north coast 500

Yes, indeed. I’m not joking, these books could change your life. They could be the little ripple that becomes a tidal wave that you ride across the bay to meet your date with destiny. Or, less dramatically but rather more

Back in 2017 when Edita and I cycled the NC500, there wasn’t much information available and almost all of it was aimed at people with a vehicle. Imagine my delight when I was contacted by Cicerone’s marketing team asking me if I’d like them to send me a copy of their new guidebook.

Sir Hugh Munro said of Ben Hope that he didn’t know any mountain of its height which could be climbed with less exertion. Surely a quick ascent on Christmas Day would be just the thing before our Christmas turkey? Ben Hope had other ideas.

More excitement ! I’m delighted to say that my book Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo is now available as an audiobook. Once again, I’ve been enormously privileged to work with highly experienced, professional stage and screen actor Philip Battley as my narrator.

‘Every once in a lifetime, a book comes along that is so outrageously witty that you have to wear a corset to avoid splitting your sides with laughter. Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo is just such a book,’ said my dad.

Queues of slow moving traffic, people who don’t know how to drive, human faeces by the side of the road – are we talking about Everest again? No, it’s the North Coast 500, a magnificent road trip in north-west Scotland which I once pedalled round.

Edita wanted to do another bike ride in Scotland. I suggested the Great Glen Way because it went along a glen rather than over hills, so it should be pretty flat. I was surprised when the cycle hire shop recommended a pair of mountain bikes.

Those of you who have been kind enough to pre-order Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo will hopefully have seen it appear on your devices sometime last week. The entire project, from push off to launch has taken about two years.

It’s been three months since I last spoke about my next book Chimborazo. It’s time I updated you, and gave you another short teaser from the book the whet your appetite.

Everesting involves repeatedly cycling up and down a hill until you’ve ascended the height of Everest. I read an interesting article about Everesting on the Tibetan side of Everest, that shed light on how poorly adapted endurance training is for altitude.

Win a pair of exciting books that could change your life

At long last, a guidebook to cycling Scotland’s North Coast 500

One and a half ascents of Ben Hope, Scotland’s most northerly Munro

My second audiobook — Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo, narrated by Philip Battley

Paperback of Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo: the perfect gift to slip inside your Christmas stocking

What the North Coast 500 has in common with Everest

My journey along the Great Glen Way on a mountain bike

Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo is OUT NOW, but why did it take so long?

Cycling the North Coast 500: a teaser from my next book

Everesting on Everest: how mountaineers differ from endurance cyclists