The Great Tour

The Great Tour is a 6,700km cycle route hugging the coastline of Great Britain, never losing the sight, sound, smell or sense of the sea. It has been ridden twice before in 2010 and 2015. Only a handful of people have ever completed the whole ride.

The ride is the brainchild of Hugh Roberts. He rode the route from start to finish in 2010 and was due to complete this year's ride too until an untimely fall with Scotland just ahead. His longtime friend, Robin Young completed the ride on September 5th, with only one day lost to dangerous weather in Wales. 1.5m pedal strokes, 70,000 metres of climbing, quarter of a million calories, one amazing, once in a lifetime experience.

This epic venture is intended to launch the Great Tour as an annual charity event. In 2020 it is raising money for two charities, Diabetes UK and Ambitious about Autism. Money raised is split between these two causes and the Great Tour itself to cover set up costs for the future annual ride. Use of funds will be overseen and examined by an independent firm of accountants, Ward Williams

From 2021 the team intend to make the Great Tour the annual charity centrepiece of Great Britain’s cycling year, raising money to support projects or other charities consistent with the Great Tour's ethos of promoting health, enjoying the environment and supporting coastal communities. The route will be waymarked to encourage people to cycle legs for themselves and each year the event is planned to take place in summer giving a small number of people the chance to complete the immense challenge in one.

This year’s two partner charities are personal for the team.

Robin was diagnosed with T1 diabetes in 2017. Diabetes is manageable, and is no barrier to anything. UK Diabetes helps people understand the practicalities of that. This ride proves it to be true.

Toby Lapper runs the amazing SweetSpot support team. His son Patrick is autistic. Ambitious about Autism helps autistic people achieve at their best. For a condition that is often less supported than necessary, their work is vital.

Many local riders and cycling luminaries have joined the ride too. Chief amongst them, Pippa York, won the Tour de France King of the Mountains as Robert Millar - last century as Pippa would say.

Thank you for supporting our venture. Through you, we will create a cycling event like no other. Its romance and physical challenge will capture the imagination, hearts and legs of many cyclists; inspire their friends and supporters to support health and environmental causes and help sustain coastal communities.

Find out more about the Great Tour here

Follow Robin’s personal blog here

Find out more about Diabetes UK here

Find out more about Ambitious about Autism here

Company details

The Great Tour of Britain Limited

Company Number 07033551

Registered address

Belgrave House,

39-43 Monument Hill,

Weybridge,

Surrey,

KT13 8RN