Ro Marshall, a 36-year-old content creator from Barnstaple, is currently over halfway through a 1,000-mile bike ride from Land's End to John O'Groats with her two young sons, aged one and four. The journey began on June 20 and is expected to take around seven weeks, comprising approximately 39 stages of between 15 and 36 miles each. The boys swap between a bike seat and a trailer.
Daily Challenges and Rewards
Marshall sticks to quiet roads and scenic routes, allowing her to chat with her sons as they travel. However, these back roads often present challenges: they are little used, gravelly, and have grass growing up the middle. Despite this, she describes the experience as 'really beautiful.'
Each leg takes about eight hours, with Marshall cycling in roughly two-hour chunks before taking a break. Even during breaks, she is busy playing with her children, pushing swings, and settling squabbles. '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.'
Support and Logistics
Her husband, who is working away, helps plan accommodation and stops. He will be waiting at the finish line to take over parenting duties. Marshall books accommodation the night before to allow flexibility. She carries all their clothes, waterproofs, electronics, food, and drink, often supplemented by friends who drive belongings to the next stop. She jokes that her nightly habit of buying a pint of milk to drink straight from the bottle means the trip 'isn't going to win any awards for diet of the year,' but they always have a cucumber and a punnet of strawberries in their panniers.
During hot weather, she sets off very early to avoid the worst of the sun and takes regular breaks in the shade. On steep hills, her four-year-old gets off and walks alongside the bike. '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,' she says.
Inspiring Others
Marshall created her Instagram account @britishadventuremum three years ago to help other women break free from society's narrative that life ends when you have kids. She has 181,000 followers on TikTok and says, '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.'
Since the beginning of the trip, she has raised more than £13,000 for the PANDAS Foundation, which supports families affected by perinatal mental illness. 'I'm really grateful for every donation I receive,' she adds.
Memorable Moments
Alongside cycling through Cheddar Gorge and crossing the Severn Bridge, Marshall enjoys connecting with mothers worldwide 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,' she says.
Despite flat tyres, punctures, and frustrations, she 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 explains. '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.'
