Epic trip in wife's memory

4:00pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

NEIL Jordan hiked, cycled and canoed his way across the UK in a Herculean fundraising effort to raise cash for cancer research.

He battled his way from John O'Groats to Land's End to raise the money in memory of his wife, Linda, who died from cancer aged just 56.

Money is still coming in as he approaches his £30,000 target, which will be shared between the Sir Michael Sobell House hospice, Oxford, and Cancer Research UK.

The father of two, from Newbury Street, Wantage, said: "I think she would have been proud of me and pleased with what I achieved."

He said the only time he wondered whether he had set himself too tough a challenge was when he was cycling into the teeth of a force-eight gale in Wick, Scotland.

He said: "The road was very long and very straight and the wind was coming straight at me.

"I wondered a bit, but then things changed and for the rest of the time the weather was a lot kinder.

"Some of the landscapes I went through were wonderful.

"Paddling down the Severn was a bit difficult and the weather was bad in Devon.

"But kayaking round the Cornish coast from Falmouth, round The Lizard to Land's End was wonderful."

During his challenge he kayaked along the Caledonian Canal, climbed Ben Nevis, walked the West Highland Way and Pennine Way and climbed Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

Mr Jordan, 57, who took early retirement to care for his wife, said they had always enjoyed walking and cycling.

He said: "Soon after her thanksgiving service, I spent four days walking the coastal footpath from St Ives to Penzance.

"I needed time on my own to come to terms with Linda's death.

"It was on that walk the idea for a ride-stride-glide up and down the country came into my mind.

"Throughout the 32 years of our marriage we had always enjoyed walking and latterly cycling on a tandem.

"I even introduced her to canoeing - but it was on the strict understanding that if we capsized it would be grounds for divorce.

"So the idea of cycling, walking and kayaking seemed the perfect way to raise money in her memory and to do it for two very good causes."

Before starting out on the venture, which took him two months to complete, he said he was feeling slightly apprehensive.

He added: "I realised people had sponsored me with hard-earned money and I knew it was too late to back down.

"So off I went and enjoyed the best landscapes that Britain has to offer."