Clitheroe couple saddle up for epic 1,700km virtual charity bike ride to France

A fundraising couple are virtually cycling from Clitheroe to Lourdes - without actually leaving the Ribble Valley to raise money and awareness of a worthwhile charity.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Paul and Bernadette Worden "set off" on their 1,700km. trek on February 13th and aim to finish the 51-day epic ride by cycling 20 miles every day across the beautiful villages of the Ribble Valley

The duo, who are members of Clitheroe Bike Club, are raising money for Mary's Meals - a charity dedicated to providing life-changing meals to some of the world's poorest children.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking of their challenge, Bernadette said: "We are both retired and love cycling. The virtual trip to Lourdes is averaging at 20 miles a day as we want to make the trip last the duration of Lent and we will have to deal with the English weather!"

Paul and Bernadette Worden keep the wheels of fundraising turningPaul and Bernadette Worden keep the wheels of fundraising turning
Paul and Bernadette Worden keep the wheels of fundraising turning

The pair are no stranger to getting on their bikes and cycling long journeys in all weathers. In the past, their trips in Europe have included cycling from Rotterdam or Zeebrugge to Nimes, Carcassonne, Prague, Venice, Vienna, Berlin and Milan. Two years ago Paul and Bernadette cycled thousands of miles from St Malo to Nice.

They said: "We decided to take on this virtual ride by clocking up our mileage on local rides each day, following lockdown requirements, and relating that to where it would have got us had we actually been en route to Lourdes.

"Our 'journey' began in Clitheroe on February 13th. The first stage of our virtual route took us to Hull and the ferry crossing to Belgium. We then made our way to the Rhone Valley and travelled south along it as far as Avignon before heading west through the Pyrenees to Lourdes - all this without leaving our local area!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We plan to 'arrive' in Lourdes on Easter Sunday (April 4th) after completing our 1,060-mile cycling challenge."

The duo are cycling consecutively for 51 daysThe duo are cycling consecutively for 51 days
The duo are cycling consecutively for 51 days

The couple are appreciative of any support local people can give in helping raising funds for Mary's Meals.

You can donate by CLICKING HERETo follow the couple's progress and read their travel blog, you can click onto https://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/BernieW/

Related topics: