End to End without leaving the house: Platform launches virtual Ride Across Britain

If you've ever fancied riding from Land's End to John o' Groats – the UK's famed 'End to End' – but would struggle to find the time, the fitness or the cash to make it happen, the answer could lie in a new release from online riding platform Rouvy.

As a partner of the Babble Ride Across Britain event, held over nine days in September, Rouvy has released seven sections of the route that anyone can ride at home to get a taste of the real thing.

The 'VRAB' (virtual Ride Across Britain) sections range from Bodmin Moor in Cornwall to the Cairngorms in Scotland, and vary in length from 14km to 42.5km.

As per Rouvy's USP, they are presented in 'augmented reality' using video of real scenery combined with the sort of digital rider avatars that you might already be familiar with from other platforms.

"From picturesque Cornish villages to challenging Scottish mountain passes, each pedal stroke will take riders on a virtual tour through Britain's cycling heritage," says Rouvy.

The official VRAB challenge will takes place from January 29 to March 3 and includes the following sections: 

Bodmin Moor: 25.7km / 532m climbing

Cheddar Gorge: 32.6km / 422m

Wye Valley: 31km / 454m

Glenshee: 42.5km / 671m

The Lecht: 14.8km / 405m

Cairngorms National Park: 27km / 352m

Strathnaver Valley: 40.8km / 357m

As a small incentive, Rouvy will award an in-app Virtual Ride Across Britain jersey to those completing every stage, and they will also be able to enter a draw to win a Wattbike Ultimate Bundle worth £299.

While the challenge ends on March 3, the routes will remain on the platform to be ridden going forward.

Rouvy, based in the Czech Republic, relaunched back in October with a sharper look and enhancements to the user experience. It promised to have ironed out past glitches and urged, 'give us another try'.

The IRL Ride Across Britain is put on by Threshold Sports and sponsored by Babble and will be held over nine stages from September 7-15. Entrants can choose to ride England or Scotland sections or the whole route, with charity entry packages starting at £499 for the nine days.