Cycling from London to Rome for Rumba Animal Cancer Fund

(Just before you read about our epic journey, It’s important that you know that ALL money raised on this page will go directly to the Rumba Foundation - All of it! Mark and I are personally paying for the whole trip and all expenses incurred)

Nearly 2 years ago, I completed something I never thought was possible: Cycling the length of Britain between Lands’ End and John o’ Groats (1000 miles over 14 days) with one of my best mates, Mark McEvoy.

Mark and I have decided to take on another challenge and cycle from Munich to Rome. When I mentioned this to Mark, he was naturally up for it, but then when I asked him how we were getting to Munich to start the ride (with a huge smile on my face), the penny dropped, and he quickly realised I wanted to cycle the whole way from London to Rome. So, London to Rome it is….

Our journey starts early morning, 10th May, on Tower Bridge in the Capital before making our way out of London and into Kent to the port of Dover before getting the ferry to Dunkirk. We will then be cycling through Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and then crossing the Alps into Italy and down to Rome.

Our journey is approximately 1500 miles, and we will be climbing more than 67,000ft. This challenge will take us 20 days to complete. The first 7 days, we are totally unsupported, just the two of us and a bike bag. Arriving into Munich, we will meet up with the rest of the cyclists and the amazing Peak Tours team for the official part of the trip from Munich to Rome.

It would be a shame not to support a charity for this mammoth task as it’s a great opportunity to raise some much-needed funds. Just a year ago, we lost our beautiful Labrador “Connie” to cancer. We absolutely idolised her and still miss her every day.

So I have decided to support “The Rumba Foundation” and cycle the ride in memory of my beloved “Connie”.

There is very little known about cancer in animals, and it is severely underfunded. A shocking statistic is 1 in 4 dogs and 1 in 3 cats will develop cancer in their lifetime. As the leading cause of death in both dogs and cats beyond middle age, many of us will lose our pet to cancer.

Based at the University of Surrey and in partnership with AURA Veterinary in Guildford, their mission is to transform veterinary oncology, and with our help, they can:

- Stop cancer in its tracks: By conducting cutting-edge research to address the challenges of cancer in pets and develop new treatment options.

- Ensure the best chance of successful treatment: By providing state-of-the-art equipment, exploring innovative therapies, including targeted treatments, immunotherapies, and personalised medicine.

- Train the vets of tomorrow: Ensuring that the next generation of vets are given the most up-to-date education in animal cancer and can recognise early signs of cancer in animals, improving the chances of successful treatment. Ultimately, this will increase the number of veterinary cancer specialists in the UK.

Aura was there for us as we said goodbye to Connie, and we couldn’t have asked for a more understanding and compassionate company.

If you would like to help us to stay “positive” on those tough days in the saddle when it’s pouring with rain, when we are battling that strong headwind, or our backside is so sore we can barely sit down, then please pop a donation on the page.

Just when we think we can’t take anymore, we will think of the amazing work the Rumba Foundation does day in, day out to help our beloved pets, and that should hopefully see us to the finish line!

Thanks so much for your kind and generous support!

Our Itinerary

Saturday, 10th May - London to Dover 78 miles (Ferry to Dunkirk) and then 10 miles to Hotel.

Sunday, 11th May - Dunkirk to Antwerp 108 miles

Monday 12th May -Antwerp to Duren - 110 miles

Tuesday 13th May- Duren to Sankt Goar - 89 miles

Wednesday 14th May - Sankt Goar to Heidelberg - 87 Miles

Thursday 15th May- Heidelberg to Ulm- 110 miles

Friday 16th May- Ulm to Munich -95 miles

Saturday 17th May - Day off/Arrival Day for Peak Tours

Sunday 18th May - Munich to Mittenwald 64 miles

Monday 19th May - Mittenwald to Nauders 81 miles

Tuesday 20th May - Nauders to Bolzano 77 miles

Wednesday 21st May - Bolzano to Torbole 70 miles

Thursday 22nd May - Torbole to Mantova 54 miles

Friday 23rd May - Mantova to Guiglia 81 miles

Saturday 24th May - Guiglia to Pistoia 67 miles

Sunday 25th May - Pistoia to Siena 68 miles

Monday 26th May - Siena to Orvieto 81 miles

Tuesday 27th May - Orvieto to Rieti 75 miles

Wednesday 28th May - Rieti to Tivoli 50 miles

Thursday 29th May - Tivoli to Rome 49 miles

The Rumba Animal Cancer Fund, born out of the Rumba Foundation, is providing much-needed funding for clinical innovations and research.

Inspired by the dedication and achievements of some of the world's leading veterinary scientists, they are raising funds to support their groundbreaking research, their use of highly advanced medical equipment, and their exploration of new therapies that will allow more animals to live longer and healthier lives.

To date, they have funded a number of purchases that have helped to save many much-loved animals. Their mission is to continue funding the projects, equipment, and veterinary research that will help us beat animal cancer and continue to make a vital impact on the lives of animals, and possibly, those of humans too.