Challenge and adventure are at the very heart of what we do at the Youth Adventure Trust.

Whether you love running, walking, cycling or swimming, challenges give you the chance to really test yourself and find out what you are truly capable of. If you’re looking for an adventure then you’ve come to the right place!

We’re calling upon all intrepid individuals to take on a personal challenge and raise some money to help vulnerable young people climb their own personal mountains. Hike up a mountain, run a marathon, do an endurance bike ride, swim the oceans or take to the air – whatever you choose to do, join us and do it to inspire young lives!

Each place on the Youth Adventure Programme costs £1,300 a year, so every penny you raise will really empower young people to fulfil their potential.

Join us for one of our own challenges, take a look at other challenges, and read what some of our incredible fundraisers have been doing to inspire young lives!

Wiltshire 3 Peaks Challenge

Saturday 8th June 2024, Oare, Wiltshire

Run, walk or jog either 10km or a Half Marathon in the glorious scenery of Wiltshire! The perfect opportunity for individuals, friends, families or colleagues to have an epic day together.

Beacons Challenge

Saturday 6th July 2024, Brecon Beacons National Park

Take on either 6 or 10 Peaks of the Brecon Beacons! The Beacons Challenge is demanding, exhilarating and a fantastic team building opportunity for groups of 2 – 6 people.

Hike Bike Paddle

Thursday 26th September, location to be confirmed shortly

The ultimate challenge for the Outdoor and Sports Industries. Get a team together and choose to hike, bike and paddle, or have a team relay where each person takes on one or two disciplines!

Housebuilder Challenge

Date Friday 13th September 2024, Black Mountains – Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau Brycheiniog), Wales

Open to anyone working within the Housebuilding or Construction Sectors – a perfect opportunity for a bit of friendly competition against other companies in the sector.

Baffin Island Expedition

Date TBC, The Arctic

Experience the unforgettable beauty of a frozen arctic wilderness on an expedition across Baffin Island.

Choose your own challenge

If these events don’t take your fancy, find an event near you, or do your own thing, and start fundraising to inspire young lives today. Let us know here.

Other challenges to inspire you this year

Imber Ultra Marathon

Sunday 3rd March 2024, Westbury

The Imber Ultra Marathon is a trail run of approximately 33 miles. It starts at the Leighton Recreation Centre in the town of Westbury at the north west of the Imber Ranges.

TCS London Marathon MyWay

Sunday 21st April 2024, anywhere you like!

Your marathon, your way… You’ll have from 00:00 to 23:59:59 on Marathon Day to complete your 26.2 miles so you can run, walk or jog the distance wherever you are in the world.

AJ Bell Great Bristol Run

Sunday 18th May 2024, Bristol

An action-packed day of running, with the 10k and Half Marathon events taking place on the same day, along with the Great Bristol Family Run.

Jurassic Coast Challenge

Saturday 18th – Sunday 19th May 2024, Jurassic Coast

Join 3,000 adventurers of all experience levels & ages and Walk, Jog or Run the spectacular Jurassic Coast – a World Heritage Site.

Cotswold Way Challenge

Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd June 2024, Cotswold Way

Walk, jog or run our Cotswold Challenge – with some fantastic views en route and tough hills in between! The looped route goes through the heart of the Cotswolds, which provides a stunning setting to test yourself.

Three Peaks Yacht Race

Sunday 14th July 2024, The West Coast

Sail up the wild West Coast and run to the summits of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the highest peaks of Wales, England and Scotland.

Charity Swimathon

September 2024 – date coming soon, Highworth Recreation Centre

Organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon North & Thamesdown, teams of 4 – 8 swimmers swim in relay for 55 minutes for as many lengths as possible. Funds raised will be split equally between a charity of your choice and SMASH.

Wild Night Out

July 2024 – date coming soon, wherever you like

For one night each year, people across the UK will be coming together to have adventures outdoors, big and small. We’d love you to join us.

Race to the Stones

Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th July 2024, The Ridgeway

Run, jog or walk the ultimate 100km (or 50km) adventure past Bronze Age hill forts, Neolithic burial chambers and Roman river crossings.

Ridgeway 100: The Century to the Stones

September 2024 – date coming soon, The Ridgeway

Mostly off road, the Ridgeway is ideal riding for fast MTBs, 29ers and even gravel/CX bikes. This is fast paced endurance off road, through one of the world’s great historic landscapes!

AJ Bell Great South Run

Sunday 20th October 2024, Portsmouth

The Great South Run takes place in Portsmouth over a fast and flat 10 mile route that also includes the Great South 5k and Junior Mini Great South Run on Saturday.

Adrenaline junkie?

Throughout the year, around the UK

Prepare for a truly unique and exhilarating experience: take the fastest zip line in the world and feel the freedom of flight… or really take flight with a skydive!

