We’re delighted to introduce new, exciting cycle rides to two of the most stunning places on the planet - Costa Rica and Death Valley.

Did you know that Costa Rica hosts more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity, even though its landmass only takes up 0.03% of the planet’s surface? Explore the splendours of this fascinating and beautiful country by cycling coast-to-coast with Across the Divide. Book your place and take in the sights and sounds of banana plantations, rainforests and volcanoes as you pedal from the Caribbean to the Pacific coast.

Or how about cycling across the place where the highest temperature on earth was recorded? (Don’t worry – we won’t be cycling in 56.7 degrees of heat next November!) Your trip will take you 264 miles across this incredible terrain.  Take in the stunning views … and enjoy the thought of a night out in Las Vegas at the end of the ride. What more could a person want?!

Give yourself a great headstart in your training and secure your place today; we hope to see you there!

Happy pedaling,

The Across the Divide events team

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We love her list of 15 things she learned on her walk, including:

•  Someone offering you chocolate and a cuppa is instantly transformed from normal person to the best person. Ever
• Changing into fresh socks during a walk is an almost heavenly feeling
• You will always need the toilet when you’re halfway between checkpoints
• Promising yourself a curry if you manage to get home before the local takeaway shuts is a great incentive
• Every ache, every pain and every rain-sodden, wind-blown, damp, hard, tiring and seemingly impossible step is worth it when you truly believe in the charity you’re supporting

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!  Check out the full blog here: and if these musings inspire you, don’t forget that registrations for Just Walk 2014 are now open – click here to register!

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Some of them may be nursing a blister or two, or some aching muscles, but hopefully any lingering discomfort will have been heavily outweighed by a wonderful feeling achievement. As well as completing the Just Walk challenge, our walkers also raised some truly astonishing amounts for charity; so well done to them all!  Why not check out their fundraising totals and tips on our Facebook page?  Some outstanding stories have been posted up already.

We also saw a new course record set for the 60km distance, with one super-speedy walker finishing in an incredible 7.5 hours! Although Just Walk is not a race against time, we thought this was worth a mention. There was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the event. Over 1,000 people registered, with 880 people taking part on the day. The number of walkers completing the four distances were as follows:

• 60km – 156 walkers
• 40km – 232 walkers
• 20km – 221 walkers
• 10km – 271 walkers

We’re delighted to offer an early bird discount on the 2014 Just Walk event – now confirmed for Saturday 10th May 2014. Book before Friday 31st May 2013 and get 10% off next year’s event, across ALL distances! Simply quote discount code JWEB14when you book your place online. If you Just Walked this year, why not sign up next year for a greater distance; or see if you can improve on your 2013 time? Remember, all of the money you raise goes directly to your chosen charity.

If, however, Just Walk has left you looking for an even bigger challenge, we’re offering some fantastic discounts on truly epic adventures in the second half of 2013.  Fancytrekking to Machu Picchu? Or climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (you’re twice as likely to reach to top with Across the Divide*!)? Or even following in the footsteps of Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay to the base camp of Everest? Visit our hiking, trekking & walking web page to find out more and book your place.

Congratulations again on your Just Walk 2013 success. We hope to welcome you on another Across the Divide event soon.

With best wishes,

The Across the Divide Just Walk Team.

* Source: Lonely Planet

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First up; Kilimanjaro.

Did you know that you’re are TWICE AS LIKELY to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro with Across the Divide? Over the past two years, over 85% of Across the Divide trekkers have reached the top – the average success rate is just 42%*. This is because:

• We give you two extra days to adjust to the extreme altitude, which increases your chance of summit success – unlike many of our competitors
• You will be accompanied by at least one UK-trained doctor with altitude experience ot help you reach the summit – unlike many of our cometitors
• We follow the less-travelled Rongai Route to the summit, which is generally considered to offer some of the best opportunities for acclimatisation

So avoid the crowds, DOUBLE YOUR CHANCE OF SUMMIT SUCCESS and take advantage of our special web-only offer: book now and get a fantastic £50 OFF your place on our September 2013 trip by quoting reference KAW13!

