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.

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

The Western Isles Itinerary


A few people have asked for more details of where we are going and when. I’ve had to draw up a strict timetable because so much depends on the ferry timetables – with some ferry routes only used once or twice a week, falling behind by even a few minutes could mean the difference between catching or missing a vital ferry and having the whole schedule set back by several days.  So that’s why the itinerary has to be planned so carefully – it’s not that I’m normally so organised!  So here is an outline (islands in capital letters):


















The Oban - Mull ferry at Craignure

April
29:     BUTE
30:     GREAT CUMBRAE and ARRAN
May
1:       (ARRAN) & HOLY ISLAND, then ferry to Claonaig
2:       GIGHA
3:       ISLAY (stay overnight)
4:       (ISLAY) & JURA
5:       SEIL ISLAND, LUING, EASDALE
6:       COLL
7:       TIREE
8:       Oban
9:       KERRERA, LISMORE
10:     Mallaig
11:     RUM
12:     CANNA, MUCK, EIGG, SKYE
13:     RAASAY
14:     HARRIS
15:     LEWIS, GT BERNERA
16:     SCALPAY
17:     BERNERAY, N. UIST
18:     BALESHARE, GRIMSAY, BENBECULA, FLODAIGH,  GRIOMASAIGH, S. UIST, ERISKAY, BARRA
19:     VATERSAY
20:     (SKYE) (again)
21:     MULL
22:     (MULL) & ULVA
23:     IONA, ERRAID
24:     COLONSAY & ORONSAY
25:     Finish at Oban.
















Tobermory

I make that 41 islands… but if you know of any more (inhabited, accessible by regular ferry or road) then feel free to let me know! Having said that, St Kilda, Ailsa Craig and the like are out of the question!  (The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that I originally had 40 on this blog - I'm grateful to Baz (@bazzargh on Twitter) for pointing out the tiny island of Griomasaigh, which I had missed!)

Incidentally we now have accommodation on Bute, Arran, Islay, West Tarbert and Oban, Portree (Skye) and Mull, but are still looking for Coll, Tiree, most of the Outer Hebrides and Mallaig – so if you’re reading this and have a spare bedroom (or know someone else who might have) – please let me know.  We’ll make a donation to Cancer Research UK for each night we’re home-hosted.
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