Travel writer and adventurer, Simon Parker, shares his experience of cycling 3,427 miles around pandemic Britain in national theatre tour
Travel writer and adventurer, Simon Parker, will kick off his Riding Out tour this Spring with a series of theatre and literary festival appearances around the UK. Riding Out sees Simon share the highs and lows from his 3,427 mile cycling expedition around the perimeter of the UK during a global pandemic. Guests will be taken along for the ride via a series of intimate anecdotes, high quality short films, photos and audio clips. Simon will visit more than 50 locations in Britain and will be offering guests the opportunity to read more in his new book, Riding Out.
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.
Setting off on a 3,427 mile solo cycling expedition around the edge of Britain was no mean feat. Simon camped on Scotland’s isolated beaches, in Shetland, Orkney and the Highlands. On his travels Simon met myriad inspiring Britons, all drawing strength from their situation and finding hope in the darkness. Simon portrays a tale of resilience and determination, the healing power of gentle exercise, and how new beginnings can emerge with new scenery.
“Like millions of people all over Britain, I struggled to stay positive in the early days of the pandemic”, said Simon Parker, Travel Writer and Adventurer. “But by hitting the road and putting my faith in adventure and exercise I was able to find solace in the epic landscapes of Britain and learn to find comfort in the unknown.
“This trip gave me an opportunity to digest the fractious events we were facing. It was an expedition on home soil, but it made me feel alive, rather than simply surviving. I learned so much from so many people, and I’m looking forward to sharing those lessons with audiences this year. The pandemic is hopefully coming to an end, but these lessons are timeless and universal, and I plan to implement them into the rest of my life.”
Riding Out is guaranteed to captivate and delight audiences around the country. A portrait of Britain during a time of uncharted hardship – a tale of extreme highs and devastating lows told through intimate humour, film and photography. Simon’s journey affirms the healing power of nature, passing landscape, and old fashioned adventure.
2022 TOUR DATES:
March
28 London Royal Geographical Society
30 Beverley East Riding Theatre
April
2 Street Strode Book Festival
11 Banbury Mill Arts Centre
19 Brighton Grand Central
22 Chipping Norton Literary Festival
24 Dorchester Arts
26 London Stanfords
28 Canterbury Gulbenkian Arts Centre
29 Portsmouth Groundlings Theatre
May
2 Chiddingstone Castle Literary Festival
4 Stratford Literary Festival
9 Bristol Redgrave Theatre
10 Oxford Tap Social
12 Taunton Brewhouse
July
5 Farnham Maltings
13 Grimsby Central Hall
14 Norwich Arts Centre
15 Coventry Albany Theatre
August
5 Charlbury Wilderness Festival
September
8 Chesterfield Winding Wheel
10 Inverness Eden Court Theatre
11 Aberdeen Arts Centre
12 Stirling Macrobert Arts Centre
13 Ayr Gaiety Theatre
14 Edinburgh Roxy
15 Kendal Brewery Arts
16 Helmsley Arts Centre
18 Stockport Plaza
22 Middlesbrough Theatre
23 Otley Courthouse
24 Seaton Gateway Theatre
26 Exeter Phoenix
27 Falmouth Poly
28 Newquay Lane Theatre
30 Corby Cube
October 2022
5 Portland Royal Manor Theatre
6 Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
17 Nairn Community & Arts Centre
18 Kirkwall Orkney Theatre
19 Lerwick Mareel
For more information: www.simonwparker.co.uk/adventure-travel-book-riding-out
