BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//6.6.4.4//EN TZID:Europe/London X-WR-TIMEZONE:Europe/London BEGIN:VEVENT UID:0-839@lvo.org.uk DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260808T063000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260808T200000 DTSTAMP:20260129T181911Z URL:https://lvo.org.uk/allfixtures/the-original-mourne-seven-sevens-challe nge-walk-2026/ SUMMARY:The Original Mourne Seven Sevens Challenge Walk 2026 DESCRIPTION:8th August 2026\nEntries Open: Saturday 14th February 2026\nEnt ries Close: Monday 27th July (or when full)\n\nVenue: TBC\n\n\n\nFINAL INS TRUCTIONS will be published here 2 weeks before the event\n\nIt is importa nt to note that this site is for the Challenge Walk only. If you want to e nter the mountain race which is run as a separate event then you should co nsult the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association (NIMRA) website.\n \nParticipants must have the skills\, fitness and experience to complete a walk of this length in the high mountains. Navigation skills are essentia l in poor weather.\nPreparation\nEquipment\, food and water\nThe event is not supported along the route. Participants must carry all the equipment a nd supplies they need for the day. Participants must have the following mi nimum kit which will be checked at registration:\n\n hiking boots/shoes o r fell shoes (no trainers)\n waterproof coat with hood\n waterproof trou sers\n hat\n food and drink sufficient for a long day hiking  (water is not provided en route)\n 1:25\,000 map of the Mourne Mountains ¹\n\n c ompass &\; whistle ¹ ²\n First Aid kit ²\n survival bag (a foil ba g is good but no space blankets) ²\n\nNote 1 - Smart phones must not be u sed as the only means of navigation.\nNote 2  - If walking in a group - t he map\, compass\, whistle\, first aid kit and survival bag may be shared between up to 3 people. Groups will need to do kit check together and then stay together throughout the day.\n\nThese items are required regardless of the weather forecast as mountain conditions in Britain and Ireland can change dramatically with little warning. Anyone failing the kit-check at r egistration will not be allowed to start. The Organiser's decision will be final and there will be no recompense for this decision.\n\n Participant s should be familiar with the dangers and signs of hypothermia and hyperth ermia and what action to take. Please read these FRA leaflets for more inf o – Hyperthermia  and  Hypothermia. \n Ticks &\; Lyme disease - are another hazard in our uplands. Be sure to check yourself carefully aft er the walk and have a removal card or tweezers to hand. For more info cli ck here.\n\nDogs\nDogs are not allowed on the walk\, since large sections of it cross land grazed by sheep.\nOn the Day\nParking\nParking is availab le in Donard car park\, Newcastle. Parking is free. Follow signs &\; ta pe from the south end of the car park up through the woods to Registration . Please do not drive directly to the venue.\nToilets\nToilets are availab le at the north end of Donard car park and in the venue.\nRegistration\nRe gistration opens on Saturday morning at 06:00. You will need to hand in th e Registration Form with details of your car registration\, walking compan ions (if any)\, contact details\, etc. These details will only be used for event admin or emergencies on the day and will be securely disposed of af ter the event. (Please print out and complete this in advance so as to min imise queuing time). DOWNLOAD FORM HERE\nTiming\nYou will be given an elec tronic timing chip (aka dibber) on a lanyard. Please look after this -  t he replacement cost is £30. You will also receive a numbered tag to attac h to your rucksack.\n\n\n\n\nHow to use the electronic timing gear...when you are ready to start your walk\, go to the start marshals who will activ ate the timing chip (dibber). At each summit you will find an electronic S I Control Box on a post with an orange and white flag. Insert your dibber into the hole in the SI box and wait until you hear a beep. The dibber wil l now have recorded the time you arrived at the top. Click here for more i nfo on the timing system.\nStart\nStarts are open between 06:30 and 08:00. The start of the walk will be a short distance from Registration. \nMars hals\nThere are six marshalled positions along the route in cols between s ummits where you will be required to give your participant number. N.B. Th e NIMRA 77s race starts at 10am and uses the same checkpoints. Runners wil l be wearing race bibs\nRoute\nThe 2026 route is anti-clockwise around eac h of the seven summits which must be visited in the order stipulated below plus the marshaled checkpoints (denoted MCP below). This challenge walk i s not guided or way-marked along the route. Navigational skills will be re quired\, especially if weather conditions are poor so participants must ha ve the ability and experience to use both map and compass. Navigation usin g only a smartphone app is not allowed.\n\nPlease do not walk on the Mourn e Wall. This is to protect our national treasure from damage. Stiles shoul d be used to cross the wall where available or if necessary the wall can b e climbed over with care where it is sturdy.