Coast to Coast
Published by Lord Wandsworth College on Wednesday 24th of June 2026
It’s regarded as the ultimate British long-distance challenge.
This summer, two students from LWC will attempt to traverse the length of mainland Britain from John o’ Groats to Land’s End or vice versa.
These are their stories…
Phoebe
Upper Sixth Former Phoebe is first to set off (and last to finish) in her bid to become the youngest woman to run the length of Britain, from John o’ Groats to Land’s End.
On Saturday, 20th June, she will depart the north-western tip of Scotland alongside her dad, Chris, with 1033 miles standing between them and the south-western headland of Land’s End. The plan is to arrive in Cornwall towards the end of August, not even pausing the quest for A-level results day.
Yes, that’s right. Phoebe has been training for this alongside studying for her A-levels.
She leaves for the adventure just days after her final exam and ahead of beginning a degree in Medicine this September.
“I’ve been managing A-levels and training by making sure I complete my work during the school day, which leaves my evenings free for running,” she explains. “Training with Basingstoke Athletics Club has been especially helpful, as the group has kept me motivated during the more challenging parts of my exams.”
Phoebe fell in love with running after registering for LWC’s Chaplain’s (now Stern) Challenge in 4th Form. She signed up with her dad, in a bid to spend more time together.
“I really did hate sport until then,” she smiles. “We trained with the aim of running 5k in the Chaplain’s Challenge and were both really bad in training. Once we’d managed 5k, though, we decided to try 8k. When it got to the challenge itself, I ran 30.
“This was my first introduction to running and has encouraged me to keep pushing myself ever since. I don’t think I could ever have imagined doing something like John o’ Groats to Land’s End without that first experience.”
Phoebe and Chris hope to be joined by local running clubs from across the British Isles en route, with appearances from LWC staff, students and Sternians along the way. The pair will be raising money for the transformative Lord Wandsworth Foundation and the National Autistic Society, following Phoebe’s own diagnosis in 2024.
“The diagnosis has really changed how I think about myself. It’s helped me to understand myself much more and I think I’ve grown in confidence as a result,” she admits. “My brain often feels like a very busy place. Running is a time when it all slows down and I can just focus on moving.”
The idea for the 68-day challenge was inspired by LWC Head, Adam Williams, who (knowing that Phoebe was developing a passion for long-distance running) sent her the story of Imogen Boddy, who had become the youngest known female to run the length of the UK in 2022, at the age of 22.
“I thought…I can do that,” Phoebe quips. And so, she will set out to try, alongside her ever-faithful dad, Chris, once more.
“For me, this challenge is really about time,” Chris admits. “Phoebe is about to start university and the next chapter of her life. We realised this might be our last opportunity to spend two months together on a shared adventure before our lives naturally take different paths.
“We wanted to do something memorable, that would push us both outside of our comfort zones and give us stories to tell for the rest of our lives. Taking on a challenge of this scale requires courage, commitment and resilience and Phoebe has embraced it wholeheartedly. Watching her prepare for the challenge has been inspiring, and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to share the experience with her.”
We’ll be following Phoebe’s journey every step of the way at LWC this summer and donations to her fundraising page are very welcome.
But it doesn’t stop there…
Will
Making the journey in the opposite direction to Phoebe is LWC 4th Former, Will.
The 15-year-old will be setting off a few weeks later, after completing the academic year.
This time, the herculean journey will be carried out by Will on two wheels and alongside his dad Tom, 19-year-old brother Nicko and 17-year-old sister Chloe.
“Chloe has cerebral palsy, which means she has difficulty walking,” Will explains. “She struggles with everyday activities, which many of us find simple. But she’s very perseverant. She saw a DVD of my dad cycling from Land’s End to John o’ Groats a few years ago and asked if she could do it. At the beginning, I was really sceptical about whether the more rural hotels would take wheelchairs or have space, but I had no doubt that Chloe could do it.”
Will’s family will be hoping to travel the length of the UK (with mum, Alex and Labrador, Koda, following in the support van) in just 18 days, averaging around 60 miles a day – a feat for anyone.
“It’s going to feel amazing to complete it,” Will grins. “I’m really looking forward to crossing that finish line at John o’ Groats and being able to say that I’ve done it. If I can do that, I can do anything.”
The family will be raising money via their fundraising page for Treloar’s in Alton, where Chloe goes to school and PALS (Partners for Active Leisure Scheme) West Berkshire, both of which have supported Chloe throughout her life. Chloe’s love of cycling began at the age of two when she was introduced to a specialist trike, which sparked the reciprocal leg movement which had previously seemed unlikely.
“It can be quite a struggle for Chloe to do things, but she’s happy most of the time,” Will explains. “She’s ecstatic about the cycle ride and I’m very proud of her because it will be a big achievement for her and she wants to prove that she can do it.”
It’s also no small challenge for the rest of the family, including Will, who has been training with the Newbury Velo Club every weekend in preparation, together with using The Barn at LWC and swimming.
“I’ve seen a big improvement in my fitness since I began training,” he explains. “I live at the top of a hill and at the start, I couldn’t get up it on a bike in under five minutes. Now my best is two minutes and eight seconds.” Not that anyone’s counting, of course.
Will is looking forward to seeing parts of the British Isles he has yet to explore (possibly passing Phoebe as he does so). But he also has his sights firmly set on what happens after he crosses the finish line in Scotland.
“I think I’ll be wondering how long I’ve got until I next have to get on a bike,” he smiles. “And I’ll probably be contemplating where I can get a Victoria sponge cake from. I’ll be eating as much bangers and mash and Victoria sponge as I can to keep my energy up.”
We think you’ll have deserved it, Will.
