I’m cycling 1,000 miles with my two young kids to prove mums can do anything

As parents start preparing for a summer holiday filled with soft play centres and child-friendly museums, Ro Marshall has embarked on a decidedly more adventurous way to keep her kids occupied.

The mum is currently just over halfway through a trip that’d strike fear into the hearts of many readers: an epic 1,000-mile bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats, with her two young sons on the back.

The journey, which began on June 20 and is expected to take around seven weeks in total, is made up of approximately 39 stages of between 15 and 36 miles each, with her boys — aged one and four — swapping between the bike seat and the trailer.

The 36-year-old content creator from Barnstaple says the family are currently ‘living day by day’, with her husband, who’s currently working away, helping them plan accommodation and stops.

He’ll also be waiting for the trio at the finish, ready to take over parenting duties so Ro can enjoy her first solo bath in almost two months.

The mum-of-two is sticking to quiet roads and scenic routes, allowing her to chat with her sons as they travel and giving them the chance to see landmarks away from the busiest roads.

‘That brings its own challenges because it’s normally back roads that are little used, gravelly and have grass growing up the middle,’ says Ro. ‘But it’s been really beautiful.’

There have been other hurdles too; although they sometimes have friends along the route drive their belongings to the next Airbnb, hotel or family home, she often has to carry all their clothes, waterproofs, electronics, food and drink.

When it comes to the latter, Ro jokes that thanks to her nightly habit of buying a pint of milk to drink straight from the bottle, the trip ‘isn’t going to win [her] any awards for diet of the year,’ but they do ‘always have a cucumber and a punnet of strawberries’ in their panniers.

Booking accommodation the night before allows Ro to slow the pace if needed. Once they arrive at their destination each afternoon, she then secures the bike, gets the boys showered, finds a play park to stop in, washes clothes in the bathroom sink, sorts dinner, uploads content, and plans the following day’s route.

During hot weather she sets off very early to avoid the worst of the sun and takes regular breaks in the shade. On the steepest hills, her four-year-old gets off and walks alongside the bike.

Ro says: ‘Maybe we’ll pretend to race each other. Maybe we’ll put on some music, and he’ll dance alongside me. We’re just having a lot of fun.

‘My husband knows where we are all the time, and he’s really proud of us. He sends videos for the boys to watch in the mornings and is always in touch through voice notes and FaceTime. He loves hearing about our day and is super supportive.’

Each leg takes about eight hours, with Ro cycling in roughly two-hour chunks before taking a break. Even when she does stop though, there’s little chance for rest, as she’s expected to play pirates, push swings, scale climbing frames, dole out snacks, and settle the occasional squabble.

‘But that’s being a mum wherever you are,’ she says. ‘Yes, I get tired, but I’ve got to carry on and get us to the next place. Then I have to get ready to go again the next morning, getting up at six to prepare the bike and make the boys’ breakfast before we leave at eight.’

For Ro, the goal was to do something different and make memories with her eldest son before he starts school in September. With her husband working away all summer, it also felt like the perfect opportunity for an adventure.

‘My whole motto in motherhood is that you can do anything you want to do,’ she explains.

‘I created my Instagram account @‌britishadventuremum three years ago to help other women have the confidence to break free from society’s narrative that life ends when you have kids.

‘I’ve had a great time in motherhood because I’ve leaned into the idea that if there’s something I want to do, I ask myself how I can make it work for the kids.’

It’s a full-on adventure, and there have been flat tyres, punctures and plenty of frustrations along the way, but, despite the busy days and challenges, Ro says the journey has been an incredible experience.

‘When I’m on the bike, my four-year-old will be telling me things, and I’m really listening because I’m not distracted by my phone, the washing up or the laundry,’ she continues.

‘He’s been really outgoing talking to people we meet along the way about our adventure, and it’s been great seeing how mature and helpful he’s been.’

Alongside countless micro-adventures and memorable moments, including cycling through Cheddar Gorge and crossing the Severn Bridge, she’s enjoying connecting with mothers around the world, who message her online to say she has inspired them.

‘To hear you’re having a positive impact on another family’s life is amazing,’ says Ro, who has 181,000 followers on TikTok, ‘Little old me from Bideford, North Devon, has created this page that’s having an impact on people all over the world. It’s a great feeling.’

And that’s not all; since the beginning of the trip, she’s raised more than £13,000 for the PANDAS Foundation.

‘It’s a great organisation which supports families affected by perinatal mental illness,’ the mum adds. ‘I’m really grateful for every donation I receive.’

You can find Ro’s donation page here.

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