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Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Cancer Research UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

My first brush with cancer was in 1989, which resulted in me losing my left eye.  My treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital was superb and the staff did all they could to support me through the whole process, although they wouldn't let me have a union jack or a skull and crossbones - normal matching eyes only!

Cancer reared its ugly head again when my wife, Jan, was diagnosed with a very small tumour in its very early stages.  Breast caner had arrived.  Over the following dozen or so years, Jan fought against further attacks and finally, on February 28th 2008, she died peacefully and in no pain in Exeter Hospice., just one day short of our first year of living in Devon.

All the support Jan received was absolutely brilliant - hospitals, doctors, nurses, churches, family and friends, everyone who came into contact with Jan made her feel valued and loved.

Before she died, Jan suggested I change my scooter.  We discussed this at length and finally agreed that I should do a trip round Britain's coastline to support Cancer Research UK.  We had both been blighted by cancer and we felt it was right to try to help in the fight against the disease. 

My plan is to set off from Tiverton on August 3rd, our wedding anniversary, and the 4000+ miles should take me ...... well, we'll have to see but I don't expect to be home much before the middle of September.

Lots of friends and relatives have offered to put me up and a number of bikers hope to accompany for parts of my trip.  I'm still looking for more free accommodation but I expect to be extending  my collection of youth hostel visited!

The skills are there to find the cures for the various forms of cancer but research is cripplingly expensive so I hope as many of you as possible will sponsor me as much as possible to help bring those cures forward.

09.08.09

Hi folks! On the way after an eventful start!  Thanks to all those who came to wave me goodbye.  Serious problem first night - rear wheel bearing went!!!  BMW emergency fixed it next day but I had lots of ground to make up.  Now in Loddon in Norfolk and heading round from Yarmouth to Hunstanton today.  Weather far too hot but perhaps I can shed some weight and get more miles per gallon!

Thank you for your support.

24.08.09

Hello again.  I have been in a mobile phone and internet dead zone for a number of days.

I have been accompanied by three other bikers in Scotland.  Thanks to Goerge, John and Jason for your very welcome company, especially to George and his wife, Anne, for kindly putting me up at their home in Aberdeen.

I had two super nights with Alan McGregor, in Brora, and we had lots of years to catch up on.  This has been the theme of my stop overs with old friends (time not age!!).  Catching up with friends I haven't seen for ages - in Anne-Marie's case since 1969!

John 'o Groats was, expectedly, commercialised but I wasn't prepared for the shock of seening the hotel closed up and fenced off.  I spent a profitable afternoon's dart playing against the locals in that hotel in 1966 after finishing A Levels, while on a hitch hiking trip from John 'o Groats to Land's end.

Two days at each of the Tongue and Durness hostels enabled me to explore some of the hinterland - stunning, wild, wet, lonely and alarmingly devoid of any mobile phone signal. 

  I tried to update my site yesterday but my connection at the hostel crashed.  However, I arrived on Skye yesterday and spent today drivng round the island, and bumped,not literally, into a coach party from near my old home town of Luton - small world.  luckily the weather today has been good - only about an hour of rain!

Rain thwarted my plans yesterday.  I had planned to visit Applecross, of TV and biker pub fame. Originally I planned to arrive via the north coastal 'unclassified' route but decided instead, as the weather seemed OK, to use the cattle drovers pass in both directions.  This is the highest mountain pass in Scotland and contains hairpin bends and steep climbs.  If any of you have seen the episode of Top Gear showing the Stelvio Pass, this is Scotland's version. My preconceptions of the pass were not disappointed.  The big problems was not being able to stop to take pictures so it will have to stay in my memory and you will have to see it for yourselves to believe it. As I tucked into a super lunch in the Applecross Inn, the clouds descended and the heavens opened, thus making my route out via the pass suicidal.  So it was the northern coastal route for me after all.  The only problem was that conditions were so bad that I never really saw the coastal scenery at all.