Next up, Peru and the Inca Trail

The bad news? Inca Trail passes are now sold out for September 2013 – boo! The good news? you can still visit the Lost City of Machu Picchu with Across the Divide – yeay!  Walk through the iconic Sun Gate and have over a day to explore these magnificant ruins – but substitute the last morning of walking for a ride on the majestic train instead.  With magnificent views and a stress-free journey up to the site, it’s the perfect way to round off your trip.

Book for our September 2013 trip via our website and get a fantastic £75 OFF your place by quoting reference PAWS13!

Last – but by no means least – is Everest Base Camp

It’s surely the ultimate trekking charity challenge: to follow in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay to the base camp of Everest.

If this incredible trip is on your bucket list, don’t delay and book today with Across the Divide. As an added incentive to click for this trip, we’re offering online customers a whopping £100 OFF when you book and quote reference EAW13!

Snap up one of these magnificent offers while they’re available and book yourself the trip of a lifetime.

And book with the best: Across the Divide.

*Source: Lonely Planet

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The weather forecast is looking good; perhaps the long winter is finally over!  So put a spring in your step and Just Walk 10km, 20km, 40km or 60km across the beautiful South Downs on Saturday 11 May.  With our flagship walking event now less than a month away, we’re giving 10% off ALL bookings made from today, across ALL distances.

To take advantage of this offer, simply quote discount code JW10 when you register via our website.

If you’ve got a larger group interested in taking part, we’re also offering a discount on group bookings. For details, or if you have any questions about the event, please email us.

And if the thought of a walk inspires you to try a more challenging hike, we’ve got some fantastic events planned for the second half of this year.  From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, to hiking the Great Wall of China, to trekking Machu Picchu, there’s a range of exciting opportunities to get those boots on and take in some fantastic sights.  Visit our events page to find out more.

Happy walking!

The Across the Divide Just Walk Team.

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It can be tough to motivate yourself to get out there and train when the weather is bad. It can be even tougher if you think your walking technique needs improvement. Fortunately, our friends at Women’s Walking magazine have a fantastic guide to analysing and adapting your walking technique - click here to take a look.

We’ve got quite a community building around Just Walk this year. If you’re looking to get in touch with fellow walkers, or want to share training techniques or fundraising ideas, why not join our Facebook event page? One of our walkers recently posted some lovely photos of her & her dogs out in the snow, valiantly putting in the miles!

If you’re walking to raise money for charity, we’ve designed a free poster for you to print off to help boost your fundraising efforts. Simply download a copy from our website, fill in your sponsorship details and put it on display – perhaps in your front window, in your car, in the office staff room, or on the noticeboard at your local sports centre?

Event packs are sent out with your registration confirmation, however if for some reason you haven’t received one please email us and we’ll send it to you directly.

Just Walk is now in it’s 7th year and people are signing up fast for all four distance challenges. But of course there’s still room for more, so don’t forget to tell your family, friends and colleagues about this fantastic experience. It’s quick and easy to sign up via our website; alternatively they can book over the phone on 01460 30456.  If you know of anyone who’s putting together a group of walkers, we’re running a discount on group bookings - please ask them to email us for more details today!

We’ll be back in touch soon with more news about the event, however if you have any queries in the meantime please get in touch.

Enjoy your walking; we must be due some sunshine soon!

The Across the Divide Just Walk Team.

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If the recent cold spell has given you a taste for snow, an Across the Divide dog sledding trip could be right up your street.

It’s your last chance to snap up (or should that be wolf down?) a place – and if you book before Thursday 31st January we’ll give you £100 off!  Simply book your place through our website or call us on 01460 30456 and quote discount code DSJan13.

Need inspiration?

Blog! Written by one of our 2012 participants, this fantastic blog really captures the spirit and excitement of this wonderful trip.

Snaps! Need some visual inspiration? Check out our Pinterest site to get the feel of this incredible experience.

