About me

On the 3rd of June I set off from the Basque country with the dream of cycling around the coast of Spain and Portugal then back to the Basque country. What I've been calling a lap of the Iberian peninsula. I started the trip wanting to explore these lovely countries and do it all under my own steam, I wasn't even sure if I'd make it to the south of Spain, let alone the whole way round! The further I got into my lap, especially past the halfway mark (Gibraltar), the more I felt overwhelmingly grateful for the freedom and endless possibilities the bike had given me. I then realised that for me those possibilities were adventures and exploration but for a portion of the world those possibilities are access to water, healthcare, education or simply freedom of movement. Therefore I decided to use my ride to fundraise for Re~Cycle, an amazing charity who re-cycle Bikes from the UK and ship them to communities in Africa where they can really make a difference.

If you've enjoyed following my progress or felt inspired then please consider donating

About the route

The 5000km journey started in Oñati a small town in the Basque country where I had been living for the year. First I followed the Camino de Santiago costal route. I stopped along the way in Oviedo to see some old friends before moving on to Santiago de Compostela and then Finisterre which marked the end of the north coast. The route then took me south down along the Portuguese coast where I was met with stunning cliffs, great bivvy spots and sunsets to die for. Sagres was the south westerly tip of the peninsula, then just one more day of Portugal and into Andalucia! I managed to dodge the worst of the heat in Andalucia but sadly not the Belgian football hooligans.  The rest of Andalucia was busy but uneventful until I arrived and Malaga where I met up with an old friend. After a great couple of days resting and catching up we decided we would try to summit the highest mountain on the peninsula, from the sea, by bike ,in a day and get back before dark. The challenge in was 80k to get to 3500m peak called the Mulhacén and then the same down. We started bright and early at 7am with the sun and made good progress for the first half, we slowed slightly in the second half as the road turned to gravel and the fatigue started to build. Finally at 2900m and 4pm José decided he was happy there but that I should push on. At 3080m I had to ditch the bike and hike the last section, it was steep and the air felt thin but the peak was in sight. A quick turn around at the summit and a banging descent later saw us celebrating the sunset on the beach after a great day. What a way to celebrate halfway round the peninsula!

In Almería and Murcia I spent my days brown from the dust and feeling more like a cowboy than a bike rider. I enjoyed the break from the mega tourism hotspots but progress was slow after I suffered a stomach bug, turns out you still have to wash your cutlery even on a bike tour, who knew?

In Valencia and Barcelona I became a tourist. I shocked everyone in the hostels with my travels and meet some great people and some other not so great people... It only took one guy 2 beers before he told me about his Thai wife 🙃. 

At the time of writing this (21st July), I'm making my way through the Pyranees up all the mountain passes and with strong withdrawal symptoms from my daily dips in the sea. With only a few days left on the bike I feel fortunate to spend them in these lovely mountains.

About Re~Cycle

Re-Cycle (Bikes to Africa) receives used bikes and spare parts from the UK and ships them to rural communities in Africa. 649 million people live in rural communities in Africa, and many of these people must walk long distances to reach crucial services and social support networks. Across the UK, thousands of bikes are thrown away or lie unused in sheds and garages, whilst many people in Africa do not have access to any form of transport. The charity has sent over 100,000 bikes to Africa since being in operation.

If you want to find out anymore about Re~cycle check out their website.

https://www.re-cycle.org