Tomorrow I have to make a diversionback to the east coast to have a new front tyre fitted in Inverness - as long as the garage confirm they have what I need.  It just means a longer day to be able to stay on track and get to the Glen Nevis hostel near Fort William.  Perhaps I will catch a glimpse of 'Nessie' on the way.

So I'm now on my way south at last but still have three weeks to go - Scotland does have a lots of coastline!

Bike is still behaving and, no Mike, I haven't had to resort to any of your plasters yet (not intended for the feet!).

I hope I shall have more success getting on line the further south I go so 'watch this space'.

After continuous rain from Glen Nevis (never got to see more than a couple of hundred feet of 'the Ben') I'm now in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
Met up with an old friend from college last night and am now catching up with some internet admin at his house. Touring the island today then off to Oban tomorrow.

27.8.09

Weather touring Mull started wet, dried up for a while then rain again.  The 'minor' A roads, as I call them, are something else.  Single track roads with passing places. Factor in the rain, coaches heading for the ferry across to Iona and young locals who know the road so tend to drive to fast and one has an interesting potential for mayhem, yet, in the main, things seem to work out OK.  I've only seen about three cars in ditches and they must have just been left there because they were all rusting away quite nicely.

Last night in Torbermory so will avail myself of the services of one of the local hostelries, not the poshest but down to earth value and home cooking. Yum.

29.08.09

Managed to get online again, briefly. Left Tobermory in torrential rain - not cats and dogs here - sheep and highland cattle, certainly competes with Devon. Sun came out as I boarded the ferry for Oban.  After finding where the youth hostel was, I did a little exploring, slightly inland and found yet another stunning glen and the rain held off.

Today it was an inland excursion to revisit Glencoe and it didn't disappoint.  I just managed to get a photo at the top of the final descent into the glen before the rains came again.  This time, I'm sure the clouds had my name on them as they welcomed me back since my last visit - in the rain - in 1966.  With the atmosphere created in Glencoe, one can just imagine the warring clans hacking themselves apart all those centuries ago.

Found a beautiful empty glen with a fantastic smooth straight road and no-one watching.  Let's just say the bike is going well at the moment!!!  Teenagers, eat your hearts out!! 

Shorted day today so caught up on some washing and shopping and cooked a civilised meal.

Off to Cambletown tomorrow, so not many more nights left in Scotland.

4.9.09

Well, I don't know how much water has passed under the bridge since my last entry but a great deal has certainly fallen out of the skies and one other problem has been lack of access to the internet and mobile phone.

I left Oban in miserable drizzle which eventually inproved with the sun winning out in the end, the further south I went. Turning off the A83 onto the B8024 and was dreading another famous unclassified road surface but it wasn;t that bad after all.  I did become aware of one notable change. Near a small hamlet called Druimdrisaig (try saying that after a dram or two) I noticed an alteration in the surf coming ashore.  Now, instead of just washing around between the islands, the surf must be rolling in from much further away and was beginning to develop a real swell.

On arrival in Tarbert, and after a swift half in a local pub to discover they didn't do food, I had lunch in what appeared to be a favourite popular cafe, where the locals seemd to comein and order their food then go to the newsagents nextdoor to pick up their newspapers and return for their food and a relaxing read.  On the radio was Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars and, for those in the know in my family, that has great emotional significance.  What a good job I wasn't driving at the time.

Cambletown was to be my first ever experience of a B&B but everywhere seemed full.  However, a super local Hotel, the Ardshiel, agreed that, in return for some publicity photos, I could have a free night.  For anyone interested they have 380 different whiskeys in the bar and they are trying to find room for an aditional 40!  Thank you Flora and Marion you are stars.

After another night of heavy rain, the morning was a little improved and I headed for Dunoon where I arrived much earlier than expected so I decided to catch the ferry to Gourock and push on.  Here I met another BMW biker, Neil, who persuaded the ticket collector that it would not be 'cricket' to charge me for the crossing.  Thanks for the donation, Neil.

