The assistant beverage manager at the Pig on the Beach in Studland and cycling novice is riding across the Alps in memory of his girlfriend Sophie Waylen, who died of an undiagnosed heart condition at just 19 years old.
Joe Deakin is nearing the end of a 2,200 mile cycle ride from Brighton to Croatia along with his friend Ryan Watts to raise funds for a little known cardiac charity called SADS UK.
Joe and Sophie, both from Wareham, had made big plans to travel Europe before her tragic death in 2020
Sophie died tragically young
Despite the fact that Joe had never cycled more than 45 miles before this challenge and admits to smoking, drinking and driving three minutes to the shop, the journey has already taken him across the Alps at altitudes of 7,000 feet, cycling up to 100 miles a day.
They are hoping to raise as much as possible for SADS UK charity and also want to raise awareness of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, which claimed Sophie’s life tragically early.
The aim was to raise £2,000 but their efforts have already taken their Just Giving total past £3,500 – and there is still plenty of time to boost the fund further.
Sophie, who died four years ago having just started university, had always wanted to visit Croatia with Joe, and the cycling adventure has been planned to take in much of the beautiful Mediterranean country.
Joe and Ryan, who both live in Wareham, set off on Tuesday September 3rd 2024 from Brighton Pier – on Sophie’s birthday and from the place where Joe and Sophie had their final holiday together before tragedy struck.
Sophie and Joe visited Brighton for their last break together before she began university
Joe and Ryan chose to begin their journey from Brighton Pier on Sophie’s birthday
“She and I had big dreams of travelling”
Joe said:
“This trip, and the SADS charity, are very close to my heart as on October 23rd 2020 my world was shattered by the heartbreaking news that my girlfriend Sophie Waylen had suddenly passed away.
“Sophie was just a couple of weeks into her law degree and had an incredibly bright future ahead of her. She was always healthy and happy and nobody could have expected that an undiagnosed heart condition would take such an incredible person from us so soon.
“She and I had big dreams of travelling and she had planned out multiple holidays for us for the coming years.
“One place she wanted to visit above all else was Croatia and when her amazing family gave me a necklace containing Sophie’s ashes for my 21st birthday I vowed that I would take Sophie with me to see everything that she could have wanted.”
Joe Deakin, of Wareham, has cycled over the Alps on a 2,200 mile adventure to raise money for a cardiac charity
“I’m absolutely not a cyclist at all”
Joe added:
“We knew each other from The Purbeck School, but we actually ended up talking through mutual friends. Ryan and I first floated the idea of this adventure when we were having a beer in Wareham a year ago.
“I’m absolutely not a cyclist at all, I had only ever done three rides before we left and had never ridden a loaded bike at all.
“To say it has been a challenge so far is an understatement. Even for trained athletes this is a pretty big task, let alone two idiots who drink, smoke and would drive three minutes to the shop rather than walk.
“Making it to the Gotthard Pass 7,000 feet up in the Swiss Alps felt like overcoming a huge hurdle, but we knew we still had over 1,000 miles of cycling to complete.
“This journey isn’t here to test our physical capabilities, we are putting ourselves through this so we can raise crucial funds and greater awareness for a very important charity to honour a beautiful life.”
Heading out of France on the way to Brussels
Crossing canals on the way through Belgium – just before the storm hit
Snow appeared by the road side
Having set off from Brighton, the friends cycled 105 miles to Dover on their first day – further than either of them had ridden before.
They then boarded a ferry for Calais before heading through northern France and on to Belgium, where they ran into the first of several storms on their way across Europe.
Battling bumpy roads, forest tracks, flooded fields and bike malfunctions, Joe and Ryan crossed through Luxembourg, Germany and back into France before reaching Switzerland and crossing the Alps from the mountain town of Altdorf.
As snow appeared by the road side, gradients got ever steeper and overnight camping in fields saw the temperatures tumble to three degrees, they knew the journey was approaching its most difficult leg.
A chateau in Luxembourg, where the scenery was spectacular
As the roads began to get steeper and the scenery changed, the friends knew an Alpine climb was on the horizon
“The rewards were incredible”
Joe Deakin said:
“Nothing could have prepared me for the monumental task ahead. We took in the views as we pedalled uphill but it wasn’t long before the aches set in.
“No matter how much time, sweat or pain passed, our goal always seemed to be as far away as before, but there was a task at hand which it needed completing so we kept going.
“Fatigue was really setting in by mid afternoon after cycling vertically since 9 am, but there was no way we would quit now, even as the roads turned to cobble, the grass turned to snow, and the sun didn’t even manage to clear the road for us.
“Despite it all there was one goal in mind and we were never not going to make it, at 5 pm we finally reached Gotthard pass at 6,910 feet, two weeks after we left Wareham on my first time ever riding a loaded bike.
“The rewards were incredible, a beautiful view atop the Alps on a sunny day and one of the greatest downhill rides imaginable.”
A daunting view of the road ahead as Joe and Ryan arrive in Switzerland
On the Alpine roads, hazards included lifting your cycles out of snow drifts
Charity works to save young lives
The rest of the planned journey will see the friends cycle through Italy, taking in Venice before following the Adriatic coastline into Slovenia and finally almost 450 miles through Croatia.
The cardiac charity SADS UK works to save young lives from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, supporting people affected by sudden cardiac death amongst their family and friends, those who have suffered a cardiac arrest and those diagnosed with a heart rhythm condition.
SADS raises awareness and organises defibrillators and training in schools and the community, funds medical research, and was instrumental in making changes to Government health policy that has saved lives.
A stone tribute to Sophie made by Joe near Swanage Beach Cairn
Joe enters Slovenia, on the coastal road which will eventually take him to Croatia
“Fundraising is more important than ever”
A spokesperson for the charity said:
“SADS UK highlights the fact that young people and even children can be affected by potentially fatal cardiac conditions.
“Providing information and supporting individuals and families affected by cardiac arrest, cardiac conditions or a sudden cardiac death is a very important part of our work.
“We rely heavily on fundraising, and with the economic climate being tricky and grant makers needing to stretch their limited resources across more charities, fundraising is more important than ever to help SADS in our aim to save lives.
“The energy and commitment of supporters like Joe and Ryan is inspirational, the funds they raise are crucial and will help us to carry out vital work like funding defibrillators in schools, raising awareness of sudden cardiac death, and counselling people affected by SADS.”
Finally arriving in Croatia, the country Sophie wanted to see above all others
Further information
- Donate to SADS UK at Joe’s Just Giving page
- Daily updates on the Brighton to Croatia adventure are on Instagram
