The Great Tour, a round Britain awareness and fundraising cycle ride, has completed its Kent leg this week, riding from Dungeness to Gravesend, covering almost 300 kilometres of cycling in Kent.

Having begun their 64 day cycle around the British coast on Saturday (4 July), Great Tour cyclists Hugh Roberts and Robin Young were on Day 6 of their journey on Thursday, heading from Rochester to Southend-on-Sea, via the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry.

Inspired by The Great Tour event that took place in 2010 and 2015, SweetSpot Founder and Managing Director Hugh Roberts and long-time friend Robin Young are re-creating the 6,700 kilometre, 64 day ride, filling the gap between when the Women’s Tour and Tour of Britain professional cycle races should have taken place, had they not been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hugh and Robin’s ride saw them riding from Rye to Broadstairs on Tuesday (7 July) and Broadstairs to Rochester on Wednesday (8 July), finishing their ride outside Rochester Cathedral.

This week will see them head on around the Essex and Suffolk coasts to complete Week One of The Great Tour.

This year’s ride aims to raise awareness and funds for chosen health charities and causes in 2020 and to help create an annual fundraising ride around a recognised and waymarked cycle route around the whole coastline of Britain from 2021 onwards.

From 2021 the Great Tour ride will be the fundraising flagship of The Great Tour, for which charitable status is being sought. This annual event will raise money to support projects or other charities in community, health and environmental charities and causes – all of which are consistent with the Great Tour’s ethos.

Past editions of The Great Tour in 2010 and 2015 have supported a range of health charities, including The Prostate Cancer Charity, MacMillan and Anthony Nolan.

The awareness ride will also have the support of partners Ascot Lloyd, a leading UK independent financial advice firm, and a small support team equipped with ŠKODA support vehicles.

Following the coastline as closely as possible by bike, and never losing the sight, the sound, the smell of the sea or sense of the sea, The Great Tour route takes in 6,700 kilometres of roads, cycle paths and green lanes around the country in a celebration of Britain’s coastline.

More information about The Great Tour can be found at www.thegreattour.co.uk and you can find out more and donate via their Just Giving page here.