JOGLE May 2022

[Spikeb87]

Evening all,

I am in the early stages of planning JOGLE for May 2022. The aim is to do this over 10 days, but will in fact be 9 days of cycling with an afternoon and following morning off in the Lake District to see the wife and kids.

Seeing that stuff is booking up fast I have booked accommodation for my first night in John O'Groats, and final night in Penzance. Now I just need to work out how to get from one to the other!

I am planning on flying home from Newquay airport to Leeds as this is only an hour and a bit on the flight rather than many many hours on the train, and even with posting my bike home is cheaper than the train!! Getting to John O'Groats from Leeds seems to be a little more complicated. Trying to find a way that doesn't take 10 hours or so but not having much luck, think that will just be a long day on the trains.

I have seen a few 9 day routes knocking about and started to use these to plan my own, am planning on b&bs where possible or whatever options to make it as cheap as possible. I will be doing this unsupported, solo, and once I have accommodation sorted will be posting food parcels to arrive a few days before me.

Any hints, tips, suggestions welcome!

Spike

 

[T4tomo]

I'm sure I've hears people mention (more at end of a LEJOG but same principal applies) getting ferry Gills bay to St Margarets hope on Orkney, then short cycling up to Kirkwall airport and flying from there. I very much doubt they fly direct to Leeds Bradford though. so it would be a train - flight - ferry route, which may be no quicker than train all the way, and you'd need to take a box for the flight on the train leg?

edit to add: also there is a ferry from Orkney Mainland to Aberdeen which may have an overnight option, so although time elapsed will be longer than train, its only sleeping time! plus a train only gets you to Wick and I imagine the latter parts of that journey are slow, whereas you could get a fast train to Aberdeen and a couple of ferries and a bonus 20 miles ride across Orkney

 

[T4tomo]

If you did a LEJOG you can get an overnight ferry. Finish, head to ferry to Orkney. Ride up to Kirkwall. Overnight ferry. Train Aberdeen - Leeds.

Going the other way you need to get to Aberdeen for about 4pm. Ferry leaves 5pm and arrives Kirkwall 11pm. Book some accommodation on Orkney. Get the 7:45am ferry from St Margarets. Start riding an hour or so later

posted on the wrong thread so relocated

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If you did a LEJOG you can get an overnight ferry. Finish, head to ferry to Orkney. Ride up to Kirkwall. Overnight ferry. Train Aberdeen - Leeds.

Going the other way you need to get to Aberdeen for about 4pm. Ferry leaves 5pm and arrives Kirkwall 11pm. Book some accommodation on Orkney. Get the 7:45am ferry from St Margarets. Start riding an hour or so later

 

[Spikeb87]

T

I'm sure I've hears people mention (more at end of a LEJOG but same principal applies) getting ferry Gills bay to St Margarets hope on Orkney, then short cycling up to Kirkwall airport and flying from there. I very much doubt they fly direct to Leeds Bradford though. so it would be a train - flight - ferry route, which may be no quicker than train all the way, and you'd need to take a box for the flight on the train leg?

edit to add: also there is a ferry from Orkney Mainland to Aberdeen which may have an overnight option, so although time elapsed will be longer than train, its only sleeping time! plus a train only gets you to Wick and I imagine the latter parts of that journey are slow, whereas you could get a fast train to Aberdeen and a couple of ferries and a bonus 20 miles ride across Orkney

Thanks - Seems a good way to do it as would get to see a lot more, but traveling with a box and also all the changes make it a bit of a non starter for me. Appreciate the comments though

 

[Spikeb87]

If you did a LEJOG you can get an overnight ferry. Finish, head to ferry to Orkney. Ride up to Kirkwall. Overnight ferry. Train Aberdeen - Leeds.

Going the other way you need to get to Aberdeen for about 4pm. Ferry leaves 5pm and arrives Kirkwall 11pm. Book some accommodation on Orkney. Get the 7:45am ferry from St Margarets. Start riding an hour or so later

Thanks - Sounds like a good way of seeing Orkney etc, but don't really fancy arriving at midnight to then set off at the crack of dawn.

Having looked at it more, I think that it may be a case of doing a bit more research on this. Had hoped to hop on a train if needed and sit on it all day, looks like I won't get to Wick/Thurso till 10 or 11pm though then have to cycle to JOG. Hmmmm.....

 

[T4tomo]

Thanks - Sounds like a good way of seeing Orkney etc, but don't really fancy arriving at midnight to then set off at the crack of dawn.

Having looked at it more, I think that it may be a case of doing a bit more research on this. Had hoped to hop on a train if needed and sit on it all day, looks like I won't get to Wick/Thurso till 10 or 11pm though then have to cycle to JOG. Hmmmm.....

There are 3 ferries a day Orkney to JOG/ Gills Bay so if you went train to aberdeen and Ferry to Kirkwall for overnight stay, you could have a small lie in, a hearty breakfast and make the 11.30 sailing no problem. Given the paucity of train north of Aberdeen ~ Inverness that looks to be the best route

 

[matticus]

then set off at the crack of dawn.

What time is dawn on Orkney in May??

 

[lazybloke]

What time is dawn on Orkney in May??

Ooh, is it April? (Just kidding)

@Spikeb87 - best of luck to you. I love reading about the planning of end-to-ends as well as the ride blogs, and will look forward to reading more from you.
Never done one myself (as yet) so won't make any recommendations, but there's plenty of info on here including routes. Such as near-universal hatred of the A30 when you get to the South-west!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Thanks - Sounds like a good way of seeing Orkney etc, but don't really fancy arriving at midnight to then set off at the crack of dawn.

Having looked at it more, I think that it may be a case of doing a bit more research on this. Had hoped to hop on a train if needed and sit on it all day, looks like I won't get to Wick/Thurso till 10 or 11pm though then have to cycle to JOG. Hmmmm.....

You arrive at 11pm. Hardly midnight.

It’s 15 miles or so from Kirkwall to St Margaret’s . You could leave 6:30am for the 7:45am ferry. Sunrise will be 4:30am or earlier from mid May. You’ll be setting off a full two hours after sunrise. You could of course ride part way off ferry and then not getting going next day till shortly after 7am.

Either way, Crack of dawn it isn’t

 

[Spikeb87]

OK, very much appreciate the comments coming in, will explore the ferry options in a bit more depth now. Think I had viewed it as too much of a ball ache and not practical, but the above has made me rethink - thanks!

Wrong phrase maybe with crack of dawn, should have read 'earlier than my eyes would care to open'.

 

[matticus]

@Ming the Merciless do you remember the conversation about this in Baldock? As the guy said - it's not difficult at all getting back from JoG! :P

 

[Ajax Bay]

Continuing the ferry theme (with JOGLE in mind) rather than Gils Bay this ferry (from 1 May) takes you straight to JOG harbour:
https://www.jogferry.co.uk/Ferry.aspx 0930 sailing and an easy 30km flat fast ride from Kirkwall. Definitely not a dawn 'raid'.
I took this the other way at the end of my end-to-end.

 

[Spikeb87]

Now the down side to the ferry idea is that they don't sail on a Monday from Aberdeen to Burwick, which is a shame as the plan was starting to come together.

I need to do the travel on a Monday for various reasons such as being back for my sons birthday, being away as little as possible over weekends as my wife will be on her own with the kids, and so that it ties in well with a weekend meeting them in the lakes.

Back to the drawing board I go. Would be handy if someone with a small plane would fly my to an airstrip up that way, wishful thinking!!

 

[Ajax Bay]

Well the Lake District is just a little north of half way. Turn the drawing board around?