Organising a hike for charity - any dos and don'ts?

Not sure if anyone here saw the Late Late Show a couple of weeks ago, when Tony and Mary Heffernan spoke of their two children who were diagnosed with Batten's Disease. Anyway a few of us have decided to help in some small way and as we like to hike we thought it might be a nice idea to get a group together and head up Carrauntoohil, and rather than seek sponsorship for what is something we enjoy, simply ask each hiker to donate a sum themselves.

Anyway, of course the logistics of organising this will be new to us. Of course we plan on taking an easy route, maybe up the Devil's Ladder and down the Zig Zags. Would have thought we could round up 15 or 20 walkers anyway, maybe set off in stages to avoid any problems with rocks falling on the Devil's Ladder. Anyone got any tips on taking out a group? Is insurance an issue at all? How many guides would be needed for how many walkers? Is it sheer lunacy to contemplate this? Just would hate for something to go wrong.

The charity is
http://www.beeforbattens.org/

asomeday

well done for getting on board, the Heffernans are relations of mine, best of luck!

NathanKingerlee

What about doing a section of Kerry Way, or Purple Mountain & Tomies Mountain, instead?

It would lessen some of your Carrauntoohil dangers and stop some of the awful erosion caused by charity climbs/big groups. The only thing is that Purple/Tomies probably requires more nav skills in bad weather than Carrauntoohil does.

It's a tricky route choice, as Devil's Ladder will be the cause of a massive accident shortly I'm sure and the Zig Zags is such a delicate, ancient mass path, that's been massively impacted on in the last year.

I wouldn't worry about insurance; I've no faith in insurance companies anyway, they'll cost you a fortune and will do their best to wriggle out of covering you should anything go wrong. I've no idea what the legal implications are, but I'd suggest just organising it as a group of friends out for a Sunday walk, as opposed to a commercial venture.

Good luck with it.

Dr Pepper

I did Carrauntoohil with a group during the winter (via Devil's ladder). Only three of us made it to the top (sounds like an Everest expedition ) because we were late getting out and there weren't enough daylight hours in the day for the whole (inexperienced) group to get up and back. Handy enough walk though aside from that and not much trouble even for the inexperienced walkers (on a good-weather day!).

If you're looking for accommodation, we stayed at this place which was perfect for the occasion and worked out very cheap when split among 12 people (that was off-peak mind you). It's about a 20 minute drive from there up to the new car park at grid reference V826876.

Good luck with it.

@ Nathan. Thanks for that. Plan is that if the weather anyway poor, might stick with Torc/Old Road, or Mangerton. Something safe anyway. Had kinda told them all (about 15) that it was Carrauntoohil though, but hadn't really thought about the damage that we might be doing to the trails. We could do it from the Black Valley side and stick with that fence that goes to the ridge bet. Cnoc an Chuilinn and Cnoc na Toinne. Longer I guess, but no long walk in and out.

@ Dr Pepper. Thanks, but lucky enough to live over the road from it, well half an hour away. One fellow who is coming with us lives in the shadow of Carrauntoohil, in the Black Valley, and he's never been up it! Then again I was like that too until the last couple of years.

Gillo

First, while I've never heard of the charity as far as I'm concerned anyone making an effort to raise money for any charity deserves a pat on the back.

Second, I'd say insurance would be an issue, if I was you I'd contact a number of local walking clubs and explain that you are trying to get a group out for a hike with a view to raising some money; it'll be an informal hike with no set cost but donations are gladly accepted. The more formal you make it the more you're going to need to get cover etc.

Worked out well. 14 of us lined out. Great day for it. Some of the walkers had never been on the Reeks, so went via Devil's Ladder and Zig Zags, but think that's it for me on either, as Nathan said they both are showing excessive wear - at one stage there seemed to be a stream of people on both, and hardly anyone on the Heavenly Gates or going up towards the gullies or around by Beenkeragh. Great day for it, and made it from carpark in Lislebane and back in under 5 hours which I thought was pretty good going for a group with a few novices, albeit ones that play other sports. Though from the texts I'm getting think one or two feeling it a bit now - they'll toughen up in time!

daveoconnell

I organised a hike up Carrantouhill back in March. Insurance wasnt an issue. As long as people are aware that they should have their own insurance its absoultely fine. We had a group of 70 and while we had the good fortune not to have any injuries we took every precaution. However i would suggest staying away from the ladder. I'd take the concrete path up and maybe the zig zags down. We used the heavenly gates but it does lead to erosion and isnt ideal for beginners. Drop me an emai l and i can give you all the details of the day if you want dave@ulopc.com