More cycling and walking during crisis

Exercisers encouraged to keep up good work

Cyclists touring the British coast will arrive in the north and north-east next week.

Hugh Roberts, managing director of Sweetspot – which created The Great Tour in 2010 and 2015 – and friend Robin Young decided to complete their own version of the challenge to fill the void left by the cancellation of mass events due to coronavirus.

They set off on The Great Tour on July 4, leaving the Isle of Wight with the mission of covering 4,163 miles in 64 days.

This weekend they will be joined by Scottish former pro-cyclist Pippa York as they make their way from Edinburgh to Ayr.

The trio will arrive in Aberdeen on July 21 before stopping in Fraserburgh and Lossiemouth prior to arrival in Inverness on July 24. The route then takes the North Coast 500 to Dornoch and Wick before taking in Scourie, Ullapool, Gairloch and Applecross.

The tour will then navigate across to Mallaig before reaching Oban on August 2 and departing towards Ayr where Miss York will conclude her stint of the trip on August 4.

Miss York will be raising money for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice in Dorset and Wiltshire.

She said: “The idea of promoting the Tour of Britain despite this year’s cancellation of the race is as much about involving local communities as it is performance.

“It’s a social event so we won’t be going fast.

“Already I’ve been touched by the generosity of people offering accommodation along the route and those intending to come out and ride or welcome us.”

Donations towards the effort can be made at justgiving.com/campaign/ PhilippaYork

BREATHER: Robin and Hugh in Scarborough following day 12 of The Great Tour, covering more than 4,000 miles, before they make their way to the north and north-east