A WOMAN will travel across seven countries on her bike to raise money for a Cumbrian charity.

28-year-old Hongkonger Zael Ligertwood will be taking on a mammoth cycling challenge for the Lake District Calvert Trust.

Taking on a distance of 1,500km with this ‘bike-packing’ challenge, Zael will also be entering her first ever London Marathon.

Zael moved to the UK at the age of 10, growing up in Keswick, and volunteered at Calvert Stables in her teenage years.

While her education took her to London in 2012, Zael retained close ties to Keswick and regularly returns to visit her family.

Zael said through her work as a teacher in London, she appreciates the importance of outdoor adventure and is inspired by the challenging, life-changing adventures the Lake District Calvert Trust provides for people with disabilities.

Her 20-day bike-packing adventure will start in Serres, Greece and finish in Zadar, Croatia.

Along the way she will take in Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia.

Zael said: “It’s going to be a massive challenge, but compared to the challenges disabled children face every day it’s nothing at all.

“Unfortunately, adventuring in the outdoors has become a privilege, not a right, and many do not feel welcome or cannot access nature’s mental and physical benefits.

“Research (from The Guardian) shows that three-quarters of UK children spend more time indoors than prisoners, and children living in deprived areas are nine times less likely to access green spaces than children in affluent areas.

“We need to open up these beautiful places and enlivening activities to all - and that’s exactly what the Lake District Calvert Trust does.”

Julia Metcalf, community fundraiser at the Lake District Calvert Trust, said: “We are so grateful to Zael - and to all our fundraisers. 

“At a time when the cost-of-living crisis is impacting disproportionately on disabled people the opportunities we provide simply wouldn’t be possible without their support.”

To support Zael visit justgiving.com/fundraising/zael-ligertwood.

READ MORE: Shadow authority incumbent calls for stricter road safety regulations