A CYCLIST reckons he has talked enough about completing a ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats — so next month he will get on his bike.

But Tom Dawson, of Adderbury, plans to make the challenge even tougher by camping the entire journey — and only taking what he can carry.

The ride will be tinged with sadness as it was a journey he had always planned to make with friend Matt Harwood, of Adderbury, who died suddenly aged 27, in 2006.

Mr Dawson, 30, said: “We had talked about doing Land’s End to John O'’Groats for some time. I therefore decided I absolutely had to complete it.

“He was a fan of cycle tours, of which we had completed a few. Some greater than others.”

Mr Dawson said training for the 1,150-mile cycle ride had been hampered by an injury, but he hoped to complete it in 18 days.

“Whatever happens I will be finishing it — even if i’m on all fours, I will finish it.

“The other side is it has got to be a challenge.”

He has set a target of raising £1,000 for Adderbury-based Katharine House Hospice and plans to leave the village on May 1 to a fanfare of Morris Dancers.

Hospice community fundraiser Sarah Bidwell said: “Every mile Tom cycles for us will help towards meeting our annual running costs.

“We are really grateful to Tom, especially in the present economic downturn, for his support and will be thinking of him as he makes his way along the length of the country for the hospice.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/ harwoodchallenge