WILD SNOWDONIA
The 10 Peaks Charity Challenge
17th – 19th June 2022
The Snowdonia 10 Peaks Challenge is an epic weekend of adventure, taking on the wild and breathtaking mountains of Snowdonia. A team of 100 people will come together on this incredible challenge to raise awareness and important funds for the Wilderness Foundation, a charity that works to support vulnerable people as well as the planet. In a celebration of nature and it’s remarkable powers for well-being, it’s a chance to get together, enjoy the outdoors, meet like-minded individuals but most importantly, raise money for an important cause. With hiking, swimming, good food and socialising it’s set to be an exhilarating, fun and challenging weekend.
CHALLENGE DETAILS
We’ll cover 15 miles, 10 peaks and over 1400 meters in ascent in a single day. The terrain is varied with rocky ridges, high summits, twisting paths, mountain lakes and rolling hills.
The route we will follow is off the beaten path, based in the remote Carneddau mountain range – which is the largest area of high ground in Wales and England. It starts in the middle of the Snowdonia mountain range, we’ll climb up to our first summit Pen yr Ole Wen 978m and then take a stunning line of summits and ridges, heading north towards the sea. We’ll finish with an optional swim in the sea at Llanfairfechan.
The challenge will be ably guided by a team of highly experienced and qualified mountaineers from Dave Talbot Adventure Events Team.
The Wilderness Foundation is our chosen charity as they not only support people but the planet too, in a mutually beneficial relationship. Through education and therapy programs, they help young people and adults reconnect to society and themselves through outdoor adventures, therapy and mentoring. Their immersive programs highlight the positive impact of wild nature on personal and social well-being, whilst developing stewardship for nature and wild places.
The Wilderness Foundation mission is to preserve wild places and change lives through outreach programmes that educate, inspire and reconnect people facing a number of challenges in their lives. They create opportunities for those wishing to learn more about their relationship with the natural world and what they can do to protect it.
Some of their projects include:
- The Blossom Project, taking domestic violence survivors through outdoor therapy and trauma support, integrating bushcraft techniques, outdoor cooking and tree planting to connect them with nature.
- Down To Earth allotments, where volunteers from backgrounds of addiction, learning disability and chronic illness are immersed in an allotment community and taught how to grow their own food sustainably.
- Brave Futures, a nature based group therapy programme for those who have experienced grief, trauma, social isolation, anxiety and depression. Activities include walking, foraging and nature art.
- TurnAround, an intensive 6 month mentorship programme for vulnerable young people. Through the power of nature and intensive specialist care they help individuals build confidence, resilience, teamwork and empowerment.
The content of the Wilderness Foundation’s programmes aim to equip and enable people to acquire skills from within themselves to navigate their futures safely and successfully. They currently engage over 6,000 people per year with the benefits and enjoyment of wild nature, but need our help to be able to offer more.
FUNDRAISING GOALS FOR EACH PERSON
Each individual should aim to raise at least £250. If we achieve this we can collectively smash a £25,000 target which will have a huge impact on the Wilderness Foundations valuable work. There are many ways that you can reach out to people for support and we will help you in our communal facebook group with tips on how to maximise your fundraising efforts.
We are using the Just Giving Platform where we have set up a Fundraising Team. Once you have successfully booked your place, you will be invited to the team to create your personalised fundraising page. Here you can update your donors on your training and add your own pictures. All donations will be combined into the big pot total to help achieve the £25,000 goal.
COST
The cost of the weekend is £250.
This is payable in full in order to confirm your place. This event is not for profit, every penny of this £250 goes towards covering the weekend’s accommodation, food, hiking guides and transport.
THE CHARITY HIKE IS NOW SOLD OUT BUT JOIN A WAITING LIST AS THERE MAY BE CANCELLATIONS BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Accommodation – Accommodation is provided at the stunning Doblen Hall on Friday and Saturday night.
- Food – Dinner on Friday night, breakfast on the challenge day, a packed lunch for the challenge day, a celebration meal Saturday night and breakfast before departing on Sunday, is all provided. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.
- Mountain Guides – You’ll get our expert mountain guidance across the challenge event. Dave Talbot Adventure Events instructional team are experienced mountain professionals and will safely guide you throughout the challenge. This is a group event, not a race.
- Transport – Transport is provided around the challenge and back to the accommodation. This means you can leave your vehicle at the accommodation for the weekend and just enjoy the hiking, without having to worry about the logistics.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- Transport to Snowdonia – You’ll need to make your own way to Snowdonia for the weekend.
- Alcoholic drinks – We’ll provide hot and cold drinks but alcoholic drinks will have to be bought. Feel free to bring sone tipple for the celebratory evening if you fancy!
- Personal spending money
ACCOMMODATION
The grounds of the Dolben Hall are stunning and we’ll have the whole site to ourselves. Situated on a 25-acre site in the heart of the Cefn Valley, North Wales, the hall is surrounded by a forest, natural caves, limestone rock faces and nestles on the banks of the River Elwy.
There are many large bell tents comfortably furnished and sleeping a maximum of 5 people. In the house there are large dorms with single and bunk beds. All places on the challenge will be in shared accommodation, split into male and female tents and dorms unless you are already a group of people booking together. The accommodation is basic but with comfy beds, hot showers, washing facilities, plenty of space and the glorious outdoors, it’s all we need. Sleeping bags are required.
FITNESS
A good base level of fitness will be required to take on the challenge. This is a group-guided trip through the heart of the Snowdonia national park, covering 15 miles and over 1400 meters of ascent and descent in a single day. It will be tough and it’s important that you undergo practice hikes in the run-up to the challenge.
Once you have booked, the team will provide you with training ideas and the community facebook group will give you the opportunity to meet up with others booked on the challenge for practice hikes.