Keiran Williams Access Driving’s owner and Adam Clarke a scientist from Watton in Norfolk, are taking on a long-distance challenge on 22nd and 23rd of June 2024. They will be cycling from Paris to London in 24 hours raising funds for East Anglian Air Ambulance. The ride distance totals 180 miles (290km) riding from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Tower Bridge in London.

They are riding in aid of East Anglian Air Ambulance a charity that carries particular significance for Adam. In 2018 Adam was involved in a serious car crash on a local rural road in Norfolk, leaving him with life threatening head injuries. Paramedics recognised the seriousness of Adam’s injuries and called for the Air Ambulance. Adam was rushed from the accident site to Addenbrooke’s hospital where he received the urgent treatment that has allowed him to make a full recovery. Without the speed of the transfer to hospital and the early medical intervention Adam’s prospects of achieving a full recovery were a lot lower. Adam says “The speedy rescue that East Anglian Air Ambulance were able to provide has given me the life I had today. This challenge is my way of saying thank you to those who crewed my flight”. 

The cost of Adam’s rescue was £3,250; this is the fundraising target for Adam and Keiran’s ride. Keiran says, “we hope our effort and your support will provide funding for East Anglian Air Ambulance to be able to save another life just like they did for Adam”. 

Distance: 108 miles (175km)

Estimated Elevation Gain: 1,110m (3,640ft)

Start time: 11.30 GMT (12.30 CET)

Ferry Departs Dieppe: 22.59 GMT (23.59 CET)

We will ride north from the Eiffel Tower, leave Paris and into a series of step climbs in the Vexin Regional Natural Park. Leaving the park the ride enters the winding French countryside and small villages and into the longest climb of the ride, starting at 70m above sea level to 230m at the hamlet of Lalandelle. After that remaining ride is then mostly downhill with the odd small climb following the Avenue Vert cycle route into Dieppe. 

Distance: 67 miles (108km)

Estimated Elevation Gain: 760m (2,493ft)

Ferry Arrives Newhaven: 04:00 GMT

Finish: Hopefully before 11.30 GMT 

Leaving the ferry, we will ride west and immediately into a short but steep climb, we will then follow the coastal cycle path into Brighton. Once in Brighton we will head north into the South Downs National Park and then the High Weald where we will face a series of sharp steep climbs. We will descend into the towns of Crawly and Redhill and onto our toughest test a short steep climb rising 64m at an average 9.2% just after crossing over the M25. After that we head into the London Boroughs of Croydon and Brixton and onto our finish point of Tower Bridge, hopefully finishing before 11.30 GMT. 

The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) is a 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical Service covering Beds, Cambs, Norfolk, and Suffolk. EAAA is a charity and receives no regular government funding, relying almost entirely on public support. Each mission costs £3,750 on average, and we need to raise nearly £19 million from charitable donations to develop and deliver our life-saving service. In 2022 – 23, EAAA was tasked by air and road to over 2,800 missions and attended over 1,900 patients. Since its inception, they have attended over 38,000 missions.