Andrew Bucknall is actively raising money for Sustrans so his six-year-old can relish tranquil paths on the National Cycle Network to walk and cycle on throughout his lifetime. Andrew cycled from Coalville to Edinburgh and told us about both his journey and his motive.
Andrew's son cycling along the National Cycle Network between Braunton and Barnstaple. ©Andrew Bucknall
On a sunny day in June, Andrew packed his Boardman Gravel bike with his camping gear for the week ahead and cycled from his doorstep in Coalville, Leicestershire, to Scotland’s capital city.
Andrew embarked on his journey along the mostly flat Tissington Trail, covering an average of 70 miles a day across the Network and raising over £460 for Sustrans.
The motivation of his six-year-old's future kept him pedaling throughout his epic journey, which stretched over 460 miles.
Fundraising for my son's future
Andrew, who works as a project manager, explained his motive for his charitable adventure:
“The whole idea on raising money for Sustrans stems from spending time cycling with my son.
“We cycle together along the Network and other off-road routes a lot.
“I want to raise funds to go towards the development and maintenance of these paths along the National Cycle Network so my son can enjoy them in the future.
“It’s so important to have traffic-free routes, especially with the climate crisis in mind.
“If we want to start using cycling as a serious mode of transport and not just for leisure cycling, then we ideally need more direct routes to get from A to B efficiently.
"That way it’ll be more appealing to travel by bike rather than jumping in the car.
"For instance, to get from Leicester to Nottingham on bike, the only option is to take an A road.
"If you were to take the Network currently it takes you on a more scenic route, which is often a lot longer.
"This is great for leisure, but if you’re commuting you ideally want a short amount of time from A to B, so there’s still a lot of work to do on cycle routes."
Andrew's bike outside of his home in Coalville just before he embarked on his journey. ©Andrew Bucknall
I would cycle 500 miles...
Setting off from his home in Coalville, Andrew had his route to Edinburgh all planned out.
That's aside from where exactly he was going to lay his head each night.
On his first day, The Tissington Trail took him through the scenic countryside of the Derbyshire Dales.
The stunning scenery provided motivation for Andrew as he faced 25% gradient paths, and had no choice but to get off and push his bike as it was too heavy to ride.
Following the Network route which snakes alongside the Peak District National Park, Andrew’s first day ended in Tintwistle after seven hours of cycling.
Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Andrew found somewhere to stay that evening. He said:
“I’d booked a table at a pub for some food and got chatting to the landlady and told her about my journey.
“She offered up her shed for me to stay in for the night, which was amazing.
“A woman from across the road also gave me cake, and I was given coffee in the morning by the landlady.
"I was really in luck!”
Andrew passed Torside Reservior on National Cycle Network Routes 62 and 68. ©Andrew Bucknall
Pushing on
The following day, Route 68 of the National Cycle Network took Andrew up and over the hills from Tintwistle to Skipton.
The path proved to be a lot of climbing, with each hill being a gradient of no less than 15%.
Thinking ahead, Andrew had scoped out a camping spot in Silsden.
But he made the call to arrange a last-minute hotel stop, as he arrived later than expected and was exhausted after all the inclines he'd faced that day.
Staker Hill on Route 68. ©Andrew Bucknall
On day three, Andrew made his way out of Skipton and across the North York Moors National Park.
The sunshine accompanied him through the second half of his nine-hour cycle until he reached Barnard Castle.
That night, he got some rest camping out in just his bivvy bag, a first-time experience for Andrew without the security of sleeping in his tent.
The pattering sound of rain tracked his slumber as his bivvy bag kept him dry.
Fresh kit and a broken gear shifter
After a cosy night, Andrew continued his journey to Hexham.
As there's not a direct route on the Network, he devised his own way of getting there.
Tailwinds assisted Andrew up two moors, giving him the extra push he needed.
The last 15 miles were a struggle as earlier on in the trip Andrew's left gear shifter broke, which made it difficult for him to move quickly on the flat parts of the route.
But upon arrival at the Northumberland town, Andrew treated himself to a concoction of sugary snacks and checked himself into a hotel he'd pre-booked.
A top tip here from Andrew for anyone keen to take on a bikepacking adventure: before setting off on his trip, Andrew posted himself fresh kit to wear for the remainder of the journey and posted his worn kit back home. Genius.
Making friends along the way
Throughout his trip Andrew met and chatted with people from all walks of life, such as a Dutch couple who were on a cycle tour from Harwich to Newcastle.
But one person in particular made a lasting impression on him on his travels.
While both sheltering from the rain under a bandstand-like structure in Whitley Bay, Andrew met 82-year-old John who’d recently bought a cycle for himself. Andrew recalls:
“I got speaking to John and he told me how, up until recently, he hadn’t ridden a bike in 60 years.
“He hadn’t planned to get back into cycling, he was just walking past a second hand pawnshop and spotted a new-looking bike.
“He bought it on a whim and now doesn’t go a day without cycling on the traffic-free cycle paths between Whitley Bay and Tynemouth.
“Even the rain doesn't stop him!
“Even though he’s fallen off a few times, he always gets back on.
“We chatted about all things cycling and he was asking for my advice on things like which shorts to wear and how he can improve his cycling experience.
“I just thought to myself, this is amazing. These are the kind of people you meet out and about.
“It really reinforced my motive to raise money for Sustrans, so people like John can enjoy these paths now and in the future.”
This was taken as Andrew cycled 71 miles from Hexham to Amble. ©Andrew Bucknall
Cruising up the coastline
Spotting his first National Cycle Network waymarker since Ashbourne, Andrew cycled 71 miles from Hexham to Amble.
He joined the Network's Coast and Castles South route on the North East coast of England, which stretches 200 miles all the way up to Edinburgh.
Andrew settled down for the night in his bivvy bag while sheltering from the heavy rain in Amble.
Rising early the following day, his fundraising adventure continued past scenic castles and beaches and down quiet country lanes.
Despite the heavy downpours causing slippery tracks beneath his bike tyres, Andrew made it up the Network's Route 1 to Berwick-upon-Tweed.
A hot shower and a night at a hotel was exactly what Andrew needed after being caught out in the rain.
A night indoors also provided a great opportunity for his wet clothes to dry off.
At this point in the trip, Andrew realised he'd made it all this way without making use of his tent!
This photo was taken as Andrew approached Berwick-upon-Tweed on Route 1. ©Andrew Bucknall
The final stretch
With around 65 miles left to go and a fair bit of climbing to do, Andrew set off feeling refreshed and ready for the final leg of his journey.
He touched down in Scotland's capital city on Friday, 1 July, and spent the night celebrating with the locals, Andrew said:
"I went out by myself and ended up having a great time.
"I got chatting to some random people in a pub then ended up having quite a late night.
"It was an awesome way to round off my trip."
One of many cycling adventures for Sustrans
Last year Andrew raised £600 for our charity on a bikepacking trip.
He cycled from Land’s End to Coalville, and is already planning another fundraising adventure for our charity next year, completing his adventure across Britain by cycling from Edinburgh to John O'Groats using the National Cycle Network.
His son has been asking if he can join Andrew on his cycling adventures and the pair recently cycled along The Tarka Trail while on holiday in North Devon.
Andrew's certain that's just one of the many rides they'll do together as a family.
Andrew's fundraising page for this year's journey is still live if you would like to make a generous donation.
