Welsh man to cycle thousands of miles to follow swallows to Africa

A Welsh man is planning to cycle to Africa - to try to follow the path taken by the swallows that live in his shed as they migrate.

Edward Beverley-Jones is crowdfunding for his effort, which will take from October to March and cover more than 4,000 miles.

Edward, 43, a pond cleaner, says he will aim to set foot in Morocco, and is raising money for a local hospice in the process.

“I want to see where it is that my swallows go,” he told Wales Online.

“I keep all my pond equipment tools in a large old stone and timber barn in the countryside near Chepstow .

“I see the swallows swoop in in the spring, flutter about in the barn, make their nests, fly in and out to get their insect food from the nearby fields and woods and then gather with their young ready for their trip south.

“I watch and communicate with them all summer and then in the autumn I watch as they prepare their fledged young to make the journey to Africa,” he added.

“I started wondering about where they go and decided, well why not, I’ll follow their route to Africa. I haven’t been to Africa before.

“I plan to follow their course all the way there and as soon as I set foot in Tangier, in Morocco, I’ll head straight back.”

Unfortunately at the time of his idea, Edward said he had not been on a bike for 20 years.

But “I feel like I am fit enough,” he insisted.

“I feel like I am fit enough to get down their for the winter and come back with them for the spring.

“I just had this feeling, this calling, to do it.

“It is a personal ambition but I thought, ‘Why not do it for money?’

“Last year I lost a client to a brain tumour so in honour of him I am raising money for St David’s Hospice Care.

“It’s about 4,000 miles, but it will probably end up at least 5,000 and probably 7,000 if I go through Portugal.”

Unfortunately for Edward, although he planned to leave with the swallow, he thinks they might have gained a head start on him.

“I think the swallows are actually gone,” he said.

“I’ve been in the area they normally are and there was not a swallow in sight.

“Three days ago I saw them all lined up on telegraph poles.

“I think they have gone early, the swines. And I was going to get a headstart.

“Which means I am onto a loser, seeing as they have wings and I am on two wheels.

“I have no idea if I can do this,” he said.

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