Riding out the storm
Cycling the length of Britain eased my lockdown anxiety. Let’s do it all again…
For me, as for many people, 2020 was the most difficult year of my life. Two friends passed away suddenly and my career imploded overnight. Before the pandemic, I’d fooled myself into believing I was bulletproof, but as my heart and mind raced, I felt fragile, on the cusp of a breakdown. Stuck at home with no light at the end of the tunnel, I drank too much and worried a lot. By early autumn, I could hardly sleep, think or breathe.
I was suffering from anxiety, an often invisible disorder that corrupts body and mind. Adult colouring books, meditation apps and online yoga helped. I adopted a vegan diet, gave up caffeine and began a course of acupuncture – but as a winter of lockdowns loomed, I knew I had to take more drastic action.
I decided to put my faith in the two therapies I knew and trusted: travel and exercise, and on October 7 I set off to cycle around pandemic Britain in the hope of finding a cure.
Journalistically, I wanted to document how the pandemic looked and felt at ground level. But personally, I needed to feel cold rain on my cheeks and lactic acid in my legs. For me, movement is medicine. In Shetland I met hardworking hoteliers, optimistic fishermen and Zen-like wild swimmers. I camped on windswept beaches and slept in isolated bothies at the edge of the map. The single focus of A to B calmed the white noise that had been hissing in my mind for months. And with just two panniers, a stove, a sleeping bag and a couple of spare inner tubes, life was simple.
I cycled on to Orkney and the Scottish Highlands, meeting artists, musicians, surfers and farmers. Even in the most remote corners of Britain, many people had been feeling just as anxious as me. Nevertheless, on the ground, in the flesh, our country was nowhere near as scary as the 10 O’clock news portrayed. Britain was muddling through.
On the scenic route through our green but fractured land, I immersed myself in nature. A roaring stag stopped me in my tracks near Ullapool, and we shared a fleeting gaze that has lingered in my mind’s eye since. Red kites escorted me across the border into England and when I finally reached Land’s End, at the southwest tip of Cornwall, grey seals cavorted in the swell before vanishing into a fizzing autumn sunset. Over the course of 1,307 miles, my pulse slowed and my breathing calmed.
But now, after two more lockdowns, I want to see Britain bounce back. Tomorrow I set off on Part Two: a 1,700mile journey, all the way back to the top of Shetland. For the next six weeks I’ll be cycling around Britain at 10mph, asking hundreds of people thousands of silly questions. I’ll meet beach cleaners, publicans and ferry captains. I’ll chew the fat with chip-shop workers, lifeguards and spiritual healers.
Moving at a snail’s pace, I’ll have time to rearrange my thoughts in a way that plane, train and car travel don’t allow. I’ll be riding out the storm of this past year, meeting strangers I hope will become new friends. And by the time I reach the finish line, under the purple twilight of the summer solstice, I’ll have cycled 3,000 miles around pandemic Britain, at – I hope – the most tumultuous but fascinating period in our lives.
Our borders are likely to be partially shut for many months, so there’s never been a better summer for a cycling adventure, even if it’s just a few days. Grab your bike from the shed, book it in for a service and plan a mind-cleansing tour of your own. I guarantee you’ll come out the other side feeling physically and psychologically lighter.
We’ve all found ways of dealing with the hardships of the past year. Some of us turned to Netflix or online choirs, others passed the time baking. But for me, it was as simple as riding a bike.
For me, movement is medicine. The single focus of A to B calmed the white noise that had been hissing in my mind
Follow Simon’s journey in real time on Twitter and Instagram: @SimonWIParker.
Telegraph Travel will be publishing dispatches from the road, and a book about Simon’s tour around Britain will be published later this year.