On 2 February, Captain Ed Plunkett and I embarked on a mad mission to cycle unsupported from the Rock of Gibraltar to Big Ben, London. 

The journey took us approximately 1700 miles from the Rock through Spain, over the snow laden Pyrenees, through France to St Malo. Then from Plymouth to Big Ben. We were on steel framed touring bikes, carrying all our equipment, including tent and camping gear.

Seasoned tourers have told us we were mad but, unlike my lazy future-brother-in-law, a twice decorated Captain in the Queen's Royal Lancers, I trained very hard for this endurance marathon with at least one bicycle ride a week the three miles to my office on my Brompton fold-up.

We arrived at Westminster on 8 March having climbed over 16,000 feet, mended three punctures, failed to mend two knees, and suffered a number of ailments not worth mentioning. It was so cold on the route to Valladolid that our water bottles froze and the headwind was so strong that our route lasted 3 hours more than planned so we were 11 hours in the saddle. The Pyrenees crossing was pretty tough and we were glad to make it to France where the wind changed in our favour and it was pretty flat - so much so that we were able to average about 100 miles a day.  The UK, in particular the South West, was also challenging with hills not so long as in Spain, but incredibly steep and with much heavier and far less tolerant traffic.

I am hoping you will be generous enough to help me raise £10,000 for the Huntingdon's Disease Association, that does fantastic work to support those with Huntingdon's, a hereditory disease affecting the central nervous system, which has sadly affected the family of a close friend of mine.

Any donation you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Please make the muscle ache, saddle sores and chilblanes worth it!!