Ignite is our let-your-hair-down activity weekend for our Scouts and Explorers, with a queue-and-do experience and an open programme from start to finish. Our Scouts and Explorers are free to roam the site, finding their next activities, making new friends and trying out new things – all in an unstructured format which enables them to decide on what’s next! We always have an Explorer-only activity too, to help our Explorers experience something different, and let our Scouts know what to look forward to in the next section!
We’ve held Ignite three times, with each event hosting more than 1,000 participants each. Our first Ignite was deep inside the Dalby Forest in 2022 – which included mountain biking in the forest, and a midnight session on the GoApe for our Explorers! This was followed by Ignite 2023, the grounds of Castle Howard, where our participants got to enjoy water activities on the Great Lake. Then in 2025, we were at Stockeld Park – an amazing site which had so many wonderful activities, including the maze, stand-up paddleboarding, archery and shooting, creative and logical challenges, go karts, and our Explorers’ Arcade Night!
We’re delighted to announce we are returning to Castle Howard for Ignite 2026!
Click here to book your group spaces!
This year will build on the programmes of 2023 and 2025 growing our 70+ activity list, including being back on the water. We’re keen to be delivering more at scale Scouting, and we’re taking this literally, nothing too big is off the table. As well as growing the wonderful programme for our Young People we’re developing the upskill opportunities for all adult volunteers too as part of our event volunteer team!
Although planning remains at an early stage, we already have some incredible and exciting activities in the pipeline! We have also made a special request for less rain than last year, but this is is entirely down to the quality of the rain dance at the opening ceremony.
It is likely that places will fill up straight away, so please don’t delay in making a booking for your Troop or Unit!
Cost
Ignite will cost £75 per participant (this includes all activities and the event is fully catered) and £20 per adult volunteer. We understand that some Scout Groups and Explorer Units do not charge their volunteers for attending camps and events, yet some do. For those that do not, we recommend you split the total cost of all your volunteers across your young members. You may also wish to add on additional charges to cover your own transport arrangements. We want you to be able to make these decisions locally.
If you have any questions, or would like to get in touch with the team for any other reason, please email ignite@nys.org.uk.
Our event volunteers are the people that make the event happen for our young people!
As we’ve done in the past, we are asking all event volunteers to pay the small fee of £20 which is the cost of catering for the full event. We want to make sure our young people get the best adventure at the lowest price so that it is accessible for all, which is why our County events have this volunteer fee. If you just want to help with the build and won’t be able to stay for the full event, then we do not charge event volunteers to attend the build only. If you have any queries or concerns about this, please get in touch with will.crafter@nys.org.uk.
Click here to sign up to the Event Team!
An explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Dwayne's been seen in BAFTA nominated Channel 5 series Race to the Pole, on BBC Springwatch, Countryfile, National Geographic and Disney+.
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