Cornish Coastal Challenge Weekend Reach Britain’s most Southerly point!

Duration: 3 days, 2 nights’ accommodation Date: 8th - 10th October 2021 Registration Fee: £80 Mix-Funding: Less than 10 per group £385 per person, groups of 10 or more £365 per person. Fundraising target: £730 You will only pay for the registration fee. The fundraising will pay for your trip and the remaining will go towards helping people with mental illness. Highlights:

• - A tidal beach for the adventurous, famous for its white sand, turquoise sea and rock stacks with beaches of huge “dinosaur egg” pebbles or fine sands made up of nothing more than crushed shells. • See 15 of the Uk’s rarest plants growing here in amongst the Cornish heath, gorse and heather and sub-tropical gardens. • Reach Britain’s most Southerly point on foot on Peninsula. • Breath-taking cliffs, the everchanging sea, tin mines, hidden smugglers coves and some of the most captivating cliffs & beaches in the UK. • Wander through a rich history of fisherman’s lives and coastal fortifications shaped by the churning ocean and wind • Look for grey seals basking on the rocks and in the caves, dolphins in the larger bays and Cornish choughs. • Finishing certificate • Charming hotel or Inn accommodation with WIFI

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Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

Introduction – St Kives and around the Lizard peninsular

A long weekend with 3 days walking, guided, usually starting on Friday evening. Enjoy a weekend walk to Britain’s most southerly Lizard point and continue turning the peninsula to finish in .

We trek alongside the spectacular sea cliffs of ’s South coast through areas of outstanding national beauty, spending nights in quaint finishing villages. We immerse ourselves in the unique history of the area, from the mines to the great war, we also visit or see the medieval castle on St Michaels Mount reached only by a causeway. Swim in stunning bays, enjoying nature and the local wildlife along with Cornwall’s extraordinary geology. You may see grey seals, dolphins, puffins, porpoises, minke whale and more if they wish to be with us. Sample the amazing swimming options in the bays along the way. The wildlife is magnificent, and we may even see seals or dolphins en- route as well as an incredible variety of birds and smaller sea life. A chance to touch local history and feel the ever-changing presence of the sea whilst undertaking an undulating coastline challenge.

Cornwall’s huge stretch of most southern coastline and numerous beaches were also used for amphibious landings by troops and some bays became fortresses with lines of pillboxes, ‘dragon’s teeth’, minefields and miles of barbed wire in times gone by. A few traces can still be seen today but the spectacular beauty and nature overwhelms!

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Tel: 020 3805 1790

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: St Ives Arrival

We arrive to spend the night in St Ives. As an artist’s town, St Ives is seen as the dazzling jewel in Cornwall’s crown. A picturesque fishing harbour and seaside town. Voted best family holiday destination by Coast magazine and one of TripAdvisor’s top 10 European beaches. Wander through the maze of narrow cobbled streets, independent shops, and fisherman’s cottages in the heart of St Ives. We will aim to go out and eat together on Friday night depending on arrival times.

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Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

Day 2: St Michael’s Mount or Praa sands to Mullion 20km or 30km option

Much of today’s walk through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offers fantastic views of Mounts Bay and the magical island and castle of St Michael’s Mount. Unravel the history of the St Aubyn family, who have lived here since the 17th century. It was the safest landing point for many miles before the construction of nearby harbour, and is probably why it became the destination point of St Michael and his followers when they landed on the north coast and walked across the peninsula en route for Europe. We will start our walk from St Michael’s Mount or alternatively go for a shorter distance begin from Praa Sands. Fairly easy, level walking allows time to enjoy the views, until the Path begins to narrow and rollercoaster over the cliffs up to and beyond Praa Sands to Portleven. We see evidence of a mining history, especially around Perranuthnoe, with the granite turning to slate resulting in dramatic vertical sea cliffs. The stretch on the approach to the pretty fishing village of is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. From 1865 as a fishing station, Porthleven would take its position – second to none in the country. It was opened in 1825 with a feast of roast beef and plum pudding for the whole village. We continue from Porthleven to the beautiful . The path is fairly level and easy beyond Porthleven, but then becomes narrow in places with some steep ascents and descents.

