It will soon be Auf Wiedersehen, Au Revoir and Adios to four friends preparing to cycle the length of Europe.

Hereford-based brothers Sam Prestwich, 19, and 18-year-old James will be joined by Alec Bain and Tom Pryor, both 20, for a 40-day adventure from Europe’s most northerly point in Nordkapp, Norway, to its most southerly tip in Tarifa, Spain.

The friends are raising money for St Michael’s Hospice near Hereford, and Hospiscare in Devon.

‘We are hoping to do about 100 miles a day,’ said Sam, who went to Bishop’s School in Hereford along with his brother.

‘We always wanted to cycle in Europe, although mountain biking is what we love.

‘It’s exciting now but it will get daunting the closer we get to going.’

Tom moved from Hereford nine years ago, and has known the brothers all his life. Alec is a friend he has met in Devon.

Both Sam and James know people who have been cared for by St Michael’s, which is based in Bartestree.

An auntie of theirs died of cancer and, although this wasn’t at St Michael’s, they say it has made them aware of the importance of family support and end-of-life care.

The group has called the trip ‘It’s All Downhill From Here’.

They set off on Monday, 3rd July.

Their adventure will see them travel south from Nordkapp in Norway, through countries including Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Spain.

In total the group will travel 3,600 miles.

For further information or to sponsor them, visit http://bit.ly/2siwtrD

The group also has a blog here https://itsalldownhillfromhere.com