The history of our challenge walks in words and pictures
Up to date financial details and other information about our fundraising activities
Annual financial details of the totals raised from our Walkers and Corporate Sponsors
Information about The Three Peaks Challenge Walk and the surrounding countryside
Information about The Chatsworth Challenge Walk, and the Chatsworth area.
Preparation, Hints & Tips
Handy tips and sound advice for tackling those demanding challenge walks
Some interesting features associated with our walks
Information about us and why we raise the sponsored funds
All the other bits we couldn’t fit in anywhere else
chatsworth challenge
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three peaks
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chatsworthchallenge.com and threepeakschallenge.com are organisers of sponsored challenge walks to raise money for the Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund in support of nominated charities to fund cancer research, prevention, and treatment.
Total funds raised so far
£197,708.98
including... ThreePeaksChallenge
The four charities we currently represent. All of the money raised on our walks go to the four listed cancer charities to fund the research, prev-ention, and treatment of cancer.
More information >>
2015 Walk : Chatsworth Challenge
Each year we donate specific allocations to the charities we support from the total funds raised from the annual sponsored walk.
This is currently 30% to each of the three main cancer charities, and 10% to the Oesophageal Patients Association.
amount raised to date after current walk year
Follow these links to the main areas associated with our event fundraising
From Our Charities - 2015
Comments from the Charity Organisations we support
Below is a collection of just some of the many kind comments we have received from the recipient charities we support through the Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund. The value of every participant’s work in raising monies for the fund can be readily seen in their thanks.
On behalf of Cancer Research UK, I would like to thank you for your very kind donation of £2,632.88 raised by a sponsored walk at Chatsworth Estate. This does not include £75.00 in respect of matched funding from Warburtons raise by Brian Summerscales.(total £2,707.88)
Simon O'Leary
Head of Volunteer Fundraising
Thank you so much for taking part in your annual walk and raising a fantastic £2,707.88 for Macmillan. We hope you all enjoyed it, and please pass on our thanks to everyone involved.
Lucy Barnet
Supporter Donations Team
Thank you so much for supporting Mare Curie by collecting funds doing a sponsored walk around Chatsworth House, and raising a grand total of £2,707.88. I do hope that you enjoyed being part of the Marie Curie team and had a good time in the process.
Sharon Link
Community Fundraiser
Oesophageal Patients Assc.
We are writing to express our thanks for the donation of £902.64 which you and your friends have raised for the OPA, thank you so much again. We are grateful for all your hard work.
Maggie Robinson
Operations Manager
Copies of all letters we receive from the charities can be seen on our Downloads Page >
1.The 22 Mile Start
There are plenty of familiar faces in this year’s 22 mile starting line-up at Baslow but it’s great to see so many new ones too. It may only be 05-55 on an overcast morning but the
enthusiasm and determination is there for all to see; well, in most cases anyway, (no names, no pack-drill). There’s a long day ahead for this walking party so the grey start won’t be a problem for them, unless it turns to rain of course.
First scheduled stop on this route is the café in Monyash where an excellent Full English and a mug of hot tea will be available. At eleven miles it’s still a long way ahead though. The great thing about the cafe is that at eleven miles out it is also half way back to base.
2. Headstone Tunnel
The opening of Headstone Tunnel has added a real feature to what was already a really remarkable walk. The tunnel is
something like 650 metres long and if you stick to the inside lane the curve is sharp enough not to be able to see either end when you are half way through.
It is pretty dark inside as you can see by the brightness of the lights. Seven tunnels along the Monsal Trail have been opened to walkers and cyclists but this one is the only one requiring the steel arch to protect walkers from falling rocks as you enter.
3. Deepdale
As you can see, this area isn’t called Deep Dale for nothing. Everything looks very green with the cow parsley taking over. Unfortunately the hawthorn blossom is now well past it’s best.
Here we see Clare making her way up the steep track, with Martin and the other walkers close behind her. From here it is only approximately two miles to Monyash where I’m sure these two will be taking a break for a well earned breakfast.
4. Entering Lathkill Dale
Just after Monyash village the walk enters Lathkill Dale. A couple of miles further in and Lathkill Dale, with its mill weirs and national nature reserve, develops into what is arguably the most picturesque area within the Derbyshire Dales national Park.
