Eddie goes through the pain barrier

Charity cyclist Eddie Garlick at the start of his gruelling challenge

Your Chronicle — backing the £100,000 Christie Hospital Oldham Appeal

CHARITY cyclist Eddie Garlick pedalled his way to raising almost £1,500 for the Christie’s at Oldham appeal with a solo Land’s End to John O’Groats trip.

In the gruelling journey, 30-year-old Eddie tackled desolate highways in driving rain and roaring gales, dodged HGVs as they thundered by at top speed, slid into a gutter in a torrential downpour over Bodmin Moor, and plunged into a ditch to avoid a left-hand drive campervan, which damaged his handlebars and destroyed his on-bike computer for mileage and photograph storage.

Undaunted, Eddie tackled his 1,030-mile 14-day challenge with gusto, despite a knee injury which meant he had to take two days’ rest and load up on painkillers.

He said he wouldn’t have missed it for the world, adding: “I loved it. I saw some wonderful parts of the country, and the experience is something no one can ever take away from me.”

The journey brought with it some lasting memories, not least while camping on the banks of Loch Lomond.

“I woke in the middle of the night to see moonlight on the loch and my tent surrounded by dozens of rabbits. It was absolutely breathtaking — priceless,” he said.

But it was not without its difficult patches: “Luss to Glencoe was the darkest, darkest day of the trip and particularly scary,” he said. “It was the one part I was worried about, it’s the most desolate part of the entire trip and took me through 30 miles of nothingness in torrential rain and what seemed like hurricane winds.

“I could barely see because my eyes were stinging with rain and there was nowhere to stop — but it did take me past some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen.”

Another day saw him on the Annan to Kilmarnock route, where he “cycled like mad going downhill and only reached 10 miles an hour.”

And his energy levels dipped so low he needed “two full breakfasts and lots of coffee” before tackling the final 17 miles which took him to his destination at John O’Groats.

The adventure-lover prepared for the epic journey by cycling from his home in Croft Brow, Garden Suburb to work at Bianca Textiles in Ardwick every day.

He has so far collected £1,410 from sponsors, with more to come.