It is 1,600 kilometres from Land’s End in Cornwall to John o’Groats at the northernmost tip in Scotland – the two points marking the furthest limits of Great Britain.

Intrepid cyclist Hilary Galea-Lauri will be hoping he can make the miles fly by, as he leaves Malta this morning with the aim of covering the entire distance in just 12 days, while attempting to raise €10,000 for Inspire Foundation.

“Land’s End to John O’Groats is iconic,” he said. “It’s one of those rides endurance athletes always have on their bucket list.”

Mr Galea-Lauri will set off from Land’s End on Tuesday, pedalling his way through Cornwall, over Dartmoor and north along the Welsh border, skirting the Lake District into Scotland, via lochs and the Highlands to the north coast and John O’Groats.

“From what I’ve been told, the first three days are killers – 13 and 18 per cent gradients are not uncommon,” Mr Galea-Lauri said. “And the last leg, climbing the Highlands, is equally challenging.”

Mr Galea-Lauri, who is 50 years old and a partner at KPMG, said the challenge was an opportunity to combine what he loved doing with the chance to help others.

“I’m collecting for Inspire Foundation – they’re an organisation I’ve supported for a long time. So I encourage everyone to donate. The donations are actually helping me a great deal because they’re giving me the motivation I need to keep cycling.”

Inspire helps over 1000 individuals with various disabilities ranging from Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and others.

To support Hilary's challenge, visit www.inspire.org.mt. When donating online insert the reference HILARY CYCLE in the field asking for the cause of your donation.

You can also send a text message with “Hilary” in the text to 5061 8926 (€6.99) or 5061 9215 (€11.65).