Rob Lilwall
Encyclopedia
Rob 'Ron' Lilwall is a British
-born adventurer, speaker and author.
Lilwall went to school in London and Shropshire
(Shrewsbury School) and then studied geography for 4 years at Edinburgh University. After completing his PGCE at Oxford University, he taught geography for two years at Larkmead School
in Abingdon, before quitting his job, and flying to the north-eastern Siberia
n city of Magadan
with his bicycle Alanis (named after singer songwriter Alanis Morissette
) and setting off to ride back home. The journey of over 30,000 miles (50,000 kilometres) through 28 countries eventually took him over three years (2004-2008) and took him on detours through Papua New Guinea
, Australia
, Tibet
, Afghanistan
and Iran
.
His first book "Cycling Home From Siberia" was published in August 2009 by Hodder & Stoughton
, to excellent reviews from the British Press. A television series about the journey, using Lilwall's original camcorder footage, was made by National Geographic in 2009. The series consists of six 24 minute episodes. It was broadcast in Australia on the Nat Geo Adventure Channel starting Sunday, 7 December 2009. The DVD of the series is available directly from Lilwall.
Rob is good friends with Alastair Humphreys
, a similar adventurer type, whom he met at university. His adventures in Siberia are also documented in Alastair's book of his cycling around the world, a trip which took 4 years.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born adventurer, speaker and author.
Lilwall went to school in London and Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
(Shrewsbury School) and then studied geography for 4 years at Edinburgh University. After completing his PGCE at Oxford University, he taught geography for two years at Larkmead School
Larkmead School
Larkmead School is a state secondary school situated on Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It is one in a four-way partnership of Abingdon schools known as 14:19 Abingdon. The other members are John Mason School, Fitzharrys School and Abingdon and Witney College...
in Abingdon, before quitting his job, and flying to the north-eastern Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n city of Magadan
Magadan
Magadan is a port town on the Sea of Okhotsk and gateway to the Kolyma region. It is the administrative center of Magadan Oblast , in the Russian Far East. Founded in 1929 on the site of an earlier settlement from the 1920s, it was granted the status of town in 1939...
with his bicycle Alanis (named after singer songwriter Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
) and setting off to ride back home. The journey of over 30,000 miles (50,000 kilometres) through 28 countries eventually took him over three years (2004-2008) and took him on detours through Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
His first book "Cycling Home From Siberia" was published in August 2009 by Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, to excellent reviews from the British Press. A television series about the journey, using Lilwall's original camcorder footage, was made by National Geographic in 2009. The series consists of six 24 minute episodes. It was broadcast in Australia on the Nat Geo Adventure Channel starting Sunday, 7 December 2009. The DVD of the series is available directly from Lilwall.
Rob is good friends with Alastair Humphreys
Alastair Humphreys
Alastair Humphreys, an English cyclist, adventurer, author and motivational speaker, was born in 1977. Having completed a four-year bicycle journey around the world, he is currently preparing for SOUTH, the first unsupported return journey on foot to the South Pole.Humphreys began his epic journey...
, a similar adventurer type, whom he met at university. His adventures in Siberia are also documented in Alastair's book of his cycling around the world, a trip which took 4 years.
External links
- Rob Lilwall's official website
- "Cycling Home From Siberia" - review in Telegraph
- Man's Cycle from Siberia a Spiritual Journey - Christian World News
- S6 "Talking Points" : Rob Lilwall, Cyclist and Adventurer - Hutchesons' Grammar School
- Perjalanan Spiritual Rob Lilwall Berkeliling Dunia Dengan Sepeda - JawabaNews