Will and Charlie have an epic adventure

A father and son from Altrincham completed an incredible 17 day cycling challenge covering the length of the country to raise funds for Francis House.

Charlie and Will Tyler at John O'Groats

Charlie 11, and dad Will rode from Land's End to John O'Groats

Will Tyler started cycling after becoming frustrated with the cost, in time and money, of driving. He soon became hooked, and Charlie rapidly caught the riding bug.

Determined to ride a big distance the idea for cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats was young Charlie’s. After some initial doubts about tackling such a big challenge, Will began months of planning the route and accommodation.

Carrying their own kit, Will and Charlie covered 975 miles and over 15,000 metres of climbing. What makes their feat even more amazing is that Charlie is just eleven years old.

Their epic journey saw the pair battling headwinds across Dartmoor. The unexpected highlight was riding from Chatelherault Country Park, South East of Glasgow, to the shores of Loch Lomond, a flat ride through the biggest city on their route to beautiful countryside.

"My favourite bit was Cornwall, it was hilly but the views were spectacular and everyone was very kind.”

Charlie, Altrincham Grammar School pupil

Will first became aware of Francis House when he was a pupil at Hale Prep School in the mid-80s. He said: “Francis House is a local charity focused on parents and children and on improving their experience of life.”

Charlie added: “I found the first couple of days very tricky as there were a lot of long, steep hills. But it feels great to have done it and I highly recommend it if you are thinking about giving it a go.”

The ride raised more than £1,050 a fantastic effort all round.

Want to donate to Will and Charlie's fundraising ride? You can donate via their JustGiving page.

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