Free tool
Glow walk planner
Move three sliders to outline your charity glow walk: how much it could raise, how long it will take and what you need to order. Then press Walk the route and watch it go from sunset to night.
- Works for 20 walkers or a thousand
- Dollars, pounds or euros
- Runs in your browser; nothing is saved or sent
Your walk could raise
$6,000
Walking time
1 h 15 min
Steps, all together
975,000
Marshals to start with
11
Lights to order
330
-
Water points
1
-
Start waves
2
-
Set off before sunset
30 min
Estimates only: 4 km/h easy pace, about 1,300 steps per km, two lights per walker plus 10% spare. Your own risk assessment sets the real marshal number.
How the planner works out each number
Nothing here is hidden. These are rules of thumb for a first draft, and you should change them when your route says otherwise.
Fundraising estimate
Walkers multiplied by the average each one raises. It is the number that matters most and the one new organisers most often guess too high: not every walker collects sponsorship, so use an average, not your best fundraiser.
Walking time
Distance at an easy 4 km/h, which allows for children, photos and a crowd. A fit adult alone walks faster; a group of two hundred does not.
Marshals
One for every 25 walkers plus one per kilometre, with a minimum of four. Treat it as a first draft. Road crossings, water, steps and unlit stretches each need their own marshal.
Lights
Two per walker and 10% spare. Some arrive broken, some walkers bring friends, and children always want a second one.
Water points
One at the finish for short walks, then one for roughly every 4 km on the route.
Start waves
Groups of about a hundred, a few minutes apart, so paths and gates do not jam in the first kilometre.
You have the outline. Next:
Planner questions
How much does the average walker raise on a charity walk?
It varies widely with the cause, the crowd and how sponsorship is collected, so there is no reliable single figure. Use a cautious number, then run the planner again with a higher one to see the range.
How many marshals does a glow walk need?
The planner starts from one marshal per 25 walkers plus one per kilometre. Your risk assessment sets the real number: add a marshal for every road crossing, junction and hazard.
How long does it take to walk 5 km in a group?
About an hour and a quarter at the easy pace of a mixed group, which is roughly 4 km/h.
Does the planner save my numbers?
No. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent or stored. Write the figures down or take a screenshot.