The woman on a bike called Margaret
Claire McCombe, 67, has cycled solo through Europe, across deserts, through bogs and up mountains, but now faces her toughest test to ride beyond the Arctic circle
By Sarah Ward
“Finishing this route will not only be a personal milestone, but also a chance to shine a light on what’s possible, at any age, when you have a purpose in mind and determination.”
The Atlantic Coast cycle route (also known as Eurovelo 1) is more than 6,800 miles long and connects six European countries. Anyone who attempts the epic ride which connects the northernmost tip of Europe 300 miles above the Arctic Circle to Portugal’s north western border, will have to cycle through desertlike conditions as well as steep climbs along remote stretches far from any human settlement.
As you read this, Northants woman Claire McCombe (who is of a pensionable age), is cycling alone in Norway along what is considered the most brutal part of the journey. Having set off at the weekend, she will be wildcamping along the anticipated several weeks 1,851 mile journey, with just a few vital bits of sustenance in her bag; her only companion her trusty Oxford Bike Works Margaret (named after a godmother whose inheritance helped purchase the bicycle).
She has already completed several sections of the ride, having cycled through Portugal, Spain, France, England, Wales, Scotland and half of Ireland, but this Scandinavian leg is the one that she is most anxious about.
She said:
“Norway is vast, remote and both the challenge and the weather are unpredictable. Even with all the planning I’ve done, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. This is the stretch of my ride that will test me more than any other. I am determined to do it, but I also have a fair amount of trepidation.
“Most of the route [across Europe} to date has been off road, on rough gravel and dirt tracks, through sand, bogs and swamps, and over mountains. But Norway is by far the most demanding part of the entire route.
“As I’ll be riding through a landscape carved by glaciers, there will be long steep climbs and huge elevation. The long, narrow and unlit tunnels are unlike anything else on Eurovelo 1. Some are up to 7km long, running under the sea, with steep drops in and long climbs out. Traffic noise will be amplified; lights can blind you and you can feel very disorientated. Some tunnels are prohibited to cyclists, forcing detours that are often remote and hilly.
“The remoteness will be real. As I head north villages will be far apart and shops and services scarce. I may go hours without seeing another person and days without getting to a shop. Weather can change in minutes and can be harsh even in the summer.
“With the costs through Norway being so high, I’ll be wild camping all the way, carrying and cooking all my own food. Keeping up the calories will be one of my major challenges. I’ll be generating my own electricity using a solar panel strapped to the back of my bike, which will power my phone for emergencies, my Garmin for navigation, and my lights for visibility in bad weather and in the long, dark tunnels.
“I am doing this solo, self-supported, so all the decision making, navigation, safety planning, carrying of kit and responsibility lies with me.”
The ride has been done in stages, as she has juggled the adventure with her job. She first started out in 2022 with her partner Michael, but he has since been diagnosed with late-stage cancer and so is prevented from doing anymore. He is staying at their home and is taking on the role of ride manager, checking in with Claire throughout the day to let her know whether there could be a change in the weather conditions and how far she is from the nearest ferry port.
The ride will include more than 30 ferries across the deep fjords that make up the terrain between interconnecting islands. Other logistics include having a friendly bike mechanic on call 24-7 for those moments when a broken spoke could stop the wheels from turning.
Personal challenge
You might imagine that someone who endeavours to ride alone against such unrelenting conditions, has been a lifelong adventurer, but for Claire, her daring spirit came later in life.
She says:
“When I was a child and then through my twenties and thirties, I massively lacked self-confidence. It held me back in ways I can see clearly now, stopping me from making choices I probably needed to make. I had been brought up to adventure, and had done some big challenges, but always in the company of others. Deep down I knew that I wanted to do some adventures on my own, but as a woman of my generation, I simply didn’t have the confidence to take that step. Everything began to shift when I reached 50.
“I cycled the full length of the Outer Hebrides and back on my own. 400 miles on a bike that was too small for me, into headwinds of 35mph for three days, as I headed north. It was tough, but it proved something important to me. I could cope on my own. I made some major changes in my life, after that, but even then, I never imagined I could take on something as big as the Atlantic Coast Cycle Route. That scale of challenge wasn’t ever on my horizon. I didn’t set out to complete Eurovelo 1; it happened gradually and almost by accident.
“While working for Sustrans, I spent my weekends cycling across southern England, getting to know the National Cycle Network, and during holidays I explored other parts of the UK. Without realising it, I was slowly stitching together sections of the Atlantic Coast Route. Then my partner Michael and I cycled the west coast of France. I still didn’t know I would attempt the whole route, but when my sister announced she was getting married in Portugal, on Eurovelo 1, and asked if I would cycle to the wedding, the pieces began to fall into place.
“When Michael developed stage 4 cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, the journey shifted again. I found myself taking on the challenge alone, wanting to prove to myself that I had the resilience, determination, tenacity, courage, confidence, and inner peace to do something far beyond what I ever thought possible.
“There was another layer to it too. I found myself discovering places I would never normally see. Tiny pieces of landscape, plants, animals, tucked away paths and stretches of coast that you can only reach when you travel slowly. And I was doing it in the simplest, most sustainable way possible, on a bike, carrying everything I needed, leaving almost no trace behind. It felt completely in line with my environmental principles, the way I’ve always tried to live.
“I felt I wanted to show others that you can travel like this, finding an intense connection with the landscape, nature and culture, but keeping your carbon footprint to an absolute minimum and proving that adventure doesn’t have to cost the planet anything.
Along the journey Claire wrote short Whatsapp messages to friends, to keep them up to date with her progress.
She has now decided to compile her writings and observations into a book. She is unaware of anyone else who has completed the entire Eurovelo 1 route and has not found any travelogues documenting the journey.
She says:
“The book is about the changing landscapes, geology, plants, animals, culture and history as I cross the continent. But it’s also the story of a woman on a bicycle called Margaret, navigating a largely off‑road route across Europe, meeting people, forming connections, and finding support in unexpected places.
“This endeavour means so much to me because I’m no longer the person who is fearful of adventure on her own. I’ve found a new confidence, a new voice, and a new skill in writing that I absolutely love. And this final stretch, the hardest of all, feels like the moment where everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve become, will finally come together. But I know I’ll need to draw on every bit of resourcefulness, determination and courage I have, keep learning new skills, and find ways to manage my fear if I’m going to reach the end.”
You can follow Claire’s journey as it unfolds by following her Facebook page.
One woman, one bike, one wild Atlantic Coast
On this leg Claire is raising money for Motor Neurone Disease, in memory of her father. Support Claire’s ride for MND
The route of Claire’s epic journey
The Atlantic Coast route (Eurovelo 1) stretches for more than 11,000 km (6,835 miles) across six European countries. It begins at the northernmost tip of Europe, 300 miles above the Arctic Circle, before winding down around Norway’s fjords to Bergen and then crossing the sea to Aberdeen.
From there it follows the coast to Inverness, cuts through the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow, and continues south to Stranraer for the ferry to Belfast. In Ireland, it loops around the rugged north, west and south coasts before reaching Wexford and sailing to Fishguard. Back in Wales, it follows the southwest and south coast to the Severn Bridge, crosses Exmoor, and heads through Devon to Plymouth.
From Plymouth it continues from Roscoff down the entire west coast of France into northern Spain, climbing the Pyrenees and other mountain ranges before crossing remote, desert-like regions. Reaching southern Spain, it turns west along the Algarve, then follows the full length of Portugal’s Atlantic coast to the country’s north‑western border.