Father and son Bikathon starts in Exeter

This year’s summer holiday is set to be the cycling adventure of a lifetime for Dwight Wood and his 11 year old son Lewis. The London-based pair are planning a 60 day ‘round UK coast tour’ taking in 2,650 miles of spectacular scenery and sights.

Dwight, who is Chairman of the Friends of Wanstead Parklands Preservation Group in East London, is an energetic campaigner for sustainable living and is co-founder of ‘ItDoesTheJob.com’ specialists in lifestyle products for low-energy living.

The bike ride has been planned to demonstrate how easy it is to enjoy a healthy, low carbon holiday within the UK and one that relies on a very tight budget. Dwight wants to explore and share the UK’s rich coastal heritage and places of interest – and to meet wonderful people along the way. He will also take the opportunity to tell people about the little known but nationally important Wanstead Park that lies at the heart of English history.

Dwight and Lewis are travelling light - just one 9 kg bag between them. They are also restricting themselves to a budget of £50 day to cover all train travel, accommodation, food, entrance fees and sundry expenses. And to help them along, Dwight has come up with an interesting ‘couch-surf’ contra-deal. If anyone is willing to put them up overnight en route in any of their destination towns – he will offer a ‘return’ overnight at his ‘Carlton House’ home in London (details of destinations can be found on their blog www.2boys2wheels.blogspot.co.uk).

The epic bikathon starts in Exeter on July 5 taking a clockwise route around the coast and finishing in Bottesford, Lincs on September 4. (A longer distance and more hills than the Tour de France.)

Both Dwight and Lewis are in serious training for the trek – but looking forward to the adventure. As Dwight says: “it’s carbon-free, it’s in the UK, it’s community spirited – and above all – if I can do it at 57 – anyone can do it!”

For information on destinations or to offer a ‘couch surf’ check the blog spot: www.2boys2wheels.blogspot.co.uk

For information on Wanstead Parklands: http://www.wansteadpark.org.uk/