencies

Your leadership team is trained to deal with emergency situations in remote areas and will be carrying mobile phones 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 walk at a pace ‘beyond your ability’. There will always be a wide variety in people’s walking abilities which will be carefully managed by the leader team. This team will keep the group together for maximum safety and set a sensible pace for all to achieve this challenge within the planned time frame. Should you find yourself unable to continue for any reason, then our support team, including our support vehicle, will be able to assist you coming off the challenge.

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.

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. You can see our cancellation policy within our terms and conditions here. If you wish, you could look into your own policy that covers cancellation for travel within the UK.

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 has 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.