At this stage you could be forgiven for thinking that this was once the Lathkill river bed and at some point in the distant past the river went underground to re-appear further down the dale. There is a very similar area above Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales.
5. The Village of Edensor
Where would our walk narrative be if we didn’t have a photograph from the quaint village of Edensor?
It never fails to display it’s timeless charm, or to make you forget about something as trivial as your aching feet.
Despite it’s chocolate-box appearance, Edensor is very much a living village and often frequented by the Duke of Devonshire who has a little place just over the next hill.
6. Christine & Gary (Chatsworth Bridge)
If we’re already at Chatsworth House (The Duke of Devonshire’s little place over the next hill) we now have 21 miles of the challenge walk behind us. It’s now only one
1. The 22 Milers look ready for the challenge as they line up for the usual team photograph before setting off at 6.00 am. (click to enlarge)
3. Clare and Martin set the pace up the steep track in Deepdale. (click to enlarge)
4. The walkers make the way through the picturesque Lathkill Dale. (click to enlarge)
5. The Village of Edensor. (click to enlarge)
6. First timers to our Chatsworth Challenge Walk, Christine and Gary pose for a photo on Chatsworth Bridge in front of the impressive Chatsworth House. (click to enlarge)
last push and the walkers will be back in Baslow.
The 21 miles don’t look to have taken their toll on Christine and Gary as the pose for their photograph on Chatsworth bridge. They look fresh enough to go around the course again.
It's the first time Christine and Gary had taken part in the Chatsworth Challenge but they had a great time and hopefully we will see them again in 2016.
Upon leaving the Headstone Tunnel the Monsal Trail Viaduct provides an excellent view of the River Wye. Turning left at the end of the viaduct takes the walk on it’s route through Monsal Dale. (click to enlarge)
This is probably the largest of the many weirs that dam the river in Monsal Dale. The weirs leave a reminder that the dale, now a place of outstanding beauty, was once an area where a series of woollen mills flourished, often on the back of child labour.(click to enlarge)
Vintage cars on display in Edensor. Edensor is a picturesque but busy village with an event of some sorts taking place most Saturdays through the summer.
(click to enlarge)
A view of the River Derwent from the narrow stone toll bridge at Bubnell. Keep an eye out for the old stone toll booth at The Rutland Arms end of the Bridge. (click to enlarge)
Thinking of doing the Challenge Walk?. Click on the links below to join us on the next walk
The Route Guide and Check-Out Slip
The documents that are issued to every walker at the start of each of the two distance challenge walks that we do.
They consist of a route map and a checking-out slip to record the time taken to complete the walk; a small reminder of your day out in the Peak District.
All walkers are also presented with a completion certificate and commemorative pen at the end of the day.
Route Map and Checking-Out slip given to all walkers at the start. (click to enlarge)
chatsworthchallenge.com are organisers of fund raising challenge walks in support of the Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund to raise monies for nominated charities in support of cancer research, prevention, and treatment.
Page Acknowledgements
Text : Philip Lynskey : Gerard Mitchell
Images : Philip Lynskey : Gerard Mitchell : Brian Summerscales : David Harrison
© www.chatsworthchallenge.com
Note: All pictures depicting children are published with the consent of the parent.
If you took part in this year’s walk, and want to take the challenge again, OR...
If you’re reading this for the first time, and wish to take part in our annual walk, click on the following links for more details.
At 06.00 hrs on Saturday 20th June 2015, the 22 mile Chatsworth Challenge walkers were ready to set off on the 13th Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund Sponsored Walk. The rest of the walkers would set off a few hours later for their shortened challenge walk of 9 miles around the beautiful Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire.
Their combined efforts, together with the generosity of their valued sponsors, and also our corporate sponsors, raised another excellent sponsorship total of £9,026.28.
This took the accumulated fund total through the £150,000 mark, and the sum now stands at £153,938.79. Don’t forget, every penny of the sponsorship money raised in our walks is donated to our four nominated cancer charities.
As eager as our walkers were to get started and get around the course, sadly their eagerness didn’t extend to taking photographs along the way. Regrettably therefore, this
Both 22 mile, and 9 mile walks start and finish in Baslow and take in the beautiful countryside around the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire. (click to enlarge)
year we are relying on the photographs submitted by just a few of our walkers, and if the photos below appear to have a familiar feel about them, you’ll know the reason why. Anyway, thanks to them for ‘saving the day’.
