'Don't let your biggest fears stand in the way of your dreams, even if your biggest dreams happen to be your biggest fears.' That was exactly Bernie Friend's attitude when he ditched medication and group therapy to overcome a very unwanted companion - paranoia. A complete novice to long distance cycling, Bernie confronted many demons on his epic journey - a coastal cycle route which circles 6,000 kilometres of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England.Arm wrestling drunken trawlermen, a geriatric half marathon, Viking bring-and-buy sales, decapitated pirates, burning witches, Shakin' Stevens mega mixes, sea crossing motorways, walking sand giants and remote islands most people can't even be bothered to mark on a map are just some of the secrets coughed up by this adventure. Michael Palin and Bill Bryson watch out! Bernie's very personal story told in an easy-going travelogue style will have you hooked from start to finish. This is hugely entertaining and downright inspirational!
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An uplifting tale of one man's battle with his inner demons
-- LANCASTER CITIZEN
Bernie's startlingly honest peeks into the darkest corners of his own fractured mind are contrasted with many painfully funny observations -- YORK POST
Candid, heart-warming and hilarious -- LONDON CYCLIST
Funny, uplifting and a real eye-opener for those who have never enjoyed the delights of northern Europe and Scandinavia -- BIRMINGHAM MAIL
The bravest book we've read this year -- ADVENTURE TRAVEL MAGAZINE
This book rivals the work of names far better known in this genre -- CYCLING WORLD
With a well-tuned nose for nutters, Bernie sniffs out the strange characters who populate the coastal route and discovers the healing power of travel along the way -- SOUTHEND ECHO
-- LANCASTER CITIZEN
Bernie's startlingly honest peeks into the darkest corners of his own fractured mind are contrasted with many painfully funny observations -- YORK POST
Candid, heart-warming and hilarious -- LONDON CYCLIST
Funny, uplifting and a real eye-opener for those who have never enjoyed the delights of northern Europe and Scandinavia -- BIRMINGHAM MAIL
The bravest book we've read this year -- ADVENTURE TRAVEL MAGAZINE
This book rivals the work of names far better known in this genre -- CYCLING WORLD
With a well-tuned nose for nutters, Bernie sniffs out the strange characters who populate the coastal route and discovers the healing power of travel along the way -- SOUTHEND ECHO
About the Author
Bernie Friend was born in 1971 and lives in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. He has an unhealthy Doctor Who obsession, supports Southend United and enjoys pulling funny faces at himself in the bathroom mirror. He has followed a career path of digging holes, pulling pints, spinning records, delivering letters, selling market stall hats, number crunching and getting sacked for illegally swearing and smoking at his desk, all in the same breath, before becoming a journalist and writing his first book 15 years later. His only remaining ambitions in life are to sit on Richard and Judy's couch and spend an evening playing drunken Trivial Pursuit with Tom Baker.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Simon Bishop
Format:Paperback
Inspired to literally get on his bike following the tragic death of his mum, Bernie Friend, author of Cycling Back to Happiness, is not your typical travel writer.
An exhausting 6,000 kilometer cycle ride around the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England would be a daunting task for the fittest survivalist.
For Bernie, a lifelong hypochondriac with a morbid fear of dying horribly on foreign soil, it was an immense challenge.
Travel-phobic Bernie can't set foot on a plane, finds boats a terrifying prospect, and hasn't cycled since childhood. But in a last-ditch bid to take control of his fears he sets out from his home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on an epic adventure with just a borrowed bike and a one-man tent for company.
With his well-tuned nose for nutters, Bernie soon sniffs out the strange characters who populate the coastal route and discovers the healing power of travel along the way.
Bernie is joined in Germany by a travelling companion. While Phileas Fogg had Passepartout and Ewan McGregor had Charley Boorman, Bernie is saddled with agoraphobic hermit Rhys as a peddaling partner.
Together they cycle on through Scandinavia, the perfect double act of tortured souls seeking a pine-scented salvation in the land of trolls and Vikings.
The result is an uplifting tale of one man's battle with his inner demons.
Bernie's startlingly honest peeks into the darkest corners of his own fractured mind are contrasted with many painfully funny observations on the weird and wonderful people and places that cling to the coastal journey around the North Sea.
