Gordonstoun student gets on his bike to complete world-famous NC500
A Gordonstoun student has raised thousands of pounds for charity after cycling the
world-famous North Coast 500 route.
William Griffin completed the route in nine days, which included steep climbs of almost 1,000 metres high.
Part of the route included a gruelling 14-mile hill on the way to Applecross. However, William is undeterred by his challenging experience, and his next target is to complete the mammoth John O’Groats to Land’s End journey.
The 16-year-old was accompanied by his father on the 515-mile cycle trip, taking in stops along the way including Applecross, Ullapool and Lairg.
William is hoping to raise more than £7,000, with money going to Muscular Dystrophy UK and Swinton Lock Activity Centre, a charity that supports vulnerable children.
Some of the money will also go to a fund set up by the family to support Gordonstoun students who want to go on service projects in the UK and overseas.
The school is organising a trip to Thailand in August 2026 and William is hoping to raise enough money to go on the once-in-a-lifetime trip. William is also doing his Duke of Edinburgh and the cycling trip will go towards achieving the award.
William Griffin said:
'
The most challenging part of the route for me was probably on Day Two. We went over apart of the route known as the Applecross Pass, which is a 14-mile hill.
'For anyone that knows anything about running or cycling they will know that 14 miles uphill is not a pleasure. That was probably the toughest moment for me, getting up through that was a real challenge.
'It always gets brought up, but the school motto "Plus Est En Vous"; came into my head once or twice. It’s true that there is more in you than you realise and thinking about these words gave me the motivation to keep pushing myself because the end is going to come and it's going to feel great when you get up there.
'We are hoping to raise between £7,000 and £8,000 for charity and to support students who need help with raising enough sponsorship to go on the service projects.
'One of the charities benefiting is Muscular Dystrophy UK. We have a very good family friend, whose grandson was born with a very severe form of muscular dystrophy. We wanted to try and raise money to get him a new wheelchair which would be able to make him more active and take part in more events with his family.'
William’s latest cycling success comes after an epic ride last year across the width of England when he covered 120 miles in just 13 hours between Sunderland and Whitehaven.
The NC500 was his most ambitious yet, due to the number of steep ascents on the route. William started the trip from Gordonstoun, beginning on 14 August and finishing there on 22 August.
His father, Stuart Griffin, said:
'It was a big challenge for both of us with so many steep ascents. By day three I was really starting to struggle but I managed to find some extra energy and by the mid-point of the trip I felt more confident about completing the route.'
William’s mother, Caroline Griffin, added:
'
I felt really emotional as William and Stuart crossed the finishing line at Gordonstoun. I was tracking them thinking, ‘where are they?, come on, come on!’ I cannot believe what they have accomplished. Having driven the route myself, it was very hilly, and their achievement is phenomenal.'
Service is way of life at Gordonstoun and integral to the curriculum. Every senior student joins one of nine community and rescue services, taking on conservation or sports coaching roles or responding to genuine emergencies as part of the local Coastguard or on-site Fire Service. They also travel across the globe for projects in Kenya, Romania and Thailand.
Gordonstoun Head Simon Cane-Hardy said:
'We regularly challenge our students to find the best versions of themselves, and William isa fantastic example, pushing himself in the face of adversity to successfully complete one of the toughest cycle challenges in the country.
'His tremendous feat of endurance will also benefit two charities, while raising vital funds to help other students experience life-changing service trips around the world. This remarkable act of compassion is testament to Gordonstoun’s commitment to being of service to others'.
August 2025