A couple of muddy mountain biking weekends in Wales with the evenings spent reading Robin Neilland's Walking through France whilst wet gear dried in front of a crackling fire, followed by daily doses of Channel 4's coverage of the Tour de France in July 1989 inspired Stephen Fox to attempt his first bicycle tour a month later, a 600 mile coast to coast charity ride across France from Caen to Montpellier.
Smitten ever since, he has cycled extensively in France and also central Italy, where he lived for several years. In 2001 he completed a challenging and exhilarating cycle tour of Norway's spectacular Lofoten Islands situated 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
He now lives in southern England with his wife and daughter, and works in the photographic industry as well as being a freelance writer and photographer.
