About 10,000 miles, more than a dozen countries and two iconic walls stand in the way of Peter and Chris Lloyd completing the epic challenge they've set themselves for 2017.

The husband and wife duo, both in their sixties, are set to cycle from Hadrian's Wall to the Great Wall of China.

But the honest couple admit they might be slightly out of their depth, having done little training.

"We don't know what we're doing really," said Peter, 64.

"How are we feeling? Pretty terrified. I'm very, very nervous about the whole thing."

They spent the Christmas period packing up their home in Hallbankgate and preparing for a feat like no other - and they leave in as little as two weeks.

Last year they got a train to Greece and cycled back to Cumbria and they've enjoyed some trips to Scotland.

But the sheer scale of their latest expedition is in another league.

"Greece was grand," said Peter.

"We enjoyed it and it was fantastic. We had a lovely time.

"I think that one, we felt we were just slightly out of our comfort zone. This one, I think we're miles out of it.

"I think we were maybe paddling up to our ankles, if comfort zone was a pond, but with this one we're over our heads."

He added: "Every now and again it just comes over me in a wave: the enormity of it, how far it is and the extremes.

"All of that is just mind-boggling and frightening to be honest."

Their journey will take them along Hadrian's Wall to Newcastle on January 14, where they will board the ferry to Amsterdam.

From there they will make their way through Europe taking in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey.

They will then go into Asia through Georgia, visiting countries including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan before arriving in China.

"To an extent, it's not planned at all," said Peter who hasn't decided yet if they will also cycle the length of the wall.

"We've got to go to the wall. We will find the wall. But it's very long and there's lots of bits to it.

"It all depends on the weather.

"Once we've hit the wall, we might well start thinking about coming home."

The amateurs will average about 40 miles a day and think their entire journey will be about 8,000 to 10,000 miles.

Peter said he's trying to concentrate on the first couple of days for now and will take it a day at a time.

"We'll be training on the job," he said.

Peter said they don't quite know what to expect on their year-long trip but added they are likely to face below-freezing temperatures in central Europe and the complete opposite of about 40C in central Asia.

They've kitted themselves out with new gloves, overshoes and jackets but Peter doesn't think it is something you can prepare for.

"You just have to see what happens and react. You just have to react to the situation you find yourself in and get yourself out of it if it's a problem."

He and Chris, 63, are taking a tent and will also be using Warm Showers, an online community of touring cyclists who offer free hospitality.

They might also stay in the odd hotel.

When asked why they decided to take on the challenge, Peter said: "I think the bug gets under your skin. It's all about making a journey.

"Plus the fact I like the title - Wall to Wall. It rather appealed. The journey is the important thing.

"It's exercise, it's enjoyable and it's economic. Cycling is wonderful and it's so much better than driving."

He added: "People say it's remarkable but it's not that remarkable. It's only remarkable after we've come back and we haven't done it yet."