The Challenge

So what's all this about and what exactly is the challenge? Well, most people have heard of running, walking or cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats (or in the opposite direction) as these two places represent the furthest two points in the UK mainland with most direct routes being approximately 900 miles. What these two points are not however, are the most extreme Northerly, Southerly, Easterly or Westerly points of the UK mainland. That honor falls to:

• Most Northerly - Dunnet Head, Caithness (b)
• Most Southerly - Lizard Point, Cornwall (e)
• Most Westerly - Ardnamuchan Point, Lochaber (c)
• Most Easterly - Lowestoft Ness, Suffolk (d)

My challenge is therefore to complete the John O'Groats to Land's End route but travelling via these UK extremities. What this means is an increase in total distance to around 1400 miles. 50% further than the direct route!

My aim is to set off on the 11th of September and complete this challenge in, hopefully, 14 days which means averaging ~100 miles per day, day after day after day.....

The current schedule looks like the following in terms of overnight stays and is based upon trying to achieve an equal "effort" each day i.e. hillier parts of the route will be shorter than flatter parts:

The mileage figures are from Google's routing and based on using main roads. My actual route will take smaller roads and hence these distances will increase to over the 1400 mile mark.

I'll be doing the riding on my own, carrying all of the equipment myself and probably mixing camping with the odd stay at a B&B or friend's sofa!  All that said, I'm hoping that for some days I'll have company for parts of the route and some people have already offered to join me for short sections. If anyone else is interested in tagging along for some of the route (or even all of it if you're feeling keen!) let me know and I'll try to work that into the planning.

Whilst I am a cyclist I should be clear that this is way beyond anything I've attempted before and is going to require significant training and preparation. I've heard a few times that it's generally accepted that for the same effort you can cycle four times as far as if you were running. If that's true (and based on my running and cycling experience it feels about right), this challenge equates to running a marathon every day for 14 days in a row with no rest days!

I hope that describes what I'm getting myself into and the lengths that I'm prepared to go to in order to raise awareness of SANDS, and hopefully raise some funds to help them continue the essential work that they do for those affected by the death of a child. Please please please click on the JustGiving link on the side of this page and give what you can.

Thank you.