I finally pulled up in Girvan in torrential rain.  Although I expected to be thrown out as I dripped my way into the Westcliffe Hotel, I was told to come in out of the rain and, after a little negotiating, the management agreed not to charge me as I was doing this tour for a good cause.

As I was ahead of schedule, I rang Eskdale hostel and booked an extra night in the hope I could catch up with washing and internet.

Tuesday 1st September started dry but very windy.  Thanks to the guests who donated a further £30 to CRUK.  As I headed over the border back into England I hoped for better weather but there were some monumental cloud ahead.  I also saw a tornado which, thankfully, was about 2 miles ahead of me and didn't touch ground before it dispersed.

About 10 miles from Eskdale hostel the cloud lived up to their promise and I experienced the heaviest rain so far.  What a good job the white van man trying to drive up my exhaust pipe couldn't hear what I was calling him!

The hostel appeared like an oasis through the clouds and I continued my tradition of an immediate shave and shower - bliss!

Still no phone or internet but I had an enjoyable trip on the Eskdale and Ravenglas Railway.  The outdoor carriages offered the best view but when it started to rain again and everyone else put up their hoods, I only had my helmet.  AND NO, I am NOT the STIG. (That's for the benefit of the boy who sat near me) .

I also ventured over the Hardknott and Wrynose passes.  After an experience with the car who decided to cross to my side of the road at one of the hairpins, I returned to Eskdale via a less vertical route!

After a night disturbed by cramp the morning dawned damp.  During breakfast, someone must have reminded 'The Boss' I was preparing to leave and the heavens opened again but by Barrow in Furness the sun was out.

Spoke too soon.  By Ulverston it was raining again.  Here the coast revealed a pleasant, gently sloping sandy beach but, like in cricket, rain stopped play with the camera once again.

I had a most pleasant stay at Arnside YHA but goodness knows what happened to my room-mate who dissappeared by 2am not to be seen again.  Was it my snooring or something else which whisked him away!

From Arnside to Meol on the Wirral was a plod of a day with nothing really interesting to report other than rain in Blackpool, sun through Liverpool followed by wind in the Wirral, where I stayed with long standing friends Margaret and Martin.  After a bracing walk along the seafront we went for a meal in an appropriate restaurant - a Hungry Horse.

6.9.09

Saturday 5th was a fairly uneventful ride but strange event were instore.  After a super breakfast and fond farewells, the journey down the Wirral and round into Wales proved to be a succession of well maintained large seaside suburban houses followed, across the border, by a contrasting sprawl of uninviting , seemingly fairly run down coastal towns and caravan sites. Please forgive me, those who love holidaying along this north Wales coast, but North Wales to me has traditionally been mountains, walking and climbing.  The A55 from Conwy through to Bangor was a revelation to me as I hadn't been this way since the seventies.  The dual carriage way, combined with the tunnel after Penmaenmawr reminded me of continental driving, not too much traffic but good sea views and good progress.

Crossing the Menai Bridge and travelling through Beaumaris and along the north coast of Anglesey was another nostalgic drive for me, having visited and driven on some of those fantastic beaches in my mini van back in the seventies.

South of Caernarfon the coast road became more and more interesting and more rural. The super little town of Aberdaron and its super beach is somewhere I would like to explore when more time permits, as well as the huge empty beach of Porth Neigwl.

I was now making a bee-line for Abersoch which was another overnight B&B stop.  I remember an uncle and aunt saying what a super place this was to stay. so now I was hoping to try it for myself.  I tried some B&Bs but they were full, so my next stop was to speak to a policewoman, very nice, who told me of three hotel possibilities.  Two were full and the third wanted an extortionate amount for a single room and breakfast.  So I turned to the trusty YHA.  Yes, there was a space at Nant Gwynant, great, a new hostel to add to my collection.  Arrived, signed in, paid, got my key, went to my room - FULL.  After the chef rang round and found me a space at Snowdon Ranger (even further inland), I finally unloaded at 7.50 and cooked myself a meal.

