Scot Mark Beaumont (pictured) aims to smash a world record and circumnavigate the globe by bike in 210 days, cycling 18,000 miles through 20 countries.
Following him on his journey, which began in Paris earlier this month, via his diaries and GPS tracker, is the perfect way to “do geography”, according to Val Vannet, his former teacher and head of geography at the High School of Dundee.
Mark’s route takes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and back to Europe. He is armed with a mobile phone, GPS tracker and a laptop, as well as digital audio and video recording equipment. The BBC is making a film documentary and has an online interactive documentary at www.bbc.co.ukpedallingaround, while Artemis and LDS, his main sponsors, are maintaining a website and web diary at www.artemisworldcycle.com.
Mrs Vannet, who is recording Mark’s progress through a blog at www.gmpay.blogspot.com, said: “Today, Mark has been pedalling through southern Poland and this morning his GPS tracker logged him in an intriguing rural landscape where there was a lesson in rural settlement patterns and meander features just asking to be taught and this is just Poland. I can only imagine what it will be like when he is crossing the Ganges plain. Here is a chance to do geography by re-engaging with place, to embrace ICT and citizenship, and to forge cross-curricular links.”
Mark hopes to finish his journey back in Paris in February. The world record holder, Steve Strange, completed his journey in 276 days.
