Two 16-year-old students from Bradley Stoke have completed a gruelling cycle ride to Land’s End in order to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Scott Warburton and Ryan Edwards say they encountered some “truly awful” weather during the 300-mile trip, on which they carried all their gear and stayed in youth hostels.
Immediate members of both students’ families have been affected by cancer, which motivated them to embark on the challenge in order to raise money that might help “beat cancer sooner”.
They trained for the trip by cycling to Bath and back, and say they did a lot of research and route planning, considering everything from maps to food.
Their four-day adventure took them across Exmoor and then on to Land’s End via Boscastle, Truro and St Austell.
They encountered heavy rain and strong gusts of wind at some points, especially near the coast at Boscastle, when they had to cycle through the night in order to keep to their schedule.
High points of the trip, aside from arriving at Land’s End and having their photo taken at the famous sign, included exploring Botallack Mine and taking the coastal path from Land’s End to Sennen Cove. Along the way, the students say they enjoyed the sense of independence and speaking to other guests at the youth hostels and hearing their stories.
After returning to Bristol by train, Scott and Ryan had just one day to recover before starting their Post-16 studies at BSCS!
Reflecting on the trip, Ryan commented:
“The journey was undoubtedly a tough one. For two 16-year-olds it was a physical and logistical challenge. But, more so, an adventure – a voyage into parts of the country unbeknown to us. We had little clue as to what lay ahead of us, in terms of terrain and in beauty. Even after 120 miles of cycling, broken only by two-and-a-half hours sleep, the Cornish landscape refused to look any less stunning. A tremendous test and a truly remarkable trip, to say the least.”
Asked if they had plans for further cycling challenges, Scott said:
“We would both certainly be up for doing something similar in the future. We would like to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End one day, but we would certainly need more training and experience, as well as a support vehicle. We would also be interested in cycling to France one day. We’ll see what happens!”
• The amount raised to date is £570 + Gift Aid. Donations may be made via a fundraising page at http://bit.ly/bs-lands-end
UPDATE (23rd October 2017): Scott’s fundraising page is currently showing a total of £1,008.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 23). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
