The charity is offering an alternative to bar culture for gay and bi men interested in the outdoors

A charity aimed at getting gay and bisexual men involved in the great outdoors is urging men to swap bars and booze for the mountains and rivers of Britain for their Christmas festivities.

OutdoorLads hosts outdoor pursuits for gay and bi men, ranging from easy hiking weekends to caving and canyoning.

The organisation said the festive season is an ideal time for like-minded men to join its members at sites across the country next month.

OutdoorLads’ office manager Chris Knight said: “There’s never been a better time to come along. We’ve got four fantastic Christmas-themed weekends across the country in December and New Year weekends in both England and Scotland.

“We’ll be staying in some quite amazing locations. Even though membership of OutdoorLads for a year is cheaper than a month’s gym membership, our December Christmas-themed events are open to everyone, including non-members.

“This is a great opportunity to do something healthy and get out more with other gay and bi blokes in some of the most beautiful parts of our country.”

OutdoorLads, which was voted Best Gay Social Group 2011 was founded in 2006 and promotes the gay and bisexual community to the wider public by the provision of outdoor activities. The group says it encourages personal development through peer support and empowerment.

OutdoorLads have over 14,000 registered members and around 1,000 full members across the UK. They provide a range of activities suitable for all abilities including day walks, mountaineering, climbing, mountain biking, to more extreme activities such as caving and white water rafting. More than ten outdoor events run every week.

More details, along with membership costs, are on the OutdoorLads website.