Have your Explorers nailed every wide game? Captured the flag? Smashed a night hike? They should give Escape a try! 

Escape is a cat-and-mouse wide game played over 24 hours, with Explorers (we call them ‘Escapers’) having to navigate across the Yorkshire countryside, whilst being chased by adult volunteers and Network members (we call them ‘Catchers’). Prior to Escape starting, all participants are given only the start location. As they get to each checkpoint, they are given the location of the next checkpoint.

The goal of the event for the Escapers is to arrive at the end location in the given window with the highest number of ‘lives’ remaining. Their ‘lives’ are lost through a number of methods such as being caught or having a team member drop out. The winning team is the one which arrives in the window with the most ‘lives’. For Catchers, the team with the most catches wins.

Escape aims to provide Explorer Scouts with the opportunity to undertake an independent hiking expedition, to practise and develop navigation, team-working, and leadership skills. It also helps them utilise and develop skills in resilience, risk-taking and strategy.

And Escape isn’t just fun for the Explorers! Our Catcher Teams are made up of Scouts volunteers who are using their own Scouts experience to try and locate our Explorer teams! 

Escape takes place every 3rd weekend in October. The event has a limited number of places, due to the venue sizes and local footpaths, so places go very quickly! Keep an eye out for bookings opening in the summer! The next Escape takes place on 17-18 October 2026. 

Escape has been running since 2013, and you can see more about previous events here/below. 

You can contact the team at escape@nys.org.uk.