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When I decided to locum for a while in order to concentrate on expedition medicine, I didn’t expect to become Pudsey’s personal physician for Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge with the BBC and the One Show… but last week I was privileged to provide medical support for this fantastic event as part of the Across the Divide Expeditions event management crew. As I crept along in the medic car behind the rickshaw at around 10mph , trying to ignore the acrid smell of the clutch, I pondered the fantastic diversity of experience that expedition medicine offers. I’ve worked in various exotic locations since attending the Keswick course in Expedition Medicine, yet those 9 days supporting 8 teenagers cycle across Britain rank amongst the most enjoyable and inspiring of my career.

In many ways, the event was like any other expedition:

It took me to new places, starting in sleepy Llandudno and continued south through the stunning ,windy and wet Welsh landscape , across the rolling hills to Salisbury plain and finally to London’s concrete jungle.

I had to deal with the usual medical issues (diarrhoea, skin conditions, aches and pains), I’d swatted up on the teenagers’ chronic conditions and hoped they’d remain stable and prepared a comprehensive medical kit which was rarely used but was ready if needed.

Each day brought unexpected challenges and surprises, like having 10 minutes’ warning before being interviewed on live TV; supporting the blind rider sent down an off-road track as daylight faded (he loved it and I laughed so hard my sides hurt!); Like the hotel we shared with a party of pensioners celebrating New Year 2 months early (Auld lang Syne and the bells at 10pm before bedtime.) The event crew had to accommodate the ever-changing demands of the various parties involved including fundraisers, family and film crew and potential conflict between leaders with different agendas was resolved professionally.

My breath was taken away several times, not by high altitude peaks or panoramas but by the victories and sheer determination of the physically disabled riders…some find walking a challenge and had never ridden a bike before.

My only physical challenge was sitting in a car for 10 hrs a day! No problem, you may think, but by day 6 the urge to exercise was almost unbearable. Thankfully Physio Laura (my partner in crime) and I discovered a shared sense of humour and we laughed most of the time away.

The ATD event management crew were fantastic, confirming to me that expeditions and outdoor events tend to bring together highly professional and genuinely lovely people who are a pleasure to work with.

So if you’re interested in expedition medicine, yet can’t undertake a typical long-haul trip at the moment, why not consider getting involved in events closer to home.? They demand many of the same skills, bring unpredictable challenges and almost certainly offer some wonderful rewards.

The fantastic Team Rickshaw raised £1,547,717! with monies still coming in. Find out more about the team-members and everything they got up to!

(Dr Karen Bevan-Mogg is a GP in London. She did the Expedition and Wilderness Medicine course in Keswick 2010 and the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care course in the Lee Valley 2012.)

#TeamRickshaw @BBCCiN @AcrossTheDivide

Of Interest

• Expedition & Wilderness Medicine Course
• Pre Hospital Trauma and Management of Medical Emergencies in Remote Settings

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Download Across the Divide charity challenge brochure right here and put your thoughts into action!

High quality PDF file – slower download but looks nicer!!

Low quality PDF file – faster download by photographs dont come out quite so nice! 

 

 

 

‘Behind every challenge and adventure is a logistics team that work tirelessly behind the scenes. Across The Divide provide the support and logistics that ensured a safe and successful adventure. They organised the event in record time without compromising safety or quality.  Quite simply, we couldn’t have done it without them”.   Ben Fogle.

 

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As well as the commitment and dedication of cycling team, it takes the professional know-how and experience of a trusted event team to ensure that such a complicated rolling event is a success.  Which is why the BBC once again asked Across the Divide to organise the logistics and provide on-the-road support for this year’s challenge.

Paul Collin, Events Manager at Across the Divide, said: “There are so many considerations when organising an event like this.  As well as crucial aspects such as the safety of the riders and the public, you’ve got to plan for the unexpected: people being taken ill, bad weather, last minute changes to the schedule.  The fact that the team is also broadcasting live to the nation and needs to be in a certain place at a certain time certainly adds an extra thrill!”

Mark Hannaford, Managing Director at Across the Divide, said “We were delighted to again be the chosen events managers for the BBC’s Children in Need rickshaw challenge.  We’ve got years of experience of running fundraising events that raise millions of pounds each year for charitable and socially worthwhile causes.  It’s great to know that our reputation as leaders in our field means that institutions such as the BBC, as well as some of the UK’s leading charities including The Prince’s Trust, trust us to safely deliver complicated challenges and events for their people.”

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