In August 2022, a young, local cyclist set out from Herne Hill Velodrome on a mission.
Two and a half years, 57,000 km, 31 countries and five continents later, Boru McCullagh has returned… and what a journey he has had!
Boru, 26, headed off from SE24 at just 23 years old with a handful of simple but powerful goals: to push himself beyond his comfort zone, to see the world up close, and to raise vital awareness around mental health issues – a cause close to his heart after facing his own struggles through his teenage years and early twenties.
Earlier this month, a crowd of cheering cyclists and other well-wishers welcomed Boru back to Herne Hill Velodrome, where it all began. There were tears, laughter, and a few celebratory laps of the track where he first fell in love with cycling. It was a full-circle moment for someone whose connection to the velodrome – as a rider, coach, and not least as a local lad – had been part of his life growing up around here.
“Racing is fun,” Boru said in the weeks leading up to August 2023, “but later this summer I’ll be setting off on one of the biggest rides out there, measured by the places I see and people I meet along the way. It will span tens of thousands of kilometres and cross continents.
“It won’t be a race, but an exploration […] endless chances to go off road and step off the beaten path.”
And also of course to raise money for a good cause.
That cause was Mind, the mental health charity, for whom Boru has already raised nearly £20,000.
The Journey of a Lifetime for a local Herne Hill Hero
Even at 23 years old, Boru was no stranger to extreme rides – from the Lands End to John O’ Groats to the Race Around Rwanda!
And his original plan for the round the world ride – which he calls ‘Mind Mapping’ – was ambitious, to say the least: an eight-month cycle around the world, over 34,000 kilometres, twenty-five countries and five continents.
Nevertheless, once he was on the road, he realised this particular experience deserved more time.
To rush through the journey was doing the journey itself and the people he met along the way a disservice.
Speaking on the Sigma Sports Presents Matt Stephens Unplugged Podcast, Boru explains: “I was just seeing the tarmac, every day, and you know, you’re not seeing the world from the white lines on the side of it. So I thought: ‘OK, I actually need to really nurture this opportunity I have, and have it be its own entity and care for it.’
Is this about the cycling or is this about what the cycling allows me to do and allows me to experience, and it’s actually much more than just the bike?
The bike is the means of transportation and the way to get around, but you still have to stop and smell the roses and experience things fully.”
Slowing down allowed him to truly immerse himself in the landscapes and cultures he passed through. It also led to his journey lasting two and a half years instead of eight months, adding an extra 23,000 kilometres and six more countries!
An Incredible Journey
Setting off from the Velodrome, Boru cycled to Dover for the ferry to France. From there, his route wove through Europe, crossing the Alps, passing through the Balkans into Turkey and across Asia, from India, through Southeast Asia, and taking in East Asia.
He crossed Australia’s rugged outback, cycled coast-to-coast across the United States, pedalled across Morocco, and finally returned through Spain, France, and Ireland before his triumphant homecoming this month.
Throughout his adventure, Boru has carried everything he has needed with him on his bike, including his tent. He shared updates with an ever-growing community, now at a massive 87,000 followers on Instagram alone, but the journey was also about building connections wherever he rode.
Despite travelling alone most of the way, Boru insists he was never really “solo”:
“I could not have done this without you and to say this ride around the world was a solo endeavour would be hugely inaccurate.”
Along the way, strangers became supporters, offering places to stay, patches of land to camp, or even simply messages of encouragement that helped push him ever onward. His social media became a living diary of community spirit, resilience, and humanity.
“I’m on a ‘meander’ around the world,” Boru said in his Mind Mapping film, screened in various locations – including Herne Hill – in 2023; “[a meander around the world] on what was meant to be a ride around the world.”
A local community that he carried with him
Boru’s story is deeply intertwined with Herne Hill.
Growing up, Boru spent much of his time at the Velodrome – racing, coaching, and making lifelong friends. It gave him a strong foundation, and when he needed it most, a community that supported him unconditionally.
Boru has said that cycling was also a cause of his mental health crises – or at least a contributing factor. Pressure to perform, pressure to win… it led to him quitting the sport entirely in his teenage years, returning to it as a way back to better mental health through coaching and eventually a return to the saddle itself.
And it’s no surprise that so many from the Velodrome and wider South London cycling community turned out to celebrate his return.
What’s Next?
For now, Boru plans to stay a little closer to home, spending weekends at the Velodrome, watching the summer racing series, and soaking up time with friends and family – the odd beer with friends back home was something that he did miss on his journey.
But true to form, he’s already got new goals on the horizon, including competing in some exciting gravel races later this year, with a trip to Chile lined up among them.
His journey around the world may have ended, but his adventure, and the inspiration he brings to everyone who knows him, is far from over.
Welcome home, Boru. Herne Hill is proud of you. 🚴♂️🌍💬
To support Boru’s fundraising efforts, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mindmapping
I LOVE this story! Bravo Boru