A KEEN cyclist pedalled for 12 hours around East Lothian town and villages... in alphabetical order.

Peter Hardie, from Tranent, took a town, village or tourist attraction for each letter of the alphabet and cycled between each one in alphabetical order.

He completed the challenge on Friday, July 24, cycling 137 miles in 12 hours and 14 minutes, a faster time than expected.

He initially expected to cycle 145 miles but, after finding some shortcuts, he shaved eight miles off his total distance.

He left his house in the town’s Windygoul area at 4.09am, finishing at the zebra crossing near Tranent’s Co-op store at 4.24pm.

Apart from grass getting stuck in the chain of his mountain bike, the ride went off without a hitch and both man and bike made it to the finishing line in one piece, enjoying the views along the way.

Peter told the Courier: “I’m still mentally tired. Afterwards I could walk round the corner but I couldn’t be bothered.

“I got lucky that I didn’t get any injuries. I think all my preparation worked. I’m pleased, really pleased.

“I kept passing golf courses and I am a keen golfer so was wishing I could be playing golf instead!”

To train for the challenge, Peter took parts of the route, for example letters A-H, and practised the cycle, figuring out his route, if there were any shortcuts and any undiscovered hidden roads.

One hurdle he did have to face was the road between West Fenton and Gullane being closed, meaning he had to get off his bike and walk around the barriers.

On his journey, Peter visited Aberlady, Ballencrieff, Cockenzie, Drem, East Fortune, Fenton Barns, Gullane, Haddington, Ivory Clothing in Haddington, John Muir Country Park, Kingston, Longniddry, Macmerry, New Winton, Ormiston, Prestonpans, Queen Margaret University, Royal Musselburgh Golf Club, Seton Sands, Tranent, Ugston, Votadini in East Linton, Whitekirk, Lennoxlove House (representing ‘X’) and Yester Castle before finishing at the zebra crossing.

When the Courier published an article on July 16 previewing Peter’s challenge, he had not decided on a place for the letter ‘I’.

He said that he debated visiting Inveresk but said doing so would add several more miles.

He added: “I was worried about how long I would be out for.

“I just thought that if I can find a place in Haddington [that starts with the letter ‘I’] then that could save a lot of miles and give myself a bit of easiness.”

Peter said that the challenge was also inspired by a person who had travelled on all of the buses in Edinburgh, a challenge that “always stayed in my head”.

He raised money for the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, where his partner works.

So far he has raised more than £1,000, double his initial £500 target, with his employers HSBC also donating £1,000, meaning that more than £2,000 will be handed over to the hospital.

Peter said: “I never went out of my way to say I was doing this challenge, please go and support me, but I’m delighted with how it’s gone.”

On doing the challenge again but potentially with different places, Peter said that he had not thought about it but was considering doing a different cycling challenge.

To support Peter, visit give.everydayhero.com/uk/peters-a-z-east-lothian-crazy-cycle-challenge