Devoted Rotherham dad jokes he's 'never doing it again' after mammoth fundraising cycle at height of heatwave
Darren took on the 211 mile ride through temperatures of 32 degrees
A dad hoping to raise money for charities that supported his son who was born with a life-altering condition describes his 211 mile ride through a heatwave simply as “hot and hilly.”
Darren Machen embarked on the mammoth adventure across Wales on July 8 with his friend Neil Sutton, travelling from the south to north coast across the course of three days.
“We’re never doing it again,” Darren, from the Ravenfield area of Rotherham, joked when speaking to The Star after completing the journey.
He took on the 211 mile journey to raise funds for charities that had helped helped his son Louie.
Louie was born at Jessop Wing in October 2025, with Darren and wife Michelle already knowing that he would suffer from spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
The conditions mean that Louie was born without his spine having fully developed, as well as fluid in the brain causing additional pressure.
In total they’ve raised close to £7,000 for the Sick Children’s Trust, Shine and Sheffield Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.
“We’re over the moon,” Darren added.
Darren’s fundraiser will carry on until the end of the month, donate here
Along the journey - in which the pair had to cycle through 32 degree heat - people showed their support and even offered to donate.
Darren continued: “People were asking ‘where have you come from?’ and when we told them said: ‘What today? In this weather?’”
He recalls one moment in which they felt they had to go to someone’s home and ask for water.
“We had to knock on one house to get some water - the decorator gave us a can of pop.
“It was good, but we’re not doing it again a while.”