Ride To Recovery (Lee's Journey)

Hi, my name is Steve Craddock and along with Lee Patmore and Brian Kilgannon we are the Cycle2Recovery team. We are all members of the Help for Heroes Band of Brothers. Many thanks for visiting our fundraising page. Below is the story of our Epic challenge from John O Groats to Lands End. We hope after reading our story you will feel that the aim of the ride is worthy of a donation of your hard earned money. Anything you are able to donate will be greatly received and will ensure that Help for Heroes will be able to continue its important work with our wounded,sick and injured.

OUR STORY.

i was approached by Lee Patmore a member of the Help for Heroes Band of Brothers, a  Naval veteran to see if i would accompany him on the challenge of his life and ride from Jon o Groats to Lands End. Lee's mobility is severely restricted and he uses a wheel chair much of the time. For any fully able cyclist the route and distance (900 mile) are a daunting task, I explained to Lee that if we were to really challenge ourselves and to make as much money as possible we would have to do something different and ultimately more challenging. So i came up with the idea of visiting all of the Help for Heroes recovery centres on route. This meant rather than travelling down the west coast of the UK we would cycle down the east coast adding at least 400 mile to the journey. Its going to be tough but i am determined to make Lee's dream come true. Below are the rough details of the task head.

In May 2017 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Help for Heroes i will be cycling John o'Groats to Lands End in support of  Lee Patmore. Lee is a Naval veteran and member of the Help for Heroes Band of Brothers and is now mainly confined to a wheelchair.Lee will take on this challenge in a recumbent a hand cycle. I served for for almost 15 years in the Royal Engineers and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder eight years ago. Also joining us will be Brian Kilgannon a guy who served 23 years in the Royal Marines and who also suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We will not be cycling the classic route down the west coast but a much longer route as we intend visiting all of the recovery centres run by H4H. The general route would be Jon o Groats, Edinburgh,(Erskine House) Catterick North Yorkshire,(Phoenix House) Colchester Essex,(Chavase House) Brentwood Essex Brompton Barracks Chatham Kent, Tidworth Hampshire,(Tedworth House) Plymouth Devon (Hasler Company) and then to Lands End. The full route once finalised will be over 1300 miles with more than 50,000 feet of climbing. We are hoping to complete the challenge within 25 days and are hoping to cover between 60 or 70 miles per day. We have also built into the schedule 3 full rest days (if required) We will be updating everyone by Twitter, Facebook and a daily blog. We are also hoping that you will be able to track our progress live.

The detailed route map can be viewed by copying and pasting the links into your browser.

Start: John o'Groats

Stage 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17999174
John o'Groats - Gore Livingston
360.4m - 7 days Cranking
19344 feet climbing
Arrive - 7th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart - 8th 0900hrs Start


Stage 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17999175
Gore Livingston - Newcastle Upon Tyne City Hall
122.3m - 2 days cranking
5790 feet climbing
Arrive - 9th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart - 10th 0900hrs Start


Stage 3: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18002062
Newcastle Upon Tyne City Hall - Catterick Recovery Centre
49.3m - 1 day cranking
3184 feet climbing
Arrive - 10th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart - 11th 0900hrs Start


Stage 4: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18003832
Catterick Recovery Centre - Carver Barracks Wimbish
234.5m - 4 days
7429 feet climbing
Arrive - 14th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart - 15th 0900hrs Start


Stage 5: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18066108
Carver Barracks Wimbish - Colchester Recovery Centre
35.8m - 1 day cranking
1215 feet climbing
Arrive - 15th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Rest Day - 16th
Depart - 17th 0900hrs Start


Stage 6: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18067897
Colchester Recovery Centre - Brentwood Leisure Centre
40.4m - 1 day cranking
1456 feet climbing
Arrive – 17th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 18th 0900hrs Start


Stage 7a: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18325928
Brentwood Leisure Centre - Tilbury Ferry
17.1 miles - 1 day cranking
534 feet climbing
Arrive - 18th
Depart - 18th

Tilbury Ferry to Gravesend

Stage 7b: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18326038
Gravesend - Chatham
9.7 miles - 1 day cranking
571 feet climbing
Arrive - 18th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 19th 0900hrs Start


