'I just had my bike and a tent': Firefighter completes epic Land's End to John O'Groats cycle with 'unconventional route'
With only a bike and a tent, a firefighter has completed a mighty cycle challenge with an ‘unconventional’ route across the country.
Leo Wall, a Cosham firefighter, embarked on a mammoth bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats last month to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.
With no plan in mind, the 32-year-old set off on the solo challenge in mid July, after wanting to complete the route for the past few years.
The avid cyclist, who has also biked from London to Paris, said this is the most extreme challenge he has undertaken, but the ‘unconventional route’ made the experience one-of-a-kind.
Leo said: “It has been a lot of cycling - while the cycle itself is from Land’s End to John O’Groats I decided to take each day as it came and end up doing it a bit different.
“The cycle has been on my radar for a few years and I never really found the time to do it but this year I managed to, so I thought I’d give it a go.
“I just started cycling and took it day by day. I didn’t really have a plan or anything. It was quite an uncoventional ride and I actually really enjoyed doing that.
“I got a few days into it and I thought it was definitely worth putting some real effort in to raise money for a great charity.”
Deviating from the ‘more direct route’, Leo found himself pedalling through the Welsh Valleys and Snowdonia, before getting the ferry to Dublin and cycling through Belfast.
He then travelled back to Scotland, where he biked through the lochs and highlands before winding up at the finish line.
Leo said he would had to think on his feet during the trip to try and work out the best routes and camping spots, which made the trip ‘more spontaneous’.
He added: “I literally just got on my bike, put a tent in the back of my bike and set off. It was an unconventional way to go but I always like the idea of not knowing, it makes it more exciting.”
The Just Giving page has reached £388 of its £500 target for the charity which provides care and support for firefighters across the country.