Braver Than You Think: Cycling to Self-Discovery, from Land's End to John O'Groats - Claire Davies

"A yearning for space and silence; for air in the lungs; for purpose - the simplicity of a defined mission - had banished doubt and fear and driven me to climb on my bike. And as I pedalled up the country, venturing far beyond my comfort zone in every sense, I found within me untapped reserves of determination, singlemindedness, and pure joy that spurred me on further. I saw the truth in the saying that you only know what you're capable of when you're pushed beyond your limits."

Are you braver than you think?

That's the question Claire Davies began asking herself as she cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats, ill-prepared, unsupported and alone.

At a mid-life low point, craving space and time to think, or not to think, Claire decided that a long bicycle ride was what she needed. Setting off for Scotland just a few weeks later, on a bike named Trixie, guided by a gadget called Guillaume, she had little idea what she was letting herself in for.

It turned out to be a journey not only to better physical fitness and mental health, but also to empowerment and self-discovery, partly through the eyes of the people she met along the way.

On one level, this book is a travelogue, a day-by-day account of an iconic British journey, to be enjoyed as much by those with real aspirations of cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats as by armchair cycle tourers.

But the challenges Claire faced on the ride, and her personal reflections from the saddle, will also serve as inspiration for anyone who needs coaxing out of their comfort zone, or is simply seeking a spot of vicarious adventure.