I’m a life-long cyclist from Chorley who’s celebrating his 90th birthday with a 430 mile trek up to Scotland!
For his 90th birthday, Tony will be going on a gruelling 10-day bike ride!
A 90-year-old cycling enthusiast from Heskin will be attempting to complete a 10-day bike ride all the way up to Scotland to mark his milestone birthday.
Great-grandad Tony Newton is gearing up to take on a mammoth 430-mile cycle challenge pedalling a gruelling journey taking in the West Coast of Scotland, the Isle of Skye and ending at Kyle of Lochlash.
‘Tony’s Tremendous Skye Or Bust Trek’ – which is hoped to take 10 days beginning on Monday, June 17, and starts in his home village of Heskin, – is to raise funds for Inspire, Chorley Youth Zone.
Tony said: “Cycling through open countryside is the thing that has kept me going throughout my lifetime.
“Every year for about the last 15 I have gone on a solo cycle trek for a week or more.
“My granddaughter Hannah and her husband Alex, who will be joining me on the first 50-mile leg to Kendal, are keen supporters of Inspire and once I realised the benefit of the project to the Chorley area it seemed obvious to contribute.
“This year we are aiming for £5,000 and even before I have set off we have already collected £1,500.”
Hannah Wotherspoon said: “We are so very proud of Grandad for his achievements in sport and he shows that age truly is not a barrier to keeping fit.
From the age of five when he cycled to school, Tony has used his bicycle as his main mode of transport.
For years he cycled 100 miles a week to work and back and in retirement he still regularly rides 50 miles in a day.
A member of Chorley Cycle Club for many years, Tony began his engineering career as an apprentice at Leyland Motors where he worked on the first Centurion tank prototype, before spending six years in the Merchant Navy.
Tony’s former running partner Dave Hargreaves will also join him on the first leg, while friends from the Mawdesley U3A Cycling Group Dave and Wendy Tilston, will then ride by his side for the rest of the journey.
They will use their phones for navigation and stop off at B&Bs for overnight rests.
Tony’s not the only keen cyclist at home – his wife Dorothy, 86, cycles around 100 miles a week.
Jennifer Taylor, Inspire’s philanthropy manager, said: “Tony is an unbelievable person and the challenge he is taking on is absolutely amazing.
“Inspire offers young people a safe, welcoming, affordable warm space every day of the week all through the year – packed with a range of activities and opportunities.
To help sponsor Tony’s Tremendous Skye Or Bust Trek go to: