The Kinder Walk and Kinder Challenge – SCOUTS
The Kinder Walk is organised on behalf of the Derbyshire County Scout Council and is open to all members of the Scout and Guide Associations and in the email we received it says it is open to non-scouting teams too but please check directly with the organisers as the literature does not give that impression. For scouting teams there are a variety of categories and associated trophies. The Kinder Walk itself is approximately 29 km and the Kinder Challenge is around 16 km. The Walk is aimed at older Scouts, Explorer Scouts, Guides and members of Scout Network. It is a challenge of map reading and stamina in this exciting and rugged area of the Peak District. The walk is a team event – for teams of between 2 and 5, see Categories and eligibility for details on the Kinder Challenge Walk web site.
The Four Inns
Another Derbyshire Scouts organised ‘walk’. It takes in 40 miles of some of the Peak District’s Dark Peak roughest moorland between Holmfirth and Buxton. It is more of a fast walk/stumble/fall over/run than a walk – in other words, extremely competitive!
It is called the 4 Inns because it passes 3 pubs on the way plus the site of another. There are prizes for the fastest finishers and a finisher’s certificate for all teams completing this event.
The route starts at Holmbridge, past the derelict Isle of Skye Inn, crosses Bleaklow to the Snake Inn, across Kinder to the Old Nags Head Inn at Edale then over the moors to Chapel en le Frith, Goyt Valley, the Cat and Fiddle Inn and finally drops down into Buxton. There is an entry fee which may seem quite steep but please remember, even though it is organised by volunteers, the other stuff costs about £10,000. Even the Scout Association can’t subsidise that!
For your entry fee, you get …
Overnight accommodation on Friday and Saturday.
Camping available on the Friday evening.
Meals on Saturday morning & evening, and on Sunday morning.
Refreshments at most Checkpoints.
Transport on retirement to accommodation at the Finish.
Transport of kit from Holmbridge to Buxton.
First Aid and shower facilities at Buxton.
Full set of results (available on website).
Finishing Certificates (providing you finish!)
For full details including current cost, date of the next event, please visit the Four Inns web site.
For up to date details – see the four inns web page.
Peak District Challenge
An imaginatively named series of signed and marked routes in the Heart of the Peak District based at Bakewell. The last time I looked, there were 25, 50 and 100 km options. It is not a competitive event, you just walk/jog/run at your own pace. It can be done as an individual or as a team. It also doesn’t matter whether it is a personal challenge for you or as a charity fundraiser. I haven’t looked at the routes so I don’t know what the terrain is like. I suspect mainly the footpaths and roads of the White Peak – but you can check for yourself on the website – Peak District Challenge – Ultra Challenges. It looks to be well organised with covered rest areas at strategic points plus medical self-help stations for blister control, medical staff for bigger problems, massage to revitalise tired muscles and a 24 hour control room. This event is used by several charities to bolster their fundraising so you will probably see it crop up in several places.
Peak District Challenge Race
Same name but a very different kettle of fish to the Bakewell based challenge walk. This is a series of races from 10 km to 100 km with lots of height gain. Some of the races continue through the night so you need to be pretty confident at navigation. The different Peak District races are named after metals, e.g. the copper race is 10 km and the gold is the full monty 100 km. Good information here >>. There is a stew at the end and a goody bag too!
Marie Curie Peak District ‘Pick your Path’ Challenge
This one is organised by the Marie Curie cancer foundation. There are three different routes from Monyash in the White Peak. There are The Lathkill Loop of 11 Miles, The Tissington Loop of 20 Miles and the marathon distance High Peak Loop. You need to have a fundraising target of at least 200 quid. When you get back to Monyash, there will be tea, cake and soup awaiting you, plus a finisher’s medal. Full information on the Marie Curie web site.
I am sure there are many more Peak District challenge walks and runs, but hope this has given you a flavour of some of the stuff on offer.