Marazion to Porthleven 18.6km, (+522m), 5 hrs (early start needed) Lunch at 1.30pm.

Porthleven – Mullion 11.9km, (+283m) 3-4 hrs Total: 29.3km 8-9hrs tough or

Praa Sands to Porthleven 7.28km (+237m) 2.5hrs LUNCH

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Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

Porthleven – Mullion 11.9km (+283m) 3-4hrs Total: 19.18km, challenging

(B, L, D)

Day 3: Mullion to Coverack

This stretch of the is, without a doubt, unique and exceptionally beautiful. The Lizard Peninsula is also known for its banks of pink and yellow flowered Hottentot Fig and its serpentine granite, which is a dark green rock veined with red and white, and, of course, the symbol of Cornwall: the chough. A walk through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty awaits as you set off from the most southerly point of Great Britain after having spent a night on the town. There are a few relatively short steep ascents and descents as you leave Lizard Point, followed by some more strenuous climbs, until you pass the stunning fishing village of and begin the approach to Coverack, which is a lot easier. You will see some extraordinary geology along this stretch as the Path crosses serpentine, granite, and schist. Serpentine is a dark green rock veined with red and white which is easily carved and can be polished to a really beautiful sheen. We pass Poltesco and a serpentine factory that was established at Carleon Cove in the 1850’s. Pilchards by the thousand, which were caught as they shoaled close to shore in the late summer. We then move on to Kennack Sands, once famous for shipwrecks, it is a National Nature Reserve with beautiful cliffs of layered rock, with veins of talc, and lovely displays of wildflowers. Kennack is itself a mediaeval Cornish placename. Pill boxes and an anti-tank wall were built on the back of the beach in case of invasion during the Second World War. A steep climb up to join the seabirds around Beagles Point marks the beginning of a stretch with particularly far-reaching views of the Coast Path ahead. Coverack is a picturesque fishing village with an active small port and has excellent cafés on the sea front. At the end of the day, we will take you back to your transport. If you prefer to depart earlier and finish at Lizard point, we can also offer a pick up from there.

Mullion – Coverack 28km 7-8hrs walking to finish at Coverack. Mullion to finish at the National Trust Lizard point is 16km, +437m, 5hrs (B, L)

www.sane.org.uk

Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

What’s Included

• Finisher’s Certificate • Shuttle buses and transfers to the start of the trek and from the finish • Glass of fizz on completion • Meals as stated in the programme • 2 nights hotel or guesthouse/Inn accommodation St Ives and Mullion • Option to join us in the morning at at 9.30am for those travelling locally. • A chance to examine rock pools, learn more about the sea life, culture, and history of this part of the Cornish coast • Qualified, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable walking guide • Plant and sea mammal identifier laminate What’s not included What’s not Included

• Any meals not stated in the itinerary. • Your travel to the start of the trek • Personal travel insurance • Drinks and snacks

www.sane.org.uk

Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

Detailed information Leaders & Trip Support

Your trip will be led by experienced and qualified Freedom Trail Treks leaders and support team. Our leaders are selected for their knowledge and experience, friendliness and approachability, sense of humour and ability to safely and effectively deal with any situation that arises; they are also trained in first aid.

We will have mobile phones and/or radios where appropriate, medical kit and other safety apparatus where necessary, as well as vehicle support. Trip Safety

Your safety, and that of the rest of the group, is our highest priority. Our trips are designed and planned with safety in mind. Our team will be equipped with communication devices (e.g., phones, radios and/or emergency satellite phones), medical kit and other safety apparatus appropriate to the destination. Our leaders always have access to our 24-hour emergency UK back-up. They are responsible for safety on the trip and will make any changes to the itinerary they deem necessary, should local conditions dictate. Pre-trip administration - such as medical questionnaires and travel insurance as appropriate - is all done with your safety in mind.

