In the toughest week so far, the CCR relay bike ride hit the far south-west with 1, 231 miles ridden.
Rain and Rainbows this week on the Cathedrals Cycle Route
It began at Salisbury Cathedral, where Clerk of the Works Gary Price and his sons took up the baton for the two-day, 100-mile ride to Exeter Cathedral, meeting heavy rain on day one.
As pictured in the Daily Telegraph at the weekend, the three cycling canons from Exeter Cathedral and their team made the 90 miles to Truro in two days, crossing Dartmoor on the way.
Meanwhile entertainer and keen cyclist Timmy Mallett visited Canterbury Cathedral by bike with his family and friends, using the Cathedrals Cycle Route – after meeting the relay ride in London, he’s looking forward to visiting as many cathedrals as possible.
Route mastermind Shaun Cutler, who is cycling to all the cathedrals on the relay ride, was on his own for the tough three-day stage from Truro to Wells Cathedral, averaging over 50 miles a day in hilly country and arriving Sunday afternoon. Next Monday he’s joined by local cyclists including the Wells Cathedral Cycle Champion, Ben Potter, riding a recumbent trike, and others who have planned an alternative route via spectacular Cheddar Gorge.
The coming week is the last full week of cycling, with the relay heading back north towards the finish at Newcastle Cathedral on Saturday, 10 July.
A team of cyclists set off from Newcastle Cathedral on Sunday May 30 – at the start of Cycling UK’s Bike Week on a relay to ride 42 Cathedrals in 42 days to launch this new kind of pilgrimage route, the Cathedrals Cycle Route (CCR).
The CCR is a unique partnership between Sustrans, Cycling UK, the British Pilgrimage Trust and the Association of English Cathedrals that links all 42 Church of England cathedrals in a new initiative to promote greener travel and mental and physical wellbeing.
The 2,000 mile Cathedrals Cycle Route is the invention of academic, entrepreneur and keen cyclist Shaun Cutler, from Northumbria University, and is designed to help us all out of lockdown with opportunities for short cycle rides between cathedrals, new partnerships and fundraising for physical and mental well-being activities.
Shaun said:
“The Cathedrals Cycle Route is about connecting our historic cathedrals and enjoying the spaces between them.
“Now more than ever, after a year of living with the coronavirus pandemic, this is a way to support people’s mental and physical health and promote the mission of England’s cathedrals through pilgrimage, wellbeing and heritage.”
Read more about the Cathedrals Cycle Route below:
Pictured above, the team leave Wells Cathedral at the start of Week 5
