THE LAKE DISTRICT SUPERSTARS CHALLENGE - 27TH May & 28TH May 2022

Are you ready to experience England’s largest National Park as you climb the mighty Helvellyn, kayak the ribbon lake, Ullswater, and cycle a stunning 28-mile route through the Lake District – all in one day?!

Our Superstars Challenge gives you the chance to experience it from all angles! Rising with the sun, you’ll hop on your bikes and ride approx. 14 miles through the stunning scenery the Lake District is renowned for, from the peaceful parish of Penrith to the lakeside village of Glenridding.

With Helvellyn watching over you, it’s time to swap your bikes for boots and start your trek up the mountain. You’ll pass the beautiful Keppel Cove and reach the peak at 950m for sublime panoramas across the country.

Descending on the same path, you’ll meet our team at the banks of Ullswater. Your legs will get their rest as your arms take the lead and you paddle an approx. 1.5-mile/2.4km buoy-marked circuit on the lake. No kayaking experience is needed and we’ll provide you with everything you need, with our challenge guides ready to help you out at the drop of a paddle.

Climbing out on the other side, you’ll dust off the day cycling a final approx. 14 miles back to Glenridding. Now all there’s left to do is collect your well-deserved Superstars Challenge medal and celebrate with a glass of prosecco! We’ll end the day with a BBQ and part ways, ready to reunite on your next Superstars Challenge!

stay overnight in the lake district

If you would like to make the most of your time in this bucket list destination and stay overnight, why not jump on our awesome optional two-night-hotel package?

We'll arrange hotel accommodation for you on Friday and Saturday night, plus a two-course meal on Friday evening and a hearty breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday - all for just £250 in addition to your challenge costs). Please get in touch with us for the full details and to book this fantastic package.

what is the superstars series?

The Dream Challenges Superstars is an exciting new Adventure Race series. With three in 2022 and two more to follow in 2023, participants can take on one challenge or complete all five to conquer the series.

At the end of each Superstars Challenge, you’ll be rewarded with a medal and if you manage to conquer all five challenges, these medals will form a star!

your itinerary

Previous

Day 1

Day 2

Next

day 1

challenge briefing - penrith

Join us the night before our challenge at our challenge base in the historic market town of Penrith, once the capital of Cumbria!

You have all day to make your own way to our challenge base, where registration opens at 5pm. We’ll send all participants the full details of our challenge base and how to get there as the event draws closer.

Our Dream Team will welcome you upon your arrival and you have a chance to meet your fellow participants, before an exciting briefing on the challenge ahead, starting at 7pm.

Accommodation isn't included, but we offer a fantastic optional two-night hotel package. For an additional £250, we'll arrange hotel accommodation in Penrith for you on Friday and Saturday night, plus a two-course meal on Friday evening and a hearty breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday. Places are limited, so please get in touch with us as soon as possible for the full details and to book this brilliant additional package.

day 2

challenge day

Rising bright and early to breakfast, you hop on your bikes and kick off for the first stretch of the challenge. An intense warm-up beckons as you cycle through rolling countryside and alongside Ullswater, a beautiful ribbon lake scooped from a glacier. Our stunning approx. 14-mile route takes you past the scenic wooded area of Dunmallart, the Eden Millennium Monument and Arthur’s Table to the biscuit-tin village of Glenridden at south of the lake.

As you reach the end of your cycle, you’ll see members of our Dream Team waiting for you with your hiking gear and swap your bikes for boots in the shadow of Helvellyn. Now it’s time to climb the third highest mountain in England. You ascend on clear paths past the beautiful Keppel Cove and reach the peak at 3,118.7ft/950m for sublime panoramas across the country.

From here, miles of green mountains and sparkling lakes stretch into the horizon: a view too bewitching to leave without some pictures. However, Ullswater lies far below, inviting you to descend for your penultimate challenge.

