The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East (Hardback)

In 2015, with the Syrian War dominating headlines and the refugee crisis at its peak, Rebecca Lowe did something bold: she got on her bike and pedalled 11,000 kilometres across the Middle East to understand the region for herself. What followed was a year‑long ride through Europe, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and Iran — a journey full of history, humour, danger and extraordinary kindness.
Lowe battles deserts, mountains, police states and temperatures swinging from freezing to blistering, all while dealing with the usual cyclist’s enemies: punctures, dodgy roads and the occasional existential crisis. But she’s carried forward by the generosity of the people she meets — farmers, refugees, villagers, city‑dwellers — who help her, feed her, rescue her and share their stories.
The result is a vivid, deeply researched and often very funny portrait of the modern Middle East. Lowe captures the politics, the culture, the contradictions and the humanity of a region too often reduced to headlines. It’s travel writing with heart, sharp insight and a sense of adventure that never lets up.
As Sir Ranulph Fiennes puts it: “Terrifically compelling… bursting with humour, adventure and insight.” Hard to argue with that.