This is where bizarre takes over.  Checking my mobile, I found a message from my son, Ben, asking me to ring him, which I did.  He, my two daughters and their other halves had travelled all the way from Southampton and Luton to surprise me in Abersoch!  Obviously we had missed and they were then on their way home down the A5, too far down to be able to meet in the middle that evening!  It seems we missed each other by minutes!

10.9.09

While I was at Snowdon Ranger youth Hostel, there was a group of blind people with their 'minders' and I shared a room with David and his minder, Jed.  David has a passion for motorbikes and he even has a model of my BMW R1200RT. After breakfast, David and Jed posed with my mascot, Little Ted, which enabled David to give my bike a thorough 'feel'.  It was humbling to see him draw an accurate picture of my bike in his mind.

Today's trip took me down the west coast of Wales through Porthmadog, Harlech, Barmouth, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Fishguard and St David's. This was the first time I had seen Harlech Castle and I was somewhat disappointed as I had always pictured it a much larger than it really is.  Perhaps the song 'Men of Harlech' had established an impression of grandeur in my mind.

Around Barmouth, the weather was fine but very windy and at Fairbourne I had some difficulty keeping upright on the sea wall.  By St David's, rain had set in and as I passed the Ocean Haze Hotel I thought 'Ocean Mist' would be a more appropriate name!

Sunday night was spent with friends Pam and David Williams on their organic farm where, apart from farming organic beef anf lamb, they produce the only available organic black pudding and I can vouch for its superior taste!  They took me to a fantasic 'local' restaurant which was a cross between a private house and an artist's Bohemian eating house, where the food was to die for!

Monday proved to be very long and varied with a great contrast between the south west towns of Broad Haven, Pembroke, Tenby, Pendine, and Kidwelly with southern industrial sprawl of Port Talbot and Cardiff, with Barry providing the only respite from heavy industry.

For Tuesday night I was booked in at St Braivel's youth hostel, which gave me quite a lot of freedom to explore the region.  One call I made was to Wilderness Stone's quarry in the Forest of Dean.  This quary is providing the stone for the new entrance steps and wheelchair ramp I am trying to organise for my local church, St Paul's, in Tiverton.  I had promised the quarry manager that I would take a cake on my next visit but he had to settle for bottle of milk for a cup of tea.  Perhaps next time, Peter!

I spent some time investigating Lydney Harbour, which is an ancient harbour with a sea-lock connection with the River Severn.

St Braivel's youth hostel is one of the castles built to maintain order on the English/Welsh border and is reputed to  be very haunted. I had an entertaining evening with David, who is also raising money for CRUK by cycling from Land's End to John o'Groats, Yvonne, a young lone biker on her Kawasaki 750, and two wayward Belgian actors.

Wednesday was a warm day, too warm for me in my bike suit, which took across the Severn on the 'new' M48 (free!) bridge, down through Avonmouth, Portishead, Clevedon, Weston-Super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea and Bridgewater, west throught Watchet and on to Minehead.  Everywhere seemed to be choked with holiday traffic and farmers moving their harvests, which only added to my temperature.

I was staying with Jan's cousin and her husband, Mar and Pip, who run the Queen's Head in Minehead. (Highly recommended to real ale drinkers who appreciate a well kept pint!)  In the eveining I was introduced to a guy who, like me had an interesting in scouting.  What a reunion!  This 'guy', named Dave, was a leader with the North Watford Venture Unit while I was a leader with Harpenden Venture Unit - arch rivals in Hertfordshire's Peak Assault Competition.  No doubt we will have more cud to chew over when we meet again.

Pip arranged for the local press to take photos before I left in the morning - anything to help the cause!

My original plan was to overnight near St Agnes in Cornwall but this didn't work out so I had a very long day by pushing right through to Falmouth.  Thursday proved to be hot and sunny - another sauna day on the bike!

