GREAT NORTH ROAD

In 1921, Britain’s most illustrious highway, the Great North Road, ceased to exist - on paper at least. A hundred years later, journalist and cyclist Steve Silk embraces the anniversary as the perfect excuse to set off on an adventure across 11 days and 400 miles. Travelling at a stately 14 miles per hour, he heads north, searching out milestones and memories, coaching inns and coffee shops. Seen from a saddle rather than a car seat, the road reveals traces of Britain’s remarkable past and glimpses of its future.