Latest news with #NathanHurley
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cyclist completes 'dream' ride across the world
TV viewers may be glued to the new series of Race Across the World - but one adventurous cyclist has just completed his own remarkable ride across the globe. Nathan Hurley of Blackwood in Caerphilly county set off on his bicycle from Cardiff on 1 March - St David's Day - 2024. More than 14 months, 26 countries and 16,250 miles (26,000km) later, he has arrived in Sydney. The "exhausting" journey from south Wales to New South Wales is a "dream come true" for Nathan and has so far raised £4,000 for the Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Trust. Easter walkers warned after record rise in call-outs Clifftop camping warning as adventurer goes viral Top tips for solo hiking and camping The self-confessed "urban dweller" admitted setting off with a tent, stove and a blow-up pillow was a daunting prospect. Nor was he a particularly good or keen cyclist having almost fallen off his just 50m (164ft) into the ride leaving his nervous parents looking on with their heads in their hands. "One of the challenging things is being on your own," he said from Sydney. "I've been racking up 60 to 80 miles and sometimes up to 10 hours on the saddle each day but it's taken a lot mentally as well as physically. "I'm not an outdoorsman and out of all of my friends I'm the guy who doesn't do adventure well. I always forget something. "I like my flat whites and eggs benedict so it's been a real struggle when I've been out there camping and cooking." The 35-year-old travelled through France, across the Alps and onto the ancient Silk Road from northern Italy to Turkey before crossing the Caucuses where he hit his first diplomatic hurdle. To avoid conflict and visa restrictions he took a short flight from Armenia to Kazakhstan where he continued to climb the Pamir mountain ranges to China, not only overcoming the challenges of altitude but suspicious local police as he crossed the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts. "I didn't mind the police following me, they made me feel like a VIP but they weren't very inconspicuous, they were the only car following 200m behind me at 12mph," he said. From there Nathan rode south through South-East Asia to Jakarta, Indonesia and then flew to Australia where he embarked on a 2,500-mile (4,000km) journey from Perth to Sydney. "Australia is famously wider than the moon and for weeks it really felt like that in the heat," he said. "It's home to wonderful people but it doesn't help that I'm terrified of snakes." While on the road Nathan has been invited to two weddings and shared countless meals with locals curious about the cycling Welshman. "Spending months speaking to strangers through a translation app can be exhausting [but] you wouldn't believe how many remote villagers know who Gareth Bale is." And he has decided he is not stopping there. Having taken redundancy from his job as a furniture design manager he now intends to cycle all the way home, ploughing on to New Zealand before flying to Alaska and then Africa with the aim of returning to Cardiff by Christmas. "I had every intention of coming home after Sydney but I've got a bit more time now and I've got the bug, which is a bit of a surprise." Nathan hopes that his journey can encourage others to take up cycle touring as a mode of travel and form of sustainable tourism. "I've learnt to love it. I just feel I'm on the journey now and I've got it into my head I'm halfway home. "And there's no point in cycling half way around the world, is there?" Multiple System Atrophy Trust
Wales Online
02-05-2025
- Wales Online
I wasn't an accomplished rider and fell off my bike 50 metres in, but I've just finished a 16,250 mile cycle
I wasn't an accomplished rider and fell off my bike 50 metres in, but I've just finished a 16,250 mile cycle From South Wales to New South Wales, Nathan Hurley completes incredible journey for a worthwhile cause Where it all began - Nathan Hurley began his journey in Cardiff (Image: Nathan Hurley ) After months of peddling across continents and through some of the world's most rugged terrains, Nathan Hurley has finally reached Sydney Harbour, completing a remarkable 16,250-mile journey that began in Cardiff Bay on St David's Day in 2024. The 35-year-old from Blackwood, Caerphilly, set out with little more than a bike, a tent, and a goal. What started as a personal challenge soon turned into an unforgettable adventure, raising both awareness and £4,000 for the MSA Trust. Nathan's journey took him through 26 countries, crossing alpine ranges, vast deserts, and diplomatic borders on a route that spanned more than a year and a quarter of the globe. But for someone who never considered himself adventurous, the decision to leave home with a tent, a stove and a blow-up pillow was a leap far beyond his comfort zone. 