From going to the toilet to wild camping - New video gives advice for beginners getting into bikepacking

Cycling UK and Ordnance Survey (OS) Maps have teamed up to created a YoutTube video to give advice on how to go bikepacking safely and responsibly in the UK.

Teaming up with youngest woman to cycle solo around the world, Vedangi Kulkarni, the video talks about how wild campers should leave nature as they found it, with advice from how to go to the toilet to how to cook your meals.

The organisations aim is to better educate people in an area that is growing in popularity around the world.

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Watch the video here: 

Kulkarni spoke about the film saying: "One of the horror stories of the past year and a bit has been of how people have headed to some of this island’s most beautiful locations, spent a magical time overnight, and then just left it in a complete tip.

"I’m hoping with this short film, we’ll help many of them think twice about what they’re doing, while also providing valuable tips for those who wanted to ensure they leave no trace when they head outdoors."

Litter was a big problem for various beauty spots over the past year with the National Trust with it being reported that the organisation was seeing "record levels of beauty spot litter" on their sites in the summer of 2020.

The video itself is part of a series of advice and tip vids that include how your bike can be used for shelter among others as Cycling UK and OS Maps continue their cycling and camping challenge called #12nightsoutin1year.

For more information about the challenge, head over to Cycling UK's website.

And for advice on what may be the best bike for the job, take a look through out bikepacking bike buyer's guide.

#12nightsoutin1year is where people are encouraged to get out into nature on their bike and camp out under the stars in tents, hammocks or bivi bags for at least once every month in the year as well as taking plenty of pictures which should be posted to Instagram with the hashtag.

By posting their snaps, they are automatically entered into a competition to win all kinds of cycling and camping kit. 

Managing Director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, Nick Giles, said: “Anyone getting outside on their bikes around our beautiful hills and moors for the unique experience of wild camping must remember to leave the place as they found it.

"We have to be kind to our environment and at the end of the day the only thing we should ever leave behind is our footprints."