BERNIE Friend is anxious. Not in a regular nagging did I leave the iron on kind of way', his anxiety is much bigger and better than that.

He has the kind of doubts and concerns that cramp his stomach, twist his guts and leave him gasping for breath at the mere thought of leaving his Leigh home for foreign shores.

Hardly the characteristics for a budding travel writer.

But they are the very reasons Bernie found himself on a bike tackling the longest cycle track in the world - the 6,000km North Sea Cycle route last year.

"I always wanted an adventure," he says, "but whenever I left home I got travel phobic - sickness, cramps the lot and overwhelming thoughts that something terrible was going happen would take over."

But now he is a fully fledged adventurer and has written a book Cycling Back to Happiness which chronicles his expedition, charting both his personal and geographical journey as he travels through the Netherlands, Germany, Demark, Sweden, and beyond.

The 36-year-old journalist had strong motivation for conquering his former crippling fears, a double tragedy which saw both his mother Marylyn, 56, and his mother-in-law Marion West, 52, die of brain tumours within months of each other.

"It was hard enough seeing my mum go through that," admits Bernie, "When we found out Kate's mum had a tumour it was like Groundhog day. We were visiting the same hospital, the same wards.

"They were both in the prime of their lives and should have been enjoying their time, going off on cruises and the like.

"It was after watching them I thought if they can face that sort of thing head on then I could go and do this trip'. I decided life was too short to let my anxiety stop me.

"With any anxiety or fear you have to fight it and when you do you will be that little bit stronger."

Despite the bravado of that statement Bernie admits is was still a difficult decision, not least that it would mean leaving behind wife Kate, 28, and the security his rock' afforded.

Despite her explosive initial reaction to news of the trip Kate supported Bernie to the full: " I knew it would be hard for us to be apart but I really wanted him to do it for him.

Although she adds with a laugh: "I really did think he would be home three days later though."

There was a method in Bernie's so called madness for selecting that particular route for his adventure however.

He explains:"I stumbled across the route when I was surfing the internet at work and thought this is something I might actually be able to achieve.

"Even though it seemed far away, it was still relatively close to home and all of the ferry ports on the route actually pointed to home so I knew I had an escape route if needed."

Amazingly, Bernie's preparation for the gruelling 6,000km trip was cycling to and from work in Basildon for two weeks prior to departure - a round trip of just 26 miles - literally a drop in the ocean compared to the 3,750 miles that lay before him.

"I had never really cycled before," he smiles, " not since my old man let go of my saddle as I went round the Eastern Electricity car park.

"But I knew my legs were quite strong from playing football, so I was more confident than if it had been my arms as I have the top half of a pigeon."

Having written 300 letters asking for support from local businesses in Leigh and securing the help of just two, Richardson's Cycles providing the essential bike and Top Gear a tent and accessories, the day dawned for the start of Bernie's adventure.

"The day never felt like it was coming," he recalls, "I got up at four in the morning that day to leave. It felt weird that I was going to do this and I just didn't want to bail out."

"But when I arrived in the Netherlands and stepped off the ferry I had no fear at all and it just felt really liberating."

That feeling of euphoria soon passed though until Bernie was joined two weeks into his adventure by friend, fellow cycling novice and self confessed hermit Rhys Chisam, of Rayleigh.

Side by side they pedalled the section of route that took them from Germany, via Denmark to Sweden, experiencing life changing moments along the way.

In his book Bernie recalls the highs and lows of his emotions alongside the weird, wacky and often wonderful sites the pair encountered - from arm wrestling drunken trawler men to a host of hostel owners ranging from the good, the bad and the just plain ugly.

"It has changed me completely," Bernie says " Every country was so diverse and the people I met along the way were fantastic. Strangers who would feed me and let me pitch my tent in the their garden even though we had only just met.

"And even those that invited me into their home to stay. Some people might see that as naive on their part. But I think it is beautiful and just friendship in its truest sense."

Bernie adds: "People tend to think of adventures as jetting off to Thailand or America. But there is so much on our own doorstep and the most amazing thing is I got all that way using just my body. It was therapy on two wheels."

Once back in Leigh, Bernie faced the next challenge of writing the book about his adventures.

"It was the hardest thing I have ever done," he admits.

"But even though the start of the story has a tragic foundation, it is meant to be funny and humorous.

"Essentially though it is about the things that helped to put a smile back on my face."

  • Cycling Back to Happiness by Bernie Friend is available to buy from today (April 28) priced £8.99 from all book stores, or Amazon.co.uk Bernie will be signing copies of the book at Waterstones in Southend, on Saturday, May 3, between noon and 2pm, and Waterstones in Basildon, on Saturday, May 10, between noon and 2pm.