Join Bernie on his journey, and be inspired to face your own fears head-on.
An exhausting 6,000 kilometer cycle ride around the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England would be a daunting task for the fittest survivalist.
For Bernie, a lifelong hypochondriac with a morbid fear of dying horribly on foreign soil, it was an immense challenge.
Travel-phobic Bernie can't set foot on a plane, finds boats a terrifying prospect, and hasn't cycled since childhood. But in a last-ditch bid to take control of his fears he sets out from his home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on an epic adventure with just a borrowed bike and a one-man tent for company.
With his well-tuned nose for nutters, Bernie soon sniffs out the strange characters who populate the coastal route and discovers the healing power of travel along the way.
Bernie is joined in Germany by a travelling companion. While Phileas Fogg had Passepartout and Ewan McGregor had Charley Boorman, Bernie is saddled with agoraphobic hermit Rhys as a peddaling partner.
Together they cycle on through Scandinavia, the perfect double act of tortured souls seeking a pine-scented salvation in the land of trolls and Vikings.
The result is an uplifting tale of one man's battle with his inner demons.
Bernie's startlingly honest peeks into the darkest corners of his own fractured mind are contrasted with many painfully funny observations on the weird and wonderful people and places that cling to the coastal journey around the North Sea.
Join Bernie on his journey, and be inspired to face your own fears head-on.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By T. Williams
Format:Paperback
I tried really hard to finish this book, but gave up just after half way. It was tough.
Cycling around the North Sea was never going to be an exciting adventure. This, combined with the grammatical errors, his syntax and style of writing, did it for me I'm afraid.
Cycling around the North Sea was never going to be an exciting adventure. This, combined with the grammatical errors, his syntax and style of writing, did it for me I'm afraid.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By JI
Format:Paperback
Unlike some reviewers I felt this book worked better when the author was taking us through his emotional struggles. It was less enjoyable when he started to shoe-horn jokey asides and cliches into every other sentence, and the narrative started to get a bit too "sixth-form magazine". The reader's experience also isn't helped by the absence of a decent editor/proof-reader. Countless spelling and grammatical errors have escaped undetected - unforgivable for a published book.
I was certainly inspired to put the route (some, not all!) on my wish list of trips for the future.
I was certainly inspired to put the route (some, not all!) on my wish list of trips for the future.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By m. dosa
Format:Paperback
a humour and rain drenched book excellent descriptions of areas cycled thru but the humour is a bit heavy going at times and sometimes it just is,nt funny any more. however this is a enjoyable book though i found the pub and football a bit dreary
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Darren
Format:Paperback
A heart warming story and a brave feat for someone with such a debilitating anxiety.
When you realise that Mr Friend tackled this journey nursing a lot of personal heartache it made the trip an even bigger success.
He didn't complete the whole route, only getting as far as Norway, which was still nearly 3,000km, but this is all about the inner journey and finding mental strength in tackling your biggest fears and demons.
The fact he seemed to manage this left me feeling pleased for someone best described as a complete novice cyclist. Well done and thanks for sharing!!!
When you realise that Mr Friend tackled this journey nursing a lot of personal heartache it made the trip an even bigger success.
He didn't complete the whole route, only getting as far as Norway, which was still nearly 3,000km, but this is all about the inner journey and finding mental strength in tackling your biggest fears and demons.
The fact he seemed to manage this left me feeling pleased for someone best described as a complete novice cyclist. Well done and thanks for sharing!!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By S. Lowery
Format:Paperback
Hello . Well im sorry but i found this book a right let down . I thought the guy would give me a description of his adventures cycling around the whole of the North sea route . 6000kms Only he didnt do it !!! Why has nobody said this ?? He got to Norway and bottled out!! Sorry but Im off to finish my book about my adventure climbing up the south face of everest Its a short book as i could be bothered to get out my tent as it was a bit cold!!
I cycled 1200 miles Lands end to john O groats in 15 days but I didnt write a book maybe I should have
Sorry to be so negative but I feel cheated
I cycled 1200 miles Lands end to john O groats in 15 days but I didnt write a book maybe I should have
Sorry to be so negative but I feel cheated
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By bob bryson
Format:Paperback
As someone who loves travelogues, especially cycling ones I found this book up there with the best.
