Castle 50 Challenge

To celebrate the club’s 50th we are thinking about a fun collaborative challenge featuring the club’s three main outside activities: climbing, walking and cycling in the Peak District. Hopefully everyone can take part, both individually and in more organised Club events
The idea started off at a club dinner, so it may need altering in the more forensic light of alcohol free thinking. So ideas, suggestions, feedback on whether it is feasible etc etc are very welcome. Originally the challenge was going to be over one week – but we thought that might be too much and it meant that if people were away that week they would miss out completely, so we have extended it to three weeks.

So each week, over three weeks, we are suggesting a different challenge. These “challenges” are meant to be fun and a combined effort (although individuals can incorporate a personal challenge) and are a chance to celebrate the club’s roots in the Peak District. Each week works out to be a bit more of a challenge than the previous week.

Hopefully Mike Doyle will do the honours of declaring the club challenge open on his birthday meet, but the challenge proper
starts on Monday 10th July . The dates and challenges are:

Week One: Monday 10th – Sunday 16th July. Cycle challenge: 500 miles of cycling in the Peak District.
Marion has offered to lead some cycling trips and the aim is for the whole club to cycle 500 miles collectively. Elen might also organise a sedate electric bike ride along the Monsal trail for those with dodgy hips or unused to cycling etc

Week Two. Sun 16th – Sun 23nd July Walk 500 Peak District miles.
Elen will liaise with anyone who would like to lead a walk on either of these Sundays and of course the Thursday walk will be the big contribution. Elen also proposes a very gentle walk around Arkwright Mill, visiting the river and the canal-side. Max 1 mile – again for those recovering from hip ops or just want a gentle walk

Week Three: Sunday 16th – Sunday 30th July Climb 500 Peak District routes. This is centred around Andrew Milne’s 60 climbs in a week (end) to celebrate his birthday. Each person climb counts, roped, unroped, leader, second etc…All routes must be in a guide book and in the Peak District.

Obviously it is difficult getting three clear weeks; Steve Warwick is organising a week’s cycling in the Isle of Man during the walking week, so some club members will be away, but hopefully there will be enough club members still around to get the miles in….

Mary will be co-ordinating the count, which hopefully will appear on the website as a running total. So if anyone does any walking, cycling, climbing in the Peak District during the relevant week – just let her know – it all counts.

Question: Should we amend the Peak District rules for those, who would like to take part, but who live some distance from the Peak District (eg Scotland) ??

Sean has suggested that the club also tries to complete the Peak District Boundary Walk during this year. The Friends of the Peak District have put together a 190mile walk encircling the Peak District. The whole walk is covered in 20 day walks. We thought that from the official opening on June 17th to the dinner in October the club collectively walks the whole route. Any miles of this walk done in the walk challenge week will be gratefully accepted. More on this on your website soon.

We hope to put more details on the website, but we don’t want to over organise this, and really the whole idea is just to celebrate what we do, as well as the Peak District and the Club. Let us know if you think this is a goer .. Most of all it’s meant to be a bit of fun.

Happy 50th.

Mary, Marian, Bill and Elen

PS: Should we also aim to have 50 person cafe stops? That’s my type of challenge.