John O’Groats to Land’s End cycle for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) – 21st March -1st April 2026

My dear cousin Stephanie was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) shortly after retiring in early 2024. Since then, she has faced a relentless daily battle with this devastating condition.

At the time of her diagnosis, I knew very little about Motor Neurone Disease – only that it was a serious illness. It wasn’t until the deeply moving story of Rob Burrow and the incredible fundraising efforts led by his family, Kevin Sinfield, and many others captured national attention that I truly began to understand the impact of this disease.

Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive neurological condition that damages the motor neurones – nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movements. As these cells deteriorate, they cause muscle weakness and wasting, eventually affecting the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and even breathe. While there is currently no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

Since Steph’s diagnosis, our family has come together to support her and raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease research and care. Many of us have taken part in various fundraising events, contributing to a cause that now means so much to us. Wanting to do my part, I reached out to my close friend of over 40 years, Rob Thomson - a man who never shies away from a challenge.

Together, we’ve decided to take on a major fundraising challenge: cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) over 10 days in late March 2026. Rob’s fiancée Cristina is kindly going to run the support car.

JOGLE is the classic challenge ride of around 1,000 miles (depending on the route taken) that takes the length of the UK, but this trip takes you the opposite way from the more popular ‘Land’s End to John O’Groats’ and starts from John O’Groats. The route takes you through some of the most scenic areas of the country.

From John O’Groats you head first through the glorious scenery of the Scottish Highlands, passing Loch Ness and Ben Nevis before passing through Glasgow and the hills of the Southern Uplands. After crossing the English border you continue across the wild countryside of Northern England before passing around Manchester and continue through the rolling countryside of Shropshire and Herefordshire. After crossing the River Severn the route takes you around Bristol before tackling the hills of Devon, including Dartmoor. The final section takes you along the north coast of Cornwall to Land’s End.

Our route will be as follows:

Day 1 – John o’ Groats Signpost to Lairg (87.5 miles).

Day 2 – Lairg to Moy near Loch Moy (79.8 miles).

Day 3 – Moy near Lock Moy to Pitlochry (84.4 miles).

Day 4 – Pitlochry to Carstairs Junction (94.3 miles).

Day 5 – Carstairs Junction to Solway Marsh, Cumbria (71.2 miles).

Day 6 – Solway Marsh, Cumbria to Carnforth (76.6 miles).

Day 7 – Carnforth to Hale Barns (71.2 miles).

Day 8 – Hale Barns to Hadley (103 miles)

Day 9 – Hadley to Clifton Village (76.7 miles).

Day 10 – Clifton Village to Crediton (95.4 miles).

Day 11 - Crediton to Bodmin (67.3 miles).

Day 12 - Bodmin to Land’s End Signpost (66.2 miles).

There is a lot of planning to do between now and March 2026, training too!

We will send updates as to our progress in the lead up to the challenge and also throughout the challenge on a daily basis and if at any point you would like to cycle part (or all) of it with us then please do let me know. It would be great to have some additional support.

So please help us to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease and assist in raising the awareness of the disease.

For further information on Motor Neurone Disease and the support available please see the MND Association website - https://www.mndassociation.org/