Go Garry!

Crocodile Trading are proud to announce their support of 2012 London - Paris bike ride entree Garry Birchall. Last year Garry completed the Paris Marathon in 4hrs and 22 mins raising in excess of £3k as part of a two man team. This years challenge is the London to Paris Bike ride which consists of 4 days on the bike covering 500km. Garry, who works for Yorkshire Bank is proud to be supporting their charity partner Help the Hospices and says that any money raised on the bike ride will be to the benefit of Help the Hospices and the East Lancs Hospice. The East Lancs Hospice requires £2.8 million per year to provide the services it offers and relies heavily on public donations and fund raising. Our challenge begins bright and early from Crystal Palace heading south on route to the coast. Our long journey today takes us through rural Kent- the garden of England. Our path winds though traditional British countryside, along the North Downs Way before we reach the white cliffs of Dover. The ferry takes us across to Calais and our first nights resting place. 95 miles (approx) Day 2: Calais to Abbeville La belle France! Stunning picturesque countryside awaits us in northern France as we travel south through some beautiful quaint villages- do not be surprised to be greeted with a Bonjour Monsieur/Madame as you cycle through! Cycle through Desvres, a market town known for its ceramics and continue with the windy roads along the valley of the Canche River. The Artois region is amazing with the Spanish influenced town of Hesdin and its tremendous architecture and close proximity to the battle of Agincourt. We spend the night in Abbeville – steeped in history from the war and despite being destroyed in just one night it has managed to retain its beautiful gothic church. 75 miles (approx) Day 3: Abbeville to Beauvais Our route this morning follows the river Somme out of Abbeville. The Somme is perhaps most famous for its battles and you cannot fail to be reminded of the thousands who lost their lives in the war. But the Somme is also a Celtic word meaning tranquillity… so summing up the feeling of the day as you cycle through this superb region. After lunch you can enjoy the countryside with a little less ‘undulations’ than previous days. We finish the day in Beauvais where the market square, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, is a true highlight. Several of the houses close to the Cathedral date back from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. 70 miles (approx) Day 4: Beauvais to Paris Our final day of cycling and the big push to Paris, our final destination. We are still treated to some stunning countryside including a lovely lunchtime in wooded area next to the River Oise. After lunch we near the outskirts of Paris and you will start to spot the familiar sights of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine. We rendezvous in a park just north of Paris before joining together to cycle the last miles along some of the famous boulevards. Our finish point can be seen for miles above the Paris skyline and on arrival the celebration can begin! 60 miles (approx) Day 5: Paris to London The day is yours to soak up the Parisian way of life, explore the city, and visit the landmarks that only yesterday you were cycling by. We will meet in the afternoon at the Gare du Nord to catch our Eurostar home, arriving at St Pancras where you will be reunited with your bike and commence your onward journey home. Crocodile Trading are extremely proud to be supporting Garry and the East Lancs Hospice. During Garry’s cycling, he will be updating us with his Day-to-Day diary which we will be uploading throughout the journey to notify you of his progress. Crocodile Trading are supporting this event by making a significant donation to the Hospice and also Garry’s riding kit for his Parisian Bike Ride. We will be keeping you upto date with all of Garry's training in the coming weeks and months. Good Luck Garry!