This coast route takes in Porlock, with its famous 1:4 hill, Lynton and Lynmouth, Ilfracombe Woolacombe Braunton and round to Barnstable.    Thankfully, the sun was behind me and I got some super sea views along the north coast.

As I had a high mileage day ahead of me, I was glad the A39 runs close to the coast enabling me to take side excursions to places like Bude, Widemouth Bay, Padstow, Perranporth, St Agnes and St Ives.  I called in to see, Graham Job, an old friend from college days, at his stunningly placed beach restaurant at St Agnes (highly recommended folks) and enjoyed a coffee overlooking the typically beautiful Cornish beach.

Being really embroiled in holiday traffic I passed through St Ives and St Just and headed for Land's End.  I am sorry folks but being faced with having to pay to get to the very end of our country, I took a photo of the commercial sprawl that is the 'Land's End Experience' and turned round before crossing the payment barrier.

Once past Newlyn one meets what I feel is the more intimate coast of Cornwall.  Places like Mullion, Coverack, Porthoustock, Manaccan and Gweek bring back memories of scout camps and hiking around these beaitiful little places. I don't consider Lizard, or Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station as beautiful but certainly memorable and both hold fond memories of holidays with Jan in years past.

12.9.09

Thursday had been a long hard day in the saddle and by the time I arrived and Dave and Cathy's house in Falmouth, I was more than ready to dismount! After a warm welcome and a cuppa it was upstairs for very welcome shower - ahhh, blisss - followed by one of Dave's tagine masterpieces.

As I had done a double day on Thursday, Friday was a day out of the saddle, catching up on news and a super picnic at Pendennis Castle.  Pendennis youth hostel was a hit with our family as the hostel is in the old barracks of the castle anf the kids got a great view of Falmouth as well as being able to climb on the cannon around the battlements.

 

Saturday 12 September.  My last day had arrived.  I had an interesting day ahead, including four ferries but all of it would involve holiday traffic.  On leaving Falmouth, my first stop was Mylor Bridge where Jan was born on May 17th 1945.  I had last sat on the quay with Jan two years ago eating pasties from the butcher shop which had once been Jan's father's workshop, so this visit was was quite emotional.  I forewent the pastiy as it was too early for lunch and pressed on along the south coast taking in the ferries of King Harry, Fowey, Torpoint and Dartmouth - none of who charged my for my crossing as I was doing this for charity.  King Harry and Fowey ferries are small and picturesque. Torpoint saves the need of negoatiating very much of Plymouth and Dartmouth saves a long inland trudge through Totnes.  Brixham, as ever, was very crowded and isn't condusive to stopping and walking round in heavy motorcycle gear, especially in hot weather, so after a drive round the accessible parts of the harbour, I headed up the hill out of town and took on the delights of Paignton, Torquay, Teignmouth and Dawlish, all without stopping.  Through Dawlish Warren and Powderham I was on home ground and fast approaching Exeter.  Fingers crossed at this point that I would maintain my record of never having to use my puncture repair kit, I 'suffered' Exeter's traffic and headed up the A396 and finally arrived home at about 4pm, an hour or so earlier than expected.

21.9.09

Well, after, six weeks of tenderising and a week of recovery, my rump steak is back to normal and the trip is already seeming to disappear into the mists of time.  I have aleady be asked what my next project will be and I guess there's just no answer to that at the moment.  However, I just wanted to record my thanks to everyone who has helped me in this venture and also to those who have donated to my collection for Cancer Research UK. 

Thanks also are due to Ken White Signs of Tiverton, who produced the graphics for my bike and the BMW dealership where I bought my bike, Ocean, Plymouth, who prepared my bike before I set off and are donating a set of tyres after my trip.

Money is still coming in and I still have to add to the Justgiving figure amounts from other sources.  However, my total at the moment is a little under my target of £5000.  So, all those of you who said you will sponsor me but haven't as yet, now's your chance to take me over my target.   Also, for those who said they would sponsor me per mile, the final mileage was 5046.

 

Watch this space!

 

Many thanks everyone,

Duncan