South Downs Challenge

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 
• High quality route design that incorporates major landmarks and undiscovered highlights
• Fully supported walking challenge. Checkpoints, walking leaders and support vehicle.
• 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!
• Thorough safety management systems in place (Challenge Safe)
• Medal at the finish
• The very highest quality South Downs Challenge 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 Trek South Downs Challenge you will be:

• Completing a half marathon distance of 21km
• Trekking on the varied and undulating terrain of the South Downs National Trail

Training

Our challenges are long, sustained events and cover varied terrain. They require a good to high level of fitness and you should not underestimate the importance of training beforehand. Even if you are active and exercise regularly, it’s good to adapt your training towards your chosen challenge. This is vital in building strength, cardiovascular stamina and muscle endurance for the endurance challenge ahead.

We recommend you start training as early as possible, ideally at least 4-6 months before your challenge. Make sure you check the distance, ascent and terrain of your challenge and create a training plan that builds up to this. Whilst you could start with short walks in your local area, it’s important to build up towards walking the distance of your actual challenge and being out and active for several hours at a time. Make sure you also check the type of terrain your challenge will take place in and plan your training to include similar terrain. Whilst an hour in the gym can help, you should ideally be training in a similar environment to that of your actual challenge and for several hours at a time.

As this challenge involves steep terrain on the coast, make sure you have training days that include similarly steep sections. Building up the muscles for both ascents and descents is important and can make all the difference in enjoying your final challenge. It is normal for knees to ache when building these muscles up and we would highly recommend training with walking poles to help ease the pressure on your knees. Make sure you set up your walking poles so they’re a good length for you first – most outdoor stores will be able to advise on this and there are plenty of tutorials available online.

Focus on building up the distance walked so you are comfortable walking long distances with limited breaks. You should aim to walk at 3kmph as this is the speed we usually walk at to complete this challenge.

Training with the kit you will be using on your challenge is important so you can test it out beforehand and make sure it’s fit for purpose. This includes wearing in any walking boots or shoes and experimenting with the socks you wear so you don’t get blisters on your challenge. Make sure you also get used to walking with a backpack with at least 2 litres of water in. It’s very important to test out your waterproofs (both jacket and trousers) in the rain as there’s nothing worse than finding out your waterproofs leak 2 hours into your challenge!

A healthy balanced diet is as important as your physical training. Make sure you fuel up on energy giving carbohydrates and muscle-repairing proteins before a long training session and test out the snacks you plan to take on your challenge as you walk. Not everyone gets on with energy gels, but most people can benefit from a slow energy release banana or a quick sugar hit from a jelly baby!

We provide plenty of additional information and guidance in your personalised login area, including warm up, stretching, cardiovascular training, exercise intensity, cross training, resistance (weight) training, cool down and the hazards of over-training.

Group size

You will be joining a group of approximately 50 likeminded challenge participants. There will be one challenge leader for approximately every 10-15 participants.

Weather

As you know, the weather in the UK can be highly unpredictable and at times erratic, so being prepared is the key! Please check the weather forecasts to ensure that you bring suitable clothing and equipment for your challenge. We recommend you come prepared for any weather, which means bringing waterproofs and warm layers even if rain isn’t forecast.

We will monitor the weather in the lead up to your challenge and make adjustments to the itinerary as required to ensure your challenge can take place as safely as possible. If a significant change has to be made to your challenge itinerary due to the weather, we will inform you as soon as is reasonably possible.

It is very unlikely that we will need to make significant adjustments to your challenge because of rain. Strong winds may require us to take an alternative route at times or to descend a hill early if the wind speeds become too much. Your experienced challenge leaders will manage this to ensure everyone is kept safe and their decision will be final.

In the event that lightning is forecast, we will still plan for the challenge to go ahead but will monitor the situation and make you aware of any change of plans. If there is already thunder and lightning when a challenge is due to begin, then the challenge will not begin on time. We will ask you to wait to see if the weather improves. Once we have a clear 1 hour window during which there has been no lightning/thunder AND there is also no further lightning in the forecast we would begin the challenge. If there is any thunder or lightning at any time on a hill or mountain challenge then the challenge will end and we will start to descend immediately.

For challenges taking place during a heatwave, we will ensure there is plenty of water available for you to keep your water bottles topped up or, if this isn’t possible, we will advise you where you may need to carry more yourself. In extreme cases, we may need to adjust the itinerary to ensure the group can walk at a more suitable pace and have more rest breaks.

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 muddy, 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 walk, and you should arrive at the accommodation by approximately 8pm in the evening for registration and the safety briefing.

After breakfast, you will make your own way across to the challenge start point just outside of Eastbourne. We aim to start walking by 10am. You will be walking for approximately 6-7 hours and can expect to finish the trek by 5pm. 

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.

Getting to and from the challenge

Your accommodation will be at YHA South Downs (Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes BN8 6JS). There is a car park for the hostel. It is also next to Southease train station, although services are limited and if travelling by train you may wish to travel to Brighton or Eastbourne instead and then take a taxi to the hostel.

You will need to make your own way across to the challenge start point at Beachy Head on the Saturday morning. The exact start location will be provided in your final details document sent out 1 month before the challenge.  There is pay and display parking at the start and we will finish our trek back at the same start point.

We do recommend that you get a flexible return ticket for any public transport in case of any delays to your progress during the day. 

Accommodation

Accommodation will be at YHA South Downs in same-sex dormitories. You can expect typical hostel style accommodation, with shared bathrooms and bunkbeds. Bedding is provided for you. You will need to bring your own towel.

We encourage everyone to see the hostel as part of the challenge!

Please note: We do not offer single room supplements on our UK challenges. Please contact challenges@charitychallenge.com if you have any concerns regarding the accommodation.

