Two brothers from Wimborne who once vowed to mark their 60th birthdays with a real adventure cycled from one end of the UK to the other for 23 consecutive days to raise money for Julia’s House Children’s hospice and Race Against Dementia.

Ken Wood, 60 from Wimborne, and his brother Neil Wood, 59, from Reading completed a 1,230-mile journey from Land’s End in Cornwall to John o’ Groats in Scotland on May 27.

Over 23 consecutive days, the pair covered 1,230 miles which totalled 115 hours in the saddle with an elevation gain of 60,775ft.

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Brothers Ken and Neil Wood complete a mammoth 1,230-mile bike ride from Land’s End in Cornwall to John o’ Groats for charity. (Image: Ken Wood)

Ken said: “The first week was extremely difficult with 16/18% climbs in Cornwall followed by ascents up Bodmin moor, Exmoor and the Mendips.

“Riding over the Clifton suspension bridge was a great experience and all the tow and canal paths through the Midlands were so picturesque.

“We had hard days through the Forest of Bowland and Highlands of Scotland which wasn’t helped by the wind blowing a North Easterly, hence a strong head wind.

“However, the scenery was majestic which helped to smooth over the extremity of some of the days.

Ken said the ride was never about records, but about enjoying a “mad adventure” and taking the time to see the best of the country from cycle tracks and quiet B roads rather than main routes. They made a point of stopping in small towns and villages to meet people, encountering eccentric characters and “lovely caring people”, including a woman with terminal cancer whose generous donation reminded them why they were fundraising in the first place.

He stressed there were “so many people to thank”, naming friends and relatives across Cornwall, Bristol, Cumbria and Glasgow who put them up, fed them and rode alongside them, as well as brother Pete and friend Alan who provided a motorhome for the final 12 days, which made a “massive difference”.

Upon reaching John o’ Groats, the pair were greeted by Ken’s wife Andrea and family which they described as “truly magical” after so long on the road.

Brothers Ken and Neil Wood greeted by family after completing a 1,230-mile bike ride from Land’s End to John o’ Groats for charity. (Image: Ken Wood)

The brothers have raised £7,000 so far, rising to £8,500 with Gift Aid, and Ken described it as a privilege to support two “wonderful” charities.

Ken said: “Perhaps the best thing of the whole experience was meeting new people, old friends and family along the way, sharing in an experience that will last forever and bringing people together to create lasting memories at the same time as helping Julia’s House and Race Against Dementia.

“There’s hope for anyone who cares to dream. “