Travel writer shares cycling adventure to shake off pandemic misery with Chesterfield audience

The audience at the Winding Wheel on September 8, 2022, will be taken along for the ride via intimate anecdotes, short films, photos and audio clips.

International broadcaster and adventurer 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. “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.”

Simon’s presentation is guaranteed to captivate and delight audiences on the 50 locations that he visits. 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.

There will be a question and answer session following the presentation and Simon will be offering guests the opportunity to read more in his new book, Riding Out.

Simon has travelled extensively in his career as a travel writer and broadcast journalist, reporting from more than 100 countries by the age of 35.

He has worked across a wide range of themes and subjects, including: product shortages in Venezuela, the ‘migrant crisis’ in Greece, social inequality in the barrios of Northern Colombia and climate change in the high Andes and Svalbard.

Simon has paraglided solo through the Andes, hiked up Bali’s highest volcanoes and driven a rickshaw the length of India. In 2016 he sailed and cycled from China to London in 133 days for a BBC World Service documentary.

His award-winning Earth Cycle TV show has been broadcast in 20+ countries and can be viewed in the UK on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.

Tickets for Simon’s presentation at the Winding Wheel cost £15; to book online, go to www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk