Cathedrals Cycle Route baton in Handover ahead of 2025 Relay Event

The Cathedrals Cycle Route baton has arrived at Bradford Cathedral from Newcastle ahead of City of Culture year.

The baton – created for the Cathedrals Cycle Route and Relay – has arrived in Bradford Cathedral, where it will be on display during 2025 when Bradford is the UK City of Culture.

And next May cyclists from Bradford Cathedral will set off on the third Cathedrals Cycle Relay. The 42-day relay takes in everyone of our 42 anglican cathedrals in a 2,000 mile round trip. This year the relay will linki the start and end of the event with Bradford’s City of Culture programme.

The 2,000 mile Cathedrals Cycle Route is the invention of academic, entrepreneur and keen cyclist Shaun Cutler, from Northumbria University, and was 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.

The Cathedrals Cycle Route began in 2021 and was created by Shaun as part of a PhD project researching how historic places of worship can establish sustainable futures.

It was launched in 2021 from Newcastle Cathedral and was a partnership project between Sustrans, Cycling UK, the British Pilgrimage Trust and the Association of English Cathedrals.

The bronze baton has been on display in Newcastle Cathedral since that time and has just been handed over by the Dean of Newcastle, the Very Revd Lee Batson, Dean of Newcastle to the Dean of Bradford, the Very Revd Andy Bowerman.

A launch event will be held as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations before cyclists begin the series of relays from cathedral to cathedral.

The baton – created by Shaun’s teenage daughter, Hannah Cutler – will be displayed in Bradford Cathedral until it leaves with the first riders, returning 42 days (and 2,000 miles!) later.

To sign up for this year’s relay please click here.

You can also sign up to the launch event here.