What to pack when cycling the length of the country? Over the last few days I’ve been trying to refine my kit list to minimise weight whilst also (hopefully) ensuring I have everything I need. As I am cycling solo and unsupported I need to fit everything into my two rear Ortlieb panniers. I could have opted for more load carrying options on the bike, but I decided that limiting myself would force a degree of discipline; I dare say if I had front panniers too the coffee maker might have made the cut! Because I am staying at Youth Hostels and B&Bs I don’t need to worry about carrying any camping kit, which also helps with the minimalist approach.

The photo above is pretty much the final version. At the end I’ll update this post with a view of how close I was to getting it right!

· Cycling Kit – I packed 3 sets. I will be able to access laundry facilities en route so I should be able to recycle (pun intended). I have a huge degree of confidence in the British weather so I will be wearing cycling shorts exclusively and I only have one long sleeved cycling top. I also only have a very light waterproof. I have pretty much accepted that if it rains I will be getting wet. Finally, my cycling shoes (SPDs) are the only shoes I am taking. A pair for the evening would have been a nice luxury, but shoes are just too bulky.

· Non-cycling clothing – I have a pair of trousers (that transform to shorts), 3 t-shirts and a fleece. That’s about it!

· Bike maintenance – Perhaps a gamble, but again I have erred on minimalism. I have two spare inner tubes, which seems enough to start with given I had no punctures in 1000 miles of training. Clearly I have jinxed it now so I fully expect to have a double puncture within sight of Land’s End…. I also have a quick link and chain tool so I can fix simple broken chains. Other than that, if it can’t be fixed with a multi-tool then I will be walking to the nearest pub!

· Food and drink – I will have 3 bottles on the bike with the option of a further one in a pannier, which I’ll fill if I’m cycling a long stint. For hydration I’ll dedicate one of the bottles to SIS electrolyte, which is a ratio that seemed to work in training. I’ll be buying food as I go, but I intend to have plenty of emergency Wine Gums and Mars Bars with me at all times. Things get slow and painful when you suddenly need sugar and it is 10 miles to the nearest shop.

· Medical – Factor 30 and Chamois cream. I’ll try not to get them mixed up. I’m not taking anything more substantial on the basis that if I’m not well enough to cycle to a chemist then I probably shouldn’t be cycling at all.

· Gadgets – My Garmin 800 has the route programmed in. I would be literally lost without it. For photos and videos I’ll be using a GoPro with handlebar mount. For entertainment I have my Kindle. Frustratingly, none of these devices use the same charging cable!