Story
Here's my blog
https://stus-ride-for-bpm.blogspot.com/
Why am I doing this?
Over the last few years, I've been on a mental-health journey. My journey began at the start of the first Covid lock down. One of the things I've long known that keeps me smiling is to get out in nature and take wildlife photos, so I started doing that again in March 2020 and, for the first time, started regularly sharing my photos on Facebook, my work’s Nature News newsgroup and by email. As many of you will know, I'm still posting my photos - it's been an unexpected bonus to find that doing so can put a smile on other people's faces too.
Unfortunately, the lows of my mental-health journey meant there were days, weeks and months when I struggled to even get out of bed, never mind get outside to take photos. During those times I stopped posting photos, the most recent episode being between November 2023 and June 2025. Those lows led to me being signed off work with depression on two separate occasions, and to me taking antidepressants for much of that time.
Another thing I started doing in 2021 to lift my mood was to go out cycling for an hour or two with a couple of friends, with a visit to a local pub to finish. It wasn't long before the three of us set up a “Bikes 'n' Beers” WhatsApp group, which is still going strong and, indeed, has gone from strength to strength. Whilst I stopped taking photos when depressed, the group's support and encouragement meant I kept going out cycling with them each Sunday afternoon no matter how terrible I felt.
The trigger for my mental health journey was a change in my personal circumstances, which led me to finding Both Parents Matter. Both Parents Matter provide support and guidance to help parents navigate family separation. The charity's vision says it all for me - "Our vision is of a society where every child is enabled and supported to maintain a meaningful and loving relationship with both parents and their wider families".
The Challenge
I've decided to pay that support forward by "Cycling around the Southwest Peninsula in 10 days for Both Parents Matter". The route begins in Exminster, Devon, which is where I've lived for over twenty years, and heads east along the South Devon coast, before heading north through the easternmost points of Devon and Somerset, and then on to the northernmost point of Somerset. From there it follows the north coast of the Southwest Peninsula coast all the way down to Land’s End before returning along the south coast back to Exminster. The total distance is almost 700 miles (1100 km) with total elevation gain equivalent to climbing Everest almost twice. I will start the ride on Friday 17th April 2026 and aim to finish on the afternoon of Sunday 26th April 2026, with several of the Bikes 'n' Beers group joining me for the last few miles and the obligatory BnB pub visit, which will be to my village local, The Royal Oak.
I'm sure I'll see lots of interesting wildlife, so my camera is going to come along for the ride too - though with a mid-sized zoom lens, not my usual 4 kg BIG lens, I hasten to add! I intend to post a "shot of the day" at the end of each day's ride alongside the details of that day's route.
I am aiming to do this ride in only ten days for three reasons. First, six days is as much leave as I can afford to take off work!
Second, the cause I'm raising money for is very dear to my heart, so I'm hoping that me digging deep to complete this challenge will encourage you to dig a little deeper into your pockets when sponsoring me. Whilst I’ve always been a keen cyclist, the last time I rode 100 miles in the day was in 1992, so averaging 70 miles a day in this challenge is indeed going to be a challenge!
The final reason for doing this ride in just ten days is that it is going to make it a personal challenge on so many fronts. It's not just about doing lots (and lots!) of pedalling, as it will require me eating, drinking and sleeping each day in a way that I can repeat for ten days. There will be unexpected challenges each day too, whether that be the British weather, a mechanical issue with my bike, or a mechanical issue with me (aka an injury!).
All in all, I want to complete this challenge to prove that I am back on track with my mental health journey, and to prove that there's still lots of life left in this fifty-something dad.
Please support my fundraising effort by giving whatever you can afford. No donation is too little.