Okay final episode 3 of cycling the length of the UK from John O’Groats to Lands End this second episode is day 12 to 12 from Manchester to Lands End where I visit my friends & family in the peak district, stratford upon avon, cardiff and bristol. Finally meeting my family at Lands End to conclude the journey. I am also raising some money for PTSDUK while doing this so any support would be appreciated. Thanks for watching the whole journey hope you enjoyed!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/cycling-2000km-across-the-length-of-the-uk/cl/o?utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US&attribution_id=sl%3A0d459c49-fb0b-4bb6-b7f9-8313f2377f38&ts=1756938760
This destroys whatever. This is the craziest climb. Um, it’s so easy to get up because it generally felt like Christmas Eve last night. The wraps are up again. Um, but yeah, 6 milesi out from Teddy Gorge. No, I’m kidding. But yeah, today’s probably been the worst day. Just stop going to [ __ ] Okay, at the canal. Um, just went through Manchester to see Pete. That was great. Um, met his kids. They were nice as well. Now I’ve cut through Stockport. I’m now on the canal heading to the the Peak District. Um, but it’s been wet, windy, and slow riding and a lot of off path stuff. Like my bike’s so muddy. Um, I’m just getting tired all the time and I’m struggling to eat enough. But I’ve got four donuts and a all day breakfast sandwich to keep me going through it. Shoes aren’t optimal as well. But yeah, 40 miish to Uncle Simon’s in the Pete District. And yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. I hate canals. I’ve got to get this over there. And I’ve already taken my bags over, but ah, it’s raining. Okay, now this is the pee district. fight starting to look very Pete Pete Dro SQS whatever. Yeah, this is the craziest climb. Took like 20 minutes just straight uphill like going the lowest gear. But yeah, hopefully get over the top of that. A nice cheeky downhill to cool me off. Let’s have it. Okay, 5 minutes out from um Uncle Simon’s and Auntie Jack’s. all downhill and Brassington is just down here. Loads of ponies. So yeah, be good to see them. The video. Oh yes, we instructed got 3 km of this. Ah, I’ll just get on the train now. He’s going to meet me in cog. Should be good. Then he’s got a hotel. I’m staying at Dan’s house. So, you have to be at Dan later. Not sure where his plan is, but we’ll see. Yeah, I’ve been smashing it for distance today like quite quickly. Only like 60k in and it’s not even 12 yet. So, let’s go. And there’s another bloody gate. Pain the ass to get through. Look who I’ve met in Coventry. I got a GoPro. Yeah. You ready for today’s ride? Uh, no. No. Almost there. Yeah. That work. How’s it? How have you found it so far? What? Joey’s slacking a bit, but it’s all right. Right. Officially day 14. Me and Carlson upon Haven. Thought we treat ourselves after a long day yesterday. 30k I did 140 but yeah today heading to just before Bristol which would be nice. Sad saying goodbye to him but post and he also gave us a tour of Stratford. We saw Shakespeare’s house and the statue the dirty duck as well. Yeah. So yeah. Okay. Guess I’m going to do an update of day 14. Two spokes broke. So I’ve been spending all day trying to fix them. Go to shops and see if they can fix them. But nobody has spokes or can do it in a day. All the ones I can get to that can do it are too far away. It’s 5:00 or 5:30. And I’ve only done about 30k today. Meaning I’ll have to do 140 tomorrow. if I don’t carry on. Uh I don’t have a place to camp. It started raining. Probably a bit hung over. Like my legs are not a typical hangover, but my legs are just a bit tired. Mentally a bit [ __ ] today. Plot along. Hope my wheel doesn’t like completely break. Just pray it doesn’t. Try to stay on the main roads where it’s nice and flat. Miss potholes. But today’s probably been the worst day. Just stuff going to [ __ ] Like it was nice up until Carlos left. After Carlos left, it’s just gone completely downhill. Complete headwind like the entire time. So it’s been tough. If you cannot hear the wind, but this is this is the the camp set up for tonight to set my tent up. Day 15, baby. And today’s the day make it to Cardiff and see the boys. So round the barbecue and probably pub and just seeing everyone. It’s going to be sick. So now, so half isn’t promising, but we’ll see if it holds up. Pray it does. I’ve ordered some extra spokes to Corbin’s house, so I’m going to replace the two broken ones. Okay, it’s the seven bridge. Yeah, nearly in Wales. Made it to Cardiff. That all means bike paths which is quite nice. But yeah, see Corman Salmon stuff day 15 16 someday. Uh I don’t know but saved the extra day in Cardiff because was very hung over and also my bike need fixing. Um hasn’t really been fixed. Still missing two spokes on the back wheel. Well, day before we went basically to the dock. Um he went out which was great fun. So sand fun. This morning was feeling so rough that I was like I can’t do 100k today and it was like 26° even though it’s 26 today. But yesterday was interesting. We went to watch the panank pank some sport world championship in Wales cuz it’s being held here this year. Of course, dad was playing but unfortunately I think they came second but yeah that was cool. Bristol now to see my uncle Barry. Haven’t seen in a while. For now we’re cruising and I think I need to take a poo somewhere. It’s not looking good. Okay, heading back to England now. Oh, here we come. And we’re back. Day 11. And yeah, out of Bristol to Thorson today. Yeah, plans to camp from top of the hill to see the meteor shower tonight, which is meant to be pretty cool. All right, day 18. Got the wrap set up again. Um, but yeah, 6 milesi out from Cheddar Gorge. No, my chicken. But yeah, we’re going to go through that scenic route today, which I don’t know why I’ve chosen today to do a scenic route cuz it’s 31 degrees if I haven’t mentioned. But yeah, see how that goes. Okay, about to go through Cheddar Gorge now. So, going to put the helmet on with the GoPro and ride. Yeah, hot as [ __ ] About to ride through Cheddar Gorge. Woo. thing is this bit. It’s like crazy. Yep. Yeah. Gen forgot how nuts it is here. But it is pretty sick. Yeah, they have this um Yeah, you can