Jenny Graham: Cycling Solo Across the World

Raised in the Highlands of Scotland, Jenny Graham didn’t discover sport until her twenties, yet eventually she grew into a life defined by adventure. In 2018, Jenny became the fastest woman to cycle around the world: 18,000 miles, solo and unsupported, across sixteen countries and every kind of terrain, climate, and chaos imaginable.

In this conversation, Jenny shares what really happens on the road, bison at midnight beneath the Northern Lights, lightning storms, kamikaze traffic, and the strange comfort of sleeping in public toilets. She opens up about the emotional process of writing her book, the creation of the Bà Event Series, her long-standing commitment to Torridon Mountain Rescue, and the deep connection she holds with the Scottish landscape. What follows is an honest, vivid look at what it means to push your limits, trust your instincts, and find home in the wild.

I grew up in the Highlands of Scotland, and although my world is now full of far-flung adventures, I definitely wasn’t showing any signs of sporting talent as a teen. In fact, I didn’t really get involved in any kind of sport until I was well into my twenties! By then I was a mum, so a lot of my early years were focused on family life. But having a childhood surrounded by wild, open spaces, building dens, riding bikes through the woods, and paddling in burns all planted a seed that would grow into the adventurous life I have now.

That ride was the adventure of a lifetime. In 2018 I set out to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world. 18,000 miles, solo and unsupported, in 124 days. I carried everything I needed on the bike, fixed my own mechanicals, found my own bed each night and navigated through sixteen countries. I was in my late thirties at the time, and my son was 18, and had just left school, so I had this window of freedom for the first time in my adult life, an opportunity to go a bit wild. The drive was to see how far I could go with my mind and body, and what might happen if I gave something absolutely everything.

It’s funny, there are loads of little things that start to wear you down out there: the weather, the constant need to charge kit, figuring out where you can sleep safely, or just finding enough food in remote places. And then there’s the wildlife, plenty of that to keep your imagination busy when you’re camping alone in the dark! But they all add to the adventure of what you're doing. Honestly, the biggest fear and the real danger was the motor traffic. Hands down. The close passes and hours spent on busy roads were the toughest part mentally and the part I was in the most danger. You can prepare for almost anything else, but when a lorry skims past at 70mph, that's the scary stuff!

There were loads! One night I found myself cycling through a herd of wood bison in the dark, coming down the Yukon, with the Northern Lights dancing above my head. It felt completely unreal, and soooo Canadian! Then there was the last stretch through Asia, about 36 hours that felt almost out of body. The dusty streets, the kamikaze traffic, the noise. I just had to find my flow and lean into it. Every sense was overloaded. And the people! I’d stop for water and women would come over, laughing, squeezing my dusty thighs, insisting I stay for lunch. Then there were the crazy lightning storms crossing the Prairies where I’d sit for hours hidden in the woods waiting for it to pass, or the nights in the southern hemisphere when I’d end up sleeping in public toilets to get out of the storms... that somehow started to feel normal. The whole thing was beautifully surreal.

Yes! My mum and stepdad actually transcribed all my audio diaries for me during lockdown, which was an incredible effort on their part! That gave me the framework to hang the book from. But listening back to them, and trying to put the stories into written word was a lot. It was really emotionally taxing - probably more so that the ride itself! When you come back from something that raw, you quickly start telling the big hitter stories- the ones people love hearing- and you let all the smaller, messier moments fade away. Writing the book meant I couldn’t hide from any of that. I had to dig into every last feeling and thought, to really pull it all apart. But now that it’s done and the dust has settled, I can see it was a brilliant process. It let me properly process everything and make sense of the whole experience.

The Bà Event Series is made up of two MONSTER Highland challenges - The Bà Sportive and The Bà Duathlon. The sportive is a 90-mile road ride through some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery, and includes a closed road section on the legendary pass - The Bealach na Bà. The duathlon takes it up a notch. It starts with an 18-mile mountain trail run before joining the same cycle route. They run simultaneously making it really social - this year we had camping and a ceilidh too which went down a treat!

Maybe it’s a hangover from those endless Russian highways, but I feel really strongly about creating spaces where people can move without motor traffic, so when friends were looking for someone to take over their sportive. I couldn’t resist - the idea of running an event on one of Scotland’s finest roads, free from traffic, was too good to pass up. Once I got stuck in, I saw the potential to grow it and bring in a whole new crowd, which is how the duathlon was born. The events take place on the first weekend of September 2026 (the 5th), and entries open on 31st October. If you fancy a proper Highland adventure, head to theba.net for all the details.

I’ve been part of the Torridon Mountain Rescue Team for about twelve years now, and they’re actually supporting The Bà events, which is really special!! I can’t really remember what first attracted me to join. I think I just felt like I had solid mountain skills and wanted to put them to good use. It’s an incredible team, we train together at least once a month, and the level of skill within the group is phenomenal.

Definitely. When you see first-hand how quickly things can change in the hills, it makes you more thoughtful about planning and decision-making. You never lose your appetite for adventure, but you do get a sharper sense of respect for the environment and conditions.

We’re all volunteers and rely entirely on funding to make sure we can reach those in need as quickly as possible. So if you’re looking for a brilliant cause to support, please consider us. You can find out more at torridonmrt.org.uk/support-us.

I think probably Assynt. It speaks to my soul that place.

Whether you’re dreaming of your own challenge or simply needing a spark of inspiration, Jenny’s journey shows that incredible things can happen when you give something absolutely everything. If you’re tempted to experience a slice of her world for yourself, the Bà Event Series returns on September 5th, 2026, and entries open 31st October. And if you’d like to support the vital work of the Torridon Mountain Rescue Team, you can learn more at torridonmrt.org.uk/support-us.