2026 brought something new to Bike the UK for MS. For the first time, young people were able to join our summer cycling adventures while completing the Residential section of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
We weren’t entirely sure what to expect from our first season. What we got was 16 successful Gold Residentials, some brilliant young cyclists, mixed-age teams that worked incredibly well together, and plenty of lessons that we’ll be taking into 2027.
Taking Gold DofE on the Road
Our first DofE participants joined us on two very different adventures during August.
Four took on Lôn Las Cymru, riding the length of Wales, before another 12 joined our Royal Chilterns Way team for four days of gravel and off-road cycling.
Some of our youngest participants were just 16 and 17 years old, while others completing their Gold Award were already over 18.
Importantly, though, they weren’t put into a separate DofE group. They became part of the same Bike the UK for MS team as everyone else.
That meant riding alongside people of different ages and backgrounds, while sharing the same rest stops, overnight stays, climbs, challenges and team experience. And it worked incredibly well.
Arriving as Individuals, Leaving as a Team
One of the requirements of a Gold Residential is stepping outside your usual environment and spending time with people you don’t already know.
Our DofE riders certainly did that. They all arrived individually. A few days later, they had ridden hundreds of miles together, helped one another through difficult sections and become part of a team.
One participant summed it up perfectly after Royal Chilterns Way:
“I had a fantastic time and learned so much about myself and the work you do over the few days and met some great people.”
Another described the experience as:
“Very challenging but also really rewarding.”
That combination is probably exactly what we hoped the programme would provide.
Nothing Seemed to Stop Them
Perhaps the thing that impressed us most during the first season was simply how capable the DofE riders were. Both Lôn Las Cymru and Royal Chilterns Way are genuine cycling challenges.
There are hills. There are long days. There is unpredictable British weather. Royal Chilterns Way also adds gravel and off-road sections into the mix.
Yet the attitude of the younger riders was consistently excellent. They got on with it.
If a day was difficult, they kept moving. If the riding became challenging, they supported one another and carried on.
Their ability on the bike was excellent, but the positivity they brought to the teams stood out just as much.
One of the things we were particularly pleased to see was how naturally the rest of the riders welcomed the DofE participants into the group.
Age quickly became fairly irrelevant. Everyone was simply there to ride bikes, support a good cause and get through the adventure together.
What the Riders Got From It
Of course, everyone who joined us for their Gold Residential successfully completed the requirements. But we hope they came away with something beyond another section ticked off their DofE.
The trips also gave participants an opportunity to learn about multiple sclerosis, understand why Bike the UK for MS exists and raise money for the cause along the way.
One rider wrote afterwards:
“Thank you very much for organising the Bike the UK for MS ride in the Chilterns. It was a wonderful opportunity and amazing to raise money for the cause.”
Perhaps one of our favourite bits of feedback, though, was hearing several participants say they would consider coming back for another Bike the UK for MS ride in the future.
If completing a DofE Residential also creates a few future alumni, we certainly won’t complain.
What We Learnt
As our first season, there was plenty for us to learn too. Including under-18s naturally adds some additional safeguarding considerations and requires a little more planning behind the scenes.
But what the first year proved is that these extra steps don’t need to change the fundamental Bike the UK for MS experience. We can have 16- and 17-year-old DofE participants riding alongside university students, alumni and older cyclists and still create one cohesive team.
In fact, the mix of people was one of the strengths of the whole experience.
Looking Ahead to 2027
After such a positive first season, Gold DofE Residential places will return in 2027 on all our routes, but particularly on both Lôn Las Cymru and the Royal Chilterns Way.
We’ll take everything we learnt this summer, continue improving the experience and hopefully welcome another group of young people into the Bike the UK for MS community.
