From Lands End to John O'Groats: Andrew takes on iconic cycle route

He's done it! Here's our fantastic cycling fundraiser Andrew Davis at John O Groats last night around 10pm, after taking just nine days to cycle 1,026 miles and complete the Lands End to John O Groats challenge known as LEJOG. He started out in a heatwave in Cornwall just after the G7 summit and cycled very mountainous, wooded and challenging terrain, finishing with a swim in the North Sea. Amazingly Andrew says his legs still feel good!

22 June 2021

Andrew completed his longest ever ride on the longest day of the year yesterday - an amazing 219kms.

This morning (22 June) he was setting off just south of Cuthill Sands and aims to get to John O'Groats this evening or tomorrow at the latest.

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21 June 2021

Andrew has reached the Scottish Highlands after some gruelling rides up through the Lake District and into the Highlands area.
 
He is mostly following Sustrans advised routes and his pace is pretty phenomenal, up to 170kms on one particular day, and will probably be reaching John O'Groats in the next few days.

His latest section is up around Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, including 'off road through the woods and some mega climbs', says Andrew on his Strava page.

At the last count he had done over 957kms, 51 hours in the saddle and yesterday, completed 141kms over very hilly terrain. 

The whole route is just under 900 miles (1,407 kms) and can take between 10-14 days, or longer depending on pace.

Andrew doesn't have a visual impairment but did the Sports Massage course at RNC a few years ago as a private student and is a professional carpenter / joiner by trade. He met some of RNC's students on the course and then got involved volunteering with our Tandem Cycling Club.

This challenge is a way of supporting RNC at a time when he knows we really need it and if you would like to support Andrew's magnificent effort, head to his JustGiving page here.

Picture shows Andrew on the winding roads of Scotland as they meander through the mountainous landscape.




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16 June 2021

Here's RNC's Fundraising Manager, Melanie Denning, with intrepid and very fast LEJOG fundraiser, Andrew Davis, early this morning.

Andrew reached his home, just north of Bromyard, late last night after a gruelling day's ride from Glastonbury so that's 300 miles under his belt in little over three days since starting in Cornwall on Saturday evening.

This is a phenomenal effort especially in the heat and perhaps some wet weather to come later today / tomorrow. 

We'll keep you updated as he heads north and wish him a safe and swift onward journey.



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14 June 2021

Over the weekend we discovered that friend of the College, Andrew Davis, had decided to cycle the iconic route of Lands End to John O'Groats, also known as 'LEJOG', in support of RNC.

 Starting on Saturday (12 June 2021) on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far, Andrew will cover approximately 900 miles and take in some of the most stunning and remote countryside in the British Isles. 

There is no doubt that this is one of the most challenging endurance cycle rides but given Andrew's experience we're sure he will complete the challenge comfortably. We just hope he's topped up on the Cornish pasties to keep him going.

We will post updates on social media as we get them. In the meantime if you would like to support Andrew through this massive test of endurance, you can donate via his JustGiving page here.

The picture below shows Andrew at the start of his epic cycle ride at Lands End. With the G7 Summit being held in Cornwall, the two giant inflatables in the picture - one of Joe Biden and one of Boris Johnson - were being motored around the Cornish coast by environmental protest groups.