Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

With the terrible things that are happening in Gaza and the West Bank it is difficult to think of a more worthwhile charity than MAP. I cycled for them in the West Bank in 2018 and saw what good work they are doing, and now the need is greater than ever

Regarding the actual ride, I am delighted to say I am being accompanied by my 15 yr old grandson Finn from Oxford. He is very fit and his job will be to nurse me through the bad bits and keep my spirits up.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I wish I could thank all the generous people who have already donated and have helped us too £5000 already, including a lot of “Anonymous” donors!

Some of you may have heard I was knocked off my bike last week, Fortunately no bones broken and bruises settling so all set for train to Penzance on Friday

Regarding the target, people have already been so generous and it is such a good cause that I have raised the target to £10,000

Just got on the train to Penzance so it’s becoming real

Thanks again to all generous donors

Looks like MAP is going to be needed for a long time

Update since last entry - now we’ll on our way

Have travelled last few days, staying at Truro (50 miles), Treyarnon Youth Hostel (lovely, 30 miles), then Bude(60miles), Barnstaple (60 miles) and finally with friends near Tiverton (40 miles)

As expected some of the hills in Cornwall and Devon have been pretty brutal and I was often reduced to pushing bike uphill

Finn is very fit and races ahead, while doing brilliantly on map reading, using Google maps on his phone to discover B roads, canal paths and old railway tracks

Yesterday was epic, we did 83 miles and are now poised by the top Severn Bridge ready to enter Wales tomorrow.

Thanks again to all you donors who are contort chip in. For some reason I can’t see your identities on my phone. All for now

PROGRESS REPORT

sorry for long silence, most evenings I have been too knackered to do anything

We are well on our way, passing through Clun in Shropshire to Wem in Cheshire then staying with sister in law in Liverpool ( with welcome reunion with wife Heather)

Then Lancaster, then Keswick ( staying with sister Linda)

Yesterday we cycled from Keswick to Moffat (76miles) On the way we met up with my daughter Fiona and her other son Callum, both of whom are going to come all the way to John of Groats

The weather has been perfect and we have only had one hour of rain total

Often it has been too hot and we have had some lovely swims including Rydal water

Finn has been a great companion, much fitter than me but always waiting for me to catch up

I have been disappointed not to have been able to generate more discussions about Gaza, with one or two exceptions

People seem to be in holiday mode and not wanting to be disturbed

I should have had a poster on my back saying something like “John of Groats for Gaza”

Anyway looking forward to enjoying Scotland.

Many thank to all you generous donors who keep chipping in

All for now, just a week to go

PROGRESS REPORT

Have had a great few days in Scotland

Joined by daughter Fiona and son Callum and reached Moffat that night

Since have gone on to Glasgow, Callendar, Pitlochry (joined by son Colin and partner) then long ride to Boat of Garten

Just having meal in Inverness before crossing bridge, due to do 87 miles today!

Weather has been great as has the company

Strongly recommend the Sustrans route we have followed in Scotland (Lochs and Glens)

Sorry to see glimpses of news from Gaza which sounds worse and worse, if that were possible

Thanks so much to all donors

Tomorrow we go to Tongue and then journey’s end

Finally feeling fitter, until two days ago every day I felt the effects of the day before!

All the very best for all you supporters of this great cause

THE FINAL PUSH

From Tongue Finn and I had a big day. I set off well ahead of him as we cycled across the north coast. Did 47 miles to Thurso then a further 20 toJohn of Groats

Nice chat with people at the end and one fellow pressed £50 in cash on me for MAP

We then had to cycle back 20 more miles making it 87 in all for the day. Overall we did 1153 miles in 19 days at an average of c 60

Very glad we did it. Finn was a great companion

Wish we could see a time when MAP was no longer needed

Will add a few pics to give flavour

Pics include first night in a pod, swim in Sennen Cove, Severn Bridge, odd picnics, lovely swim in Falls of Bruar, Falls of Dochart, Ruthven Barracks, packhorse bridge at Carrbridge, Falls of Shin, view of Ben Loyal and nice estuary at Strathnaver

Further news

I see a burst of very generous donations coming in, from people whose names I don’t recognise!

I suspect many of them are friends of Gwyneth Boswell who has just promised to circulate our just giving page to her circle

Thank you all so much

Another bit of good news is the Heather ( my wife) has contacted local papers and I have just had a phone interview with a journalist

She says her article will probably be in the Northern Echo this weekend. Hopefully this will lead to a further spike in donations

Best wishes to all