Man cycles up 100 of the UK’s toughest hills for dementia charity

A 62-year-old man has completed one of the UK’s hardest cycling feats for a dementia charity.

Richard Burt, from Surrey, has successfully taken on 100 of the UK’s toughest hills in 12 days to raise money for dementia after his mother was diagnosed with the disease.

Hoping to raise over £50,000 for Dementia UK, Mr Burt travelled the country for 12 consecutive days, stopping off at each location detailed in Simon Warren’s book, 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs.

He said: “Simon Warren’s account of the climbs really inspired me. Before the challenge I was filled with trepidation. I’ve done some tough endurance challenges before and every one of them has been very different so I was conscious that I wouldn’t find out exactly how tough this one was until I did it.”

Mr Burt’s travels took him across the UK, climbing mountains in Bristol, Devon, Wales, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland, before finishing in Box Hill, where the 2012 Olympic Road Race took place.

“My body is deeply tired in a way that only those who have done marathon endurance events can appreciate, but it’s been a privilege and I wouldn’t do it for any other cause, it’s wonderful to know every penny raised is going towards improving dementia services”, he said.