4 38.9km / 24.2 miles / 12-14 hours Ascent 2927m/9603ft

For any cyclist, the name Fred Whitton sends a shiver down the spine. The annual Fred Whitton Challenge is among the most notorious sportives in Britain, serving its 2,000 participants with 180km of d

2 10.8km / 6.7 miles / 8-9 hours Ascent 1224m/4016ft

We arrive at the top of High Cup Nick in the North Pennines. “It’s like the world starts just over there,” comments my friend Mark. He’s pointing down the U-shaped chasm of High Cup Gill, beyond whose

6 20.6km / 12.8 miles / 7-7.5 hours Ascent 1122m/3680ft

The Wicklow Mountains are where I first fell in love with the outdoors. When I was six, my dad decided it would be a brilliant idea for our family of three to spend two weeks walking along the Irish c