Remember, our annual Chatsworth Challenge Walk, which is open to anyone who wishes to take part, is a great day out for families and friends to enjoy the open air and a view of some marvellous countryside, and, you’ll be part of a very worthwhile fundraising event.
As usual, keeping an eye on the two walks (how does he do that?), is Chatsworth Challenge walks organiser Gerard Mitchell, who gives us his running commentaries on the day’s events. (PL)
Well, it’s easier than walking! Gerard Mitchell shows how he manages to keep an eye on both walks during the days.(click to enlarge)
This year saw the sad loss of one of our challenge walks friends. Steve Heath was a personal friend of Phil and Gerard, and joined us on the Three Peaks Walk in 2006, and the first ever Chatsworth Challenge Walk in 2007. Over the two years Steve raised a commendable £376.00 for our cancer charities. After a protracted battle with his own cancer, Steve passed away in 2015.
Steve shown here at the checkpoint on our first ever Chatsworth Challenge walk in 2007. (click to enlarge)
1. The 9 Mile Start Line
As with the earlier walk there’s plenty of familiar faces at the 9 mile start too which is always very good to see. It is 10-55 now and the sun still hasn’t made an appearance but at least it is still dry.
It doesn’t look as big a field as is customary for the shorter walk but there’s at least one missing; Mrs M must be taking the photograph. Don’t worry; she’s hardly out of shot as you read on.
Although David makes the starting line-up most years we haven’t seen Ella and Alex for a couple of years so it’s great to have them along.
2. Rain Hoods at The Devonshire Arms
Oh dear, it looks as though the rain might have arrived in Pilsey. The Devonshire Arms is always a favourite with the 9 milers. It is a typical country pub in a splendid village setting. It’s very close to the Chatsworth
3. Stella and Chris - Devonshire Arms
Still outside the Devonshire we come across two real stalwarts of the walk, Chris and Stella.
Over the years Chris hasn’t missed many of our annual outings. He does usually take on the 22 miles though so it will be interesting to see what option he takes next year if he is available.
Stella, what can I say about her? Stella has been organising the 9 milers since we started the shorter option back in 2007. Under her
1. The 9 Mile Walkers take the now traditional team photo. (click to enlarge)
2. The usual stop at the Devonshire Arms in Pilsey is just about to become a rain stop.(click to enlarge)
5. Dave Harrison and group outside the Devonshire Arms in Baslow. (click to enlarge)
Estate farm shop too. There’s more tea than beer on the table so I can only assume restraint is being shown until they get back to Baslow. Andrew (turning to the camera) is one of this year’s new faces and coped very well with the walk. The gentleman in the flat cap on the far table is also a new face but I don’t remember him coming under orders at the start line?
stewardship the walk has almost always got away on time. On each occasion she has counted them all out, counted them all back and to date she has only lost 32 walkers. (she lost me 20 years ago! Ed). Stella has a heart of gold and the shorter walk couldn’t continue without her continued support. Thanks Stella x
4. Stella and Janine with Champers
Well, here she is again though the tipple looks a bit stronger than tea this time. The Edensor Gala is in full swing so what could be better than a glass of bubbly from a French looking street vending contraption. Janine is never behind the door either if there is a glass of champers on offer. Cheers to both of you.
5. Dave Harrison and Group
In the last photo for 2015 I would like to introduce you to five newcomers who I believe all come from the Chesterfield and Sheffield area. David (far left) contacted me on January 15 about the walk and liked the sound of it. Next thing I knew, he sent me application forms for himself and four of his friends.
The boys did the 22 miles and the girls the 9 and all of them had a great day. The friends are Joe, Meredith, Drew & Dianne. Drew claimed it was all just a walk in the park and that he could have completed it stood on his head. Well, when I bumped into him two thirds of the way round he looked as though he should have given his head a go because his legs weren’t doing very well at all ! Sorry Drew, only joking and I look forward to seeing you all again. (GM)
4. Blondes have more fun! Stella and Janine seen here outside Eric Cantona’s Champagne Wagon at the Edensor Village Gala. They’re half way into their 5 pint champange binge, shortly before fighting with a couple of bricklayer’s labourers who were down in Derbyshire for a weekend pub crawl. (click to enlarge)
3. Two of our challenge walks stalwarts,Chris and Stella (Chris is the one on the left! - Ed). (click to enlarge)