\nOrder of Summits for 2026 (3 0.5km\, 2400m)\n\n\n\nCheckpoint\nGrid Ref *\n\nMarshals / Timed\n\n\nStar t – Greenhill YMCA\nJ 369 303\nStart Control Box\n\n\nSlieve Donard 853m \nJ 357 276\nControl Box\n\n\n\nCol Donard-Commedagh\nJ 349 279\nMarshaled Check Point\n\n\nSlieve Commedagh (summit) 765m\nJ 345 286\nControl Box\n \n\n\nHares Gap\n\nJ 322 286\nMarshaled Check Point\n\n\nSlieve Bearnagh ( inside corner of wall) 739m\nJ 312 280\nControl Box\n\n\n\nSlieve Meelmore (outside wall) 687m\nJ 305 285\nControl Box\n\n\n\nCol Meelmore-Meelbeg C ut-Off 13:00\nJ 303 281\nMarshaled Check Point\n\n\nSlieve Meelbeg (inside wall) 708m\nJ 300 279\nControl Box\n\n\n\nBen Crom Dam (NW end) Cut-Off T ime 14:00\nJ 313 256\nControl Box + Marshaled Check Point\n\n\n\nSlieve Bi nnian (South Summit) 747m\nJ 320 233\nControl Box\n\n\n\nCol Binnian-Lamag an Cut-Off Time 16:30\nJ 320 255\nMarshaled Check Point\n\n\nSlieve Lamaga n 704m\nJ 328 260\nControl Box\n\n\n\nCol Donard-Commedagh\nJ 349 279\nCon trol Box + Marshaled Check Point \n\n\n\nFinish – Greenhill YMCA\nJ 369 303\nFinish Control Box\n\n\n\n*  N.B. 6 figure grid references refer to the bottom left corner of a 100m square. Click here for more information o n grid references and some other navigational tips.\nCut-off times &\; Retirements\nThere are three checkpoints with cut-off times: Meelbeg-Meelm ore Col\, Ben Crom Dam and Lamgan-Binnian Col. These are to ensure walkers complete the route before dark and that our marshals can also safely get off the mountains. Walkers missing a cut-off will be retired from the even t and should return directly to the event centre in Donard Park. N.B. Reti rements are marked RTD on the results with no times and no certificate iss ued.\n\nN.B. Controls in each section of the course will be taken in short ly after the cut-off time for the section.\nTime and Distance\nIf you look at previous years' results you will note that the Ben Crom dam is consist ently half way around the course for most people\, regardless of their fin ish time. Slow or leisurely walkers take up to 14hrs to finish the course. If you fall into this category you need to be starting no later than 7am in order to reach the dam by the 2pm cut-off. The Meels Col is also consis tently 2/5ths (40%) of the circuit and the Lam-Bin Col is 2/3rds (66%) of it – so you should do the maths for your own particular walking pace and work out a start time.\n\nRetirees at any stage of the event must report as soon as possible either to a marshal or via text to base and return dir ectly to the event centre to return their dibbers and register that they a re safely off the mountains.\n\nFinish\nDownload At the finish and hand in your dibber. You will receive a print out of your progress around the rou te with split times for each summit plus a certificate of completion. Fini sh times will be published online.\nFacilities\n\n Refreshments will be a vailable at the finish from 2pm. Please state any dietary preferences on t he entry form.\n Showers - TBC\n Toilets - Available\n\n\nDisclaimer\nHi llwalking is an activity with a danger of personal injury\, death and loss of or damage to property. Participants must be be over 18 years old and must be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own a ctions and involvement. Neither Lagan Valley Orienteers\, nor any of its i ndividual members\, can be held responsible for any injury\, loss or damag e (to individuals or to property) howsoever sustained by participation in the event. The club reserves the right to refuse entry to the walk to anyo ne deemed unprepared for the event on the day and to force retirement from the event of anyone breaching either the rules of the event or the NI Cou ntryside Code.\nPrivacy Policy\nIn order to organise this event we need to ask you for some Personal Data. Please read our Privacy Policy here befor e entering the event.\nEntries\nThis event accepts online entry only and t here will be no entries on the day. The entry fee is £50 (includes £5 no n-refundable deposit). Minimum age 18 years old on the day.\n\n\n\nCancell ations &\; Changes\nYou may cancel your entry via the SI Entries up unt il Friday 31st July\, and refunds will be offered as follows\n\n Up to S aturday 23rd May - £45\n Up to  Tuesday 30th June - £40\n 1st -  31 st July - £30\n No Refunds after Friday 31st July\n\n\n\n \;\n\nSub stitutions and start time changes can also be made via SI Entries (at no c harge) but please be sure to amend all the required details. You remain th e owner of any entries even if you have swaped yourself out.  You can now also "sell" your entry to a friend which alleviates you of all responsibi lity for it. No changes allowed after 31st July.\n\n\n\nOr email us at:\n\ n\nEvent Cancellation\nIf we are forced to cancel the event we will refund the entry fee less £5 to cover our non-recoverable costs. We will not be liable for any incidental costs incurred by the Participant\, including ( but not limited to) travel\, accommodation\, food or equipment.\n\nCommuni ty Support\nLagan Valley Orienteers are always grateful for the support we get from local communities when we hold events in their area. For this ev ent we are pleased to be able to donate some of the proceeds each year to local charities. Previous beneficiaries have included:  Womens Aid NI\, M ourne Heritage Trust and the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team.\n\nMore Informat ion\n\n For more info and tips -see our FAQ Page\n For past results - se e our Finishers Archive\n\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://i0.wp.com/lvo.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ Mournes-7x7s-Home-1.png?fit=1680%2C720&ssl=1 LOCATION:Newcastle - Donard Park\, Donard Park\, Newcastle\, BT33 0HL\, Nor thern Ireland GEO:54.2061229;-5.893984600000067 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Donard Park\, Newcastle\, B T33 0HL\, Northern Ireland;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Newcastle - Donard P ark:geo:54.2061229,-5.893984600000067 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260329T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR