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St Catherine’s Jurassic Coast Trek

7th Jul 2023 - 9th Jul 2023

3 days/United Kingdom /Moderate to Challenging

Overview

The Jurassic Coast is located in the south of England and was England’s first natural World Heritage Site.
It stretches 95 miles from Orcombe Point at Exmouth, East Devon to Old Harry Rocks at Studland, Dorset, with rocks dating back 185 million years. It is part of the much longer South West Coast Path trail, which covers a 630-mile route around the coastline of the South West peninsula.
The Jurassic Coast area is a fossil hunter’s dream with dinosaur remains having been found here.
You will walk approximately 26.2 miles along the beautiful coastal path from Lulworth to Studland. The undulating cliffs provide stunning views over the sea and surrounding landscape and offer a very worthy challenge!

This trek is graded challenging due to the steep and rugged terrain and many hours of walking but anyone who has a reasonable level of fitness can walk the Jurassic Coast path. You will trek approximately 26.2 miles taking around 10-12 hours. You need to be in good health and of good fitness with bucket-loads of determination. If you are the sort of person who can dig deep and just doesn’t give up then this is for you.

The terrain is undulating with steep up and downhill sections. Almost all the route is on good grassy paths or stony trails. There are a few stretches walking along or near roads as you approach towns or areas of coastal diversion.

This is not a gentle tourist hike; it is a challenging event.

You should be of a good fitness level before departure to have the best chance of completing the challenge. You should have done some UK hill walking in the recent past, and be prepared to take part in some hill walking in advance of this trek to ensure you have a good level of endurance, general cardiovascular fitness and strength for this type of terrain.

Some of the ascents are very gradual and you barely notice that you are gaining height but there are some short, sharp, steep sections that really get the heart and lungs going. Knowing how to manage your pace as the incline changes is very important, especially keeping in mind that you can’t walk at the same pace on steep ascents as you can on flat terrain. Maintaining a steady pace is more energy efficient than walking too fast and having to frequently stop to catch your breath. Frequent starting and stopping is also a poor use of the body’s energy supplies and you will find yourself far more fatigued by the end of the walk than if you took a gentler non-stop pace. What really tests people are the sections where there is a steep descent. Some struggle with the worry of slipping but many more struggle with discomfort in their knees. Ensuring that you have good core, leg and glute strength is helpful for this challenge.

Typically, temperatures can range between 11°C and 22°C with average temperatures around 16°C at this time of year. Nights are colder (down to around 1°C). Strong, cold winds are possible on some parts of the route.
Please note it is possible to experience extreme deviations from the normal climate pattern and very cold conditions are not impossible. Climate and weather conditions during the trip are out of our control. It is extremely important that you take responsibility to prepare yourself for all weather conditions during this challenge.

The challenge can be undertaken by fit walkers aged 18+ (or 16+ if accompanied by an adult). You must be at a good level of fitness, able to self-manage (e.g. you know how to keep hydrated, nourished, warm and dry), be in good health, have oodles of determination and a positive and flexible can-do attitude. An ideal candidate would be someone who enjoys hill walking and wants to push themselves out of their comfort zone.

This is a tough endurance challenge so you must be able to walk for extended periods of time on challenging terrain. This challenge is not suitable for first-time walkers or people who have not trained. Hill walking is the best training for this challenge, so please walk as much as possible on hilly terrain, so you are able to maintain a steady pace all the way along your route with only a few brief rest stops. In addition to hill walking, you are recommended to work on strengthening your legs, back and core muscles. Supplementary training may include speed walking, running, cycling, gym workouts, swimming, team sports, boot camps etc. If you do not train for this challenge, it’s possible you will not complete it.

We will be staying in a simple hostel-style building with shared bedrooms. Our group will have full use of the lounge and gardens throughout our stay.

You must arrive at the bunkhouse by 6pm in time for dinner and the trip briefing. Full details and directions will be provided 6-8 weeks prior to departure.

There is free parking available at the site.

NB. The bunk house can sleep up to 24 people. However, dependent on our final group size some may be required to camp on site.

For the challenge itself you will need to wear comfortable walking boots (not trainers) and non-cotton clothing. You will be responsible for carrying your own lunch, drinking water, waterproofs and warm layers, sunglasses, basic first aid kit, sunscreen etc. You will also need to bring your own sleeping bag though linens are available for hire on request.