Accommodation

On night 1 your accommodation is in a well-located hotel in St Ives on the coast or in a beautiful country inn with grounds further inland. Rooms are on a twin or triple room share basis throughout but single room supplement may be available on request. On the second night we stay in a traditional and comfortable inn in the picturesque village of Mullion. All bedding is provided. Dorm rooms are single sex. If you don’t need to rush back to work and would like to stay for an extra night in Coverack on Sunday, please let us know in advance and we can add it as an extra. Group Size

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Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.

Your booking is part of a group challenge, and the tour costs and fundraising targets listed on our website are based on a minimum number of participants. We typically work with small groups of 10- 20 participants.

SANE will confirm at least 12 weeks prior to departure that we are guaranteed to run. Occasionally it may be possible to still run the challenge with less than the minimum numbers, subject to a small group supplement. If we think a small group supplement may be necessary, we will discuss this with you as soon as possible, usually 5 months before your departure date. You will make your reservation with your charity and we will help provide the best information possible.

Minimum numbers and groups sizes may vary on Bespoke Charity challenges. If you are booked onto a bespoken challenge, please contact your charity for full details. Food & Dietary Requirements

The food provided is plentiful and will give you plenty of energy. Where lunch is included, it may be a café stop or a packed lunch. Dinners and breakfasts are generally eaten in camp or at our hotel, depending on the trip. Being vegetarian or having other dietary requirements is not usually a problem provided you let us know well in advance. Luggage

Your main luggage will remain at our accommodation and you will not have access to it until the end of each day. It will be transported to your next location. You should carry a small daypack for items needed during the day and we will provide a kit list. Cancelling your booking

In the unfortunate circumstance that you need to cancel your booking, we would ask that you notify SANE in writing either by post or email. Your cancellation will be considered effective from the date the notice is received. Registration fees, amendment fees and insurance premiums are non- refundable and, depending on your payment option and how close it is to your challenge departure date, you may be liable for a cancellation charge.

Full details of cancellation charges can be found in the Terms and Conditions of booking.

PREPARING FOR THE CHALLENGEPREPARING FOR THE CHALLENGE Fitness Levels

This is designed to be a challenge, and it is vital that you train sufficiently for it. We will supply you with a thorough training guide once you have registered. We expect all participants to train hard in advance, but we respect everyone’s limits and do not expect everyone to maintain the same pace. Inadequate training is likely to have an impact not just on your chances of completing the challenge but enjoying it too - and we want you to have the time of your life!

Our challenges attract people of all levels of experience, fitness, and ability as well as all ages and backgrounds. We design our challenges so that everyone can go at their own pace: this is not a race. If you have concerns about your fitness or if you have reduced mobility, please do contact us for a

www.sane.org.uk

Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd. confidential chat about whether this is appropriate for you. For logistical and safety reasons we sometimes need to re-group, so the front-runners may find themselves waiting. Clothing & Kit

We plan our trips around the optimal weather conditions but could still be exposed to bad weather at any time. It is vital you are prepared for all conditions. We provide you with a detailed packing kit- list on registration, as well as details on useful discounts you are entitled to. We are always available if you need advice. Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for UK weekends and one-day events is not compulsory but you might like to consider taking out cover in case of cancellation or loss of belongings.

FAQ’s FAQ’s How much do I have to carry while walking?

You will carry a day sack including your water bottle and suitable clothing plus snacks and we will provide a full kit list on booking kit list. Will I see my main bag again in the evening?

Yes, we transfer your luggage to the next inn or hotel. What time do we finish on the Sunday?

If we finish at lizard point it will be before 5pm and if we finish at Coverack it will be before 7pm. Will there be a chance to swim?

Yes, sometimes a wetsuit could be an idea depending on how hardy you are but the beaches are stunning and we will programme in an opportunity How many people per guide?

There will be up to 10 people per guide but we will follow current covid guidelines of the time.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HEREHEREHEREHEREhttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V6RS66 G

www.sane.org.uk

Tel: 020 3805 1790

Email: [email protected] © Spa Adventure Treks Ltd.