Would you head out to the wilds once a month over the next year? Is it your idea of heaven, or something that gets a hard pass?
Well, if you’re up for the challenge Cycling UK and OS Maps have teamed up and want to encourage you to discover what’s around you. The #12nightsoutin1year challenge is to get out once a month, cycle and then spend the night beneath the stars, in a tent, bivi bag or hammock. They have set the challenge to do it at least once a month and then take a few snaps.
Get Outdoors
We passionately believe in the benefits the great outdoors can bring to us all. Through our award-winning app, OS Maps, we are proud to help connect people with the outdoors through comprehensive mapping and routes at your fingertips.
The last year has shown that you can still deliver adventure from your doorstep, and we are delighted to be working with Cycling UK to encourage people to keep challenging themselves to try something new, with OS Maps being a central tool to helping people adventure more by bike over the next year.
Nick Giles, Managing Director of Ordnance Survey Leisure.
If you want to take part you can use #12nightsoutin1year and post your experiences to Instagram to be in with a chance of winning a range of cycle and navigation related prizes every month.
Cycling UK and OS Maps would love for people to discover what’s around them. Head out and discover a new love for cycle adventures and leave no trace. The aim is to leave it in a better condition than you found it.
Where can you Wild Camp?
Speaking to Cycling UK about the challenge we wanted to clarify a few points, Sam Jones from Cycling UK said, “The challenge is deliberately vague in that if folk choose to use established campsites, mates’ gardens or the local woods it’s all cool by the terms of the challenge – it’s down to the individual to determine their own biking adventure. However, if folk choose to go wild camping then they should be aware of the issues and the importance of leaving no trace and better still to leave things in an improved state – as championed by Trash Free Trails and others – all messaging we’ll be promoting throughout the challenge. “
Cycling UK also have guidance on their website on wild camping and doing so responsibly, as well as guidance on where you can around the UK.
“Over the year and course of the challenge we’ll publish and promote best practice for wild camping and responsible enjoyment of the outdoors – we’d hoped to have a little film about how to wild camp responsibly ready in time for the launch, but logistics, lockdown and weather has delayed that – the film should be ready for early summer though,” he added.
Related Stories:
Bikepacking: Mountain Bike Camping Adventures on the Wild Trails of Britain
West Highland Way Record with Rab Wardell
To take part in the challenge and receive a month’s free access to OS Maps head to the website.
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Sounds like a great way to kick-start a habit. Any pointers on where to start for curious newbies? In particular, how to tell whether it’s OK to pitch a tent somewhere?
@Lauren Jenkins – This is all very laudable, but isn’t wild camping (as pictured in the article) technically illegal in England, Wales and N.I. unless you have the land owners permission. So are OS and Cycling UK trying to start some sort of mass trespass? I am not against it, just surprised two organisations like this are asking people to effectively break the law. Or am I missing something?
“Any pointers on where to start for curious newbies?”
The Bearbones Bikepacking forum, who have been doing the ‘bivi-a-month’ thing for years. You can get a B-A-M patch too. This place is also pretty good for bikepacking Q+A threads.
As for wild camping and trespass, seems so. ime if you leave no trace and are in late and out early, and you pick your spot well, it’s fine. No-one cares. What CUK need to be sure to encourage (and generally do I’d say) is how to pick a spot, LNT, no campfires without a way of getting it all off the ground properly, etc. I can see a load of instagram posts for this with fires lit as usual, but it already happened before.
We’ve added a little bit of clarification from Cycling UK. Their upcoming video will make sure to encourage people to do so responsibly. Leave no trace, no campfires (only stoves) that sort of thing.
I’m hoping to do so myself for the first time this year, so will pen some thoughts if I do get out!
Mmmm, wild camping.