Jurassic Coast Challenge

Level of Difficulty

The Jurassic Coast challenge is graded as tough. This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind, who wish to test themselves in a slightly more demanding environment. You can tell your supporters that on your Jurassic Coast Challenge you will be:

• Trekking for around 6 hours in a single day.
• Covering 21km of undulating coastal terrain.
• Ascending over 600m.

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.
• 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 saty away from the edges of any exposed cliffs.

Toilets

Toilet facilities are limited on the trek and your leaders will let you know where these are. There are toilets at the start and finish points; however during the rest of the challenge such facilities will be limited to the great outdoors!

Food & Drink

Dinner is NOT provided on the evening that you arrive at your hotel. Food is available at the hotel, or elsewhere in Sandbanks.

Breakfast*, a packed lunch, and snacks are provided on the day of the challenge, along with your celebratory dinner*.

Breakfast* is included on your final morning before departing.

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.

* Organised by the charity Ben.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided on the night before the challenge, and the night after the challenge in the Sandbanks Hotel near Poole. Accommodation is provided in single rooms. This has been organised by the charity Ben.

Getting There

Your accommodation will be provided at the Sandbanks Hotel.

We will send across all relevant details a few weeks prior to the challenge.

Challenge Timings

Your challenge begins the evening before the trek and you will need to arrive at the Sandbanks Hotel ready for an 8am start the following morning.

In order to maximise the time available to complete the challenge we will have breakfast before leaving the hotel at 8am for a 45 minute transfer to the start point in Kimmeridge Bay.

Those not staying at the hotel should plan to meet the group in Kimmeridge Bay at 8:45am.

After registration and a important safety briefing, we will aim to start the trek just after 9am.

You will be walking for approximately 6-7 hours and can expect to arrive at the finish in Swanage at around 4pm. Delays can happen, and the return time will all depend on the speed of your group.

You will be transferred back to the Sandbanks Hotel for dinner at the end of the challenge.

Responsible Tourism

At Charity Challenge we are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism. On this challenge in particular, we always aim to make sure that we minimise our impact on the local environment.

We would also encourage everyone to consider spending some extra time in this beautiful area, and a whole variety of activity ideas, things to see and do along with accommodation and food and drink options can be found at the Jurassic Coast website. By spending a little bit more time in the area you will be helping contribute to the local economy of the area.

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.

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 walking expedition leaders to accompany and lead you. The walking 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 first aid kits with them at all times.

Group Size

The group is expected to be between 40 and 50 people. There will be one expedition mountain leader per approximately 10-12 participants and you may find you will naturally walk in smaller groups according to your own pace.

Money

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

Training

The Jurassic Coast Challenge is a long, sustained event over 12 hours and covering undulating terrain with steep ascents and descents. Therefore 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 The Outdoor Shop, Outdoor Hire and Cotswold Outdoor.

Why book with Charity Challenge?

• Everything included from the moment you arrive.Breakfast on the morning of the trek, packed lunch and dinner.
• 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.
• Ethical consideration. For every participant we donate money to the ‘South West Coast Path’ in order to protect the beautiful route that we use. We also do our best to use local suppliers, which helps us to put money back into the local area.
• The highest quality Jurassic Coast charity trekking experience on the market!

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 suffer from a severe allergy, you are required to contact us to discuss any requirements. 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. Whilst we will do our best to put in place appropriate measures we cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

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.