greg james cycle route kicked off when presenter Greg James set off from Weymouth on Friday 13th March at about 04: 50 ET for an eight-day Comic Relief fundraiser to reach Edinburgh. He completed a gruelling first day, covering roughly 125 kilometres from Weymouth to Bristol and arriving to large crowds on the waterfront. The challenge will continue across England, Wales and Scotland to the finish on Red Nose Day, with live coverage resuming tomorrow morning.
Greg James Cycle Route: Day one and crowd reaction
Greg finished the first day of what organisers describe as a 1, 000km challenge, riding a tandem at the start of the route that is also billed in some briefings as a 630-mile cycle challenge. He pushed through hills between Dorchester and Shepton Mallet and rolled into Bristol, where supporters lined the waterfront. The early leg, described on the route as about 125 kilometres, left the rider visibly spent but buoyed by large local crowds and a rock choir singing “Roll With It” as he departed Weymouth.
He set off from Weymouth on Friday 13th March and rode solo for the main stretches, joining other presenters and guests at checkpoints. Coverage of his progress is scheduled to resume tomorrow at 05: 00 ET with live stream updates and a tracker maintained for the route.
Immediate reactions and voices on the road
“It was intense, oh my god it was intense, ” said Greg James, presenter and Comic Relief fundraiser, reflecting on the first day. “That was about 125 kilometres from Weymouth to Bristol. “
Greg added bluntly about the terrain: “Those hills are BRUTAL and there’s someone on every corner!” He described the finish in Bristol as emotional: “We’ve just rolled into Bristol on the waterfront and the whole thing was just lined with people. “
Matt Edmondson, presenter, praised the crowd support at the start line and thanked local volunteers for their turnout. Mollie King, presenter, said the public reaction had made the early pain manageable and highlighted the role of community backing in keeping Greg moving.
Hollie Carr, local reporter, noted that despite unsettled weather the rain cleared for the launch and that many in Weymouth turned out to cheer the presenter along the seafront where family ties were visible in the crowd.
Quick context
The ride is planned as an eight-day endurance challenge to reach Edinburgh on Red Nose Day. The presenter previously completed multi-day endurance tests, including a sequence of triathlons and a mountain-linked cycling challenge described in earlier briefings.
What happens next
Riders will press on through the coming days with checkpoints in towns and cities en route to Edinburgh; coverage resumes tomorrow at 05: 00 ET and supporters are being asked to keep donations coming to sustain the effort. Observers expect the route to test participants with more long daily legs and steep climbs as the challenge moves north. The team aims to reach the finish on Red Nose Day, with the next live updates following the day’s progress and tracker positions.
For now, the greg james cycle route moves into day two with momentum from Bristol behind it and a long week still to ride.
