The main event is 17.5 miles long, inviting participants to walk from Horsham to Shoreham-by-Sea. The terrain is mostly flat.

All information regarding the event (how to get to there, what the start and end points are, a map of the route, details of the aid stations, etc.) is in the participant’s pack which you will receive before the event.

We'll be staggering start times from 8.30am at Horsham (for the 16-mile event) and Guildford (for the 36-mile ultra event). We'll share your exact start time closer to the date.

Participants need to be at Shoreham by 7pm.

For the 16-mile course, there is an aid station halfway at Henfield (8 miles).

For the 36-mile course, there are additional aid stations at Cranleigh (8 miles) and Rudgwick (13.5 miles).

There is a £10 entry fee for those taking part in the physical event and £8 for those doing it in their own space. Your registration fee covers the cost of putting on the event and you will also receive your finisher’s medal and YMCA DownsLink Group branded t-shirt.

Dogs are welcome, but please keep them under effective control and in sight. Some parts of the route pass through farmland so please ensure they are well behaved and pick up after them.

Children (aged 11-17) can take part if they are accompanied by a responsible adult.

We’ll send you your Participant’s Pack once you’ve signed up with more details on your challenge. You’ll also receive emails from us leading up to your challenge, with ideas on training, tips on fundraising and messages from young people who have benefitted from our services.

The YMCA DownsLink Challenge helps raise vital funds for homeless young people. We are grateful for any sponsorship you can raise, and are offering the option to make a one-off donation if you would prefer. We’ll send you tips and tricks for fundraising once you sign up and will be cheering you on the whole way!

We cannot support homeless young people without your donations. Every penny you raise will go towards supporting vulnerable young people find safe and secure housing and learn the tools needed to live independently.

Here are some examples of how your finds transform young lives:

£10 helps provide a warm welcome to a safe new home

£25 helps pays for an overnight support worker

£50 helps provide long-term, one-to-one support

JustGiving is an online fundraising platform to help you manage your sponsorship. Once you’ve signed up for YMCA DownsLink Challenge you’ll be prompted to create a fundraising page by logging into your existing JustGiving account or creating an account.

You can customise it, link it with Strava and share regular updates with your supporters!

We use it as it gives you an easy way to support us, and is easy to share on your social channels and to your networks.

Gift Aid is a tax relief allowing UK charities to reclaim an extra 25% in tax on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer, so we can claim an additional 25p on your £1 donation.

If you raise funds through JustGiving, all your supporters are automatically given the option to opt-in to Gift Aid when they donate.

If you are donating by cheque or cash, please get in touch with us at [email protected] and we can assist you.

Your safety is our priority! We are asking for groups of no more than 6 to register to assist with social distancing (multiple groups welcome if you have large numbers!) and are planning to stagger start times. We kindly ask that you heed government guidance at the time.

We’re also offering supporters the opportunity to undertake the YMCA DownsLink Challenge in their own space with our remote option.

We kindly ask you to stay home if you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of covid-19 or to provide proof of a negative covid-19 test before you attend. Once you are out of quarantine or have a negative covid-19 test result, you are welcome to take part in your own space and will still receive your finisher's medal!

We kindly ask you to stay home if you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of covid-19. Once you are out of quarantine or have a negative covid-19 test result, you are welcome to take part in your own space and will still receive your finisher's medal!

If you can no longer take part in the physical event or from your own space, please let us know at [email protected]