"Because it is there" was the famous response Sir Edmund Hillary made when asked why on earth he would climb Mt Everest. For us mere mortals it was a strange and non-committed response, but when asked recently "why would you cycle the Exclusive Loop" I had to respond "because it is there". After spending so much time mapping out the routes, driving the test runs and finally supporting the event I felt it was necessary to close the loop and cycle the whole 5 legs.

Day 1 started at Lainston House Hotel in Winchester. I was joined for this leg by Paul Morgan, the regional manager from Macmillan Cancer Support and Antonio from Lainston House. A friend of his Louis also joined us for the day. The weather gods were with us and although the day was a little cloudy it wasn't raining and there was a lovely SW breeze on our backs the whole day. I was to find out that the weather gods having done their work for the first day, packed their bags, went on vacation and left me with the weather demons for days 2, 3 and 4.

Paul and Antonio were not regular cyclists and so it was a real reward for them to complete the 100 or so kms to South Lodge near Horsham in W Sussex. The route took us through the most beautiful parts of Hampshire and everybody was jolly until we hit our first major hill after Petworth. It was great though to see both Paul and Antonio keep pedalling and get to the top. In Wiseborough Green we were joined by Sarah, who had undertaken the PR work for the event and wanted to participate. Her afternoon didn't start well though with a flat tyre and a chain falling off.  Some friends of Sarah's also turned up to cheer us on with the help of a vuvuzela, whistles and other encumbrances. All good stuff and really helped us along the way.

We made it to South Lodge in great spirits after a lovely day's ride. The sunshine did of course help and Paul and Antonio were thrilled to have completed the whole day without too many ill effects. Paul has since collected a remarkable £1090. A great contribution.

Day 2 started with a rather optimistic weather report that suggested the worst of the rain storms had passed. I set off in good spirits, but a little tentative at the thought of cycling right through the heart of London. After a few miles a gentle drizzle turned into a torrential rain storm. I did shelter under a tree for a little while hoping that it would pass but with no break in sight, I decided to carry on. My route took me up past Gatwick airport and then when the rain was at it worst I saw Box Hill looming on the horizon. Box Hill is of course on the 2012 Olympic road race route, however they will be climbing it 7 times which made my efforts look rather feeble. As the skies darkened, the rain got heavier and the road got steeper. At the summit I was soaking wet and breathing rather heavily but pleased that the worst hill of the day was out of the way.

I ploughed on along some rather busy roads to the outskirts of London. I found a wonderful bakery in Carshalton and replenished some of the lost calories with coffee, sausage rolls and buns. Miraculously the rain actually stopped, the sun appeared and the temperature soared. I took off and managed to link up with the Barclays SuperHighway at Merton which would take me into Southwark, through Clapham. It wasn’t a dedicated bike path and I had to share with buses and parked vans and cars but it did make an easy route to follow into the heart of the City. Once I got to Southwark Bridge I stopped to marvel at the amazing vista of the Thames overlooked by St Pauls Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and the Tower Bridge. London really does have the most amazing collection of historic sights and on a sunny afternoon it lifts the spirits just to sit and look.

I headed up through the City of London into Hackney, the scene of some of the street riots only a few days before, but thankfully now very quiet. I was heading for the Lea Valley and the tow path up the canal. The path was a rather soggy gravel and not really suited to the hybrid bike, but it was a pleasure to get away from the traffic for a while. I followed the path all the way up through Tottenham to Waltham Abbey. After a short detour when my GPS battery ran out, I stopped to have a welcome cup of tea and scone. I then rejoined the roads and headed up to Ware and the very welcome sight of Fanhams Hall, the end of the second leg. A hot bath and delicious dinner were more than welcome.

Day 3 started again with an erroneous weather forecast, which suggested I could have a dry run. I had to clean off the bike which was caked in a muddy layer from the Lea Valley path. I cycled right into the most torrential rain again and was decidedly fed up with being perpetually soaked. I have to say though that the Cycle Tours rain jackets proved their worth and did keep my upper body dry and warm, if the rest of me was completely soaked.

The route followed the periphery of London, through Welwyn Garden City and the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead before heading south through Gerrards Cross and into Slough and Windsor. Fortunately the rain stopped again in the afternoon and I managed to dry out. The climbs through the Chilterns proved a test, however some of the countryside and villages were stunning and made for an enjoyable ride when the rain did finally stop. Sitting on the bridge across the Thames in the centre of Windsor, I have to admit to an element of elation at having most of this leg completed. The final push through Windsor Great Park was very busy but the sight of Pennyhill Hotel was very welcome.

Day 4 I was joined by my cycling buddy Matt Carolan, who picked up the pace and continued through the day to complain about how slow I was cycling. After getting out of Camberley and off the busy A30 this is a lovely ride past Stratfield Saye (the home of the Duke of Wellington) and the roman ruins at Silchester. We found a great little cafe on the outskirts of Newbury for some lunch and then headed off into the Kennet and Avon Canal valley through Hungerford. Legs started to get very tired by the time we stopped at Marlborough and I knew the toughest part of the day still lay ahead.

The climb over the Marlborough Downs is long and steep but is rewarded at the top with the most amazing view over the countryside of Wiltshire. There were also rain clouds looming on the horizon so we headed on as fast as our legs would go. This was the toughest part of the trip with a headwind all the way and some very steep hills to climb. We did however finally cruise down the steep hill into Castle Coombe and the welcome sight of the Manor House Hotel. I have never been so relieved to reach a destination in my life. The Exclusive Hotels staff were once again most welcoming and made our stay in this luxurious spot, very enjoyable indeed.

Day 5 and the final leg. This morning we had lovely sunny weather and that made a most welcome change. The steep hill out of Castle Coombe got the heart rate up and after cycling through Harry Potters village (Laycock) we hit Bowden Hill or rather Bowden Hill hit us. A tough climb made even worse when a young lycra lad cruised past us with seemingly no effort at all. This was quickly followed by the Wessex Ridgeway, another long climb that really tested my tired legs. The wind was behind us though and the sun was out so that made life a lot easier.

The ride took us through the Salisbury Plain and down the River Avon valley. The final leg into Hampshire and into the Test Valley had some short steep climbs and made for tough riding. Finally though we reached Kings Somborne and the lane into Lainston House Hotel meant we had made it. My wife, Paul Morgan and Antonio were there to welcome us and Lainstons laid on the most delicious afternoon tea I have ever tasted. There was no guilt in helping myself to everything on offer.

So there we are. The challenge completed and thankfully without serious incident. My thanks to Paul, Anotonio, Sarah (+ friends), Louis and Matt for their support along the route. My special thanks to the Exclusive Hotel management and staff for their wonderful hospitality. Also thanks to all of you who sponsored Paul and I and we now have an accumulated total of £1500 between the two of us (70% Paul!). The 30thirty30 event has now collected over £80,000 for Macmillan Support and Exclusive Hotels have donated £30,000 to the Springboard charity. It has been a pleasure to be involved with an event that has generated so much.