New for 22!! A walk for all the FamilyWe start our 2022 Moonraker at Langford Budville on October 8th. This year, for the first time, we are adding a fun walk for families with very young children. This will start at 2pm and last for an hour or so. Bring all the family and enjoy a mini challenge! More information can be found by clicking the button below or going to MOONRAKER FAMILY CHALLENGE.
What is the Moonraker Challenge?
A night time team based orienteering walk organised by the Rotary Club of Taunton Vale with questions along the way. Solve clues and find your way between checkpoints.
Course of around 8 and 16 miles are undertaken. Awards are won based on sponsorship money raised and questions answered. All sponsorship money goes to the nominated and other Rotary Charities.
In 2021 you raised almost £20,000 and the primary charities were Young Somerset, Nighstop and Green Days Day Care.
This year we are supporting Ups and Downs, a Down Syndrome support charity serving children and young people, their parents/carers and all linked professionals dealing with the health and education of children and young people who have Down Syndrome and Charis, a charity which settles refugee families in the Southwest of England through the UK Home Office Community Resettlement programme. This has been prominent in the South West for some time but are now needed more than ever due to the Ukraine Crisis.
Why Enter?
Because it’s great fun, great exercise for both brain and body and a really terrific way to raise money for very worthy causes! Most teams come back year after year to try their skill at that year’s route and questions. Teams enter because they really enjoy the challenge of navigating the route and solving clues in the dark, while raising substantial sponsorship for important local charities. Many teams have been doing it for ages and look forward to a new challenge in the dark every year, but many new or inexperienced teams start early and complete most of the shorter course before it gets too dark if that’s what you want. You have a choice of start times so you can be last out (if you book early enough) or first out (same applies). It’s up to you.
Who Benefits?
In 2022 our two main charities are: Ups&Downs, a Down Syndrome support charity serving children and young people, their parents/carers and all linked professionals dealing with the health and education of children and young people who have Down Syndrome.Our other main charity is Charis Refugees, whose motto is "Bringing hope and transforming the lives of refugee families one life at a time"Other charities such as TOG, Abbeyfield Care Home and Somerset Sight are charities we support regularly along with many others both locally and abroad.
Where, When and How Long?
Every year the route changes. Our expert route planners seek an area vast enough to give several miles of interesting and sufficiently challenging walking while keeping it safe and manageable. This year the walk will commence from The Quantock Brewery, Broadgauge Business Park, Bishop’s Lydeard.
Our shorter 8 mile course will appeal to all and is suitable for youngsters or less experienced walkers who’ve not done a night orienteering exercise before and the longer 16 mile course is designed to give more of a challenge for the more experienced and adventurous.
An early start time should enable you to complete most of the short course in daylight if you and your team are more comfortable with that. Please book early if that is important to you.
Main Admin and Safety notes
Secure parking is available. First start 4:30pm, last 7:30pm. Refreshments are provided at the end of the short route or half way through the long route (cost included in the registration fee). Minimum team of four, maximum eight. Under 18’s need parental permission, children under 12 by special arrangement – please email to discuss.You need suitable footwear and visibility – Click on the Kit Checklist tab at the top to see what is expected.There is full first aid cover and experienced Search & Rescue teams to keep tabs on your progress. This year for the first time we are trialling trackers. The Long Route walkers will have one tracker per team to allow us to monitor more closely their whereabouts. This trial will enable us to see if it opens the possibility of more varied, and possibly "off piste" routes in the future. An ambulance is on stand by at the Control Centre throughout the event. All these can be contacted by mobile phone or from any of the many checkpoints along the way.Click here to Enter Online. Thank YouOur sincere thanks to all of you, our sponsors and supporters, without whom this event just couldn’t run.Any Questions?Please email ku.gro.yratorelavnotnuat%40olleh