One Rider, 5 Shops, 101 Miles and a Little Herdy Called Shauna

At Herdy, we love celebrating people who embrace the spirit of the Lakes, whether that's through adventure, creativity, community or simply doing something wonderfully different.

So when we received an email from Herdy fan, Marion Jeffery, telling us she had spent the morning cycling to all five Herdy shops in a single ride, we couldn't quite believe it.

On 26th May 2026, Marion set herself a challenge that had never been attempted before: to visit every Herdy store in one epic loop around the Lake District.

She called it the Tour De Herdy. And what a ride it turned out to be.

The Challenge

Marion, who lives in Cumbria and competes for Great Britain in Duathlon events, is no stranger to endurance challenges. But even by her standards, the Tour De Herdy was something special.

Setting off from Penrith at 5:23am, Marion clipped into her bike with a very important companion along for the ride: A Little Herdy mascot named Shauna securely strapped to her crossbar.

Together they set off on a 101-mile adventure through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Lake District.

The route would take them to all five Herdy stores, ticking them off one by one:

• Keswick

• Grasmere

• Ambleside

• Bowness-on-Windermere

• Kendal

Before completing the loop and returning to Penrith.

By the time the challenge was complete, Marion had covered 101 miles, climbed an incredible 7,995 feet and finished the route in just 6 hours and 25 minutes. All before many of us had finished our morning coffee.

A Herdy Adventure

Part of what makes the Tour De Herdy such a wonderfully Herdy challenge is that it combines two things we love: exploring the Lake District and finding joy in the journey.

As Marion later told us, she arrived at several shops before opening time, proving that enthusiasm can sometimes outpace retail opening hours.

In fact, she was delighted to discover that the Bowness shop was already open when she arrived.

After hours of climbing Lakeland hills, she was equally delighted when Richard, working in our Kendal store, kindly allowed her a moment to stretch out on one of our Herdysleep mattresses.

Along the way, Marion and Shauna enjoyed some unforgettable Lake District moments. At times, Marion said she felt less like a Herdy sheep and more like a mountain goat as she tackled the climbs, while Shauna particularly enjoyed watching the Typhoon fly-over near Thirlmere.

The First Ever Tour De Herdy

As far as we know, Marion is the first person ever to complete the Tour De Herdy.

After all, she's also the person who invented it.

What began as a brilliantly quirky idea quickly became a genuine endurance challenge, linking all five Herdy stores through a single ride around the Lakes.

And while we can't promise a yellow jersey, we can say that Marion has officially set the benchmark for anyone brave enough to follow in her tyre tracks.

Could other Herdy fans complete the challenge?

Herdy's Highest Honour

Marion's achievement deserved more than just our admiration. It deserved recognition.

As a thank you for her incredible effort, enthusiasm and dedication to all things Herdy, we are delighted to announce that Marion will be receiving one of the highest honours we can bestow. She’s been Herdified.

For those who don't know, Herdification is the process of creating a ewe-nique Herdy character inspired by a real person. Our designer, Kate, created a personalised Herdy version of Marion, capturing her personality and achievement in true Herdy style.

It's an honour reserved for very special individuals.

Previous recipients have included Sir David Attenborough and even Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

We think completing the first ever Tour De Herdy earns Marion a very worthy place in that company.

Sally Proctor, Social and Comms Manager at Herdy, said:

"When Marion's email landed in our inbox, it immediately put a smile on everyone's face. We love seeing people connect with Herdy in their own unique way, and the Tour De Herdy is one of the most inventive challenges we've ever seen. Covering 101 miles and visiting all five shops in a single morning is an incredible achievement, and we're absolutely delighted to welcome Marion into the very exclusive club of Herdified heroes."

Could You Take On The Tour De Herdy?

Marion may have been the first, but hopefully she won't be the last.

If you're inspired by her adventure, why not see if you can complete the Tour De Herdy yourself?

Five shops. One hundred and one miles. Countless Lakeland views.

And if you do decide to give it a go, don't forget to bring your own Herdy companion along for the ride. Shauna has set the standard rather high.