In December my brother and I took part in the howies bivvy bag challenge. It was the first time either of us had walked 30 miles with heavy backpacks or slept in a bivvy bag. Shockingly, instead of putting us off for life we actually discovered it was fantastic!
So here we are, getting restless, wanting to do it again but this time we want to do more. We want to push it a bit further, make it a bit harder and enjoy another adventure.
We also think that there are a lot of people out there who enjoy exploring our stunning countryside, who love wild-camping (or maybe want to give it a go!) and who want a challenge that is just a little bit tougher!
The plan is for you to document your attempt, take lots of photos, write a diary or create a short film then send it to us so we can publish it on the blog and pick our favourites.
Want to raise money for charity? This is a great excuse to raise money for your favourite cause. Let us know who you are planning to raise it for so we can share it on the blog.
Get in touch if you are taking part. We are now on facebook and Twitter!
First off, thanks to feedback from you all we have decided to make the event more challenging for those who like it tougher. Secondly, as fans of cycling we thought it a good idea if the challenge was open to those who want to cycle. Oh and thirdly we will now keep the event open until the end of March 2010.
For the cycling challenge we have selected distances that we thought would provide as much as a challenge as the walking version does. Everything is based on the 84km theme. If you think you can handle more then get in touch and tell us what you plan to do!
So, decide if you are going to walk the distance or cycle then choose either the regular or ultimate version. After that, read the rules, drop us an email and get practising!
Ideally you would start from your house and make your way back again but official wild camping areas are far apart so travel to your start point if you must. Keep it legal and ask the landowners permission when needed. Here’s some wild camping info.
Your route can be over mountains, through towns, around the coast or straight along a bit of Hadrian’s wall. You must walk, run or cycle, no other types of power are allowed. Choose somewhere that will interest you, maybe somewhere you haven’t been before and have always wanted to visit. As long as your route is the correct distance for your chosen challenge then it will qualify.
The challenge runs from September 2009 to the end of March 2010. You must complete it within these months. Don’t make it the first time? Try again and tell us what happened. Remember, the longer you leave it the less daylight you’ll have and it will be colder at night too!
This is the minimum amount of time you must spend out in the countryside. For example, leave at 7pm on a Friday night and return after 7pm on the Sunday. Complete the distance in whatever time you can but spend a minimum of 48 hours enjoying the outdoors!
A bivvy bag. A cheap orange survival bag is ok but something like the alpkit bivvy bag is ideal or you can get a fancy one with a bit of cover too. Bothies are ok if you haven’t got a bivvy but one man tents are pushing it a bit! Feel free to use a tarp to keep the rain off or provide some shelter from the wind. We want you to spend 2 nights under the stars rather than in a tent. Take anything else with you that you like.
Whether you succeed or fail we will all enjoy hearing about it so remember to document your attempt, take lots of photos, write a diary or create a short film then send it to us so we can publish it on the blog and pick our favourites.
