Hi, I am shortly doing the Cicerone Lejog route as a celebration of retirement - from work that is, not cycling! Just wondering if anyone has done this route, especially lately, and if so, if there is any information it might be helpful to pass on - hints, updates, experiences positive or negative. Thanks!
Cicerone lejog route cyclists?
- Thread starter Vixmac
- Start date
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iandg
Legendary Member
- Location
- Dumfries and Galloway
The Richard Barrett guide? I haven't done it but if this is the route my friend wrote the guide and I rode (a wet and windy short stretch) of the Scottish Lowlands with him. I am mentioned in the acknowledgements 
He rode the route at different times during 2019 going back to look at alternatives if roads were too busy or dangerous. One of the main reasons he was commissioned to write the guide was because some of the roads on the previous Cicerone guide are now busy and not the best cycling roads. He used a bike with 28c (maybe 32c) tyres and rode with panniers so the state of the roads won't be too rough.
He rode the route at different times during 2019 going back to look at alternatives if roads were too busy or dangerous. One of the main reasons he was commissioned to write the guide was because some of the roads on the previous Cicerone guide are now busy and not the best cycling roads. He used a bike with 28c (maybe 32c) tyres and rode with panniers so the state of the roads won't be too rough.
Last edited:
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Forgive if a tad oblique to topic. A while ago I crafted an end-to-end route (I think someone put out a challenge) aiming to avoid A roads as much as possible and share it here just in case of any use.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17087989?beta=false
Following meandering routes are great if the rider wants to meander, or routes seeking out knarly climbs, if the rider wants to test their grimpeur prowess, but for a long ride with a destination, that needs to be balanced against progress.
If you want fun then the Welsh Marches, the Lune and Eden valleys, the Scottish islands and west coast have to be high on the 'desirable' list.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17087989?beta=false
Following meandering routes are great if the rider wants to meander, or routes seeking out knarly climbs, if the rider wants to test their grimpeur prowess, but for a long ride with a destination, that needs to be balanced against progress.
If you want fun then the Welsh Marches, the Lune and Eden valleys, the Scottish islands and west coast have to be high on the 'desirable' list.
harlechjoe
Guest
I guess you've completed Lejog by now and hope you enjoyed the ride. Incase you haven't my comments regarding Cicerone may be of interest.
Lejog was a route I cycled in 2016. Before following the Cicerone guide I had considered joining one of the many supported rides that occur throughout the year. Back then the cost of a supported ride was well over £2k which is and was above my means. So the Cicerone guide listed overnight accommodation to suit all pockets. After shopping around I brought the cost of my adventure down to roughly £700 - 2/3rds cheaper than joining a commercial enterprise.
The Cicerone turn by turn directions were excellent and kept me off dangerous roads. It was easy to download the Cicerone route into my bicycle GPS system and the directions were accurate.
Having completed Lejog my only regret was not doing it in stages at different times; in order to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats within a defined timescale there were so many places of interest that I had no time to stop and enjoy.
For me, the lesson learn't from LEJOG is that cycling is about the journey not the destination. That aside many people raise money from sponsorship for many great causes and reaching the destination at pace is a commitment with its own rewards.
The story of my Lejog can be found on www.harlechjoe.wordpress.com by visiting the archive for the month of June 2016.
Lejog was a route I cycled in 2016. Before following the Cicerone guide I had considered joining one of the many supported rides that occur throughout the year. Back then the cost of a supported ride was well over £2k which is and was above my means. So the Cicerone guide listed overnight accommodation to suit all pockets. After shopping around I brought the cost of my adventure down to roughly £700 - 2/3rds cheaper than joining a commercial enterprise.
The Cicerone turn by turn directions were excellent and kept me off dangerous roads. It was easy to download the Cicerone route into my bicycle GPS system and the directions were accurate.
Having completed Lejog my only regret was not doing it in stages at different times; in order to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats within a defined timescale there were so many places of interest that I had no time to stop and enjoy.
For me, the lesson learn't from LEJOG is that cycling is about the journey not the destination. That aside many people raise money from sponsorship for many great causes and reaching the destination at pace is a commitment with its own rewards.
The story of my Lejog can be found on www.harlechjoe.wordpress.com by visiting the archive for the month of June 2016.
