For mountain bikers, the Scottish Coast to Coast offers the ultimate off-road challenge in the UK. Undaunted, 1 South West PhD researcher Neil Ormerod will be heading north this September to attempt the 240 mile ride across Scotland to raise money for charity.

The journey involves 7000m of ascent and descent, from the Atlantic to the North Sea. It has been labelled the ultimate cycling challenge by The Observer and has been voted by Outside magazine as one of its ’10 trips of a lifetime’, it is undeniably an epic ride.

Joining Neil on his adventure are fellow Yorkshiremen Mark Garford and Richard Tinsley. For this challenge they want to collect more than the usual battle scars, trail tales and bills for broken bike parts. Staying true to their roots they are raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. A service which they hope they will never have to use, but one which provides a reassuring and vital presence in an emergency, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts like off-road cyclists.

The team begins their nine day adventure on the first of September from Ardnamurchan point on the west coast, riding east to Montrose and the North Sea without outside assistance. You can find out more about this epic ride and support the team in their fundraising efforts by visiting their JustGiving webpage.

We wish Neil and his team good luck from everyone at 1 South West and hope that his training at Haldon Forest Park has paid off!