Clothing

Non-cotton underwear and socks
Non-cotton trek trousers
Non-cotton t-shirt
Non-cotton long sleeved warm layer
Hiking boots (well broken in)
Waterproof jacket and trousers
Lightweight insulated jacket or warm fleece
Sun hat and warm hat
Gloves

Accessories

Portable battery pack for mobile phone (optional)
Camera (optional)

What food and drink do I need?

3 litres of water
Snacks
Electrolyte tablets (e.g. Nuun, High5 etc.) (optional)

What to carry?

Day pack (25 –35 litres)
Waterproof rucksack liner / dry bag
Packed lunch (provided)
Mobile phone – fully charged
LED head torch with new batteries inside
Wallet with cash and credit/debit card(s)
Sunglasses
Toilet paper*
Nappy sacks or disposal bags to carry any used toilet paper*
Hand sanitizer
Sunscreen (high SPF)
Small, basic first aid kit (pain killers, blister plasters, plasters, your own personal medication)
Feminine hygiene products*
Small pack of baby wipes (optional)
Hiking poles (optional)

What to bring for the bunk house?

Sleeping bag (warm enough for cold night temperatures)
Sleeping bag liner
Towel
Toiletries (toothbrush*, toothpaste*, shower gel*, shampoo*, deodorant* etc.)
Thermos flask / mug plus hot refreshment items e.g. tea, coffee, hot chocolate (optional)

For those who may be required to camp:

A tent
Foam or inflatable sleeping mat (ideally both)
Cooking stove (optional)

Please note: This list is not exhaustive and does not account for your personal taste or preference. It should be used as a guideline only. If you have any questions or queries regarding this list which are not answered in the sections above please contact info@different-travel.com.

*Please consider eco-friendly or biodegradable options.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Friday 7 July 2023):

Arrival
You should arrive at the bunk house no later than 6pm, so there is time for you to meet the group and have a challenge briefing over dinner.
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 (Saturday 8 July 2023):

Lulworth Cove to Worth Matravers
After an early breakfast we set off by minibus to the starting point of our walk at Lulworth Cove. Highlights today include crossing the Lulworth Range, looking out for ancient fossils, and if we’re lucky, even spotting a dolphin or two! Today’s hike will end at Worth Matravers where a minibus will be waiting to transport us back to the bunk house for a well-earned dinner.
Trek distance: Approx. 14 miles
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner

Day 3 (Sunday 9 July 2023):

Worth Matravers to Studland
We transfer back to where we ended yesterday’s walk in and continue along the coastal path in an easterly direction, passing stunning scenery to Swanage via Durlston Head and Old Harry Rocks before reaching Studland Bay. We transfer back to the bunk house to pack up and head home.
Trek distance: Approx. 12.2 miles
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch

Costs & How to pay

Registration fee: £95 (payable in instalments upon request)
and then either…

Sponsorship: £595

or

Flexi: £200 trip costs and £395 fundraising for St Catherine’s

or

Self-funded: £300 trip costs and then fundraise as much as you can for St Catherine’s

SPONSORSHIP

This option is for those who wish to raise sponsorship to cover both the costs of the trip (accommodation, food, guides etc.) and a donation to St Catherine’s. There is a minimum sponsorship amount for each trip that you are required to raise in order to participate.

  • A registration fee is payable at the time of booking. This is payable in instalments upon request.
  • 50% of the fundraising total must be paid to St Catherine’s by 28 April 2023.
  • The remaining 50% must be fundraised by 7 August 2023.
  • The amount the charity receives is at least 50% of the minimum sponsorship total.

FLEXI

This option is for those who choose to cover some of the trip costs (accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves while still raising some funds for the charity.

  • A registration fee is payable at the time of booking. This is payable in instalments upon request.
  • Trip cost balance is payable to Different Travel 12 weeks prior to departure.
  • Any fundraising undertaken cannot be used for your trip costs.

SELF-FUNDED

This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves.

  • A registration fee is payable at the time of booking. This is payable in instalments upon request.
  • Trip cost balance is payable to Different Travel 12 weeks prior to departure.
  • You are asked to fundraise as much as possible for St Catherine’s.

What's included

  • 2 nights accommodation
  • 2 evening meals, 2 packed lunch and 2 breakfasts
  • Transport between bunk house and walk start/finish points
  • UK walking guide
  • UK Different Travel tour manager

What's not included

  • Personal expenses (e.g. extra snacks or drinksetc.)
  • Tents for additional participants required to camp
  • Transport to/from the bunk house
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking kit

Got a Question?

If you’ve a question about this challenge that you can’t find the answer to within the given information then complete this quick form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.