I'm a double cancer survivor, cyclist and walker who does various challenges for different charities, mainly cancer-related.

In 2016 I climbed every single 'Birkett' in the Lake District - all 542 fells over 1,000' within the National Park, including all 214 Wainwrights. I've also done a three-week cycle tour of Tasmania in February 2015 and amongst other things, I've cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats (2003), Rotterdam to Lemvig (Denmark) (2005), walked the Pennine Way (2008) completed (my first) ascent of all 214 'Wainwrights' in the Lake District in only 55 days (2009), cycled 4,500 miles around the coast of Great Britain (2011), cycled all 42 of the accessible Western Isles of Scotland in under a month (2012), twice abseiled 230 ft from the top of The Big One in Blackpool, cycled the WWI Western Front from London to Compiegne via Ypres and Arras (2014), cycled 750 miles in the Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton (2014), done a bit of sky-diving and cycled Australia's Great Ocean Road - just before lockdown in 2020.

Altogether I've raised over £120,000 for my charities including The Christie, Cancer Research UK, the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, and ABF (The Soldiers' Charity) and I was mightily chuffed to receive the British Empire Medal in the 2014 New Year's Honours List.

I'm a Rotarian and give illustrated talks about my adventures in exchange for a donation to charity, so if you're looking for a speaker leave me a message. I am also Event Organiser for the Ribble Valley Ride Cycle Sportive, to be held this year on Sunday 5 September 2021 - more details at www.ribblevalleyride.org

You can also follow me on Twitter - @CancerBikeMan and on Facebook - just search for Bill Honeywell

Cancer Research UK is the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research, whilst The Rosemere does fantastic work for patients in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Sunday 22 May 2011

Sunday 22 May - an update

As I write this I'm looking out over the Firth of Lorne from the excellent North Ledaig Caravan Club Site about a mile north of Connel, near Oban.  On Friday I made it back to Clitheroe on the train, then yesterday had a great day at the wedding of Mr & Mrs Chris & Nicola Breckell (Chris is my sister's son and therefore also the son of Logistics Manager Alan).

With no time at all to sort things out (so I hope we've remembered everything) we set off back north in the motorhome this morning, 'we' being new 'crew' John & Helen Cressey, and a companion cyclist for the week, Alan Taylor.  To be honest we are all wondering what we might have let ourselves in for as the weather forecast for next week - tomorrow in particular - looks horrendous:  heavy rain and damaging gale force winds - ugh!

Progress in the first ten days was better than I expected. I'd had to plan a fairly gruelling unbroken 10-day stint of 800 miles because I couldn't start any earlier and I had to get back for yesterday's wedding. And unless I reached Oban it would have been mightily difficult to get back because I needed the train service.  And to my great relief (and not a little surprise) I made it.

I've already seen some great scenery and met various people, had good weather and bad (far too much bad for this time of year!) and eaten and slept a lot more than I usually do.  With 800 miles done I've only got £3,500 miles or so to do - and another £15,000 to raise for Cancer Research UK.

Please keep on reading and keeping up with progress.  Hopefully we'll soon have a direct link off this blog to the FleetSmartLive tracker which everyone is enjoying so much.  And tomorrow, if I survive (!) I'll report on progress again.

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