Joshua Moodie, 22, is about to set off on a 25,000km bikepacking trip from the UK to Russia’s Pacific coast. His 26-country route will weave south through Europe and Central Asia and then north through Russia and Mongolia. He plans to complete the journey within a year.
Moodie will begin at Land’s End in Cornwall — the southern tip of the UK that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean — on September 14. After a brief ride through southern England, a family friend will pick him up in a sailboat and transfer him to France, near the Belgian border. He has chosen a southern route across Europe, passing through the Austrian Alps and into the Dolomites before continuing along the Mediterranean coast.
He also plans to stay close to the Mediterranean as he travels through Turkey, in hopes of warmer temperatures and better weather. In Azerbaijan, he will take a ferry across the Caspian Sea and then cycle through Central Asia before turning north.
Moodie says he has been planning this trip for about a year, but his route is not set in stone. On his website, his mapped route involves skirting China and turning north into Russia from Kazakhstan, then riding through Mongolia, before a stint in China and another section in Russia’s Far East, finishing at the Pacific Ocean.
Joshua Moodie’s planned route. Photo: The Long Ride East
Russia or China?
Asked about potential difficulties of cycling in Russia, Moodie didn’t seem worried.
“It is still possible. A lot of British nationals still travel to Russia. In the media, I have been asked a lot about Russia; it’s a big thing for us here. Russia has taken the headlines, which is a shame because there are 20-odd other countries on my route,” he explained. “The concern with northwestern China is that there is a lot of Muslim persecution, and it is quite strict.” However, he stressed that he will decide about this section once he is in Kazakhstan.
While it is still possible for British citizens to enter Russia, there have been a couple of high-profile arrests since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. In 2022, Russian authorities arrested British explorer Charlie Walker while he was on an expedition in Siberia, and he spent a month in detention. Last year, French cyclist Sofiane Sehili spent two months in prison, though he had ignored border rules that only allowed bus and train traffic at his chosen crossing point.
Moodie and his bike. Photo: Joshua Moodie
A flexible route and schedule
This is Moodie’s first long-distance cycle ride, and nearly all of the countries will be new to him. “This route is so exciting because there are many places I’ve wanted to visit and haven’t had a chance to yet,” he said.
Moodie plans to avoid hotels and will camp as he travels. He will be carrying 30 to 35kg of gear in his panniers, including camera gear to film a documentary, and aims to finish within a year. The self-imposed timeline is partly because of the seasons — Moodie doesn’t want to have to overwinter somewhere — and partly to ensure his money lasts.
However, as with his route, the schedule could change as he travels. “I want to keep flexibility for more of an adventure feel on the road…it’s going to be incredible,” he says.
