Description
This is our flagship environmental event and we are rightly proud of it – it has won awards, been featured on various media channels and it gets better every year. The main thing, however, is that it shows the power of bringing together a group of like minded people with the simple goal of protecting and improving one of the countries special wilderness areas. We want you to be part of it.
The event was born nearly a decade ago when we teamed up with our friends at the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers to put together a unique event combining litter collection and outdoor activities. The Conservation Volunteers are a Peak District National Park team who organise and manage essential conservation work in the park and we are a team of outdoor activity specialists. Why not, we decided, combine the two and produce a fantastic free event suitable for families, groups, individuals. Fortunately, lots of other people think it’s a great idea too.
Our event is sponsored by various outdoor equipment manufacturers who share our strong environmental ethos and we also rely on a crack team of Association of Mountaineering Instructors members who give up their time to run a variety of superb outdoor activities. The format is simple – participants spend a morning or afternoon collecting litter in the safe hands of the Conservation Volunteers team and then, with the rest of their day, they get to enjoy a fun and enjoyable activity with an expert instructor.
The list of activities varies a little each year but usually features rock climbing, a guided nature walk with a Peak District National Park ranger, navigation training, abseiling, mountain biking, conservation activities such as wall building and footpath maintenance, weaselling (check details about this on our family activities page) and bushcraft. For more experienced participants we also run climbers self rescue training and first aid skills sessions.
Our Pick and Play is open to all ages (under 18’s will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian) and everyone from families to individuals are equally welcome. The event has grown year on year and in 2019 we exceeded the maximum capacity of 150 participants. Please don’t delay if you want to attend.
We are extremely grateful to our main sponsors Rab, Lowe Alpine and Nikwax along with fantastic support from Hydro Flask, Osprey and Aquapac. With their help we are able to reward all participants with a thank you goody bag for their help.
Please check out all the details for this years event via the itinerary and location tabs and booking can be made online. Many people combine the event with a weekend in the national park and so we’ve also detailed some accommodation options. We very much look forward to seeing you there.
Itinerary
Please find an outline of the usual itinerary for our Pick & Play event. There may be tweeks made to this as we are always trying to improve what we can offer. But it will generally run to this schedule.
Arrival
Please arrive at the venue between 9.30 and 9.45 am (registration will only start from 9.30am) and we will then have time to get you registered before the event starts promptly at 10am.
Morning Activity 10.00-12.30
Once we’ve had our welcome briefing and you’ve met your instructor or activity leader, we’ll all head out to get busy. As we deal with large numbers some people undertake the litter collection first and then the outdoor activity in the afternoon and the other half do the opposite. This will all be made clear to you at registration.
Lunch 12.30-1.30
Afternoon Activity 1.30-4.00pm
Depending what you got up to in the morning, it will be time to swap for the afternoon session.
4.00-4.15pm
Chance for a final thank you and goodbyes – plus a chance to stare admiringly at the pile of rubbish that represents all your hard work for the day!
FAQ's
Here are a list of questions clients frequently ask about our Pick & Play and Pick & Play Summer Tour events. We hope you’ll find the info you need but, if there’s something you want to know that we haven’t covered, please call or email us and we’ll be more than happy to help. Infact, if you’ve thought of it then the chances are other people have too – so we’ll add it to the list!
What equipment is provided and do I have to pay to use it?
We supply all the technical equipment you’ll need for the activities and litter collection equipment is provided by the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers.
Can I definitely do the activity I want?
For our Summer Tour events the numbers are capped and each evening focusses on one activity, so everyone will be able to do the activity they have selected. For our main Pick & Play event we will try very hard to ensure everyone is able to do their first choice activity but we also have to ask people to be flexible – some activities have to run to a set ratio and many get filled quickly. We hope you’ll understand.
Do I need insurance?
We have professional indemnity insurance and we are all lucky enough to have free access to mountain rescue services and healthcare. You may still consider it worthwhile purchasing your own personal accident insurance.
