Grant and Joan McKern spent two months cycling around Europe, covering 3200 kilometres in the process.

The trip was more than just a holiday, it was a way to connect with multiple generations of family.

“We have a son in Denmark and I suggested we ride from France to Denmark,” Mr McKern said.

“We had five great uncles between us who were killed in World War I so we thought we’d research and visit them along the way.”

After flight delays in Abu Dhabi the pair arrived at Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport without their luggage or bikes.

“We had three days without the bikes or clothes,” Mrs McKern said.

“Once we got our gear and took off everything was pretty good,” Mr McKern said.

“We thought it was a big achievement riding our bikes to Paris,” Mrs McKern said.

“Most of the way there were bicycle tracks and if we were on the road motorists were very courteous and gave us a wide berth.”

After leaving Paris they cycled north through the battlefields of the Somme and onto Flanders in Belgium and the Menin Gate War Memorial in Ypres, visiting the places where family members had died.

“The weather was terrific,” Mr McKern said.

“We went north into Holland and then across to Germany on a ferry.”

The cyclists followed part of the North Sea Cycle Route which goes through eight countries from the tip of the Shetland Islands around the edge of Europe and on to Scandinavia and Norway.

“We took a ferry from the old East Germany over to Denmark and eventually ended up at our son’s place in Korsør which is about an by car from Copenhagen,” Mr McKern said.

They couple carried everything they might need on their bikes: a one-man tent, sleeping bags and a camp stove along with all of the usual holiday luggage.

“We camped a lot of times, we were self-contained, but we also stayed in hotels,” Mr McKern said.

“We didn’t book ahead, we just played it by ear and people were fantastic, right the way through.