The Stockport lad cycling from UK to Australia just like his dad 40 years ago
By Lauren Beavis
24th Jun 2024 | Local News
A Stockport lad is cycling 12,000 miles from the UK to Australia just like his dad did 40 years ago - using the same model bike.
Jamie Hargreaves, 22, has been 'raised on his Father's story' - so on the 13 May, he set off on his own epic journey around the world, from Manchester to Australia.
The university graduate from Stockport is documenting his adventure across his social media - and hopes to write a book when he completes the mission to draw upon from his Dad's experience of the world from 1984 in comparison to Jamie's in the present day.
Jamie, who is also an experienced climber, said: "I have always been so intrigued by my Dad's story - and I absolutely love him for his adventures around the world that throughout my life have inspired me.
"He used to go into my primary school and give talks about his travels, and tell me so many stories about all the precarious situations has been in - from being shot at and nearly dying! - to normal people it sounds a bit to scary but to me it was something I wanted to experience myself.
"So it is something I have wanted to do since I was a little kid.
"Now I just love living life day-to-day."
Jamie set off on his adventure a few days after finishing his degree in design from Sheffield Hallam University, and is following his Father's route as close as he can, and has already been through the UK, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
He is financing his trip from funds saved from his work during a year out, as well as Jamie's sculptor business, where he has been commissioned to wield sculptures using recycled metal, which Jamie has been running since the age of eleven.
Despite not being 'too keen on the idea', supporters have also been donating the price of a coffee to Jamie along his travels - which he has said has made a big difference.
Jamie has used his climbing experience that involved wild camping for his trip, and has been travelling 'dirtbag style' - as he explains: "I have been roughing it and trying to save money wherever possible - eating bread out of the bins in the Alps (stale bread is designated for the cows).
"I used to do lots of road trips with ice climbing and alpine climbing too and we did it dirtbag style as climbers do."
He has only stayed in three hostels so far (though 'only one by choice') and is wild camping the rest of the time - staying in train stations, bus shelters, church entrances, bird hives and Aldi car parks.
He said: "I prefer to sleep where I can and not put my tent - it saves a faff in the morning!
"It's been an interesting month that's for sure."
His trip has not been without challenges too, as he recalls one of his worst experiences was before he got to Brussels, exactly 20km outside of the city - where he was hoping to get to the town where his Dad had previously stayed.
He said: "I travelled 140 km in one day -and got to the town at 10pm - which was a surprise because it used to be a little village that was now a big town and there was no where to place a tent!
"In Belgium they have no natural areas, so slept in a little shelter next to a railway - but trains run through the night, a metre past my head every 20 mins !!!
"So I bailed and just cycled next day to brussels and had to get a hostel, I was exhausted."
On average, Jamie has been cycling around 100 km (60 miles) a day, with a maximum distance of 160 km in a day, and he flies to the next country when he has to.
The recent graduate is travelling on a bike that is the exact same model, and from the exact year, as his Dad's from 1984.
Though Jamie explains how he was not allowed to use his dad's exact bike, as he said: "not only is it very unsafe now but it is also Dad's prized possession that he didn't want to lose - which is fair enough!
"But I prefer mine to his as it's more my colours..."
His bike weighs 60 kilograms with all the items Jamie has packed for his trip, including a tent, sleeping bag, roll mats, light weight gear, his CANON D4000 camera - and one personal luxury item: a ukulele.
He explained: "I've got a lot of stuff - most bike-packing adventures for two weeks see people carrying maybe 30kilograms, but I don't know how or even where the weight comes from!
"I really shouldn't have brought as many clothes as I've basically just worn the exact same clothes since I've left and have been washing and drying them every night.
"I keep my ukulele in the strap of the back of my bike - it takes up 40 per cent of the space but it's 100 per cent worth it.
"I love playing and when I'm sat on my own on a beach it's really nice to sit down and have a sing along as something fun to do."
Jamie's Dad, Phill Hargreaves, 62, said his son was 'desperate' to venture on the journey - and has called home more times than he did so far in the whole three years Phill was away.
Phill, who's journey from the UK to Australia - and back again - was roughly 25,000 miles, said: "It's quite amazing, Jamie always said 'oh I'm going to cycle around the world like you did', and I thought, 'yeh, probably not!'.
"But he's done it. I enjoyed it so much.
"I was away for nearly three years and rang my parents about three times in total - back then it was pre-internet and you had to book a time slot, book how long you, wanted to speak for and it was quite expensive - but Jamie just picks the phone up and we've chatted a lot.
"It's been so interesting hearing his experiences, and I've even been sending him old photos from my trip, and he has been recreating some of them for his book!"
Phill, who cycled through places such as New Zealand, Hong Kong and Berlin , explained: "Out of all the ways of travelling, cycling is a fantastic way - because you can still cover decent distance but it's not too difficult to stop and experience your surroundings.
"You meet a lot of people - like you can stop to chat to someone walking along the road, and people see you differently than tourists in vehicles - they are so welcoming and it will be interesting to see if Jamie finds the same."
Jamie has no time constraints for his adventure, saying it could take anywhere from six months to two years - he does not want to be restricted by time and instead wants to experience "every part of the journey".
He said: "It will take me roughly a year - so far I've been blasting out the miles a lot quicker than Dad has, not to put the old man down!
"I'm not in any kind of rush and don't care about doing a million miles a day, that does not appeal to me at all, I want to see the places and experience them rather than just passing through.
"I don't ever see myself working in a 9-5 life that does not suit me, and I have no time schedule."
He explained his Dad's plan was originally to go from Darby, UK to Darby, Australia - until they 'realised it was in the middle of nowhere'.
His father, Phill Hargreaves, was the only one who made it to Australia, as Jamie explains: "He had two mates with him, one left when they got to Turkey as they were cycling up this hill - and they never heard from him again!
"Then his other mate left in Nepal - he got every disease or illness known to man and had a rough time.
"My dad was gonna come back but he said I am getting to Australia! And he did."
Despite being on his own, Jamie admits he loves the liberty that comes with solo exploration, as he is able to venture far and wide, saying: "I really love having my own freedom.
"I can wake up whenever I want and go as far as I want to.
"I'm independent and dependent on myself - people ask me 'what if I get lonely', but I like being on my own because I get to know myself and spend a lot of time with myself.
"In a car you drive through some amazing places but you don't properly experience them - but on a bike it's so freeing.
"The other day I cycled down from top of the Alps, along a massive long valley that was 80 km downhill - and it looked like something out of Avatar: there were clouds clinging to the rock face, mountains touring above, turquoise, clear blue water crashing down the valley - and I just thought 'oh my god'.
"I'm lucky to have travelled a lot for my age, but that was one of the most amazing places I've ever been."
Jamie says he has been overwhelmed with positive feedback from his supports, and is trying to build a community of followers.
He said: "My purpose in life is to encourage people to push their own physical limits and go for their goals and achieve big things - it's what we are here on earth to do and I want to reach as many people as possible with that message.
"It's been going well so far.
"Someone messaged saying 'mate, I'm going to quit my 9-5 and go on a cycle tour because of me!"
Jamie hopes one day his future-son will complete the adventure too and leave a 'proper legacy for the family'.
He adds that this is not the end of his adventures - and travelling to Australia from the UK is 'just a stepping stone amidst big future plans'.
Follow Jamie's adventure here: https://www.instagram.com/j.a.hargreaves/
You can donate Jamie a coffee to assist him on his travels here: https://buymeacoffee.com/jamiehargreaves
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