An Oxfordshire-based journalist who recently cycled 3,500 miles around ‘Pandemic Britain’ to find out how the country was coping, from Shetland to Scilly, via Dover and Durness, through 55 counties.
The book ‘ Riding Out’ will be published in April. Simon will also be embarking on a UK theatre tour (– including a night at Banbury Mill Arts Centre on April 11th. It’s a multimedia presentation of short films and photos, followed by a Q&A.
Simon passed through 55 counties on his epic journey in 2020 and 2021 and interviewed hundreds of people, including: farmers, fishermen, artists, musicians, the RNLI and homeless charities.
An esteemed travel writer and international broadcaster, Simon’s world fell apart when the COVID pandemic put a stop to global travel. Overnight his ordinarily jammed schedule was left empty, and like many, his mental health spiralled to a place of misery and hopelessness. Things deteriorated further with news of a close personal tragedy and Simon knew that something drastic had to be done to change his downward trajectory. He turned to the only therapies he could trust: travel and exercise.