Cyclists will keep spirit of Queen Eleanor alive in 200-mile charity relay ride through Northampton on bank holiday

A team of cyclists will relay a commemorative cross through Northampton as part of an annual charity bike ride in honour of Queen Eleanor.

Northampton is home to one of England's last remaining Eleanor Crosses - a series of Medieval monuments commissioned by King Edward I in memory of his wife.

This year would have marked the 12th annual Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride for cyclists to ride along the original route marked out by the crosses and raised thousands of charity.

Now, this year, a special cross has been created for these exceptional circumstances to complete the relay.

The cross - which is crafted from a piece of yew from the churchyard in Nottingham where Eleanor died - will accompany the relay as it’s passed symbolically from cyclist to cyclist like an Olympic torch until Westminster Abbey, where the cross is placed on Queen Eleanor’s tomb.

As part of this, the cyclists and the cross will stay the night in Northampton after passing the town's-own monument on London Road, which was recently restored by the borough council.

The cyclists will be raising money for The Connection at St Martin’s, a charity that helps thousands of people every day.

In “normal” times, the Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride is a four-day sponsored cycle ride, which takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend every year. The 200-mile route follows quiet roads from Harby to London.

Cycling in groups is unlikely to be possible in August. And staying away sleeping in luxury on hall floors most certainly will not be possible. So this year the challenge is opened up to everyone around the country to cycle 200 miles, the equivalent length of the Queen Eleanor ride, following any routes of your own choice whilst being local to home over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

There is no required sponsorship target although the 10th Anniversary Ride in 2018 raised over £28,000. A full fundraising pack will be provided and to retain some of the camaraderie there’ll be a Zoom gathering every evening where everyone can share the fun of the day.

Full details about the Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride can be found at their website.