May 5-7th - Hampstead to Bruge - One to One Children’s Fund – this 3 day Ride commenced in Hampstead, passing by many iconic landmarks in London, following the Thames Path to Greenwich and then striking out into the Kent countryside to Folkestone. After a transfer to Calais and following the French coast to Dunkirk, we linked up with the Belgium canal system all the way into Bruge.
May 6th - Buckingham Palace to Leeds Castle – Nightingale House – a one day Ride for up to 40 riders through iconic London, Greenwich and the North Downs of Kent.
May 10th to 15th – Italian Coast to Coast – Breast Cancer – the inaugural innovative crossing of Italy from Cecina south of Pisa via Volterra, San Grimignano, Sienna, Florence, The Apennines, and San Marino to Riccione on the Adriatic Coast. This route was challenging and despite unusually cold weather we experienced glorious scenery most of the way plus visits to historic and cultural centres.
May 24th to 29th - Riccione – Italian Adriatic – Aid International – a repeat of the successful 2010 Ride for this charity in the hills between the Coast and the Apennines including visits to San Marino and Urbino.
June 10th to 13th – London to Luxembourg - Langdon – a 4 day extravaganza from Hampstead to Leeds Castle (same route as May 6th above), then transfer to EuroDisney followed by a 3 day Ride to Luxembourg via the Champagne District into Belgium. En route we stayed in an historic castle and were welcomed into Luxembourg by the British Ambassador and staff. This was another unique ride created by Jonathan Friend.
July 17th to 22nd – Dublin to Sunderland – Sunderland FC Trust – a special Ride for the Sunderland Football Club Trust starting in Dublin, following the Irish Coast to Belfast via the Mountains of Mourne, up the Antrim Coast to Larne and a ferry to Cairnryan on to the Scottish mainland. We rode the beautiful and remote Galloway Hills, through Dumfries and into England along Hadrian’s Wall, finally picking up the Coast to Coast Route into Sunderland to finish at the Stadium of Light.
September 7th to 10th – London to Paris – Diabetes UK- the 4th L2P for this major charity taking Cycle Friendly’s traditional route.
September 23rd to 25th –Paris to London – for Tech Bikers. This organisation was supported by Google tech start-ups which found 40 riders to raise funds for Room to Read, a charity with both US and UK bases which opens and fills new libraries with books in several developing countries in Africa and Asia and then supports the local communities to improve literacy for its children. The Ride was fully sponsored by commercial entities allowing 100% of funds raised to go direct to Room to Read. The Ride was a great success despite the torrential rain on the last day. The route was the reverse of the traditional London to Paris route but taking the ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven for the final day to London through the South and North Downs of Sussex and Surrey. Because of the extreme weather, the ride was stopped outside Westerham (this had never happened on a CycleWild/CycleFriendly Ride in all the 8 years of operation), with everyone transferred ro Clapham for the last 8 sensational miles into The City. Despite the upset, the bonding and spirit of the Riders was almost unbelievable.
September 30th to October 2nd – London to Paris – Project Finance – this L2P was arranged for the Project Finance business sector in aid of a Trust Fund operated by one of the companies in that sector. Another successful L2P in good weather, and the last charity ride of the year.
September 23rd to 25th –Paris to London – for Tech Bikers. This organisation was supported by Google tech start-ups which found 40 riders to raise funds for Room to Read, a charity with both US and UK bases which opens and fills new libraries with books in several developing countries in Africa and Asia and then supports the local communities to improve literacy for its children. The Ride was fully sponsored by commercial entities allowing 100% of funds raised to go direct to Room to Read. The Ride was a great success despite the torrential rain on the last day. The route was the reverse of the traditional London to Paris route but taking the ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven for the final day to London through the South and North Downs of Sussex and Surrey. Because of the extreme weather, the ride was stopped outside Westerham (this had never happened on a CycleWild/CycleFriendly Ride in all the 8 years of operation), with everyone transferred ro Clapham for the last 8 sensational miles into The City. Despite the upset, the bonding and spirit of the Riders was almost unbelievable.
September 30th to October 2nd – London to Paris – Project Finance – this L2P was arranged for the Project Finance business sector in aid of a Trust Fund operated by one of the companies in that sector. Another successful L2P in good weather, and the last charity ride of the year.