'I Wasn't An Accomplished Rider And Fell Off My Bike 50 Metres In, But I've Just Finished A 16,250 Mile Cycle' Self labelled as an "urban dweller" and confesses he wasn't exactly an experienced cyclist when he began. "I wasn't even an accomplished bike rider as I recall nearly falling off just 50 meters into the ride near the Senedd with my parents' heads in their hands." He went onto joke that among his friends, he's always been the one least prepared for outdoor escapades. "I'm the guy who doesn't do adventure well," he laughed. "I always forget the pump, spare batteries or the inner-tubes. I remember riding with mates from Cardiff to Brecon when I was 20 years old and needed to stop at B&Q in Merthyr to buy a car sponge as extra padding for my backside." Article continues below Nathan started his cycling journey in March, 2024 (Image: Nathan Hurley ) Yet, despite the early nerves, Nathan's resolve was stronger than any doubts. His route took him through 26 countries, spanning across alpine ranges and deserts, including the famous Alpe d'Huez in France. "It took Geraint Thomas under 40 minutes to climb that mountain during the Tour de France. It took me four hours," Nathan says with a grin, humbled by the sheer challenge of the climb. From France, Nathan cycled through the ancient Silk Road, weaving his way from northern Italy to Turkey and into the Caucasus mountains. It was here that he encountered his first diplomatic obstacle. To sidestep visa restrictions and avoid conflict, Nathan boarded a short flight from Armenia to Kazakhstan, then continued his ascent into the Pamir Mountains, where he battled altitude sickness. "The Pamir Highway takes you up to 4,600 meters. It's hard to breathe, let alone think straight, let alone ride," he recalls. Nathan admits that prior to this trip, he was never the "adventurous" type (Image: Nathan Hurley ) In western China, he encountered another unusual obstacle — state surveillance. Nathan was accompanied by an undercover security team, though they weren't subtle by any stretch of the imagination. "I didn't mind the police following me, they made me feel like a VIP," Nathan said. "But they weren't very inconspicuous, they were the only car following 200m behind me at 12mph." The stunning sites that Nathan saw during his travels (Image: Nathan Hurley ) Nathan admitted that the journey did have its challenges (Image: Nathan Hurley ) As he crossed the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts, the scale of the journey became more real. But so did the solitude. "Spending months speaking to strangers through a translation app can be exhausting.," he commented. "When I met English speakers I would waffle on at them for ages." From China, he continued south through Southeast Asia, finally reaching Jakarta, Indonesia, before flying to Perth, Australia. The 3,000-mile ride across Australia was perhaps the most gruelling leg of the journey. "Australia is wider than the moon," he shared. "For weeks, it really felt like that in the heat. Home to wonderful people but it doesn't help I'm terrified of snakes!" According to Nathan he was not always the most prepared, although this time he remembered to take his equipment (Image: Nathan Hurley ) However, the road also had its moments of connection. Nathan was invited to two weddings, shared countless meals with locals, and even distributed Welsh flag pins to children along the way. Stay informed on Caerphilly news by signing up to our newsletter here "You wouldn't believe how many remote villagers knew who Gareth Bale is," he says. "The Chinese kids were especially excited. It was the Year of the Dragon, and they thought the gesture was really special. I ran out of pins pretty quickly." Nathan gave out Welsh pins to curious children - he admits he has no more left (Image: Nathan Hurley ) Through every challenge and obstacle, Nathan was fuelled by a deeply personal motivation. Alongside every mile ridden, Nathan was raising money for the Multiple System Atrophy Trust — a charity that supported his best friend's family during a recent bereavement. The MSA Trust is dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by the rare neurological disease. MSA largely affects adult men and women and is caused by the loss of nerve cells in several areas of the brain. This can result in problems with movement, balance, and autonomic functions such as bladder and blood pressure control. In total, Nathan raised £4,000 for the charity — a cause that gave his journey purpose far beyond the finish line. Goal achieved - Nathan is now in Sydney (Image: Nathan Hurley ) Now in Sydney, Nathan had no plans of stopping. The bike bug had bitten hard. With a new route already mapped out, Nathan intends to continue his journey, hoping to return to Cardiff Bay by Christmas 2025. His new path will take him through 20 more countries across the Americas, Africa, and back into Europe. "I had every intention of coming home after Sydney but there's no point in cycling half way around the world, is there?" Article continues below
