As lockdown restrictions ease, we are dipping our toe back in the water with some 2021 Pick & Play Events. The Peak District National Park has never been more in need of some care and we hope you can join us for one or all of of the events detailed below. As always, we run these events in partnership with our good friends at the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers. We are also extremely grateful to Rab, Lowe Alpine, Aquapac and Hydro Flask for supporting these events. All dates will have to remain flexible if there are COVID-19 government guideline changes. But, fingers crossed, everything can run as planned. Please read on to find out more.
Pick & Play Summer Tour 2021
We trialled our 2021 Pick & Play Summer Tour events with great success back in 2019. We then had bigger plans for 2020. Unfortunately, as you will be well aware, a pesky global virus rather got in the way. Fortunately, as restrictions ease, we are excited to be able to run some more in 2021.
These small scale evening events combine litter collection with an activity session and we have two events coming up over the next few months. They are perfect for anyone local to the national park or those visiting the area. Both events run from 6pm until 9.00pm, no experience is needed and all equipment is provided. In fact, all you need is a sense of adventure and a passion to help protect the national park. Please do also note that all of our Pick and Play events are completely FREE!
Rock Climbing
Date – Thursday 22nd July 2021 Time – 6 to 9.00pm Location – Surprise View Car Park (near Hathersage)
We will meet at Surprise View Car Park for a climbing session at Lawrencefield. Surprise View has been the venue for our annual Pick & Play event for several years and is always an area with a lot of litter. Full joining details will be sent once bookings are received and numbers are strictly limited to 12. Please do come and join us by signing up here.
Orienteering
Date – Thursday 26th August 2021 Time – 6 to 9.00pm Location – Burbage Bridge Car Park (above Hathersage)
We will meet at Burbage Bridge Car Park for an orienteering journey around the Burbage Valley. Orienteering involves navigating between pre-placed markers and is a fun and friendly adventure open to all. There will be plenty of support for those new to it and it will be a fun course for those with experience. Full joining details will be sent once bookings are received and numbers are strictly limited to 12. Please do come and join us by signing up here.
Annual Pick & Play Event
Date – Sunday 19th September 2021 Time – 10 to 4pm Location – Hollins Bank Car Park (above Hathersage)
We have been running these events for fast approaching a decade and we are proud of what they have achieved. Many hundreds of people have been able to participate in outdoor activities and many hundreds of kilos of rubbish has been removed from the national park. Just as importantly, we’ve been able to spread the word far and wide about the litter problem and hopefully educate some of the next generation about the need to protect our precious spaces.
Sadly, we weren’t able to run an event in 2020 and even our plans for a Spring 2021 date had to be shelved. But, things are looking better and all looks full steam ahead for an Autumn 2021 Pick & Play event. We are still finalising details for this event but hope to be able to offer climbing, abseiling, a climber’s self-rescue course, navigation training, guided ranger walks, bushcraft and environmental workshops.
We hope that by the autumn all restrictions on outdoor gatherings will have been lifted, but we will continue to monitor the guidance to ensure we carefully follow the rules. Our 2019 event was over subscribed so please do complete a booking form here as soon as possible if you’d like to join us.
Regulars might also note that we are changing location for this year. We have enjoyed delivering the event at Surprise View for several years but felt it was time to show the area near Stanage Edge some love. We hope you’ll approve. There are even toilets on site! As always, we’ll send full details for all the events. At this point, we just need people to get themselves signed up.