Two staff at Wadworth Brewery in Devizes are recreating the route cycled by founder Henry Wadworth from London to Bath in 1869, in aid of Sports Relief.

Henry was one of the first people to ride a bicycle down the Bath road, and his epic journey was undertaken on his new bicycle complete with wooden spokes and iron tyres.

Henry took two-and-half days to make his trip and Chris Jones and Daniel Jesse from the Wadworth IT department plan to make the journey in the slightly shorter time of two days.

They are being accompanied by three friends from the Devizes area, Andrew Maidment, Andy Trusler and Paul Buckingham.

"We’re not the best cyclists," smiles Chris. "But Daniel and I both cycle to work a couple of times a week, and when we heard about Henry’s journey we thought it would be a really good challenge for us to attempt to do the same thing.

"If he can do it in two-and-a-half days on an old bone-shaker bicycle, we must be able to do it in two on modern road bikes!"

Henry broke his journey in Staines and Newbury, but Chris and Daniel are planning to stop overnight in The Pelican Inn at Froxfield, where they will take a well-earned break and rest their tired muscles.

They aim to cycle 70 miles on March 22, starting in Kew, and then another 40 miles the next day finishing at The Rec, home of Bath Rugby Club in Bath.

The Wadworth team are planning a welcoming party to cheer in the weary riders, and to greet them with a refreshing pint of ale – Henry’s IPA being the obvious choice.

"The roads will of course be a little busier than they were in Henry’s time," said Chris. "But we will be following more or less the same route as we will spend most of the time on the A4."

Wadworth still has Henry’s original diaries of the time. His comments on the trip were remarkably matter of fact, considering the arduous journey he had undertaken.

"In April 1869 I got a bicycle made. They had just been introduced. Two equal 30 inch wheels drove direct the front wheel wooden spokes, they had iron tyres. I rode from London to Netherstreet starting from Knightsbridge about 3pm. Slept the first night at Staines, next night at Jack Newbury Hotel, from there home. One hundred miles in 2 1/2 days. I was one of the first to ride a bicycle down the Bath road and I remember being pleased with the sensation caused."

The Wadworth team will be raising money for Sports Relief. To donate, see www.justgiving.com/Daniel-Jesse