This May, I will attempt to ride the entire length of the UK, from Lands End to John O’Groats, unsupported and off-road, in a bid to raise funds for Berkshire-based charity 4 Cancer (reg. Charity 1090133).

After completing a gruelling 2174 mile trip Tour de France in 2009 I have decided to head away from the relative comfort of the road and embark on an epic off-road adventure. Starting on Sunday 16 May I plan to be in the saddle for 22 days and will be riding over 1,201 miles (2,000 km) covering a route which takes in the Quantock Hills, Brecon Beacons, Bodmin Moor, the West Highland Way and the wilds of Northern Scotland.

The route is formidable – the distance being further than London to Rome and the hill-climbing (8,848m or 130,000 feet) equating to 4.5 times up Everest from sea level. It is anticipated that I will be in the saddle for up to 11 hours per day alone in some of the remotest parts of the United Kingdom.

As if the challenge wasn’t hard enough I will also be pulling a 30kg trailer behind the bike carrying my camping equipment, food, spare clothes and energy drinks.

The funds raised by the ride will provide respite opportunities, such as canal boat holidays, spa days or overseas cruises, to cancer patients and their families from across the UK.

I have built a custom OnOne Scandal 29er with a Rohloff hub and will be pulling an Edinburgh Bicycle trailer. More at www.bike4cancer.org