Reigate art teacher completes 1,000-mile-plus solo charity bike ride (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Reigate art teacher completes 1,000-mile-plus solo charity bike ride

11:37am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Local News

Reigate artist and art teacher Nathaniel Fowles has completed his solo and unsupported 1,000-mile-plus bike ride from John O'Groats to Lands End for charity.

Nathaniel, 37, who teaches art at Reigate Grammar School, said the ride, which saw him cycle the whole length of the country via the North West and West Midlands, covering 1,140 miles, had been “truly amazing.”

Battling frequent headwinds and torrential rain en route, he said he hoped to have raised at least £1,500 for Cancer Research UK.

Nathaniel is no stranger to physical challenges, last year successfully completing the gruelling Blenheim Triathlon and raising nearly £800 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

But the solo bike ride had been a long-cherished goal for him.

Nathaniel said: “ Making this journey has been an ambition of mine for a long time.

“Finally accomplishing it has not only given me an incredible sense of achievement, but also the desire to undertake another challenge in the future.”

Nathaniel, who set off on August 5, said: “It has been a truly amazing experience, despite the hills, frequent headwinds and torrential rain.

“My route took me down through the Highlands of Scotland past the Lake District to the Welsh Marches and West Country of England.

“The whole experience has been fantastic, despite the torrential rain in Lancashire and Shropshire, and the frequent hills.

“Amazingly, I even managed the whole journey without any punctures, injuries or problems with the bike!”

Nathaniel, a full-time teacher at Reigate Grammar School and a practicing artist who paints evocative scenes of London, said: “Travelling by myself, I cycled through, and camped in, many picturesque places which I endeavoured to document through drawings and artwork.”

When coverage permitted, Nathaniel, being an artist, uploaded his 'drawing a day' pictures online to his Twitter account.

He said: “I intend to put all of this together into a blog as soon as possible but, until then, much of it can still be seen on my Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/nathanielfowles”

He said: “I chose to support Cancer Research UK as I know many people who have been affected directly or indirectly by forms of cancer, and it was a recent cancer scare within my own family which gave me the motivation to undertake this ride.

“Cancer Research UK is the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research, and it is a cause I wholeheartedly support.”

He said he had been overwhelmed by the generosity of supporters sponsoring his ride, which was entirely self-funded so all monies raised could go to the charity.

People wishing to donate to Nathaniel's fundraising can do so online at: www.justgiving.com/NathanielFowles1703 Website: www.nathanielfowles.com