TWO charities have benefitted from an Okehampton veterinary surgeon?s recent 160 mile sponsored cycle ride in the North of England.
Phil Davies from Okeford Veterinary Centre rode from Whitehaven on the Cumbrian coast to Sunderland on the north-east coast ? mainly off-road ? in two-and-a-half days over the last Bank Holiday weekend.
Phil said the route included some marvellous scenery in the Lake District and some very steep ascents in the Pennines.
It followed the Sustrans Sea to Sea Route.
More than £300 was raised for the Veterinary Benevolent Fund and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.
On July 11 Phil is joining 8,000 other riders in the Etape du Tour ? which is where one of the stages of the Tour de France is ridden by riders from all over the world just days before the real Tour de France comes through.
This year?s stage is the longest one ? 153miles from Limoges to St Flour, through the volcano region of the Auvergne.
Although the ride does not pass through the Alps or the Pyrenees, there are several mountains to negotiate, including Col du Pas de Peyrol at 1589 metres.
Riders are expected to keep up an average speed of 19kph, otherwise they get unceremoniously dumped into ?the broomwagon?. The maximum time allowed is 15 hours.
If he completes the distance, Phil is hoping to raise money for two local charities ? Cats Protection and The Cinnamon Trust.
Thanking his sponsors for the previous ride, Phil said anyone wishing to sponsor him for the next ride can contact him at the veterinary centre in School Way, Okehampton or on 01837 840063.
l Pictured is Phil Davies, 3rd from the left, on the cycle ride, together with other veterinary surgeons from Lancashire, Newcastle and South Africa, beneath the stainless steel sculpture of a telescope near where Consett Steel Works once stood.