Cornwall to Kent?

[vbc]

I'm thinking of doing a Cornwall to Kemt ride next year with a couple of guys from work to give them an idea of what a LEJOG ride might be like.

So Lands End is the accepted far south western point in the UK but what is the accepted far south eastern point?

 

[Muddyfox]

I'm no expert but Margate looks to be a good place to finish off ?

Simon

 

[andym]

The problem is that geography makes the decison more difficult - the further east you go, the further north you go. and I don't know there's an established Coast2Coast route for Southern England - there ought to be. I'm biased, but the beach at Deal in Kent wouldn't be a bad place to end.

 

[rmiker]

I'd aim for North Foreland as the South Eastern point. Assuming the light house is still there, would make a good stopping point.

Mike

 

[Lewiy]

I did this ride in 2007 from Land’s End to North Foreland. It was approximately 530 miles and I did it in 9 days so was fairly easy going at 50-60 miles a day on a touring bike carrying all my kit. This included going around the south coast of the Isle of Wight instead of north around Southampton, which I would recommend as a much nicer route. The Lighthouse at North Foreland is the perfect ending point as previously mentioned!

 

[Brains]

I have cycled nearly all this route
If you want a reasonibly flat route until Cornwall, a lot of it can be done on Sustrans routes.

I'd do:
North Forland
North kent coast/Saxon way
Rochester
Dartford
South Bank of the Thames - Sustrans
Reading
Kennet and Avon canal
Hungerford
Bradford on Avon
Bath
Wells
Tarka Trail
Sheepwash
(Now it gets bumpy)
Holsworthy
Bude
Camelford
Camel Trail to Wadebridge
Lands end

(avoid the A30/A303 - it's motorway in all but name)

 

[Ticktockmy]

I have cycled nearly all this route
If you want a reasonibly flat route until Cornwall, a lot of it can be done on Sustrans routes.

I'd do:
North Forland
North kent coast/Saxon way
Rochester
Dartford
South Bank of the Thames - Sustrans
Reading
Kennet and Avon canal
Hungerford
Bradford on Avon
Bath
Wells
Tarka Trail
Sheepwash
(Now it gets bumpy)
Holsworthy
Bude
Camelford
Camel Trail to Wadebridge
Lands end

(avoid the A30/A303 - it's motorway in all but name)

Looks like a good enouch route, and North foreland is a good start or finish point.

However i think myself I would drop down to Canterbury, Charing, Tonbridge, Redhill, Guildford, Fleet and then Newbury and then rejoin the above route there. Lots of nice quite C class roads, however there are a few steepish hills along the route but nothing to bad.

 

[andym]

That route's OK but (and I say this as someone who lives near the route in south east London) I'm not sure going via Rochester along the Thames and through London would be my first choice (although it's OK).

Two other options to consider (although I should say at the outset that both are hillier than the one suggested). Head through south Devon through Winchester and Wareham (maybe with a diversion into the Purbecks?) and on through Brockenhurst and the new forest and tehn either go north of the South Downs and follow the South Downs east, or south and follow the coast (pleasant, but as a lot of this is along the seafront, your speed would be limited). Or go even further north and head through Guildford, tunbridge Wells Tenterden and Canterbury and Sandwich.

Another option, which is doable on a lighlty-loaded hybrid or tourer with reasonable off-road capabilities is the South Downs Way (shown as route 89 on the NCN map). definitely not doable on a road bike though.

 

[hubbike]

The most extreme easterly point of the island of Great Britan is Lowestoft Ness in Suffolk. about 500 miles from Land's End.

It is a non-intuative fact that the most westery point is Corrachadh Mor a headland on Ardnamurchan in Scotland. It is about 30 miles further west than Land's End. We imagine GB to be a reverse L but actually it is much more lopsided than you think...

It would be a fun tour to visit all the most extreme compass points of GB perhaps...
NORTHunnet Head
WEST:Corrachadh Mor
EAST:Lowestoff Ness
SOUTH: Lizard Point

 

[subaqua]

The most extreme easterly point of the island of Great Britan is Lowestoft Ness in Suffolk. about 500 miles from Land's End.

It is a non-intuative fact that the most westery point is Corrachadh Mor a headland on Ardnamurchan in Scotland. It is about 30 miles further west than Land's End. We imagine GB to be a reverse L but actually it is much more lopsided than you think...

It would be a fun tour to visit all the most extreme compass points of GB perhaps...
NORTHunnet Head
WEST:Corrachadh Mor
EAST:Lowestoff Ness
SOUTH: Lizard Point

done it , but not on a bike and not all in 1 year. i did manage the most North West and South all in one year when i drove to Scrabster to get the Orkney ferry and took a detour on the way back home to do the jockanese bits

 

[Russell Allen]

I'm doing chelmsford (Essex) to Lands End over the easter holidays. Currently planning the route, looks like about 390 miles using B roads wherever possible. planning on 6 days, I will be going solo and camping, staying with a friend in Somerset for night 3 so a comfy bed and a good meal guaranteed at least once. I also have friends near Lands End who are going to cycle with me from St Ives to Lands End. This is my first foray into cycle touring. I can comfortably cycle 80 miles in a day. I plan on a shake down trip with a fully loaded bike, 50 miles.....camp the night....50 miles home. This is to check my kit and make sure I havent forgotten anything. Any suggestions, hints and tips gladly accepted

Regards

Russell

 

[TwoTired]

Although A30/A303 is no-go, it does avoid most of the hills. So I suggest something like : LE - Camelford - Launceston-Exeter-Taunton-Bruton-Shaftesbury-Salisbury-Winchester-Alton-Milford-Horley-Tonbridge-Charing-Canterbury...

 

[frank9755]

There are suggestions for some inland routes, but if you are going to be doing much of it near the coast then do it the way you say (West to East) not the other way round, as the winds can be significant on the South coast.

I've ridden the Kent coast and most of it is very pretty, with a couple of big old climbs either side of Dover. There's a nice cafe by the shore in Ramsgate that I would head for - much nicer than Margate!

 

[david1701]

if I can help any with the cornwall end gimme a nudge. Touring is something I want to do as opposed to something I've done but if you can come via north cornwall I can check the route around here for you if it helps?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I did this ride in 2007 from Land’s End to North Foreland. It was approximately 530 miles and I did it in 9 days so was fairly easy going at 50-60 miles a day on a touring bike carrying all my kit. This included going around the south coast of the Isle of Wight instead of north around Southampton, which I would recommend as a much nicer route. The Lighthouse at North Foreland is the perfect ending point as previously mentioned!

Hello Lewiy, I see it is your first post, thanks for the info regarding the IOW, this is somewhere I intend to cycle one of these days.

Anyway, instead of going from Lands End, I'd go from Lizard Point, a bit like I would go from Dunnet Head instead of John 'O Groats. But at the same time, I'd still include them in a detour once I got started.