Dad completes cycle tour of 624 UK National Trust properties

Huw Davies, 47, racked up 5,376 miles in the saddle during his year-long mission - pedalling up to 90 miles a day.

He managed to visit roughly 73 per cent of the country piles in just three months - with his wife and daughters following in a £40k Chausson motorhome.

But he then spent nine months visiting the remaining homes during weekends - fueled by jacket potatoes and flapjacks from National Trust cafes and service stations.

His final stop was Woodchester Park and he completed his 'Tour de National Trust' after 862 hours in the saddle.

He completed 106,188 metres of incline - the equivalent to climbing Mount Everest 12 times.

Huw, who lives in Stroud, said he decided to undertake the challenge to see for himself how cycle-friendly the properties were.

The head of data at the National Trust said: "The whole thing kicked off in lockdown - I started thinking 'is it possible to visit them all by bike?'

"The first week was a bit of a killer with the big hills - I did start thinking 'have I bitten off more than I can chew here?'

"But the further along we got, I started to feel really good. I was able to clock up the miles and do longer distances.

"Some of the places I enjoyed most were on the Northumberland coast - the weather and beaches were lovely.

"It feels lovely to look back now and relive the memories - it was a family adventure.

"I'm not sure what's next - I'm back to once-a-week Sunday cycles now but maybe I'll have to find another adventure."

The dad-of-two spent six months working on the perfect route and doing "lots of logistical planning".

He took a three-month sabbatical and set off on May 28, 2022.

He was joined by wife Oonagh Davies, 46, an educational psychologist, and daughters Isla, 11, and Phoebe, nine - after their school approved time off for an educational trip.

The route began just south of Bristol at Cadbury Camp, and he covered the south west of the country before heading east.

They then travelled north and covered the coasts before moving west to hit further northern beauty spots before travelling back down through the mainland.

Huw said: "The family were doing different things during the day, then we’d meet in the evening.

"We'd stock up with food at campsites with supermarkets.

"I can't say any of us were doing chef-level cooking - there was lots of pasta, beans and salads in the evenings."

Huw got through three tires, ten inner tubes, two sets of brake pads, two pairs of gloves and a snapped gear cable.

The motorhome key snapped off in the lock, and the wing mirror was knocked off.

He returned home after 93 days on the road.

Huw Davies finished his National Trust UK tour in Woodchester Park (Image: SWNS)

Weekend trips ticked off the remaining properties, along with a Northern Ireland tour with friends in September 2022 and a short trip to north Wales in April 2023.

There were just three properties he couldn't tick off the list - Lundy, Farne Islands and Brownsea - islands where bikes were not allowed, he said.

By May 8 2023, he completed his tour. He burned 243,067 calories and finished the challenge a stone lighter.

Huw said he and the family "cherish" the memories.

He said: "I couldn't have done it without the family - looking back. They were so supportive.

"Spending a lot of time outside together, it was a lovely thing to do."

He is working with the National Trust to improve their cycle access.

Huw, who has sold the motorhome, said: "It's got a nice legacy - I'm proud of the work we're doing off the back of it."

He added: "I'm not sure what the next thing to do is, maybe I'll find another adventure.

"I'm always keen to find new things to do - but it's back to my Sunday cycling for now."