Sky News anchor, Dermot Murnaghan is cycling around the South West of England to look at how the downturn has affected the region – naturally the two day ride is dubbed the “Economic Cycle”… well, we would’ve too.

Murnaghan’s has made good use of the national cycle network for much of his ride – which finishes in Bristol and Bath today – which leads him to draw an analogy between it and the nation’s current economic situation:

“One minute you’re happily pedalling on a beautiful tarmac-laden cliff top route, admiring the panorama and taking in the air.
Seconds later, the path ends without warning and you’re forced onto a lethal B road, dodging the advancing vans and dodging the potholes.
In many ways it’s a useful metaphor for what has happened to the economy over the past year. Suddenly and without warning the decade and half of confident prosperity came to a shuddering halt.”

That’ll be Dermot of the Sustrans Christmas card list. You can check out his route here (okay he’s not exactly flogging himself, but he is on a bike… and he has got a camera crew in tow) Oh, and the bike’s a Trek.