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27
Jul 2024
Where’s Harry? Harrogate’s walking tour guide discusses his international adventure
Harry Satloka is a familiar face around Harrogate due to his walking tours around the spa town.
But he has been missing lately since heading on his own epic tour to Cairo.
The Stray Ferret caught up with him to see how his adventure is unfolding.
Harry set off this month on a charity cycle ride from Harrogate to the Egyptian capital.
He plans to cycle almost 5,000 miles to raise money and awareness for the Harrogate charity Artizan International.
The charity supports differently abled people in the UK and Latin America. It runs the Artizan café and creative space in Harrogate.
Harry set off on his journey on July 1 with his bike loaded up with supplies, crucially “choccy biccies,” and is expected back just before Christmas.
He decided to take on the challenge after being inspired by the history of the pyramids when he was on holiday, aged 14.
He said the trip led to his love for history and indirectly led to him founding the Free Walking Tour of Harrogate in 2018.
After six years of hosting the tours, he wanted an adventure of his own and decided to combine his sabbatical with fundraising.
He has so far raised over £1,000 for Artizan international.
Harry Satloka with his bike, Rudolph, loaded up outside Harrogate's Artizan
Where’s Harry now?
The Stray Ferret caught up with Harry to see how his epic journey is going.
He said:
I have just left Germany and should be over the Swiss border in three days. In the next five days I will be at the Alps, which is where the real challenge begins, I am excited and optimistic and should hopefully be in Egypt in early December.
I am having a wonderful time, it is just amazing. I have met fantastic, kind people along the way and I have made friends with locals. The best part of the day is learning about the history.
His trip involves wild camping which he defines as “relying on people’s kindness and knocking on farmers doors to ask if I can stay in their fields”.
He added:
All of the countries have been amazing and unique. My favourite place I have cycled was probably the first, through Yorkshire, although going along the Rhine passing by postcard towns was spectacular.
Although he is loving every moment of his adventure he said:
I am massively missing the tours, it feels strange not to be doing them. It would be nice for someone to pick up the mantel while I’m away.
He said the trip involves “a lot of pedalling” but he has a rest day every fourth day.
Harry spent his last rest day with a friend in Belgium learning about the history of the Harrogate regiment, which was “an emotional experience and made [him] miss Yorkshire".
We asked him how people can support his cause, to which he replied:
I am doing this for completely selfish reasons, but it would have been silly to not raise money while doing it.
I would recommend just getting a coffee at Artizan and supporting them in any way you can. They are just a wonderful charity and everyone in Harrogate already knows that.
He added that when he is especially missing his hometown he is reminded of Artizan by fabric created by their artisans in Ecuador which he has wrapped around the handlebars of his trusty bicycle, Rudolph.
He has now been travelling for 25 days and has covered five countries, around 20 per cent of the journey.
He still has about eight countries to pass through before arriving in Egypt.
He said:
I’m very fortunate to do what I am doing. If anyone has a dream however big or small I’d recommend taking it on, it is good fun
The Stray Ferret plans to catch up with him again soon. For now, follow his journey and donate to his cause by clicking here.
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