London: Mike steels himself for the journey around Britain's coastline - 'the most extraordinary adventure of my life' Photograph: Antonio Olmos/guardian.co.ukWalsingham, Norfolk: 'Every Wednesday at the Anglican Shrine, "England's Nazareth", pilgrims process around the gardens carrying aloft a statue of Mary, here passing under the three crosses representing Calvary'Photograph: Mike CarterMemorial to 158 Squadron, Lissett, East Yorkshire: 'This striking iron sculpture, the UK's only memorial to Bomber Command, stands by the side of a quiet lane on the former site of RAF Lissett. The names of Lissett's 851 fallen airmen are inscribed on the memorial'Photograph: Mike CarterAtwick, East Yorkshire: 'I camped at this site, though a fair way back from the edge! Coastal erosion in this part of Yorkshire is happening at an alarming rate. Clearly, the owner of the pitch nearest the edge thought the time to bail out had come'Photograph: Mike CarterWhitby, North Yorkshire: 'Whitby's whale bone arch reflects its former whaling fleet, which brought the town great wealth. Bram Stoker wrote much of Dracula in Whitby. The Count is said to have come ashore as a black dog and climbed the staircase to the abbey, seen in the middle of the picture'Photograph: Mike CarterMiddlesbrough, Teeside: 'River crossings were a big part of the trip. The Middlesbrough transporter bridge (or Tranny as it's sometimes called) was opened in 1911 and still carries the A178 across the Tees river on a gondola' Photograph: Mike CarterGarmouth, Speyside: 'More River Kwai than River Spey, this lovely old gantry bridge, now part of NCN1 linking Aberdeen and Inverness, was a casualty of the Government's Beeching Axe reshaping of the railways in the 60s'Photograph: Mike CarterJohn O'Groats: 'An official photograph costs £9.50 at John O'Groats. How do they ensure you don't take your own after they close at 5.30pm? They take the sign down'Photograph: Mike CarterDurness, Sutherland: 'John Lennon used to spend happy childhood holidays in the remote seaside town of Durness. In 2002, the town opened this lovely memorial garden. The stones are inscribed with famous Lennon lyrics'Photograph: Mike CarterIsle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides: 'I'd often see more sheep in a day than people in the Outer Hebrides. The landscapes and skies were immense. The mountains in the distance are in Harris'Photograph: Mike CarterCallanish, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides: 'Dating from 2,900BC, the origin of the Callanish Stones are subject to much speculation. A calender system, a place of human sacrifice and giants who were turned to stone as a punishment are all put forward as theories'Photograph: Mike CarterTaransay, Outer Hebrides: 'As seen from South Harris. Taransay hit the national headlines in 2000 when it starred in the BBC series Castaway. Cycling alongside wide, deserted beaches like this one was a staple of my time in Harris'Photograph: Mike CarterLoch na Keal, Isle of Mull: 'Wild camping has been legal in Scotland since the Land Reform Act of 2003. This was my favourite camping pitch of the whole trip. Spectacular sunset, nobody around for miles and a nice morning swim in the loch for a shower'Photograph: Mike CarterIsle of Mull: 'Look closely and you'll see a lone piper standing on top of the hill. I was cycling along in the middle of nowhere when the sound of Scotland the Brave started filling the air. I've heard that novice pipers are sent to the top of hills so their playing doesn't offend people. But he was very good'Photograph: Mike CarterLochgilphead, Argyll: 'When touring cyclists meet, there's always a lot to talk about. But this guy, Anders from northern Sweden, had a more interesting tale than most. He was cycling around the world, playing golf. Take a close look at his crossbar. Bonkers'Photograph: Mike CarterNear Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway: 'When you spend a lot of time alone on a bicycle, cows become your friends. All you have to do is pull over and they'll always come to the fence for a nose. The golf balls behind are part of a military listening station'Photograph: Mike Carterllanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglesey: 'It translates as 'The church of St Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St Tysilio's of the red cave'. Or, in modern terms, 'An opportunity to open souvenir shops and tea rooms based on a town with a very long name''Photograph: Mike CarterSt David's, Pembrokeshire: 'My new best mate, Jack Allen, the 74-year-old cyclist who was doing the same ride as me but in the opposite direction. We'd crossed paths at John O'Groats, and here we crossed again in Britain's smallest city. We ate it out of bacon'Photograph: Mike CarterSt Brides Bay, Pembrokeshire: 'I unfortunately caught the tail end of Hurricane Brian. Pembrokeshire was undoubtedly beautiful, but I was more concerned about not getting blown off the bike or washed away'Photograph: Mike CarterCardiff, Wales: 'I was still nursing a hairline fracture of the wrist after falling off in mid-Wales when I bumped into these young Christians at a set of traffic lights. They tied a balloon to my bike, then laid hands on my wrist, praying for God to heal me. Bizarrely, it seemed to work'Photograph: Mike CarterGnome Reserve, Bradworthy, Devon: 'It's not a great look for a round-Britain cyclist, but the owners of this magical place were adamant that the gnomes do not like hatless big people laughing at them. The reserve's wildflower garden, full of fairies, is equally enchanting'Photograph: Mike CarterLand's End, Cornwall: 'On a journey of many landmarks and turning points, Land's End felt like I was finally hitting the home straight'Photograph: Mike CarterFalmouth, Cornwall: 'I met Rory McPhee on the slipway. He offered to row me and the bike across the Carrick Roads to St Mawes, yet another act of kindness on the trip. His boat is a currach, a replica of an ancient Irish craft he'd built using larch laths, hazel rods and an artists' canvas hull'Photograph: Mike CarterWhitstable, Kent: 'Not sure whether oysters drizzled in Tabasco are good fuel for cycling, but it would have been a crime not to stop off at the legendary Crab and Winkle and sample them' Photograph: Mike CarterTower Bridge, London: 'The end of the road; the greatest, most enjoyable adventure of my life. Five months and 4,625 miles were the bare statistics, but it's the people I met and the stunning coastal landscapes that will live long in my memory'Photograph: Mike Carter
