Tips for Walkers

Some tips for the day…

Check that everyone you want to walk with is in the same group as you.  This needs to be sorted before Friday ☺

This is an enjoyable day out and we try our best to help you achieve this. We carry around the bulk of your gear for you while you get on with enjoying the walk. ☺  

We ask that you carry a small ruck sack with essentials.  

Essentials:

A small bottle of water – we will keep filling it for you as you empty it at each stop.  Don’t worry we have port-a-loos travelling around with us also ☺

A rain jacket / wind breaker – remember the higher we go the cooler the air gets and if we stop you can get cold fast!

A small first aid kit – plasters, blister packs, etc,

Midge repellent

Sun screen

Medication – inhalers, antihistamine, insulin, female things, you know what you need to remember

Snacks for energy

A fully charged phone/camera ☺

Spare socks

By carrying all this in a small rucksack it keeps your hands free for balance when walking.  

Some people also like to walk with walking poles – that is a personal preference.  Please ensure you have them named as they can all look alike!

In the van you may put in as much as you see fit.  

We suggest:

  • a full change of clothes,
  • 6 pairs of socks (nothing worse than wet feet!),
  • a plastic bag in case those socks do get wet,
  • walking boots and walking shoes, we recommend ankle supported footwear for the mountain and some other parts of the walk.  Your guides will let you know when you need to change footwear and the vans will be there with your bags when this happens.  
  • Your lunch!!!  Some people take a flask and a full picnic – again, whatever you see fit.  

Label this bag well – a bright coloured ribbon or large key ring so you can identify it quickly ☺  Also – having your name inside it helps us in case you leave it behind.

Yes, bags and gear often get left behind!

I know when you arrive back at the Drimarone Centre you will be wanting to chat with your families, get in for some great food, sit down and relax, but please, please remember to take all of your gear out of the vans first.  The van drivers are also looking at going in for something to eat and some of them have to rush off at the end of the walk so the sooner you claim everything the sooner the drivers will also be able to relax.

I hope this answers most of your questions.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to drop us a line or a text on 087 1226612.  I may not be able to answer until I finish work.

Ardara Departure Point

The departure point for the Bluestack Challenge on Saturday morning the 10th of June is from the Chapel on Main Street, Ardara.

There is room for parking adjacent to the chapel.

If this is your first time joining us here is what happens:

Arrive in Ardara in plenty of time to Sign in – we need a headcount before we set off

You will be allocated a van to put your Rucksack to carry you clothing changes – the van will be at each stop along the route if you want to retrieve anything from it throughout the day. Remember to have some way of quickly identifying your possessions.

You will need a smaller bag to carry lightweight mac, socks, blister pack, insect repellant, small bottle of water and you might to change footwear between meeting the van with your possessions again.

There will be scones (freshly baked overnight) and tea or coffee – kindly sponsored by a good friend of the Challenge

Noel Cunningham will be MC as usual – and will put us all in a good mood before we take to the hills.

Lead Guides Joe Coyle and John McGroary will outline the safety guidelines we all need to know and follow

Chairman James McGroary will say a word or two 😫😫😫.

 

Registration is Closed

We are pleased to let you know that we have almost 220 registered to walk the hills on Saturday next.

We will have 3 groups of walkers. As usual, the Bluestack Ramblers will provide the local knowledge to get us all from Ardara to Drimarone safely.

We look forward to seeing you there. Thanks for Signing up.

Extended Deadline for Registrtion

Extended Deadline for Registration

The extended deadline to take part as a walker in the Bluestack Challenge is Friday June 2nd. PLEASE DO NOT “just turn up” on the morning of June 10th and expect to walk. You need to have registered by June 2nd – at the absolute latest. This is due to Safety and Logistics reasons.

If you don’t register before the deadline you can still make a difference in the lives of People with Special needs and their families by Sponsoring a Walker or helping out on June 10th. There is plenty of work to be done!

Morning of June 10th. Arrival and Check-in

On the Morning of the Walk – Arrival and Check In
Check in is between 8 and 8:30am in Ardara on Saturday June 10th.
We ask all walkers to ‘check in’ when they arrive in Ardara so Volunteers can mark you present and we know we don’t need to wait for you.

Once you are checked in you will be able to place your bag with extra socks, shoes, boots, clothes, food, etc, into your assigned van. The volunteer drivers will be there to assist you. Please make sure you have an identifying ribbon or such like on the outside of your bag as there maybe 40 bags in the one van.

