A DARING mother-of-two who cycled more than 10,000 miles through 20 countries has written a new book about her inspirational, year-long adventure.

In 2009, Ulverston's Ann Wilson, then 59 years old, had become so inspired by a memoir of a woman who completed a similar trip in the eighties, she decided to give up her job, pack her bags and hop on her bicycle in search of her very own odyssey.

The Lightburn Avenue resident kept a diary of her travels from the 10,382-mile trip, which took her across three continents, and is now the proud author of Mainly by Bike, a Senior Cyclist Tours the World , documenting her 13-month adventure.

The Barrow-born mother said: "I was 59 and I had been given a book about another lady who did a similar trip I decided to leave work and do it myself as I wasn't getting any younger.

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"It seemed like a good adventure

"All the time I was being asked by people if I would write a book, and then I got something published in a book called To Oldly Go which was full of short stories from people including Matthew Parris and a lot of other journalists and I got great feedback.

"I met a couple of publishers who were very encouraging and so I've just done it myself but hired an illustrator and a copy editor to help."

The book documents Mrs Wilson's travels, from early beginnings in Calais, the theft of her £3,000 bike in Bulgaria, to her being nursed back to health in Malaysia by a Chinese family after falling ill in India.

"My favourite place was Iran because the people were just so wonderful.

"The scenery was fabulous, it was just beautiful.

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"I never know where I'm sleeping but I carry camping equipment in case and I get the best map I can and just work out where I want to ride.

"I just follow the front wheel, I enjoy life on the road."

Mrs Wilson's book can be bought from local bookshops and bike shops and is also available on Amazon.

She will be attending a series of author events to help promote the memoir:

Ulverston library on November 29 at 2pm

Barrow Library, November 27 at 2pm

Grange Library December 5 at 2.30pm

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