This book is as much about the author and his self discovery than it is about the places he visits on his travels. It really is a journey of self discovery and an uplifting and humourous one too.
It may be that it's a generation thing but being a similar age to Bernie I could relate to his humour and many of his feelings.
Simply put - If you're an armchair cyclist and frustrated traveller I doubt you'll find a much better book this year.
This book is as much about the author and his self discovery than it is about the places he visits on his travels. It really is a journey of self discovery and an uplifting and humourous one too.
It may be that it's a generation thing but being a similar age to Bernie I could relate to his humour and many of his feelings.
Simply put - If you're an armchair cyclist and frustrated traveller I doubt you'll find a much better book this year.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Novice
Format:Paperback
I'm not a fanatical cyclist by any means, but I have come round to the idea of ditching the steering wheel for handlebars more and more, egged on by much keener friends, and fancied dabbling in a travel story powered by two-wheels.
A colleague of mine who is a much more serious wheel-turner pointed me in the direction of this book and I have to say it was good advice, especially for the trainee biker.
There is a lot of difficult scene setting over the first 30 odd pages, punctuated with self-deprecating laughs, but once that is all out the way a very fluid journey unfolds.
I couldn't believe just how many very differing places and landscapes were so close at hand. The book has certainly inspired me to persevere with the pedalling and maybe even take on a cycling adventure of my own.
The best thing of all for me is that the writer is just a plain guy, who lives a normal life, and just wanted to do something different, special even, but within his own personal limitations.
The fact he undertook thousands of kms on a bike as a complete novice, without months of gruelling (and impossible) training regimes makes it all so more achieveable for all of us. Never mind the Spandex... Anyone can do it!!!
A colleague of mine who is a much more serious wheel-turner pointed me in the direction of this book and I have to say it was good advice, especially for the trainee biker.
There is a lot of difficult scene setting over the first 30 odd pages, punctuated with self-deprecating laughs, but once that is all out the way a very fluid journey unfolds.
I couldn't believe just how many very differing places and landscapes were so close at hand. The book has certainly inspired me to persevere with the pedalling and maybe even take on a cycling adventure of my own.
The best thing of all for me is that the writer is just a plain guy, who lives a normal life, and just wanted to do something different, special even, but within his own personal limitations.
The fact he undertook thousands of kms on a bike as a complete novice, without months of gruelling (and impossible) training regimes makes it all so more achieveable for all of us. Never mind the Spandex... Anyone can do it!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Shockingly badly written book
Read this torturous book on holidays. I dont like to give up on something (unlike the author who actually quits the trip less than mid way through) so I stuck it out. Wish I hadnt. Read more
Published 11 months ago by frjoe77
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book sticks to the route
This was a Christmas present from the wife, having cycled part of the North Sea Cycle Route last summer. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2011 by Pete Finch
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bill Bryson, he aint
Wish I had listened to the more critical reviews of this book, and not bothered buying it. And the reviewer who discribed it as 'cliched' is absolutely right. Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2011 by H. Moat
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational
Loved the book and found in most enlightening and inspirational - helps that i've met Bernie and he's really nice bloke - love to know if he finished the trip
Published on 29 Nov 2010 by Ade68
3.0 out of 5 stars
Diary of a total beginner
From the first few pages it was obvious that Bernie friend was never going to complete this ride. But at least he managed to get out of it what he wanted, eventually packing up and... Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2010 by Stephen Lindley
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing book, deserves 5star average
Beautifully writen, exposes all his demons and shares his adventures. I read this before going on a cycle touring holiday. A holiday itself that was probably inspired by this book. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2010 by P. Burns
4.0 out of 5 stars
bigron
THIS BOOK IS AN ENJOYABLE READ FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES TRAVELLING BY BIKE.ALTHOUGH YOU SOON REALISE THAT BERNIE IS NOT AN ENTHUSIAST AND ALSO A NOVICE AT MOST THINGS BUT HIS DOWN TO... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2009 by Mr. R. Nelson
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