British Cycle Quest
A daunting number? Well, maybe, but it's a challenge you've got the rest of your life to complete - there are no time limits - and you're on your way once you've cycled down the road and located your very first one; it probably won't be far away at all.
Checkpoints are scattered evenly throughout the country (including on several offshore islands) so, wherever you are you'll usually find one or two checkpoints within easy cycling range. It’s a brilliant way to motivate yourself to get on your bike and go exploring.
To prove you’ve visited a checkpoint, all you need to do is answer a question about it, noting your answer down on a BCQ Answer Card. We tell you where the point is – you choose your own route to get to it. It’s that easy.
You can get trophies, medals and certificates for collecting clues. You’ll gain your first certificate when you’ve visited 10 sites. When you’ve visited all 402 sites we’ll present you with a handsome engraved trophy.
Needless to say, you are expected to arrive at each location on your bike, but you can drive or take the train to the general area of course.
We hope you have some great times picking up BCQ checkpoints and, at the same time - and this is what it's really all about - discovering places you might never otherwise have visited.
There are further details about BCQ in the form of an Information Sheet (see below).
The book containing all 402 questions and the current Leader board are also available for download at the bottom of this page.
GPX and KML downloads of all the checkpoints are available. Contact CTC for them.
You can also download some motivating tales written by two of the four people who have so far completed the challenge.
To get started, you need do no more than look at the Questions Book (see above), work out which checkpoints are nearest to your current location - you'll probably need a map - then get on your bike and go! In order to obtain certificates and medals for your achievements you have to submit your answers on Answer Cards. You can obtain these from CTC using the order form at the bottom of this page. A wallchart to record your progress is also available.
For a printed copy of the BCQ information sheet, together with a printed order form send an SAE to the address below. If you'd like an Answer Card sent as well (to get you started), enclose two un-affixed 2nd class stamps along with your SAE.
CTC
Parklands
Railton Road
Guildford
GU2 9JX
United Kingdom
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK OF 'ANSWER CARDS' (as of 5th April) - NEW STOCK IS ON ORDER BUT IS NOT LIKELY TO BE WITH US UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF MAY 2013