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Suffolk Coast Path - nearly 60 miles in 24 hours This challenge presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk the entire length of the stunning Suffolk coast in 24hours. This is a tough challenge including long stretches of walking on the beach, through the forest along estuaries and in the dark. The rewards for your endeavours are likely to be sensational! Sunrise from Burrow Hill overlooking the Butley River and Orford Ness, to the sound of waders and gulls awakening, is a highlight. The Suffolk Coast, which forms much of the internationally recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), will reveal its unique landscape, wildlife and beautiful coastal towns and settlements. Dates 15th & 16th May 2016. Meeting at Landguard Point 07:30 on 15th May for a prompt 08:00 departure. http://www.discoverlandguard.org.uk/attractions/landguard-visitor-centre-view-point-cafe-andferry/ . We will finish the walk here on 16th May c 11:00hrs, so friends/family can meet you here for the finish. Also you may prefer to get dropped off on the 15th and picked up on 16th, so you don’t have to drive home on very tired legs. Car parking is a free public car park. Walk programme (timings approximate) Date
Time
Location
Refreshments
Comments
Sunday 15th May
07:30-08:00
Landguard Point
Breakfast snack
Car parking and catch a bus to Lowestoft.
15th May
10:00
South Pier Lowestoft, start of Suffolk Coast Path
Coffee/tea before we start
Start walk at 10
15th May
14:00
Southwold Pier
Light bites (sandwiches, crisps, fruit cake, fruit), drinks
30 min stop
15th May
15:00
Walberswick Ferry
Crossing
15th May
17:00
The Ship at Dunwich
Light bites (sandwiches, crisps, fruit cake, fruit), drinks
30 min stop
15th May
19:00
Sizewell Beach
Tea and cake
20 min stop
15th May
21:00
Thorpeness Dolphin
Light bites (chips, sandwiches, fruit) drinks
40 min stop
16th May
00:00
Snape
Light bites (sandwiches, crisps, fruit cake, fruit), drinks
30 min stop
16th May
02:00
The Froize, Chillesford
Light, sweet bites & drinks
20 min stop
16th May
05:30
Shingle Street
Light bites (croissants, coffee, water
20 min stop
16th May
07:30
The Boathouse Café, Bawdsey
Light bites (toasts, eggs breakfast etc), drinks
16th May
08:00
Bawsey Ferry
Crossing
16th May
10:00 – 11:00
Landguard Point cafe
Celebration and breakfast.
30 min stop
Finish
Route map We will not be providing a map of the route. The Suffolk Coast Path runs from Lowestoft, South Pier to Felixstowe, Landguard Point. The path is well signed with the way-markers shown below. Do not worry about getting lost, we will stick together as a group and we will have up to 5 walk leaders to support you.
If you’d like to research the route you’ll need to purchase OS Explorer maps 231, 212 & 197. If you would like to read more about this fantastic route, and two other long-distance routes on the Suffolk Coast please follow this link http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/654/title/suffolkcoast-and-heaths-walks#.Vr3MVv7cvcs Your fitness This is a tough challenge which should not be under-estimated. While the personal rewards of completing such an endeavour are second-to-none, the sense of disappointment if you do not succeed can be crushing. You will need to train for this challenge or already be very active. It is certainly important that you build up to at least a 20 – 25 mile walk as preparation, or if you are already active you will already be capable of the same or comparably running up to half marathonmarathon distance. We will be asking you to sign a disclaimer for this walk, stating that you take responsibility for your decision to walk and that you are fit enough to do so. This is a walk for the already fit, not those that want to get fit. Logistics We will bus from Landguard for the start of the walk at South Pier, Lowestoft. We aim to start walking at about 10:00 hrs on 15th May. We will be stopping at various points along the c.60 mile
route for refreshments and comfort breaks. All bus, ferry, food and drink costs are covered by your registration fee. Walk leaders will accompany the walkers and we will have 24hr back up provided by the AONB team, including food and drink and various points throughout the night. Health & Safety We will be carrying out a full risk assessment for the walk before we start. However preparations for your safety are already well underway. We will all walk as a group and we will provide a good ratio of walk leaders to walkers (to ensure you are supported and encouraged along the way). We are already very familiar with the route, and have already sorted out the stops and approximate timings, taking into account tide times for the stretches of beach walking. We will have back-up for the entire walk, should we need it, and will be met throughout the night, at appropriate locations, by staff from the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB team, to keep us fed and watered. We will have emergency firstaiders available and will carry some essential first-aid supplies. If you cannot continue walking, we will arrange for you to be picked up by the AONB team at the nearest appropriate location, or help you arrange a pick up from a family member or friend. If you cannot be moved we will contact the emergency services. Kit list Essential – to be carried or worn
Backpack c. 30L will be sufficient Comfortable walking clothes. We recommend sports underwear to prevent chaffing over very long distances of walking Walking boots or shoes that you know are comfortable. Please do not wear new boots or shoes. Some people might find trainers more comfortable. Nick has walked and ran the route and both times wore trail running shoes. He finds these more breathable and comfortable over very long distances and both running and walking the route completed it with no blisters at all. Please thing about this carefully. It will either make or break your walk. Waterproof jacket Spare base layer Mobile phone fully charged with emergency contact number on it (on the bus all emergency contact numbers will be collected). Capacity to carry a minimum of 1 litre of fluid Space blanket Whistle Head torch with new and spare set of batteries. Energy bars or gels etc to snack on as necessary
Recommended
Hat/cap Sun-cream Waterproof trousers Spare socks (don’t underestimate how a clean pair of socks can alleviate foot tiredness. Rock Tape (or similar Kinesiology Tape), great for applying to hotspots, where blisters feel like they are beginning to form, to alleviate the friction. Vaseline for rubbing into your feet, and anywhere else, to prevent blister formation or chaffing
Sponsorship Given this is a significant challenge we would urge you to raise money for a good cause. We would recommend the East Anglian Air Ambulance as it is 100% reliant on voluntary donations and of course for endeavours like this there are many places that only the Air Ambulance could get to if we needed assistance. However, if you have your own charity in mind that’d be absolutely fine, of course. It’d be good to add up the various amounts raised for publicity at the time of the walk. For information on how to set up an online just giving account please see the link HERE. At least £500 from the walk registration fee will also be donated to the Air Ambulance, dependent on numbers of walkers. T-shirts We will be printing some T-shirts that walkers may wish to wear on the walk. These will be made of a technical material, suitable for walking Emergency contact details & for any questions beforehand Nick Collinson 07595 091053 Simon Amstutz 07971 909649