Looking for inspiration?

If you need some inspiration then take a look at what some of our other challengers have been doing!

Roger Chandler: 3 Peaks Challenge 2023

Good friends Paul, Mike, Lawrence & Roger took on the 3 Peaks Challenge to raise funds for us, taking on the famous 34 km route with 3021m of ascent, and ably assisted by Mark and Spencer as their support drivers.

As Roger says, “I have fond memories from the age of 8 of the annual family walking holidays to the Lake District. These holidays, and Scouts, started my love for the outdoors, particularly mountains, and by 18 I was walking and climbing in the Alps, Dolomites and Rockies. We decided to support the Youth Adventure Trust to enable more young people to experience the delights of outdoor activities, helping them overcome their fears and expanding their comfort zones and knowledge.”

Pierre Zeeman: London Marathon 2023

Pierre took on the world famous 26.2 mile run and wanted to use his ballot place to raise funds to get young people outside.

Pierre is a huge advocate for spending time in nature as a way to re-energise, revitalise, and reconnect with our roots.

“I have 2 boys and I try to get them outdoors everyday, teaching them about the wonderful world of plants, fungi and animals. You can sense the wonder and awe in them and hopefully that will lead them to live a fulfilled life. The Youth Adventure Trust does this for kids on a big scale which I admire and support fully. I ran the London Marathon to enable them to do more!”

His incredible fundraising enables more young people to get outdoors, challenge themselves and build resilience.

James Billington: Chilly Challenge 2023

James took on a mountain expedition to Poland with Wim Hof to build mental resilience by jumping in icy waters, frozen lakes and streams, ice baths and hiking up mountains in just shorts! The training ahead of the challenge involved taking ice baths every day in an oak barrel outside – chilly!

James has been a volunteer for the Youth Adventure Trust for a few years, supporting our young people to over their own challenges, and so has seen first-hand how challenge is the provider of growth. He really wanted to use this expedition as an opportunity not only to test himself, but to raise awareness of the Youth Adventure Trust and what we do to support vulnerable young people.

“Despite all my training, there were many elements to the expedition that I found a real challenge – it was tough mentally and physically. But it was an amazing week, one I will never forget and indeed take things I have learned with me going forward.”

Wendy Searle: South Pole 2020

Youth Adventure Trust volunteer and adventurer Wendy Searle has become the 7th woman to ski solo and unsupported from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole. Wendy completed the expedition in just 42 days, 16hrs, 23mins, becoming the 4th fastest solo unsupported female by skiing 720 miles, consuming 258,000 calories – with 0 rest days!

By completing this extraordinary Antarctic challenge, Wendy has demonstrated incredible resilience and mental toughness – exactly the skills that our young people learn on the Youth Adventure Programme. She is raising funds for Youth Adventure Trust and ABF, the Soldier’s Charity, to inspire others that the extraordinary is available to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

“It was a really long journey to get to the South Pole, not just on Antarctica itself, but it was also 5 years of planning, training and fundraising to get to the start. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, to find the courage every day to carry on despite incredibly difficult physical challenges. All this hard work was worth it though, to be able to support two incredible and worthwhile charities.”

[Photo credit Wendy Searle/South Pole 2020]

Natatia Robinson: Loch Ness Marathon

Natatia was inspired to set herself a challenge after listening to an interview with American ultramarathon runner David Goggins, where he talked about how transformational discomfort can truly be. He asked the question “What is it that you have never wanted to do?” – and Natatia realised she was going to have to run a marathon!

Pushing herself to the limit by doing something outside of her comfort zone is at the heart of what Youth Adventure Trust is all about, and Natatia chose a lovely scenic marathon as her first!

“I know from my own experiences that taking on large amounts of responsibility at a young age can be very lonely and extremely tiresome, and giving children a place to not only be free of these responsibilities but also to meet peers who are able to understand and appreciate their struggles is an invaluable service.”

Shaun: The Big Abseil

In June, volunteer mentor Shaun braved a 130ft abseil down the Jury’s Inn Hotel, Swindon, to raise £395 for YAT, alongside his mentee Christopher, who was fundraising towards a school trip to Kenya next year.

“It was great to do the abseil together! My mentee Chris did himself (and me) proud. Despite a few jitters at the top he fully committed and did the whole thing like a walk in the park.”

Jake: Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge 2019

Jake Greenwood undertook an incredible 100km Ultra Challenge along the Cotswold Way, hiking through night and day on one of the hottest weekends of the year to raise £1,602 for Youth Adventure Trust!

“I wanted to work with a charity that helps give young people the opportunity to rewrite their narrative and live fully. I loved the idea of taking on an outdoor challenge to help young people take on their own challenge – and giving them access to the childhood adventures I had. I want to give them the power of the outdoors. Everyone deserves it.”