About The Challenge Walk
The Bishop’s Castle Challenge Walk has been running since 2014 and has raised thousands for charity. And it’s not just for walkers, runners are welcome too. It only costs £10 to register and you will receive an information pack on receipt of your registration.
8 years running
600 walkers
7,500 raised
What You Need To Bring
- Food & drink for the walk.
- Mobile Phone – We recommend the “What 3 Words” App (Download Here). This amazing app can pinpoint your position within a few metres, so the emergency services can find you.
- Good footwear – you are advised to wear walking boots because the route can get muddy/wet in places.
- Suitable clothing – including a waterproof coat and trousers.
- Compass & OS Explorer Map 216 Welshpool & Montgomery.
- First aid kit – plasters, sun hat and sunscreen.
There are NO refreshments provided on the Challenge Walk and there is nowhere en-route to buy provisions, so please bring your own.
What You Need To Know
Once you register and pay the £10 fee, you will recieve a confirmation email and your information pack.
This includes:
- Route Maps
- Detailed Route Descriptions
- Self Clipping Cards (Once you’ve finished the walk you can drop this off at the Town Hall or you can email a screenshot to: jane.carrol@gmail.com) All those who send fully clipped cards will be sent a certificate to say they completed the 2022 Challenge Walk.
Information
- There are three car parks in town: The Auction Yard (off Station Street), Harley Jenkins Street (off Church Street) and High Street car park (entrance next to the newsagents). Street parking is free and unrestricted, but we ask you to use the car parks if possible.
- Please respect farm property and follow The Countryside Code – close all gates, even if people are walking behind you, leave litter at checkpoints, no smoking in forestry or near bracken or moorland.
- Walk in single file through arable fields that haven’t yet been harvested to minimise damage to crops and walk quietly in single file across farmland with cattle or horses to minimise the disturbance to the animals.
How We Started
The walk started to raise money for the newly opened Town Hall. It was re-opened after a major restoration funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Then the 18th century Grade 11* listed building was to be run by a new charitable trust which had few resources and little experience of running such a centre.
Since then,the Town Hall has prospered and now runs a retail outlet for local people to sell goods, an art gallery, concerts, workshops, markets, weddings and events.
The Challenge Walk attracted about 200 runners and walkers and was always meant to be a challenge – no way markers and little support on the ground. But it did provide a half-way lunch venue and refreshment stops at a quarter and three quarter distances. There were always six clipping points for walkers to prove they had indeed climbed the hills – 4000ft ascent, and done the distance.
Due to the pandemic, the walk was not organised for two years and it was uncertain whether it would ever restart. But with an excellent cross-border route and route description, it was agreed that we would run it for 2022, but with a difference.
Walkers, (& runners), will be on their own during the weekend of August 20th & 21st, to do the 24 mile walk as they please. There will be six clipping points and a certificate for all who make it.