08:00
£10-£20
Age 18 & over
Follow the Seagulls is a long distance, charity trek to help make sure no one has to face a brain tumour alone. It’s your chance to do something truly incredible that matches your passion to help the 60,000 people in the UK who are afraid and alone because of their brain tumour diagnosis.
The Follow the Seagulls treks take place annually on the Isle of Wight, Whitby in North Yorkshire, the Fife Coastal Path in Scotland, Dartmouth in Devon and now Brighton too.
Get together with the wider group at the start on both days and at various points over the weekend, but you will step into the role of navigator on this self-supported walk.
There’ll be trails to stick to, and fellow walkers to join up with, but you’ll have to consult your maps which will be annotated to help you navigate your way around.
Whether you choose to walk alone or as part of a group, you will be ensured an amazing experience!
The 50-mile challenge begins!
The 26-mile challenge takes place today alongside the second day for the 50-mile challengers.
Conquer the challenge as a team!
Walking as a team can be great motivation to keep you on track with your training, and with a shared fundraising target of £1,000 for team entries, you'll find it easier to smash your target and raise the vital funds that make all the difference.
26 or 50 miles, on foot, is a long way. Preparation is vital.
10 weeks to go
Begin by walking 2 or 3 miles, near home. This will take around an hour initially. Try to do this 2 or 3 times a week. After a week or two of these short walks, continue the 3 milers but add in a 6 miler once a week. This should take around 2 hours. And make sure you tackle some hills on the route if you have them. Both routes have them by the shed load.
Whilst Training, drink before you are thirsty. Eat before you are hungry. This is a mindset you'll need to get used to, the sooner the better. Make sure you take water and cereal or energy bars with you. You will burn up energy fast and need to replace it quickly.
During the training it’s normal to feel tired and weary, but if you have more persistent pains or concerns do seek medical advice. to ensure you can tackle the distance, it’s time to step it up.
6 weeks to go
Keep the lower mileage walks going. If, before you signed up to this challenge, walking wasn’t a normal part of your life, it now should be and these short walks should feel easy and almost effortless.
Now, add in a 12 miler. This should take about 3 hours and over the next few weeks try and commit to doing a few.
This way your body will begin to prepare for the massive challenge ahead.
4 weeks to go
By now walking should be second nature. You should be regularly walking 3-6 miles, and have tackled a few 12 milers to get accustomed to the intensity of long distances.
With 4 weeks to go, it’s time to step it up again.
Set aside time to walk 15 miles in and amongst the shorter distances. You’ll find you can do it and it will really begin to prepare you for the massive challenge ahead.
It might not be the 25 miles a day you’ll be trekking during the challenge, but when you know you’ve already cracked a 15 miler, the extra stretch can be conquered.
Dartmouth
Dartmouth
Devon
UK
This trek (along with Whitby) is the toughest challenge of the four Follow the Seagulls treks, with an approximate elevation on Day One of 3000ft and on Day Two approximately 2000ft, and covering steep hills and steps. You will need great map reading/orienteering skills and fitness training is a must.
You will be provided with:
The sponsorship target for the 26 mile challenge is:
The sponsorship targets for the 50 mile challenge are:
Helping the brain tumour community to feel less alone and more in control.
brainstrust helps people diagnosed with a brain tumour, aiming to give everyone diagnosed access to the resources that will put them back in control. brainstrust enables brain tumour patients and carers to become resilient and to utilise brain tumour support resources from all providers to their full potential.
The challenge is to take on 50 miles over 2 days, all in support of the 30 people who are diagnosed with a brain tumour every day here in the UK.
For those 30 people, the road ahead looks scary and uncertain. By taking part in Follow the Seagulls, you'll aim to raise sponsorship to ensure that brainstrust can be there to help families feel less afraid, less alone and more in control.
Your support in this challenge could fund ten coaching sessions to give someone with a brain tumour the tools they need to cope.
I know only too well that much more needs to be done for the care and aftercare of patients diagnosed with brain tumours. If it wasn’t for brainstrust supporting me through my experience, I don’t know where I would be right now. They have been a lifeline for me and I can’t thank them enough. Patient 2017
Entry fee
£10.00
Minimum sponsorship
£200.00
Entry fee
£20.00
Minimum sponsorship
£250.00
For someone considering this challenge in the future I’d say absolutely do it. Not only was it an epic physical and mental challenge, it was also one of the most humbling and rewarding adventures I’ve been on. It was an incredible achievement and opportunity to truly see the best in people; sharing stories, support and collective goals. As the aches begin to fade, my gratitude for this amazing charity, and the people it has connected me with, just grows stronger and stronger. Sammy 2019
