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Axminster to London bike ride – Alan’s diary
Five cyclists who braved the elements and rode 200 miles from Axminster to London across three days have smashed their fundraising target and raised around £12,000 for the Step 2 It campaign.
The ride, which was organised by our South West Region, started in Axminster on Friday 18 June with the team arriving at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London on Sunday 20 June at lunchtime.
Here, Alan Styles, one of the cyclists and managing director of Axminster Tools, a silver sponsor of the Step 2 It campaign, reports on their trip.
Past Master Paul von der Heyde thought up the idea of a ride to London for the Master’s Step 2 It challenge, which I was keen to get involved with. The ever-changing lockdown dates made it a little more challenging to organise but, pleasingly, with Paul’s tenacity we organised ourselves and a date was set. The restrictions meant we could only have six in overnight accommodation, which meant we couldn’t get as many cyclists involved as we’d initially hoped. However, the group came together with three from the South West region and three from other areas. The cyclists were Paul, his friend Peter Hooper, two more Past Masters in Hayden Davies and Ben Burbidge, and me. We were kindly supported by the excellent white van driver, caterer and Past Master David Dewing who did a sterling job supporting us all the way.
Day 1 – Friday 18 June – Axminster to Salisbury – 74 miles
We arrived at Axminster Tools HQ ready to go with family and colleagues there to support us. It was a bit early in the day for some poor colleagues arriving at work seeing us in cycling gear, so many were happy to wave us on our way and offer a bit more sponsorship. For the initial part of the journey, we were joined by Axminster corporate liverymen Charlie Cross and Michael Trimble, who helped get us up the first few hills.
The start was great, a steady 150m leg warming climb out of the Axe Valley shortly crossing from Devon to Dorset countryside. We reached Sherborne at almost halfway of the journey where Charlie and Michael decided they’d start cycling back, I suspect they’d got a glimpse of the dark clouds on the horizon. From this point on it started to rain and the chatty morning became a little quieter and we pushed through a steep and busy hill up into Shaftesbury where we stopped for lunch but we didn’t want to stop long so took on some food quickly and pushed on through Wiltshire and into Hampshire and then on to our hotel in Salisbury.
We were all pretty cold and wet by this stage so disappeared to our rooms to get warmed up and met back in the bar an hour later for a few well-earned drinks and a good meal.
Day 2 – Saturday 19 June – Salisbury to Godalming – 73 miles
The second day started with a good breakfast and then we were on our way again, this time with a much better forecast ahead and a pleasing realisation that the thunderstorms that loomed on the forecast for London on Sunday had changed for the better. The countryside and villages we went through were much more appreciated than they were the afternoon before.
Mid-morning, we were greeted by Past Master Martin Jourdan and his wife, Val, who kindly arranged a well-received coffee and cake at a delightful pub in Wherwell. Further down the route Gil and Carol Carter waved us on with a Step 2 It banner and words of encouragement. With around an hour or so left to go, David set up his picnic table and we stopped for a finely presented buffet in a scenic location.
The last stretch of the day was pleasant and when we got to the hotel we threw our bags in the room, had an enjoyable beer, freshened up and went out for a good meal and a few more drinks in Godalming.
Day 3 – Sunday 20 June – Godalming to the Furniture Makers’ Hall – 45 miles
The hotel breakfast was a little later this time, which might have been a blessing after the night before. We only had one major hill to climb in the Surrey hills where at the top there was apparently a great view of London, but all we could see was mist! From there we went into London, past a place where Paul told us he was married, then through Richmond Park, Kings Road, past Buckingham Palace and through a lot of traffic lights. Finally, we arrived at the Furniture Makers’ Hall in Austin Friars with huge greetings from the Master, David Woodward, and his wife, Anne, Lizzie and Chris Shaw and Rachael Garnett. The wine and the huge amounts of delicious food on offer were amazing and I’m pretty sure I took on every calorie I had burnt off over the past few days.
The past 16 months have been challenging for lots of people in many different ways, but there’s certainly been a great sense of community which the Step 2 It campaign has certainly shown. The ride was a great achievement by all and something I’m sure many of us will remember for years to come. We are thankful for the huge support we received in sponsorship, throughout the journey and for the welcome received at the end.
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