A COUNSELLING service in North Yorkshire is set to benefit from an immense bike trek. David James, who has just retired as a senior IT project manager with Asda, is tackling Scotland’s ultimate road trip to raise money for mental health charity Wellspring, which has its headquarters at the former St Andrew’s Vicarage in Starbeck. David, 55, is embarking on the North Coast 500 on his trusted bike on Saturday, July 13.
He is hoping to complete the 516-mile route in five days. He said: “The reason for taking on this challenge is that I am retiring from my career with Asda in after a rewarding 38 years and a key factor that has supported my own mental health is that I have commuted into the office most days on my bike, a 26-mile round trip from Wetherby. “The physical exercise and being out in the fresh air taking on all weathers helped me keep a positive attitude.
I’d like to encourage others to cycle more, but conscious it’s not practical for everyone, or there may be events in people’s lives that impact their own mental health, and that’s why raising money for Wellspring will allow them to get the support they need. “The biggest challenge for me on this trip is going to be the first day. It’s the longest out of the five days and the hardest.
After 70 miles I have to tackle the UK’s toughest climb, Bealach-na-bar, over six miles with a gradient averaging seven per cent and peaking at over 20 per cent with an elevation gain of over 2,000 feet. On tired legs.