One would imagine an acclaimed concert pianist would enjoy the highest levels of comfort when travelling on a national tour.

But Anthony Hewitt has decided to cycle hundreds of miles to get to 21 of his recitals, with his piano following him in a van.

The Barnes resident - dubbed the Olympianist - will take on the gruelling challenge ahead of London 2012 to raise money for a host of music and children’s charities.

Mr Hewitt, 40, said: “I am very excited about this Herculean task.

“It embodies the spirit of the ancient game, which incorporated musical competitions into sporting events for normal citizens.”

The pianist, who has lived in Barnes for 19 years and is a member of Twickenham Cycling Club, will cycle a total of 1,200 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats in just three weeks, giving a recital every day of his trip.

He will perform on a pop-up stage on the back of his “BeethoVan” at venues such as Exeter, Manchester and Edinburgh.

His repertoire will include Beethoven, Janacek, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Frank.

Mr Hewitt’s virtuosic playing has won him plaudits worldwide. He has performed as a soloist with renowned orchestras such as the National Symphony in America and London’s Royal Philharmonic.

Legendary pianist Alfred Brendel said Mr Hewitt has an “outstanding talent” while music magazine Gramophone described him as a “remarkably gifted artist”.

Mr Hewitt will set off on May 9 but hopes to drum up support as he trains, both musically and physically, for the epic ride which will see him cycle up to 120 miles a day.

He will aim to raise £20,000 for charities including the Mayor of London’s Fund for Musicians, Musequality and Get Kids Going.

He will record his adventures on a website, which will include footage from a head-cam he will wear while performing.

For more information, visit theolympianist.com.