Cycling the silk road in 2025

This April, Declan Farherty (AKA Moortown Plastering) set off on an extraordinary solo expedition: cycling 7,000 miles from Beijing, across the ancient Silk Road, to Israel – all to raise £50,000 for Bipolar UK. Entirely self-funded, every penny he raises will go directly to supporting those affected by bipolar disorder.

Cycling the silk road in 2025, inspired by the path Marco Polo took centuries ago, weaves through China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, crosses the Caspian Sea, and continues through Iraq, Jordan, and finally into Israel. It’s a journey that, even on paper, would be daunting – but what’s unfolding in reality is a true test of character, endurance, and resilience.

Armed with little more than a bicycle, a handful of maps, and an unshakable spirit, Declan’s journey is a raw and honest portrayal of what it really means to take on an adventure of this scale. Through his Instagram updates – often posted from the side of an empty road or a basic guesthouse – he gives us a window into the daily grind: the physical punishment, the mental battle, and the tiny victories that keep him moving forward.

From the exhausting climbs over high mountain passes to detours enforced by police in restricted regions, Declan’s ride has been anything but straightforward. He’s navigated endless barren highways, fought against brutal headwinds, frozen in minus temperatures, and endured the deep solitude of long, empty stretches where villages are few and far between. Every day brings a new challenge – and he tackles each one with honesty, humour, and a stubborn refusal to give up.

There are no filters on Declan’s journey. His posts reveal a man who’s not afraid to show the struggle: long, lonely days in the saddle, battling sickness, soreness, and sometimes sheer disillusionment. Yet even in those moments, there’s a spark of something deeper – a resilience born from a genuine passion for the cause he’s riding for.

He finds joy in the smallest things – a roadside meal of dumplings cooked for pennies, the chance meeting with a friendly shopkeeper, or the surreal sight of a tree growing in the middle of a highway. He celebrates everyday moments most travellers would miss: women planting corn under the spring sun, children flying kites by the roadside, and ancient buildings quietly standing watch on the city edges.

Declan has adapted constantly. When police ordered him off sections of the Silk Road due to political restrictions, he didn’t quit. He rerouted, retraced steps, took long-haul trains to rejoin the journey further west – keeping the mission alive no matter how complicated things became. His flexibility and grit in the face of setbacks show the true spirit of an adventurer.

Even while fighting illness, battling extreme temperatures, and facing enormous physical demands, Declan keeps pushing. He plans his days carefully – marking distances on paper, mapping food stops where he can – knowing that each mile cycled is another small victory for Bipolar UK and the people the charity supports.
This isn’t just a physical journey – it’s a battle of will, a testament to mental toughness and unwavering honesty. Declan doesn’t pretend it’s easy – because it isn’t. But that’s what makes his story so powerful. It’s real, it’s raw, and it reminds us that true adventure isn’t about smooth sailing. It’s about carrying on when the winds are against you and the easy option is to stop.

Declan’s courage lies not only in the miles he’s covering but in the vulnerability he shares with every post. He shows us that even the hardest days have their own strange beauty – and that the human spirit, when fuelled by purpose, is capable of incredible things.