Spring challenges need more planning than a room booking

A spring outdoor challenge can look wonderfully simple from the participant's point of view: turn up, get outside and take on something together. Behind that experience are routes, permissions, safety planning, suppliers, kit, timings, weather contingencies and a format that works for the people taking part.

That's why September is a useful point to start. You have time to choose the right challenge rather than forcing the event into whatever is still available.

Choose the challenge around your people

Not every team wants to climb a mountain. And not every challenge needs to be extreme. A coastal walk, city challenge, rowing regatta, dragon boat race, cycle challenge or guided outdoor adventure can create the same sense of shared achievement at very different levels of difficulty.

The right question isn't 'what is the most impressive challenge?' It's 'what will our team actually enjoy taking on together?'

Outdoor events work best when there is a reason behind them

A shared challenge gives people a reason to collaborate, but adding a charity or CSR objective can make the experience even more meaningful. People are more likely to remember the difficult bit when they know what it was for.

It also creates a story you can take beyond the event, through fundraising, internal communications and your wider ESG activity.

Plan the difficult bits so participants don't have to

Our job is to make the complicated parts invisible. We can help shape the challenge, build the route, manage safety and logistics, plan contingencies and run the day itself. Your team gets to focus on taking part.