Just a question about LeJog which has bugged me for a while.

[Ming the Merciless]

The fastest route can be done fairly easily just by road signs. It's not a pleasant route, but it sure is fast! No need for unlimited time, nor the compass.
A30 to Exeter
Exeter follow Honiton (A30) onto the A377, City Centre, inner Bypass, B3212-Pinhoe-B3181
A38 to Worcester, A449 to Kidderminster, A442 to Bridgnorth, A458 to Shrewsbury
A49 to Preston via Warrington (touches A5). A6 to Carlisle, A7 in Carlisle, left onto former A74 jsut before M6 junction.
B7076 to Abington, A702 twd Biggar, A73, Thankerton, Carnwath, A70 twd Edinburgh. B7031 Kirknewton, A71 twd Edinburgh
B7030, A8, left immediately, right B800, right A9000, right B981 I'keithing, left B917, left B996, onto A922.
Right rbt Milnathort A911, left Perth B996, A912 Perth
A9 - A99 - JOG

Most of the cues are following old roads that have been replaced by motorways. If you were able to use motorways:
A30-M5-M6-A74(M)-M74-M73-M80-M9-A9-A99
Is the quickest car route, and the same sort of distance (837 mi).

Well of course you could do any route if you pre planned it and brought the results along. I think the OP is more about setting forth with nothing more than a compass for navigation. Which eliminates your idea of having navigation pre planned.

 

[Solocle]

Well of course you could do any route if you pre planned it and brought the results along. I think the OP is more about setting forth with nothing more than a compass for navigation. Which eliminates your idea of having navigation pre planned.

OK, you want me to do it without a routesheet? It's on!

A30 to Honiton. I'll turn off at Pathfinder village, as I know that route. In fact, I might actually be able to redo my more pleasant Cornwall route by memory.

Now I don't want to get lost in the midlands, so I'll actually continue along the A303.

I know the Fosse Way well enough to navigate it (having done the difficult bit before). This gets you to Lincoln, but we'll go to Leicester, then turn onto the A6.

A6 gets us to Carlisle, A7 and old A74 is easy, done it before.

Glasgow could be tricky, but A74 - A8 - NCN 75 isn't too bad. Quickly becomes NCN 7, and then we can hop onto the A82, which gets us to the A9.

A few things to remember, but fairly easy.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

OK, you want me to do it without a routesheet? It's on!

A30 to Honiton. I'll turn off at Pathfinder village, as I know that route. In fact, I might actually be able to redo my more pleasant Cornwall route by memory.

Now I don't want to get lost in the midlands, so I'll actually continue along the A303.

I know the Fosse Way well enough to navigate it (having done the difficult bit before). This gets you to Lincoln, but we'll go to Leicester, then turn onto the A6.

A6 gets us to Carlisle, A7 and old A74 is easy, done it before.

Glasgow could be tricky, but A74 - A8 - NCN 75 isn't too bad. Quickly becomes NCN 7, and then we can hop onto the A82, which gets us to the A9.

A few things to remember, but fairly easy.

Look forward to the trip report. A winter LEJOG

 

[Solocle]

Look forward to the trip report. A winter LEJOG

I've already done my LEJOG for the year! It does sound like an interesting challenge, though.

I think a more interesting way to approach it would be to try and do it up the Great North Road, though. A30 to London, easy, Roman road through Hounslow, head for The City, A1, A1000, parallel the A1(M). But quite a bit of the A1 necessary, and to do it faithfully would definitely need some route guidance. Or there's Ermine Street - but then the A19 is a bit of a barrier, but you could then follow the A1(M) towards Dishforth.

Possibilities abound!

 

[matticus]

Interesting challenges ...
can it be done only on roads that are prime numbers?

 

[T4tomo]

Interesting challenges ...
can it be done only on roads that are prime numbers?

if sticking to roads, no. A836 and A99 are the two roads that feed into JOG

 

[Dogtrousers]

Interesting challenges ...
can it be done only on roads that are prime numbers?

That's my kind of challenge!

Years ago I was at the cricket. Me and the bloke next to me, a friend of my mate who had bought the tickets, started applauding prime number partnerships. It took a lot of concentration.

Turned out he wasn't a friend of my mate. He was a total stranger.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Many years ago I was cycling around the Lake District and met someone who was walking around the coast
He started on the south coast where he lived in the middle of winter and just followed the edge of the wet bit
He did have a map but found he seldom needed it except when deciding whether to include places like Anglesey (he did) and get a ferry like the Mersey Ferry (go on - you know the tune) - which he did

By the time I met him he had spent most days just walking until it got darkish then putting his tent up in a nearby field - then starting at daylight
by this time the days were getting longer so he checked into a Youth Hostel go get a decent night's sleep

I wonder how he got on!