GB Divide

[Aravis]

I was afraid this thread would end up as a geographic slugfest. But I thought it would be about watershed lines, not map projections!

I'll try to oblige. I find it an interesting idea, but the choice of end-points is entirely arbitrary. The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic; so is the North Sea. Viewed that way, Great Britain is entirely surrounded by the Atlantic. The seas don't tell you where the line should start and finish.

From a cycling perspective, you'll get a much more beguiling result if you trace the watershed from Land's End to Duncansby Head - the ultimate LEJOG/JOGLE, if you will, where the objective is to follow the watershed as closely as possible from one end to the other. I will not be doing this, I hasten to add.

What is meant by "as closely as possible" would need defining. Clearly there will be sections where neither the route to the east or the west will be obviously the closer. You'd probably want to look at minimising the size of the areas trapped between the actual watershed and the chosen route - too complex for me.

 

[Aravis]

The choice of start and finish points is indeed arbitrary really, because unlike North America we're just a weeny island rather than a whacking great continent with distinct oceans on each side. I suppose you have to put your pins in the map somewhere.

But as to your idea that the result would be more beguiling if you started it in Cornwall, I say tosh! Starting it in Kent means I can reach bits of it to ride along. I am uttterly beguiled. Starting it all the way over in Cornwall is an unbeguiling distance away from my front door.

I kinda knew you'd say that - not the exact words or course.

What I'm trying to say is that because there are many significant watersheds dividing the country, there's really a bigger picture here than a single line which claims to be "the one". If there is to be a "senior watershed", then I think it should probably be the one connecting Land's End and John o'Groats. But looking up the eastern side of England, there are other major watersheds separating the river systems: those draining into the English Channel; the Thames; the Wash; the Humber; the Tees; the Wear; the Tyne. If you want to be a watershed bagger/follower, these are all worth looking at. But I'd agree with starting near home.

As it happens I'm very close to "the" watershed, however anyone wants to define it. I have my ways of minimising the pain.

This thread does strike a chord because when I'm out riding I do enjoy hopping from one river basin to another, and sometimes plan rides in order to do just that. The Severn, Wye, Usk, Thames and their tributaries come up most frequently, but occasionally I find myself crossing water draining into the Great Ouse. But I'd not considered trying to follow the watersheds, and I don't think I ever will.

 

[classic33]

No, below is the correct GB divide
View attachment 369139

Is it part of Great Britain in the first place?

 

[pjd57]

By "properly scaled", you mean a projection that inflates Scotland, like the one in the initial post?

No just one that uses the same scale end to end.

 

[Markymark]

Is it part of Great Britain in the first place?

Yes. It's the 'great' bit.

 

[biggs682]

You included Borehamwood, you are being very generous.

They can keep it

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'll try to oblige. I find it an interesting idea, but the choice of end-points is entirely arbitrary. The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic; so is the North Sea. Viewed that way, Great Britain is entirely surrounded by the Atlantic. The seas don't tell you where the line should start and finish.

I think there are three main alternative starting points. Kent, Cornwall and Suffolk. Although there are others (the Wash, Lincolnshire)

 

[lazybloke]

Great map, although I'm worried Cornwall and Devon are about to float away.

 

[Aravis]

I'm tempted to actually think hard about this.... (starts making a mental list of big rivers) ...

Nah maybe not.

Well, the maps you've linked to reminded me that the Trent basin extends a bit south of Birmingham, bringing it within range of a day ride. This required action.

With good progress made on patio-building, and having laid quite a bit of concrete yesterday which needs to cure, I had approval for a ride today. My target was Earlswood lakes, which are fed by the river Blythe near its source, before it heads off to join the Tame and eventually the Trent.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1151668174

Far-off exotic lands as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I rode some of it today on my commute.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Yes, that's pretty much how I've been treating it. Mind you, the bit I this weekend did happened to have roads along nearly all of it.

By the way, the ridewithgps link is a bit confusing, as it has two routes. I think one is the walking route and one an attempt to match to the nearest roads. But I'm not really sure.

One is the actual watershed route and the other the nearest cycling route to it.