Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
I'm still of a mind to have an attempt at completing my jigsaw puzzle style LEJOG ride. I know it's not really in the spirit of things to complete it over a period of 3 years, and in sections, but I don't really care much for such things and the thought of spending an extra week covering old ground doesn't appeal much. The remaining section is more than enough, Land's End to Carlisle.
The purpose of the post is regarding the logistics of getting to LE..
A single train journey from Ayrshire to Penzance is £266. Due to high demand at present, there are no cheap tickets on offer. Another problem is that the journey involves at least 3 changes, sometimes as many as 5. With a loaded bike this doesn't appeal at all, especially as some connection times are tight. 10 mins at Crewe, assuming trains running to time? Too much stress for me. Trying to find a bike reservation covering 3 or 4 different trains has also proved to be nigh on impossible.
I have looked at one way car rental, but it is coming in around £200, plus petrol obviously, bringing it over the train cost. Plus the hassle of the actual driving experience on our wonderful motorways.
Could fly Glasgow to Exeter for about £100. Downside is putting an essential piece of equipment for the trip into the hands of 2 sets of baggage handlers. Then I still need to get the train from Exeter to Penzance.
National Express is much cheaper but an endurance test involving overnight bus Glasgow to Birmingham; morning bus to Plymouth; afternoon bus to Penzance. Would be an almost 24 hour journey. Then there's the small print re carriage of bikes, which is vague. Basically at driver's discretion if there is space for it. So relying on the discretion of drivers x 3.
The one possibility I am now looking at is going via London. I can get a single to London for about £80, and plenty trains with bike reservation available. Can then get a Travelodge in central London, they are for some reason going reasonably cheap just now. Then train to Penzance the following day for about £75, again found it easy enough to get trains with available bike spaces.
I might have to do this before the English school holidays get under way. Isn't that usually the second week of July?
Right, I'm off to check the weather for late June/early July. Oh, and better get my ever increasing belly up a hill or two sometime soon!
The purpose of the post is regarding the logistics of getting to LE..
A single train journey from Ayrshire to Penzance is £266. Due to high demand at present, there are no cheap tickets on offer. Another problem is that the journey involves at least 3 changes, sometimes as many as 5. With a loaded bike this doesn't appeal at all, especially as some connection times are tight. 10 mins at Crewe, assuming trains running to time? Too much stress for me. Trying to find a bike reservation covering 3 or 4 different trains has also proved to be nigh on impossible.
I have looked at one way car rental, but it is coming in around £200, plus petrol obviously, bringing it over the train cost. Plus the hassle of the actual driving experience on our wonderful motorways.
Could fly Glasgow to Exeter for about £100. Downside is putting an essential piece of equipment for the trip into the hands of 2 sets of baggage handlers. Then I still need to get the train from Exeter to Penzance.
National Express is much cheaper but an endurance test involving overnight bus Glasgow to Birmingham; morning bus to Plymouth; afternoon bus to Penzance. Would be an almost 24 hour journey. Then there's the small print re carriage of bikes, which is vague. Basically at driver's discretion if there is space for it. So relying on the discretion of drivers x 3.
The one possibility I am now looking at is going via London. I can get a single to London for about £80, and plenty trains with bike reservation available. Can then get a Travelodge in central London, they are for some reason going reasonably cheap just now. Then train to Penzance the following day for about £75, again found it easy enough to get trains with available bike spaces.
I might have to do this before the English school holidays get under way. Isn't that usually the second week of July?
Right, I'm off to check the weather for late June/early July. Oh, and better get my ever increasing belly up a hill or two sometime soon!
) we hired a car and saved a fortune on the trains and avoided the worry of 'will I make it'. Trains from the end of a line or with big layovers are OK as you can be pretty sure the bike space being available, unlike in the middle of a train's route with a 2 minute stop and a stressed guard saying get the next one and squiggling something on your ticket.
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