Paddy McGuinness has completed the third day of his brutal cycling challenge with his total raised now surpassing two and a half million pounds. Paddy set off early – at 7.20am - from Kendal on Day 3 of Radio 2’s Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge for BBC Children in Need.
He’s attempting to cycle almost 300 miles from Wrexham AFC to Glasgow on a Raleigh Chopper, and people have been lining the streets along the way. Today was the earliest start and latest finish, with more than 12 hours in the saddle and having to ride 67 miles. His route today began at the Kendal War Memorial, starting with a brutal climb through the Cumbrian hills to Shap Summit at 1400 feet, then cycling through Hackthorpe to Penrith passing King Arthur’s Round Table before reaching the England Scotland border at Gretna Green, finishing Day 3 when he reached Ecclefechan and crossed the 200 mile mark across the three days so far.
Highlights today included being set on his way by the Mayor of Kendal and hearing from his friend, Vicky McClure, during The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. Paddy was also met on-route by some of his former secondary school friends, one of whom also worked with him at one of his first ever jobs in 1989 - a Saturday job cleaning at the Warburtons factory – and they surprised him near the top of the brutal Shap Summit with a donation of £50 000 from the bakery. Gladiator Giant surprised Paddy this morning and cycled some of the way alongside him.
Paddy’s good friend Melvyn Downes.
