Episode 04: The Adventure Syndicate’s Source to Sea Adventure

The Adventure Syndicate are a collective of women adventure cyclists who aim to inspire, enable and encourage.

This episode, we’re joined by Adventure Syndicate directors Lee Craigie and Jenny Graham, both of whom are outstanding individuals in their own right. Put them together, add a team with incredible creative power and vision, and you’ve got the makings of a ground-breaking adventure.

Lee is an athlete-turned-adventurer; she was the 2013 National Champion, represented Team GB at European and World Championships, and Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. She holds the women’s record for the Highland Trail 550 and has ridden the Tour Divide, the Silk Road Mountain Race and the Colorado Trail Race.

Jenny holds the women’s Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation of the planet by bike, solo and unsupported, and she’s also completed a raft of other adventures and races like the Arizona Trail Race and the Cairngorm Loop, plus completed Lands End to John O’Groats in 4 days, unsupported, in the depths of winter!

Jenny and Lee share the story of Source to Sea, their 2021 adventure that weaves together sustainability and storytelling, inviting us to share the ride (and paddle) as they navigate from the source of three iconic Scottish rivers, riding and paddling their length on bikes and inflatable pack-rafts, right down until the river reaches the sea.

(When you listen to the podcast, you’ll notice Jenny and Lee refer to four rivers; this was the original plan, before COVID threw a spanner in the works!)

Source to Sea is being supported by Trek UK, Alpkit, Ride with GPS and DMBinS, and we have to also highlight that Lee and Jenny are working with the incredible singer/songwriter/storyteller Julie Fowlis. Schools and community groups can get involved in Match the Miles, where groups attempt to match (or beat!) the mileage of Jenny and Lee; it’s also a great way to encourage more people to walk or ride rather than getting in a car.

They also discuss what makes a good adventure, the transformative power it can have, what the Adventure Syndicate is all about, and how their vision isn’t just about having amazing adventures, but also about sharing them, and encouraging others to get their adventure on too.