Epic cycling trip by graduates captured in ebook

Nina Jenkin (PGCE with Mathematics 2004) was following in the tracks of her father, Roy Jenkin, who was also an Exeter graduate (Physics 1953).

Roy cycled more than 2,000 miles over six weeks across France, Switzerland and Germany in the summer of 1953, just after completing his finals. He and a school friend slept in potting sheds and hay barns and spent just £24 and 15 shillings on the whole trip.

Roy kept a detailed diary of his journey, telling tales of horses and carts, washing in canals and buying milk straight from the cow.

“I found his tale of chance, joy and adventure gripping,” said Nina. “He recounts everything from the exciting to the mundane, and the hand-drawn maps and photographs added a unique personal element, which brought the story to life for me.”

So detailed was the information that Nina decided to complete the journey herself, 50 years after her Dad had set off on his adventure. She and a friend Simon Rawles wanted to commemorate Roy, who had died of cancer in 1983.

The pair set off on their journey, using the journal and photos to follow the same route and even coming across some of the people who had met her father on that original journey five decades earlier.

Nina kept a diary of her own and the book, A Tour de France for my Father, draws from and builds upon the experiences of both father and daughter. It’s now available as an ebook on Amazon.

Roy’s original journal and the photographs that he took along the way can be seen on Nina’s website.