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Hike for Homeless 2024

Events

The most unique and anticipated walking event on the UK charity calendar.

  • Start Date: 8th Jun, 2024 @ 8:00am
  • Closing Date: 8th Jun, 2024 @ 8:00pm
  • Location: South Wales

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Hike for Homeless 2024

The most unique and anticipated walking event on the UK charity calendar.

We are pleased to announce that Hike for Homeless 2024 is happening on Saturday 8th June around the Abergavenny area in South Wales.

By raising funds and awareness by hiking in this beautiful part of Wales, we aim to provide essential support to young people at risk of homelessness in the West Midlands, who are in increasing need of our help.

There are 3 levels of Hike this year, from beginner to expert:

 

Skirrid - Short Route

This route spans 8 miles with 1 hill of 486m. It boasts incredible views and is perfect for beginners. It is said locally that the Earth from Skirrid Fawr is sacred, being spread in the foundations of many historical buildings nearby.

Twyn yr Allt - Medium route

Also inclusive of Skirrid, this route includes Twyn yr Allt and spans 15 miles, with 2 hills of 468m and 341m. In this area, you can see evidence of an Iron Age Hillfort from about 2000 years ago- defensive ditches which surrounded Celtic villages.

Sugar Loaf - Long route

Also inclusive of Skirrid and Twyn yr Allt, our longest route spans 23 miles, with 3 hills of 468m, 341m and 596m. Sugar Loaf provides a spectacular backdrop to the market town of Abergavenny with panoramic views across South Wales, the Brecon Beacons and into south-west England from its peak.

The views from each of these summits are stunning, making for great photo opportunities and quiet reflection, as well as the joy of reaching a shared goal with your friends, co-workers, and local community.

We’ve calculated the journey from central Birmingham (where St Basils is based) to the Three Pools near Abergavenny (postcode NP7 8NL) , is 1 hour 45 minutes by car.

  • Short route approx. 8 miles – 10am start, 2/3 hours average
  • Medium route approx. 15 miles – 9am start, 5/6 hours average
  • Long route, approx. 23 miles – 8am start, 10/11 hours average

Register Here

Remember to use code H4HEARLYBIRD for 10% off your registration until March 31st!

 

What Else Will The Event Involve?

Throughout the Hike, you will find many chances to rest and soak in the views at our strategic checkpoints.

We provide not only water and energy treats, but we have the most amazing marshals you will ever meet! There are no markers on this challenge- just a map/picture guide and/or GPS to guide you through. If in doubt- always ask a marshal.

There will be many chances to celebrate your success post-hike, including a massive community barbecue with seasonal meats, loaded fries and beer to purchase at the Three Pools, who are pulling out all the stops for Team St Basils.

Want to rest in Wales? The Three Pools also have great accommodation, so please check out their Three Pools accommodation page.

hike for homeless hike for homeless hike for homeless

FOOD & DRINK: St Basils will be providing simple bacon/veg rolls, with tea/coffee at the start and Three Pools are providing Barbeque Burgers and Beers at the end. Both will need to be purchased and so we really do need to have a good idea of how many of you will want this please. Breakfast will be £3 for a hot drink and roll, post walk food & drink will be £8 for a burger, £6 for loaded fries and £5.50 for a pint and all the Three Pools stuff is organic and tastes amazing! It’ll be a great party atmosphere, so if you are interested in this please let us know at events@stbasils.org.uk

COACH TRANSPORT: St Basils is also providing a coach to get some people from Birmingham to Three Pools. The coach is a 35 seater and will leave the St Basils car park (B9 4DY) at 6am sharp on Saturday 8th June. It will arrive at Three Pools approx. at 8am. The coach will leave Three Pools at 7pm sharp and return to the St Basils car park at approx. 9pm. the St Basils car park can hold just over 35 cars and you can park there for free. This offer is for the first 35 people that purchase a seat. The price is £20 per person. If more than 35 people want this service we will look at hiring in another coach but they will have to park at the NCP car park round the corner for £4.50 all day parking.
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Why should you participate?

