The Great Barrow Challenge | Walk The Great Barrow Challenge

The Great Barrow Walking Challenge

The walking event is the original "Great Barrow Walk" first completed in 2009 and again in 2010. It was the overwhelmingly positive feedback from all concerned regarding the routes, the organisation and the camaraderie that has led to the creation of the Great Barrow Challenge for 2011 and future years.

The primary function of the walk is to provide a "vehicle" for likeminded endurance athletes to raise money for their chosen charities and at the same time to enjoy a superb but demanding physical event.

The walking challenge consists of 4 days of circular walks in the Suffolk countryside, all beginning and ending at The Academy in Barrow. Each day the premier event is the 26.5 mile walk, however there will also be daily 15 mile, 10 mile and 6 mile circular routes to suit virtually all abilities.

Entry is open to walking individuals or to teams (minimum 4 people) and we stress that it is not a race but a personal challenge, though we also recognise the competitive nature of our entrants.

The walks are a combination of road and off- road routes and are clearly signposted with colour coded circular markers. All walkers are provided with a daily map and written instructions. Refreshment points and marshals will also be positioned at strategic locations for assistance and route guidance if required.

• Accommodation
The Academy provides both indoor and outdoor accommodation. We have 2 air conditioned and heated dormitory studios. These hold around 20-30 people at a time. There are shared power points to charge equipment etc and there is also a large grassed area where we provide tented accommodation both at a charge of £6 pppn, or alternatively, bring your own tent and pitch up at a cost of £3 pppn. Toilets and showers will also be provided. Please bring your own camp bed and or matress, sleeping bag, duvet, bedding etc.

• Food & Drink
Main evening meals are available at £6 per meal, these are a substantial meal like chicken roast, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese etc. Comments from last years diners were very complimentary. Breakfast is also available which can be purchased on the day and usually consists of a sausage or bacon roll before the challenge. We anticipate having a healthy option also available for purchase on the day. The Academy venue offers a fully licensed on-site bar in the "Caribbean Bar" from noon. The village of Barrow also enjoys 2 public houses which also offer evening meals. There are also 2 shops and a Post Office in the village for local provisions.

• Entertainment
Evening entertainment will also be provided in the form of sporting facilities (5-a-side football, volleyball etc.) and if numbers are right then live bands every night. On the final night (Saturday) we have live music featuring excellent local bands.

• Medical Attention
St John Ambulance will be on-hand for the duration of the event to attend to any minor medical needs.

• Medal
The successful entrants completing the full 4 day 26.5 mile event will receive the now- prestigious Barrow Challenge medal.

• Sponsorship

• The Great Barrow Challenge is an excellent opportunity to complete a demanding physical challenge and at the same time raise money for your chosen charities or a good cause. It is entrant's responsibility to raise money and to ensure payment to the chosen charity or good cause. A generic sponsorship form is available to download.

• We would appreciate at the end of the event if you would confirm how much money you raised and for whom.

There will be a limited number of entrants for the walking event so sign- up as an individual or a team as soon as possible to secure your entry. Simply follow the steps in the 'Sign- up' area of the website to become part of one of the UK's premium annual challenge events. We look forward to welcoming you at The Great Barrow Challenge.

 

TESTIMONIAL

The Great Barrow Walk

Situated only a few miles away from Bury St Edmunds and the A14, Barrow is a sleepy little village with one hell of a walk.  Myself (Tim Wyer) and George Buxton, decided to squeeze one final walk into the season before winter. After all the Nijmegen training one would hope another 4 x 26 miles wouldn't be too difficult. We arrived at the reception area on the first day, to be warmly greeted by Glen (the event coordinator) and his team. This was only the second year of the walk, but you wouldn't know it as every thing was in hand and covered. We were pleased to see four other BDWF walkers there, in the form of “the boys from Devon and Cornwall”.

Walk day one:

A nice warm sunny day. Starting in Barrow the walk passes through the small Suffolk villages of Herringswell and Tuddenham before joining the Ickfield way. This is mainly road walking and turns into all bridle path as you go through the National nature reserve that leads through Thetford forest (Elvedon). This is pretty remote territory, fields of open grassland with many deer tracks in the soil, and lots of purple heather. After reaching the half way point the path turns and the returns through the Kings Forest. The bridle path here is a bit worn in places and shows a lot of very small fragments of Suffolk black flint. This is the famous flint that was mined thousands years ago in neolithic times at “Grimes Graves” just down the road. The forest walk is a long straight track almost totally silent, with only the noise of the crows to be heard. After breaking out of the forest we return onto the road and back to Barrow, passing a medieval pack horse bridge on the way (I can only assume the medieval horses weren't too large as the bridge was very narrow and thin in the middle). On returning to the finish location (the Academy) the other (finished) walkers applaud as you cross the line, which I thought was a very nice touch and brings everyone together.

Walk day two:

The weather turns. The route is a mixture of track and road and takes you through Ickworth estate. We saw a herd of fallow deer (about

9) which made my day. I must admit we did get lost this day and followed day three markers. But after calling the help line to get advice on the route we were rescued by a nice young lady who came out to pick us up and dropped us back on the route. The weather didn't help as the rain fell for most of the day. Finishing in over 10 hours and with 29miles on the GPS we were the last to finish.

Walk day three:

Seen this route before. More rain, the villages around here are very beautiful. Many thatched cottages and all looking very expensive

(see how the other half live). Today is approx 1/3 track and 2/3 road and

passes at least three public houses, (George could now get some tea). The walk in takes you through a deer park, which holds hundreds of deer, a reminder Bambi will end on a plate.

Walk day Four:

Nearly all roads today. The route goes through Newmarket, the gallops and the town centre. The Gallops is the training ground where the

race horses are put through their paces. The size of this place is awesome; it’s the size of an airbase. We didn't see any horses today,

I expect they have Saturdays off. There are approx three pubs on the route back, so more tea for George. On completing the walk every one waits and applauds as each person finishes, again a very nice touch. All the medals are given out at the end once the last person has finished.

I must say this is a very pleasant walk, going through some beautiful locations, but is quite tough, I think it’s the mixture of the on and off road and the weather didn't help. The atmosphere with the other walkers and the administration and support teams is fantastic, and the walk soon becomes a very personal journey (very similar to your first Nijmegen). This is one of those rare locations where you get to know almost everyone on the walk, and in the support teams, and come away with many new friends.

So why don't you give it a go next year. I guarantee once you attend you will return year after year.

Timothy Wyer

PS

from George.

This is a part of Suffolk I have never walked before and even in the rain

the countryside was pretty impressive. Yes I would do the walk again for two reasons, 1. It was a challenging walk and 2. It was done to raise money for Help The Heroes, that in itself is a good enough reason.

George Buxton