What about under 18s?
We welcome participants of all ages to our Pick & Play events. Please note that under 18s must be accompanied for the duration of the course by a parent or guardian.
I want to one activity and my under 18 wants to do something different. Is that okay?
Unfortunately not. It is a legal requirement that a parent or legal guardian accompanies any under 18’s for the duration of the event. If you want to sit and watch while they do the activity that is fine – but you must be in attendance at the activity site.
Will you give my details to other people?
All information supplied to us remains completely confidential and we will never pass it on to third parties.
Do you provide lunch?
We will have access to water and hot drinks (tea and coffee) will be available free of charge. We usually have some biscuits available too. We ask that participants bring lunch and any other refreshments along with them.
What if I need to cancel my booking?
We appreciate that things crop up and you might find yu can’t join us. That’s no problem. The only thing we ask is that, because these events are always overscribed, that you let us know as soon as possible so we can allocate your place to someone else.
Can you guarantee good conditions?
Unfortunately we can’t control the weather. However, we run our events at a time of year when we hope the weather will be favourable and we’ve never had to cancel. We do reserve the right to change or cancel the itinerary for safety reasons if required, but it would need to be quite extreme weather – a bit of wind and rain certainly won’t stop play! Please do be sure to follow the kit list that comes with your Joining Instructions and come prepared for all the ‘interesting’ weather the UK has to offer.
What about transport arrangements?
We ask you to provide your own transport to and from the venue and car parking will be available free of charge. We can usually collect you from a local station or bus stop if you are travelling via public transport, but please do let us know in advance if you want help with this. Infact, we love people travelling to us by public transport!
How do you try to reduce your environmental impact?
We are passionate about protecting the natural environment and, of course, that’s what these events are all about. Please take the time to read our Environment Page.
How fit do I need to be?
It goes without saying that arriving fit and well is important if you want to get the most out of the event, but many of the activities can be set at different challenge levels so there is something for all ages and fitness levels. Please contact us in advance if you need more guidance.
Does the venue have disabled access?
We always strive to be as inclusive as possible, but the nature of the event means that the terrain we operate in cannot be made suitable for wheelchairs or people with limited mobility. Please contact us in advance if you need more guidance.
Are toilets available at the venue?
Toilets are available at the main event site but please be aware that some of the activities take place some distance from the site and toilets aren’t available at many of these.
Toilets are not available at several of our Summer Tour venues. Please check with us in advance if you need further information.
Do you need to know about medical conditions?
It is essential that you let us know about any medical condition or injury when booking and that you also let your instructor know before the activities if it is any type of condition that could cause an emergency. This information will remain completely confidential but is essential to allow us to tailor our activities to suit you and to ensure the safety of other group members.
Accommodation Options
B&B’s
The Ramblers Rest, Millbridge, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S33 8WR. Tel 01433 620125
The Swiss House, How Lane, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S33 8WJ. Tel 01433 621098
The Cheshire Cheese Inn, Edale Rd, Hope, Derbyshire, S33 6ZF. Tel 01433 620381
Thorndene B and B, Hope Road, S33 6RU. Tel 01433 623743
The Plough Inn, Leadmill Bridge, Hathersage, S32 1BA. Tel 01433 650319
The Millstone Inn, Sheffield Road, Hathersage, S32 1DA. Tel 01433 650258
Hostels
YHA Castleton, Losehill Hall, Castleton. Tel 0845 371 9628
YHA Hathersage, Castleton Rd, Hathersage, S32 1EH. Tel 0845 371 9021
YHA Edale, Edale, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QP. Tel 0845 371 9021
Camping
North Lees Campsite, Birley Lane, Hathersage, S33 1BR. Tel 01433 650838
Laneside Campsite, Hope, S33 6RR. Tel 01433 620215
Hardhurst Farm, Hope Valley, S33 6RB. Tel 01433 620001
Rowter Farm, Castleton, S33 8WA. Tel 01433 620271