Check out what our charity partners, Richborough, have to say about the Hike for Homeless:

 

Your participation will directly contribute to providing shelter, education, and essential support services for young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Our services include:

  • Supported Accommodation
  • Emergency accommodation
  • Care Leavers Support
  • Employability Programme
  • Homelessness prevention services (such as mediation and substance misuse support)
  • Youth Voice (a programme dedicated to preventing homelessness by ensuring young people are heard in the homelessness prevention sphere)

Every penny raised will contribute to ensuring these services stay available for those who need them. 

2023 Hike for Homeless

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in Hike For Homeless 2023. Below you’ll find a link to the PDF with every team’s start and finish times and photos from the day.

Team Times

Check out a selection of some of our favourite photos from last year’s Hike at the famous Peak District.

FAQs

Where does Hike for Homeless usually take place?
  • The event is held in a different part of the UK every summer. We choose iconic walking locations to maximise the visual experience. As a rule of thumb, the locations are chosen because they fall within a 2 ½ hour drive from our head quarters in Birmingham city centre. We’ve been to Brecon beacons, the Cotswolds and the Peak District to name a few.
Can I do the Hike on my own?
  • Unfortunately, we cannot have lone hikers take part. The minimum amount of people in a team must be 3 for health & safety reasons.
How many people can I have in a team?
  • The minimum is 3 people and the maximum is 6 people per team. If your group is larger than 6 people, simply create more teams. For example, if 8 of you wanted to sign up, you could create 2 teams of 4 people. This way we can more easily keep track of teams and increase the friendly competition!
I’m not sure which length of Hike suits me. How long will it take?
  • The short route is designed for young families and people who don’t regularly hike, and should take around 2/3 hours.
    The medium route most people who exercise regularly can do, and should take around 5/6 hours.
    The Long route can be tough, and you’ll need to be relatively fit to achieve this- it should take around 10/11 hours.
Are there check points?
  • Yes. These are spaced according to the terrain and accessibility. All check points are staffed by our friendly marshals who will check you through to make sure you’re all ok. You can also get energy treats and water at these points. We will aim to provide portaloos at these check points as well, pending permission.
Can I bring my dog?
  • Furry friends are very welcome- you must bring a lead with you, and always leash your pet when crossing farm land or instructed to do so by the land owner. Please also be aware to bring all of the necessities- water, treats, and waste bags.
What if I injure myself or feel I can’t carry on?
  • If you are injured to the point you can’t move, ask one of your teammates to phone 999 and stay with you whilst another member goes to the nearest check point to inform a marshal.
    If you can, make your way to the nearest check point- we will give you a lift to the finish line so you can retire.
What should I bring with me?
  • Ensure you bring your team map and guide booklet- we will send this to you after you have registered your team. Bring with you a mobile phone and portable charger, wearing clothing suitable for all weathers and for walking. We advise you wear good, worn-in walking boots. Make sure you have a rucksack, snacks and a water bottle to be refilled at the check points.
Are there signs on the route? Will I be on private land?
  • This event is legendary for its orienting element- there will be no signs. If you follow the guide and use the map, you should follow the designated route quite easily. Every inch of all routes is on public footpaths or public highways.
How much do I need to raise?
  • As much as you can! Each £9 raised helps us pay for a night’s accommodation for a disadvantaged young person. You could aim for 10 nights, a month- some people have even fundraised to cover a whole year! Once your fundraising page is automatically set up, we will give you tips, tricks, and we’ll even have someone on hand to be on your side and answer any queries, every step of the way.
What does the money raised go to?
  • St Basils works with young people to enable them to find and keep a home, grow their confidence, develop their skills, increase opportunities and prevent homelessness. We rely on the support of fundraisers like yourself to prevent youth homelessness for young people aged 16-25. We help 4,000 young people every single year, and are short of £9 per young person per night to provide accommodation. Browse our website for more about St Basils.

Hike for Homeless Participant, 2023:

“Last year’s hike took us through some of the most breathtaking landscapes I’ve ever seen, with each step bringing us closer to our fundraising goal to help young people in the local area. But it wasn’t just the natural beauty that left a lasting impression- it was the people – the fellow hikers, volunteers, and organizers. We look forward to finding out the latest location every year!”

Sign up at the link below and remember to use code H4HEARLYBIRD for 10% off your registration until March 31st!
Registration closes at 5pm on Friday 31st May.

Register Here

Thanks

This event is supported by IM Properties.

Special thanks to all at the Three Pools.