An ex-Army Commando from Chester is cycling unsupported across the Silk Road for charity

This summer Will, an ex-Army Commando, Engineer and Officer from Chester, is cycling 9000km unsupported across the Silk Road to raise money for the North West Air Ambulance.

Last year, Will's dad died of a heart attack. He was living his best life – cycling in the Lake District on one of the UK’s toughest climbs, Hardknott Pass. He was a huge part of the river community, having trained with the Royal Chester Rowing Club for years.

Despite his remote location, a doctor was on-site within an hour via air ambulance. It is a small but real comfort knowing that everything possible was done, and Will wants to give that same lifeline back to someone else by raising money to support the Air Ambulance – an organisation who rely entirely on private donations.

The Silk Road is far from an individual route, but rather a network of trade routes that have connected the East and West for millennia. Therefore, Will has picked a route that crosses the ex-Soviet republics of the Stans. In an increasingly interconnected world, the vast steppes, mountains and deserts of Central Asia have ensured that the Stans remain some of the most remote countries in the world. Only the occasional trading post interrupts these voids. However, given their importance to this ancient trade route, these towns have gained eternal reknown: places such as Samarkand, Burkhara and Khiva. Whilst Turkey remains his stated goal, getting even just a tiny insight to this region is the true aim of this trip. He will need to carefully balance distance on the bike each day with taking time to explore and understand.

With just his trusty touring bike, he intends to cross this great region. He has a flight to Uzbekistan on the 31st July and 3 months to go as far as possible.

There are a few distinct sections that each will have their own challenges.

Leg 1: The Pamir Mountains

The first obstacle will be the vast Pamir mountains. These mountains form the Western edge of the vast ridge that becomes the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas. The Pamir Highway - a rugged dirt track through these behemoths - forms the second highest road in the world. Life here is difficult, and the scale of things immense. Altitude will also be a factor, with several passes over 4000m above sea level. This route will start with my flight into Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and end in the capital of Tajikistan - Dushanbe.

Leg 2: The Deserts of Uzbekistan

After so much climbing, it will be a relief to meet the steppes and deserts of Uzbekistan. Here, ancient Silk Road trading posts appear like oases. There is a huge amount of history in these bustling market towns - a stark contrast to the lonely and isolated roads of the deserts. This leg ends at the Kazakh port town of Aktau, on the Eastern edge of the Caspian Sea, after crossing thousands of kilometers of plain unimaginable to my English brain.

Leg 3: The Caucasus

After a ferry to Azerbaijan, the land between the Caspian and Black Seas will form my next challenge. The region is dominated by the Caucasus mountains, of with Mt Elbrus is the highest at 5642m. The region especially is known for its proud but welcoming cultures, and I am particularly excited to visit Georgia. Georgia is a country that claims to be the Eastern frontier of European culture, but also a fascinating blend of Western and Eastern peoples. This leg will end in Batumi on the shores of the Black Sea.

Leg 4: Into Turkey

With what little time he will have left at this point, he will enter a completely new and equally fascinating culture - Turkey. The Turks are proud people, with a rich and ancient history. Whilst the West of the country is well visited (think Istanbul and the Aegean islands), the East is what particularly appeals to him. Mt Ararat is where the legend of Noah’s ark was said to land, and the Turkish mountains form the source of the legendary Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Will doesn't know exactly where this leg will end, but Turkey remains an inspiring end point for him. He's aiming for Istanbul as the finish line but, given that he has to be back in England by 31st October, let’s hope that his timings are up to scratch!

Cycling is the only way Will wants to experience this trip. As with walking, in the style of Levison Wood or Rory Stewart, it is possibly one of the purest forms of experiencing a region. You are vulnerable, and therefore completely dependant, on the people of wherever you might end up. This leads to very human connections with those who have lived in these regions for millennia. However, a hiker might only cover 20 or 30 kilometres every day and at this rate, his plan might take me over a year! Cycling will allow him to cover such a vast region, whilst not losing the human connection that is so important to this journey.

A few people will be wondering how safe this venture is. Whilst no big journey is completely without risk, Will wants people to know that he won’t be foolhardy. The first step of this is research and planning. He has spent the last year planning this journey and now has a plan for most eventualities that the road might throw at him.

Firstly, he has a Garmin InReach that will allow satellite communication from anywhere in the world. Secondly, he has a quality medical kit, alongside the knowledge to use it. Thirdly, he will no problems skipping sections if he deems they are too risky. The Foreign Office’s travel advice is the first step in this assessment, but he will also do his own research and speak extensively to locals before any step.

Will said:

Whilst I’ve articulated a few of the reasons that I’m doing this trip, last year the journey took on new significance. In October, my dad, Graham, died of a heart attack whilst cycling in the Lake District. Having retired a few years previously, he was living life exactly as it should be lived: with vigour and ambition. Dad took a keen interest in the trip, and secretly I think he would have done anything to drop it all and join me.

Therefore, I will doing this trip in his memory and will be raising money for the North West Air Ambulance, who did everything they could to save him. The heart attack happened in the middle of nowhere – Hardknott Pass – and despite this, a doctor was on site via helicopter within an hour. It was a small but significant comfort knowing that everything possible had been done – it was simply Dad’s time.

However, the North West Air Ambulance receive no public funding – they rely entirely on donations. They provide a vital service for their community and I want to do my part to help keep them going.  Therefore, I will give every single pound I raise for this journey to the North West Air Ambulance, in order to give back the same comfort and lifeline that I was given last year. I’ve set up a JustGiving page, with the link in the bio. Any donation, big or small is appreciated. Let’s keep this incredible initiative going.

Pictured - Will with his trusty touring bike.