08/09/2026
🚴 LONDON TO PARIS – THE JOURNEY BEGINS! 🇬🇧➡️🇫🇷
Two members of the Seapower Marine team, Lindsay Rufford and Gwyneth Flaherty, set off from Ipswich this morning to begin what promises to be quite an adventure – cycling from London to Paris. And in true British fashion, their journey started in the pouring rain! 🌧️
Today was the relatively easy part – travelling from Ipswich to London. After a briefing at The Clarendon Hotel in Blackheath this evening, there will be an early night before the real challenge begins at 6.00am tomorrow morning.
Over the next four days, Lindsay and Gwyneth will cover around 278 miles:
🚴 Wednesday: Blackheath to Dover – 85 miles
⛴️ Ferry to Calais, followed by a short ride to the hotel
🚴 Thursday: Calais to Abbeville – 76 miles
🚴 Friday: Abbeville to Beauvais – 65 miles
🚴 Saturday: Beauvais to Paris – 52 miles 🇫🇷
🥐 Sunday: A very well-earned day in Paris before returning to Ipswich on the Eurostar that evening.
But for Gwyneth, Seapower Marine’s accountant, this challenge has a particularly special meaning.
In October 2025, Gwyneth’s mother suffered a stroke. Sadly, after suffering a second stroke at the end of November, she passed away on 4th December 2025.
Gwyneth has always enjoyed running and, at the beginning of this year, was persuaded – to take on the Chelmsford Marathon. As part of her training, she began cycling with Rufford as her buddy rider. One thing led to another, and before long the idea of cycling from London to Paris was born. Rufford, a keen cyclist himself and rarely one to turn down a challenge, decided he was coming too!
Gwyneth is taking on these challenges in memory of her mother and to raise funds for the Stroke Association, helping to support other people and families whose lives have been affected by stroke. ❤️
If you would like to support Gwyneth, you can donate through her fundraising page here:
https://sl1nk.com/mc1wnz9
Every donation, however large or small, will help support a cause that means so much to Gwyneth and families affected by stroke.
We will be following Lindsay and Gwyneth’s progress and posting an update each day as they make their way towards Paris.
Tomorrow: Blackheath to Dover – 85 miles and a 6.00am start. 🚴💨
Good luck Gwyneth and Rufford – the whole Seapower Marine team is behind you! 👏
