A Beginner's Guide to the British Cycle Quest

Welcome to another post on my blog! This week I wanted to give you an introduction to the British Cycle Quest (BCQ). This is a challenge I started during the initial lockdown last year, and I expect it will be a focus of my endurance cycling rides for many years to come. It’s available to everyone, and if you’re a cyclist in the UK then I would certainly recommend taking a look.

What is the BCQ?

Organised by Cycling UK, the challenge of the BCQ is to visit 402 checkpoints scattered across England, Wales and Scotland. These 3 countries have been split into 67 regions, with each region normally representing a county such as West Sussex or a group of islands such as the Western Isles. Each region has 6 separate locations which have been designated checkpoints. These checkpoints are usually landmarks chosen due to their significance. For example, so far I’ve visited a cathedral (Lincoln), a civil war battlefield (Naseby) and a memorial to the Polish officers massacred by the Soviet Union in 1940 (Cannock Chase). I always find myself learning something at each checkpoint, even the ones closest to me in an area I thought I knew well!

The first step in the BCQ is choosing a checkpoint you want to visit. There is a very useful map online which helps you to find which points are closest to you. And with 402 to choose from, there's usually one within a reasonable distance, unless you live somewhere particularly remote. In fact, when I first started I was usually able to design rides containing 2-3 checkpoints. 

Once you arrive at the checkpoint there is a question to answer, with the aim being to prove that you’ve visited. These questions can be found online, in the BCQ question book. Usually they are fairly easy to answer based on information from a tourist information board or permanent feature. However, sometimes it may be difficult to find the answer to a question, or the question may be impossible to answer due to a change at the location. Although the questions are checked and updated every 6 months to try and prevent this, if you are unable to find the answer don’t panic! You can submit alternative evidence, such as a photo of you and your bike at the required location, or a link to your activity on Strava/Garmin etc. which shows you visited the correct place. I’ve had this happen a couple of times and it hasn’t been an issue. Ultimately this is a non-competitive challenge with the aim being to promote cycling and the exploration of our country, so there’s no incentive to cheat!

Once you return from your ride, the next stage is validation. There’s an online form for you to submit your answers, and you’ll also be offered a spreadsheet which you can use to keep track. Once you’ve submitted your answers you usually get a quick reply, confirming your answers are correct and discussing any issues you may have had. Also available upon request is an A4 wallchart which you can fill in as you go, which for me is the most satisfying way of tracking my progress – there’s something great about colouring in each one after a ride!

Then it’s time to look again at the map and start plotting your next ride!

Rewards

Currently just 19 people have visited all 402 checkpoints and claimed the platinum medal which you receive for finishing. Thankfully there are also intermediate awards along the way.

10 checkpoints: first certificate
50 checkpoints: second certificate
100 checkpoints: bronze medal
200 checkpoints: silver medal
300 checkpoints: gold medal

I received my first certificate last July. 10 checkpoints is a less daunting figure than 402, so if you're new to the BCQ I would recommend this as your first target.

My progress
During 2020 I visited 20 checkpoints across 7 different regions, although I’ve only completed 1 region so far – my home area of Leicestershire and Rutland. Over the next few weeks I’ll be writing a series of blog posts about my progress last year, before hopefully then returning to the BCQ as I periodically visit new checkpoints. There are no more checkpoints within a sensible distance that I could ride to and return from in a single day, and so I am currently waiting for the planned easing of restrictions over the next few months. I’m hoping to go on a multi-day trip in July or August where I can explore a brand new region and pick up quite a few checkpoints. Then in September I should be moving to another new area, in which case I’m likely to have several checkpoints close by. The BCQ helps provide me with a way to get to know where I live, as well as the inspiration to keep travelling across the UK.

Thank you for reading this post! To find out more about the BCQ, or to access the checkpoint map, visit https://www.cyclinguk.org/british-cycle-quest. To keep updated on my journey to BCQ completion, as well as my other ultraendurance challenges, follow me on Instagram @andrewsultrablog. And to see more detail about my training and rides, follow me on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/5373701