Stage 8: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18326129
Chatham - Chelsea Hospital
37.3 miles - 1 day Cranking
1618 feet climbing
Arrive – 19th
Depart – 19th


Stage 9: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18326220
Chelsea Hospital - Aspire Stanmore
13.7 miles - 1 day Cranking
758 feet climbing
Arrive – 19th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 20th 0900hrs Start


Stage 10: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18326475
Aspire Stanmore - Headley Court – H4H
31.3 miles - 1 day Cranking
1134 feet climbing
Arrive – 20th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 21st 0900hrs Start

Stage 11: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18326591
Headley Court – H4H - Tedworth House Tidworth – H4H
70.9 miles - 2 day Cranking
3227 feet climbing
Arrive – 22nd 1900hr to 2000hrs
Rest Day – 23rd
Depart - 24th 0900hrs Start




Stage 12: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18637299
Tedworth House Tidworth – Cartgate Lodge Café A303 (Near Yeovil)
64.8 miles - 2 days Cranking
2995 feet climbing
Arrive – 25th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 26th 0900hrs Start

Stage 13: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18638996
Cartgate Lodge Café A303 (near Yeovil) – Wyvern Barracks (Exeter)
57.6 miles - 1 days Cranking
2993 feet climbing
Arrive – 26th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 27th 0900hrs Start

Stage 14: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18622111
Wyvern Barracks (Exeter) – HMS Drake Recovery Centre (Plymouth)
46 miles - 1 days Cranking
4024 feet climbing
Arrive – 27th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 28th 0900hrs Start

Stage 15: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/341829
HMS Drake Plymouth Recovery Centre – H4H - Trevella Caravan Park (Newquay)
50.4 miles - 1 day cranking
4143 feet climbing
Arrive – 29th 1900hr to 2000hrs
Depart – 30th 0900hrs Start

Stage 16: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/341845
Trevella Caravan Park (Newquay) - Lands End
45 miles - 1 day Cranking
2769 feet climbing
Arrive – 30th 1900hr to 2000hrs ?

The challenge is really all about demonstrating that injuries, disabilities and chronic illnesses are no bar to sporting achievement. It will also demonstrate that despite being diagnosed with PTSD, you can still go out there and do amazing things and support those around you.

 Lee said,

“Steve will say that this ride is about me and my determination to complete it, but i feel, that the ride is about team work. Steve is a good friend and another veteran. We both have our illnesses adding barriers to life, but for me, as a team we can complete some amazing journeys and challenges.

Brian Said

My name is Brian Kilgannon and I have volunteered to assist Lee and Steve in this epic ride, having cycled for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for the last twelve years. Since leaving the Marines I to found that I had personal problems both mentally and physically therefore the thought of doing this challenge with Lee will also give me fulfillment. Having already cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats and hold a World record for distance riding I am fully aware the problems we are all going to face.

 We hope to raise money by sponsorship and inviting other cyclists to join us for a few of the legs (for a fee). Steve has started to contact potential sponsors and hope that over the next year we will be able to raise enough to cover the cost of the trip and hopefully to raise tens of thousands for Help for Heroes”.

Instead of relying on hotels etc for accommodation we hope to have a large motorhome as our base, this will mean depending on how Lee is feeling we can decide each day how far to travel. As part of the back up team we need a physio, a bike mechanic and first aid cover.

Over the next 18 months we need to raise approximately £14000 to make this challenge happen. If you feel you are able to assist in making this epic journey a reality please contact either Lee or myself.

Kindest Regards

Steve Craddock

Twitter: @StCrad

In 2015, the Prime Minister (David Cameron) recognized Steve as the UK's 384th Point of Light. This is due to Steve's charity work fundraising having raised £376,000 for Help for Heroes

Full story & details: https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/cycling-for-heroes/

Steve Craddock's Other Challenges

June 24 Cycle4Heroes my 1 day sportive. You can take part by going to www.cycle4heroes.com.

July I am organising and riding the Goatham's Great Kent Cycle Ride.

September i will be riding the Help for Heroes BBBR17

To date i have raised more than £380,000 for Help for Heroes and hope to reach £500,000 over the next few years.