Former diplomat Claire Davies has shared the story of her remarkable cycling challenge – riding solo and unsupported from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

“To this day, I find it hard to explain why I did it,” said Ms Davies, 53. “But I’d been suffering from anxiety and was craving space, silence, and a physical challenge.”

What began as an endurance test turned into a journey towards better physical fitness and mental health, as well as empowerment and self-discovery.

“It was such a fantastic experience that I wanted to share it with others,” she said.

“Firstly, I wanted people to know that cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats isn’t just for fitness freaks: if I could do it, unfit as I was, anyone could, given enough time.”

Ms Davies said she hopes her story will inspire others.

“I also wanted to share – particularly with women in mid-life or older – how empowering it can be to step out of your comfort zone, and how healing it can be to spend time alone in nature,” she said.

“I learned to see myself anew, through the eyes of people who knew nothing about me. To put it another way, if people call you brave often enough, you start to believe it.”

She has documented her adventures in her new book, Braver Than You Think: Cycling to Self-Discovery, From Land’s End to John O’Groats, which she launched in Ancells Farm in Fleet on September 17, before an audience of more than 80 people.

Some guests even travelled from Portugal to hear her speak and take home a signed copy.

Ms Davies now spends her time writing and cycling. Her next goal is to ride across every European country from end to end, a challenge she began in 2023 and which has already taken her through nine nations.

The book is available from major bookshops and on Amazon.