It's the UK's version of the End to End a tough test of endurance covering hundreds of miles of often rugged terrain.

Land's End, the southern most tip of the UK, to John O'Groats, at the top of the UK, typically takes walkers anywhere between two and three months and cyclists between ten and fourteen days. The running record, according to Wikipedia, is nine days.

So James McCulloch has a challenge on his hands more so, because not only has he had triple heart-bypass surgery, he is also an amputee.

Mr. McCulloch is due to start his 1,000 mile journey this weekend when he sets off on his bike from Land's End. He expects to take six to eight weeks to complete his journey during which time he also hopes to raise thousands of dollars for Age Concern Bermuda.

But 18 months ago it was a completely different story he had been taken to Johns Hopkins hospital where he underwent triple heart by-pass surgery.

"It leaves you feeling very weak and feeble, you can't tie your own shoelaces," he said.

During his rehabilitation, he was treated at the Cardiac Recovery Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where they encouraged him to exercise, getting him to do a little bit more every time.

"So you start off very small from walking just a couple of hundred yards, and the next day a little bit further."

As an amputee, who lost his leg in a road traffic accident many years ago, he found that walking wasn't the way to go, so he bought a second hand bike and decided to cycle instead.

"I didn't get very far, but as the days and weeks wore on, I got further and further and then decided wouldn't it be rather nice if I could keep on going at this rate to do something that is recognisable.

"Something like Land's End to John O'Groats, which in the UK certainly is the marathon of all cycle rides."

Last year he retired at the age of 63 and decided to make use of what time and facilities he had to do something like this. And when he joined the board of Age Concern, as its director and treasurer, he thought of doing something for them.

Mr. McCulloch reckons he's able to cycle about 35 miles a day and is hoping to do that for at least five days out of every week. "If I do that in the UK, I'll probably get finished in six to eight weeks.

"I have a few rest days planned, but it is a very long time and all types of things can go wrong with the bike, or with me or the traffic.

"I don't see it as being a race, and I ought to tell you that there are some fit young men... who could probably do this thing in about 15 days. I can't possibly do that and many of them also have a support vehicle and they have a very lightweight speedy bicycle.

"So if they get a flat tyre somebody from the support vehicle leaps out, puts on a new wheel, pats them on the head and off they go again. But if I get a flat tyre, I have to turn the bike upside down and do all the things we used to do as a child, and hope it isn't raining."

"Although I have no support vehicle, I do have friends and family along the way, so they'll come out every now and again and wave or give me a cup of tea, or I might even spend lunchtime with them for a picnic, which is great, because the rest of it is just you and the tarmac."

Doing it without a support group also means carrying a lot of weight. "So everything will be in panniers on the bike," he said. "I have been practising with text books to make it weigh as much as it will weigh with all my clothes, tools and spare tyres."

Mr. McCulloch will be staying clear of the main UK roads and spending time on quieter country lanes.

"I'll go through the Lake District, which is where I was born. That's beautiful. Then into Scotland, which is bleak, but beautiful, and there will be very little by way of company, so it'll be nice to be visited by friends. A friend of mine, from Bermuda, is planning to be in John O'Groats when I reach it and that will be wonderful as well."

He added: "I figure we now know more about diet and exercise, the ageing process, what to eat, and if we do take advantage of it, we can eventually do things that we never thought you would be able to do.

"I never thought that I could ride 35 miles and now I know I can, but I hope I can encourage others to feel the same way."

To donate visit www.ageconcern.bm or see his blog at www.jamesmcculloch1000.wordpress.com