Lands End to John O'Groats, September 2014, with another 800 crazy people. Cycling 100+ miles a day and camping together at night - why wouldn't you want to do it?

David says I agreed to accept this as a 50th birthday present in a moment of weakness - I would say not weakness but stupidity. I hadn't been listening to what I was saying yes to and was saying yes only in the hope of moving the conversation on. I have learnt to pay attention now - well mostly - obviously I am still faking attention when he is telling me how a cycle race went!

So at the time I was still a pretty novice cyclist. I had ridden the Cape Town Cycle Tour (65miles) but not more. It was an intimidating prospect. However, I was further encouraged by a Bath Cycling Club friend to whom I was explaining the challenge to, who famously told me 'no disrespect Julia but you'll never be able to do that'. So obviously from that moment I was!

It was a hard 9 days - particularly taxing on your knees and soft furnishings but what I learned was that I loved touring around on a bike, ending up somewhere new everyday and exploring places in a new way.