choose whatever you want. I got chocolate milk of course, but so good. So good that I’m going to get another afterwards. So here’s the plan. Three of the spokes on this side. Um where the disc brake is. You can kind of see there. Um now snapped off. So the plan is to try and redistribute some weight from the bags. onto the arrow bars here on the front wheel and hopefully take two of the spokes from the front wheel and pray that they fit on the back. Currently in a town called Oakler or something, but I’ve climbed to the top of it and we are at Dartmore National Park where can finally legally wild camp which be a nice feeling. Not really, but it will feel the same without the guiltish. But it’s just such a big climb. I’m just tired and just constantly stressed that my bike’s going to break. But we shall see. Okay, this is Dartmore National Park. kiss. Oh, a second. But I’m going to go back down and find a camping spot which is more discreet because I don’t want to go up the track and risk. Oh my god. You can’t really see, but like I’m getting bitten alive right now. Oh, it’s [ __ ] No, it’s not. It’s always good when there’s a sign saying do not touch any military debris. It might explode and kill you. Great view. Right, that’s the tent sorted. View. Yeah. See you. Um. Jesus. Say hi to the GoPro. Hi GoPro. Yeah, I met my parents on Longston and I just take some my bike stuff at the spokes and um got to say hi to Rue. So, that was nice. Yeah. All right, made it to the top of nearly the top of today’s climb. Like the biggest climb, but yeah. So about 300 m up there just been like rolling hills and this is the highest point we’ve got to and it’s just flat with wild horses and sheep out of it like it’s crazy. Parents are legends and gave me some new glasses but um yeah this cake is the best cake ever. I’ve got a good angel slice cake is like the great thing about this trip is like you can just eat so much rubbish. But I’ve definitely put on weight. We’ll see at the end. But like really I should have lost weight. Like there’s no way I’ve been eating that much. Right. Today’s the day. Today’s the day that we get to L’s End. Um, it is 5:47 and I’ve never found it so easy to get up because it genuinely felt like Christmas Eve last night that I just couldn’t sleep. I kept waking up just like, “Oh my god, I just want to get going.” So, I just want it to be over in the sense that like I just don’t want to wake up again. have to cycle this far. It’s only 67k today. So, um be quite nice. This might be the moment where I shoot myself cuz I’ve been talking to the camera for the past 3 minutes just to realize I didn’t click record. But yeah, se’s over there. I’m going over there the far end to land. 2 and 1/2 hours, maybe three. I think I’m going to take a break. just so I might like chill one last time before the end. Just take it in. I was going to rush it, but there’s not much point. Big relief not having to wake up tomorrow and move my legs. Um although I really want to go to the beach with Ruth. She’s finally finished like her recovery from her surgery. She had about four or five months ago. So she hasn’t been able to walk or anything like that. And it was only yesterday when I saw or bit longer. See where I end up. All right, last meal is all day breakfast of crisps. The flavor, sweet Thai chili. Okay. Yeah. No idea. I was so close to the beach, which is just there, but Apparently, Land’s End is like somewhere along uh past the town, which would probably take an hour to get to. The beach here looks nice and it’s getting warm, so it’s like hard not to be tempted to jump in. But yeah, literally only left. Although I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a bit longer because uh to get up there you have to go up a big hill which I can’t be asked for. Um so I think I’ll do that hill quick break then smash the last bit and get there. But it’s funny like now I’ve reached the sea. Um, yeah, part of me just really this trip and no way like getting to see everyone’s been amazing. That way, every time I see someone, it’s going to be a boost to sort of keep going. But, um, you know, I was more thinking it was actually the uh days of probably cycling by myself for hours and hours. I just need to break quite a lot of time on the um lit patch of throws over top of the mountain. I should be sitting by myself and honestly seeing my own course, but I’ve done pretty much every second of doing that. Um, yeah, actually exploring the UK and seeing how big it is. Like there’s just so much to see when you start to like slow down a bit and start driving through. Um, it’s kind of made me realize that I kind of want to explore more in the sense that there’s so much to see and like you just can’t see everything, but you try your best, which it’s a nice bit. I think there’s some enjoyment out of that. Last last 10 km and the hills here are horrible. Like it’s so bad. Like 20 km no 5 km south but I desperately need to take a piss. So I’m going to take a quick pee break then finish this [ __ ] Yeah. My parents wait to meet me there but we’re going to have to wait. Don’t know if you can catch it on camera, but there’s a plane up there somewhere. Whoa. That’s so many pictures. That hurt. Good. It’s another off road. My bike breaks now, but then this will be it. It’s like sometimes just been like, “Oh, go Lzen. Go in Lanzen.” And it’s fine that it’s actually a real place. So close. Um, yeah, that would be a nice feeling to get there. Really muddy. What’s that, though? Hello. Hello. You all right? Yeah. Hello. How are you? Good. Good. How are you? Right. So, it’s a bit of a weird set up here. Yeah. You got a flag. Hey R. Oh yeah. Hello. Oh hello R. to go this route then there’s no opening in the path. Definitely prefer Jon as well which is quiet. It was it was all right to be fair. It was nice seeing like all my mates up and down the country but like some pits like just doing it by yourself just gets long and tedious. But yeah, that’s mental. I know. Wow. on a road bike. How many flat tires did you get? Zero. Really? Wow. How old are you? 21. Wow. That’s a story, ain’t it? Yeah. No, it was good fun. Yeah. Well done. Break that. That’s good. Thanks. eating all the last two and a half weeks. We I think I’m going to end the video there.