Food & Drink

The following meals are included in the cost of this challenge:

• Breakfast on the Saturday morning
• A packed lunch will be available to you during the day. This usually consists of a sandwich, fruit, crisps and a snack bar.
• At each checkpoint there will be water and checkpoint snacks available. These typically include a piece of fruit, crisps and chocolate/cereal bar per person per day.

Please note that dinner is not included on the Friday evening. Dinner is available at the hostel but please book this in advance with them directly in order to guarantee availability.

We advise you to bring enough bottles to ensure you have 2 litres of water on you at all times. We would encourage you to also bring some of your own preferred snacks to keep you going during the challenge.

If you have a severe allergy or dietary need, such as a severe nut allergy, please ensure you provide as much detail as possible about this when booking on the challenge (e.g. whether you need an epipen, whether it is an airborne allergy or not etc). If you have informed us of any allergies or special dietary needs as part of the challenge booking process, we will endeavour to ensure appropriate meals and checkpoint snacks are available to you. However, we would encourage you to also bring your own favourite snacks with you to ensure your energy levels stay topped up throughout the challenge. Please be aware that it may not always be possible for us to cater to special dietary or allergy needs – we will get in touch if this is the case.

Clothing & Equipment

This is a tough challenge and to give yourself the best chance of successfully completing it please make sure that you have consulted the kit list carefully and that you have all kit marked as essential. No spare kit will be provided on the challenge.

Footwear

The most appropriate footwear for this challenge is a pair of walking boots.

Walking boots provide more ankle support than shoes and can help protect you from ankle twists and sprains. They also have much better grip than your average sports trainer. Boots generally have stiffer soles that can better protect your feet from rough and rocky terrain, providing more comfort when you’re walking on uneven terrain for any length of time. In bad weather, walking boots can also keep your feet drier and warmer.

Many people prefer to wear a trail shoe instead of boots as they find that they are lighter and more comfortable. Trail shoes are fine to wear, but please make sure that they have good grip on the soles. Sports trainers are not appropriate on any of our non-urban challenges.

It is important to wear footwear that is the right fit for your particular feet. We recommend seeking advice from your local outdoor retailer and trying several different brands and models out to find the pair that you find most comfortable. Remember to check how waterproof they are.

It is particularly important that you make sure that your footwear is well worn in, that you have tested them out with suitable walking socks and that you have any blister plasters that you may need.

Waterproofs

As the weather can change quickly in the UK, it is important to make sure that you bring an appropriate waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers. Make sure you test these out before your challenge to check they can keep you dry for several hours at a time – you don’t want to find out your waterproof jacket is too thin partway into your challenge!

Walking Poles

We highly recommend bringing walking poles to help you look after tired knees on steep ascents and descents. Your leaders will be happy to show you how to use them on the challenge, or you can check online in advance for videos on how to set them up for your height and the best way to use them.

Personal First Aid

Your leaders will carry an appropriate group first aid kit on the challenge, but it is a good idea to bring personal first aid items along for yourself. These may include blister plasters or physio tape, any personal medication and any knee or ankle supports.

If you carry an epipen, please make sure you bring two and that your leaders know where they are kept.

You will also need to consider bringing clothing and kit appropriate to the weather on the day of your challenge. Remember that the weather and temperature on the coastline can vary significantly from that inland. This may mean bringing hats and gloves as well as extra layers to keep you warm. Or it may mean bringing a sunhat, suncream and extra water. On some challenges, it will mean bringing kit for all weathers!

Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners OutdoorHire and 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 as essential may not be allowed to take part in the challenge.

Toilets

Toilet facilities are limited on this route. You will be made of aware of designated toilet points by your walking leaders. 

Where public toilets are not available then toileting is available in the great outdoors! Please make sure to follow the countryside code and take all litter, including tissues and toilet paper, home with you.

Money

During the challenge, there are limited opportunities to spend any money. 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 challenge is often muddy 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.
• Trekking along cliff tops in the dark requires an extra level of care. Whilst the footpath is set away from the cliff tops you should be aware of where the path is going at all times.

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 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-existing 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 these with your family doctor or specialist in advance and then discuss any advice given by them with the challenge leader.

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

Charity Challenge believes that all of its challenges, whether in the UK or overseas, should have a positive impact on the communities we visit. We are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and always aim to make sure that we minimise our impact on the local environment.

You can help us to achieve this goal by:

• Adopting a policy of ‘leave no trace’. You can read more about this here.
• Taking all litter off the trek with you, including fruit peels and skins.
• Using public toilets when available and taking any tissues from ‘wild wees’ home with you.
• Stick to the footpaths at all times and avoid walking on their edges, to help prevent erosion from spreading.
• Only using the car park(s) designated for your event, and not parking on the local streets.
• Keeping noise to a minimum when passing houses in residential areas.
• Refraining from bringing glowsticks with you on our night challenges. This prevents them from becoming litter on the mountains when they are dropped.
• Leaving rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Please don’t take these home with you.
• Avoid transporting and introducing invasive species by cleaning your outdoor gear regularly.
• Contributing to the local economy by paying for parking, staying an additional night in the local area or enjoying a local meal out.
• Being patient and understanding if at points you have to wait or slow down due to others being on the same path.

We ask you to think carefully about any memorial type activities you may plan for your challenge. We fully appreciate the emotional importance our challenges have for many of our participants and encourage you to mark that special moment in your own way, whilst ensuring that the natural beauty and protection of the environment you’re in is maintained. Leaving photos or other memorabilia or writing on stones is contrary to the leave no trace principle. Remember: ‘Take only memories, leave only footprints’.

For more details about our responsible tourism policy then please click here.