Bristol student completes 3,000km charity ride across Norway in memory of friend

A University of Bristol student battled fierce winds and nearly lost his tent to the sea as he cycled the entire length of Norway – all in memory of his late friend, Tom Love.

22-year-old Ed Watson cycled roughly 100km a day for 32 straight days to raise money for The Tom Love Trust, a foundation set up after Tom died whilst living in working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The medicine student was joined by his brother James and friend Tommy, with their 3,000km trek already raising £6,000 for the charity, which is dedicated to supporting underprivileged children in the UK and Africa.

From the southern tip of Lindesnes to the northernmost point of Nordkapp, the trio often thought of Tom, who grew up with them in Amersham, near London.

Known for his adventurous spirit, Tom had been working in the Democratic Republic of Congo when he tragically passed away in December 2022 at just 21 years old. The donation page describes Tom as “utterly kind and caring, funny and beautifully sociable – someone truly interested in and excited about everyone he met.”

However, this ride was anything but smooth, as they faced daily rain whilst climbing through Norway’s rugged landscapes, closer and closer to the Arctic Circle where the nights were often fleeting, a few hours at most.

The trio during their Norway cycle

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Speaking about the experience, Ed described how the group was woken up one night whilst camping by the tide: “One night we wild camped near a fjord. We were woken up at four in the morning because the tide had come in and we were soaking wet! That’s when I knew we were going to work well together as a team because the first thing we did was laugh.”

He added: “This trip is the type of thing Tom really enjoyed – being in the middle of nowhere, supporting yourself. He would have loved it.”

Despite the challenges, the team found a lot of joy in the adventure, often pitching their tents amid incredible views, sometimes even getting to witness the natural phenomena of the Northern Lights.

Reflecting on the journey, Ed described the highlights of the challenge: “Before starting the cycle, I thought the best moment would be getting to the end. But for me the best moments were being out in the middle of nowhere, looking over a beautiful fjord, not seeing anyone else and just chatting away with my mates.”

The trio during their Norway cycle

Now back at the University of Bristol, Ed has taken a year out of his medicine degree to study global health. Last year, he captained the University’s men’s hockey team to victory in the National Conference West. Back in training, he jokes that it’s more challenging than the hours he spent cycling each day.

The trio at the end of their journey in Nordkapp

“Out there, all you’ve got to do is get up, eat food and cycle in a straight line. So getting back to Bristol and suddenly seeing so many people in one place was a shock.”

Ed added: “As weird as it sounds, although I absolutely loved the cycle, I actually missed doing uni work. There were definitely days when it had been raining all day when I thought ‘I’d rather be sat in a library with my mates!’”

You can donate to their cause by visiting their donation page and see their journey on their Instagram @thehairlessbikers.

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Images via The University of Bristol