The final day had finally arrived. After 6 days of cycling across England and France, all that stood between us and the Eiffel Tower was 52 km (32.5 miles) from Maisons-Laffitte into the heart of Paris. It looked like the easiest stage of the journey. The route was almost completely flat, with only 160 metres of climbing across the entire day. So we decided not to rush and spent the morning relaxing at the campsite in Maisons-Laffitte, enjoying the swimming pool, recovering f

After five days on the road, Day 6 felt a bit easier. We set off from Chaussy towards Maisons-Laffitte, where we would spend the night at our campsite. The distance was shorter than previous days at 52 km (32.3 miles), but the heat certainly wasn’t. Once again, the sun was relentless, and many of the trails were completely exposed, making regular stops for water, snacks, and shade essential. We cycled along a mix of gravel tracks and quiet paved roads, passing elegant French

Day 5 brought us another hot summer day on the road, but by now we have settled into the rhythm of the journey. The plan for the day was 73 km (45.4 miles), and we completed the ride in 4h28 of cycling time, with a total duration of 7h48 including all the stops, breaks, photos, and little moments that made this adventure so special. One thing that changed on this day was our pace. Teresa started learning how to ride efficiently in the wheel behind dad, understanding how much

We woke up in Dieppe knowing Day 4 would be different from the adventure-filled previous stages. No ferry crossings, no busy cities, no dramatic climbs. Just a long ride into the French countryside. And heat. A lot of heat. Again! The day started gently enough as we rolled out of Dieppe and quickly joined what would become our companion for most of the journey: an old railway line converted into a cycle path. The surface was absolutely incredible, smooth, fast, and easy to ri

Day 3 was a shorter and flatter day on paper, taking us from our campsite in Heathfield all the way to the coast, where we would catch the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. After the big efforts of the previous days and the relentless heat, Teresa woke up feeling a little low on energy, so we agreed from the start: today was about enjoying the journey and listening to the body. And with temperatures soaring during what felt like one of the hottest days ever recorded in England,

If Day 1 was about uncertainty, Day 2 was about belief and determination. We woke up at our campsite near Gatwick knowing that, on paper, this would be the hardest stage of the journey. Nearly 79 km (49 miles) ahead of us, long climbs waiting in the final third of the route, another hot day, tired legs from the day before… and yes, very sore bottoms too. But something had changed overnight. From the moment we started riding, I could feel it: Teresa wasn’t afraid anymore. She

The adventure finally began. We took the train into Victoria early in the morning, rolled out into the heart of London, and made our first stop at Buckingham Palace before riding through the busy streets of the city. We crossed through endless traffic lights, buses, cars parked in cycle lanes, taxis, tourists, and all the chaos that comes with central London. We stopped by Westminster Bridge to capture one of those moments we had imagined for weeks, a photo with Big Ben and t

Tomorrow, everything becomes real. After months of preparation, training rides, route planning, fundraising, and excitement, we will finally board the train to London and begin the adventure we have been dreaming about for so long. Our journey officially starts beside the iconic London Eye, where Teresa will set off on the first stage of her London to Paris ride in support of My Shining Star. Day 1 will take us from the busy streets of central London to Crawley along the Aven

As I finish my final year of primary school, I wanted to do something meaningful to help children and families going through incredibly difficult times. That’s why I’m cycling from London to Paris in support of My Shining Star, using my own challenge to help carry a small part of their burden.

The countdown is on. 20 days to go until we set off from London on our journey to Paris.