Worcester to Gloucester "The Long Way"

About the challenge

Our CEO takes on an epic cycling pilgrimage, visiting over 100 choirs across England and Wales in just 50 days of cycling. This mammoth challenge covers a whopping 2,700 miles, with JJ raising much-needed funds for cathedral music along the way.

Hear from JJ: “I’m raising vital funds for Cathedral Music Trust, so we can continue to support cathedral musicians and choirs through our programmes – including the Cathedral Music Support Programme and Church Choir Award. In 2024, we invested £500,000 in the sector, giving grants to 28 Anglican and Roman Catholic music departments across the UK.”

Map & Schedule
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30000

£10,000

£20,000

6336.05

BLOG

Leg 4: Worcester to Gloucester, “the long way…”

6 August 2025

Map of the UK with route marked

Days 14-20: Worcester to Gloucester (via South Wales)

Distance Covered: 456 miles (running total = 1,150 miles)
Choral foundations visited: 14
Range of emotions experienced: massive

This was the longest leg in terms of days in the saddle, distance travelled and number of hills traversed. So it’s no surprise that across the 8 days (with one ‘rest day’ in the middle), I went through a range of emotions: from elation to despair; from figurative and literal highs to frustrating lows. Don’t get me wrong, the overriding emotion throughout the 20 days so far is still one of great joy and enormous fulfilment. However, a third of the way into this adventure, this is where I also really felt some of the challenge of the epic journey I’m undertaking. 2,700 miles really is a long way…

Here’s a quick review of some of those emotions:

Euphoria: this trip has included the longest day I have ever cycled, clocking in at 80 miles and arriving at St Davids Cathedral just in time for Evening Prayer – well, 2 minutes late, but Dean Sarah very kindly held proceedings until I was there. The sight of the cathedral, approaching from the Porth-y-Tŵr (tower gateway), was breath-taking and quite overwhelming after riding such a long way.

Despondence : I encountered separate mechanical issues with both wheels, along with two flat tyres, meaning that for a number of days I was having to cope with a bike I couldn’t fully rely on. I won’t lie, there were times when I was either nervous about progressing or frustrated at all the issues encountered, particularly when travelling from Brecon Cathedral to Carmarthen (St Peter’s Church). Happily, I made it, being grateful to the support of those I met along the way and the expertise of the bike mechanics enlisted!

Determination: this really was a marathon of a leg, and my legs felt it. But I was hugely encouraged by all the people met, the tea and cake provided and the conversations had. I was particularly delighted to have the opportunity to talk about my pilgrimage on the radio for the first time, with Tom & Gina at PureWest radio in Haverfordwest:

Wonder: This trip featured quite a number of places that were new to me: Llandaff Cathedral, Swansea Minster, Newport Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey. All were beautiful and distinctive in their own ways and all gave a warm welcome to me and, for the second half of the week, to my co-rider (and Trust board member), Stuart Laing.

Joy: at reaching the 1,000-mile mark for the overall pilgrimage. This felt like a really significant milestone as I make my way around the country.

Thankfulness: Paradoxically, this trip felt both long and over in the blink of an eye. I missed my family (the children were in a school holiday production of Oliver that I didn’t get to see) but I was also meeting new people and old friends every single day. These conflicting feelings came together on the final day, when I had the fortune to attend two very different services –both of which had profound impact: Choral Mattins as part of the Musica Deo Sacra festival in Tewkesbury was a sublimely beautiful experience, enjoying a fine festival choir, gathered to sing liturgical music by Leighton, Walton, Bainton and others. And at the very end of this leg, I had chance to pause and reflect on the enormity of my experiences during Evening Prayer in the glorious Lady Chapel at Gloucester Cathedral.