ED Clark is riding a second-hand bicycle from Istanbul to Brighton to raise funds for Worthing-based social care charity, Guild Care.
Covering up to 60 miles a day on a £100 bike, the 20-year-old has already crossed Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, following the Danube. He is now pedalling through Serbia, Hungary and Austria on his way northwards to the UK. His route will span 10 countries before he finally arrives home on the south coast.
Each day’s distance is the equivalent of completing the London to Brighton bike ride, repeated daily for around two months to cover about 2,800km.
The terrain is often demanding and the second-hand bike adds its own challenges, but Ed is determined to stay the distance and raise funds for charity along the way.
“The idea of a long-distance cycling tour had been on my bucket list for a while,” said Ed. “Back home, I saw a couple of people set off on an incredible ride from England to Australia, and that really inspired me.
“Recent encounters with cycle tourists in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan strengthened my curiosity and gave me a clearer picture of what this kind of travel could be like. It definitely felt like the right time to give cycling a go.”
Istanbul provided a symbolic starting point, being a major gateway between Asia and Europe. Ed is determined to complete the ride on a minimal budget so he carries around 12kg of belongings tied to the back of his bike and spends as little as £5 a day by wild camping and cooking simple meals on a camping stove.
For parts of the journey, he is joined by his friend Byron for moral and practical support.
Ed was inspired to raise funds for Guild Care for personal reasons: “My grandfather is still independent in many ways but I’ve noticed he’s beginning to struggle with looking after himself.
“Thankfully, he has family around him but it made me think about those who don’t have that kind of support. I can’t imagine how isolating that must feel and that’s why Guild Care felt like the right charity to support.”
So far, Ed has already raised £2,000 (including Gift Aid), with donations continuing to grow as news of his journey spreads.