You follow the same trail back down Helvellyn and meet our team at the banks of Ullswater, ready for your kayaking section! No kayaking equipment or experience is necessary. Our team will be by your side the whole time. We’ll kit you up with a kayak, paddle and buoyancy aid and give you some quick training before you launch into the lake.

Your legs get their rest as your arms take the lead and you paddle our approx. 1.5-mile/2.4km buoy-marked course on the lake, drinking in vistas of fields, forests and the Old Man of Coniston. Climbing out on the same bank, you’re feeling the fatigue now, but you’ve just got one last stretch to conquer. So it’s back on your bikes to cycle approx. 14 miles back to Penrith.

We’ll welcome you across the finish line with your well-deserved Superstars Challenge medal and a glass of prosecco. You can also tuck into some food and enjoy the party-like atmosphere as we cheer your fellow participants across the finish line!

Then we say our goodbyes and you make your own way home, no doubt buzzing to book your next Superstars Challenge!

Alternatively, if you book our fab additional two-night hotel package, you can simply settle down for your second night at the hotel in Penrith that we arrange for you in this beautiful part of England.

Please get in touch for the full details and to book the additional package.

book my place

funding options

self funded

Pay your registration fee and your challenge costs yourself.

£195

Pay the balance

Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £79, which is used to administer the challenge and pay deposits to suppliers.

Pay the challenge costs of £195 yourself at least 6 weeks before the challenge.

The challenge costs covers lunch and post event food, repatriation by vehicle if required, kayak equipment hire, clearly mapped-out cycling, trekking and kayaking routes, medal, and full challenge support, including mechanical support and a team of outdoor-remote-first-aid trained challenge guides.

Choose to fundraise as much as you can for the charity, hospice or animal sanctuary of your choice or make a personal donation.

What about bikes?

Please bring your own bike and helmet, along with a spare inner tube.

You'll be cycling on clear, undulating roads through the National Park, so we recommend that you use a road or hybrid bike for this challenge. You are also welcome to take part on an e-bike.

If you need to hire a bike, please get in touch with us and we can raange this for you at an additional cost. Simply email us at events@dream-challenges.com or call us on 01590 646410 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm).

Do you have to carry your own equipment?

You will begin the challenge in your cycling gear, which we'll collect from you when you reach the checkpoint to trek Helvellyn. Our team will look after your bikes and cycling gear while you climb the mountain and complete the kayaking course.

Therefore, there's no need to carry anything except for a day bag with things like your water bottle, phone/camera and anything else you want to have to hand.

 Do I need special equipment?

A bike and a cycling helmet are essential and we advise that you have walking boots or fell running shoes for the hiking element of the challenge.

You must also have appropriate waterproof clothing for the canoeing section. We'll provide all the kayaking equipment, including kayaks, paddles and a buoyancy aid.

Please also bring your own water bottle (at least 2-litres).

Need to hire a bike?

Bikes are not included on this challenge, but we will be happy to arrange bike hire for you at an additional price. Simply get in touch with us at events@dream-challenges.com or on 01590 646410 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm).

You need to be 18 years old or over to take part in this challenge. There's no maximum age limit. One of the amazing things about this challenge is that it brings adults of all ages and from all walks of life together for one amazing event.

Younger participants may be able to take part if accompanied by an adult participant. Please get in touch with us to discuss this. Simply email events@dream-challenges.com and we'll be happy to help.

What is included?

Your registration fee (£79) and challenge costs (£195) include:

First aid support from our outdoor-remote-first aid-trained event staff.

Parking at our start/finish venue - we will send all participants the details ahead of the challenge.

Drinking water throughout the challenge (but please bring your own water bottle).

Lunch and post-event food on Day 2.

Repatriation by vehicle if required.

Full event management and support - the Dream Team are on hand from the moment you sign up for the challenge to provide any help you may need and answer any questions.

Fully qualified, highly experienced, knowledgeable and fun mountain, cycling and kayaking lea