After check in you are welcome to get hot cuppa and a delicious scone – baked and supplied by a kind friend of the challenge.

Getting on the road

As soon as everyone is checked in, we will then start to get into our assigned groups and off we go at approximately 8.30am.

After a quick Health & Safety talk and a group photo, the first group will head off starting through a ‘human gate’. There are two ‘main’ guides and other experienced members of local Hill walking group The Bluestack Ramblers as stewards in every group. Please make sure to thank these wonderful people who give freely of their time and expertise for your enjoyment and safety on this day. The second group will take off approximately 10 minutes later and the following groups will do likewise.

Bluestack Challenge 2015 Success!

It was an early start for everyone, and for some, very early indeed! Well done and congratulations to everyone who took part. Also a big Thank You to everyone who helped in any way to make this event such a success. This includes the volunteers inside and outside the hall, the van, jeep and toilet drivers, the physio support, the doctors, nurses, guides, stewards, check in ladies, people collecting the money, traffic marshals, bakers, tea/coffee makers, chefs, TY students, Noel Cunningham, fruit cutters, army, land owners, video camera operator and photographers who helped record the event, there are just so many to thank. Along with main sponsor Gallaghers Bakery Ardara, many many individuals, companies, local businesses, school students, etc and of course the walkers helped make this event a success. We were so delighted to have such a great bunch of people on the hills, roads, in the hall and behind the scenes. We thank each and every one of you and everyone who supported you to make this such a fantastic day.

If any of you still have sponsorship money, remember you can lodge it directly into our account and return your card to us or drop both money and card into the office. We know how lucky we are to have such fantastic voluntary help and we look forward to supporting many people in County Donegal on your behalf. Thank You. You know who you are and we are very grateful to each and every one of you. Hope everyone has recovered.

On the Morning of the Walk – Arrival and Check In

  • Check in is between 8 and 8:30am on Saturday June 13th.
  • We ask all walkers to ‘check in’ when they arrive at the Bluestack Centre so Volunteers can mark you present and we know we don’t need to wait for you.
  • There will be NO parking in the grounds of the Bluestack Centre as we need this area free for checking in and welcoming back the walkers.
  • We have permission for PARKING AT THE CHURCH next to the centre. Please keep in mind your fellow walkers – park wisely and respect the marshals too.
  • Once you are checked in you will be able to place your bag with extra socks, shoes, boots, clothes, food, etc, into your assigned van. The volunteer drivers will be there to assist you. Please make sure you have an identifying ribbon or such like on the outside of your bag as there maybe 40 bags in the one van.

After check in you are welcome to get hot cuppa and a delicious scone – baked and supplied by a wonderful and kind friend of the challenge.

Getting on the road

As soon as everyone is checked in, we will then start to get into our assigned groups -at  approximately 8.45am.

After a quick Health & Safety talk and a group photo, the first group will head off starting through a ‘human gate’. There are two ‘main’ guides and approx. 6 stewards in every group. Please make sure to thank these wonderful people who give freely of their time and expertise for your enjoyment and safety on this day. The second group will take off approximately 10 minutes later and the following groups will do likewise.

Extended Deadline for Registration

The deadline to take part as a walker in the Bluestack Challenge has passed. You can still make a difference in the lives of People with Special needs and their families by Sponsoring a Walker or helping out on June 13th. There is plenty of work to be done!

Closing date for registration: Thursday 30th April 2015

In order to ensure that participants have time to train for the challenge and to facilitate the gathering of sponsorship money the closing date for walkers to register for the Bluestack Challenge 2015 is Thursday 30th April.

This allows roughly six weeks for training and fund raising activities. If you haven’t registered yet, do it now! Don’t wait unitl the last minute!

Make a difference in the lives of People with Special Needs in County Donegal – sign up – today!

Get Sponsorship from Anywhere!

While each registered walker in the Bluestack Challenge 2015 will receive a Sponsorship Card and this is helps greatly to raise funds, there is also an online facility available.

When a person fully completes the registration process they will receive an email which contains a link to enable the setting up of a fundraising page. When the fundraising page is set up, the registered walkers name appears on the Sponsor a Walker page. Friends and family anywhere in the world with internet access can click on the walkers name to donate funds and sponsor any walker.

If you haven’t taken advantage if the online facility above, take a look at the email you received confirming your registration and go about setting it up. If you have any problem doing so please Contact us