Lejog starts next week

[Glow worm]

Well it's been pretty quiet hereabouts for some time, so I thought I'd post my proposed route for my 1st ever Lejog. I start next Thursday (26th) and hope to complete in just over 2 weeks, doing the thing solo as I'm a miserable bastard with no friends. I've planned a largely rural route, using quiet lanes and Sustrans off road paths wherever possible (such as the Tarka Trail in Devon, and later through Liverpool- both ex-rail lines), although I couldn't see a realistic alternative to the A9 at the end.

I'm going to treat it as a series of day rides and if I don't make it this time in one go, I can always go back and finish some other time. My biggest worry is my right knee that's started playing up, (popping sound but no pain), but I'm hoping a little physio may help. I'm not convinced my fitness is that great but hope that the unambitious daily mileages will be OK. I have no hills to train on hereabouts so know that the West Country will be an enormous shock.

I'm most looking forward to some time to take a break from everything, see parts of the UK I have never been to such as Cornwall, and just enjoy the ride at a liesurely pace.

Here's the route- any comments/ criticisms welcome (best to click on the 'cycle' button top right to get the right map).

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371584 Day 1
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371586 Day 2
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371595 Day 3
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371596 Day 4
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371602 Day 5
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371604 Day 6
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371611 Day 7
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371619 Day 8
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371624 Day 9
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371631 Day 10
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371636 Day 11
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371637 Day 12
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371638 Day 13
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371639 Day 14
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371644 Day 15

 

[wintonbina]

Good luck! May the wind be behind you.Tony

 

[BigTam]

Best of luck, hope all goes well

 

[snorri]

Suggestions..
Day 15 Follow the A9 between Golspie and Brora, your inland route involves a lot of climbing, the A9 is ok there.
Also at Dunbeath, there is nothing to be gained by diverting on to the old road, stay on the A9.

Day14 Between Inverness and Dingwall, consider following the minor road along the north shore of the Beauly Firth, this joins the A832, on to Muir of ord and follow the A862 to Dingwall via Conon bridge where you can stop at the (unusual!)Aquarium Shop for tea and cake. This route may be a little longer but involves less climbing and is a more pleasant route for cycling.
Between Dingwall and Evanton, consider following the A862 along the shore, join the A9 at roundabout and follow it for less than a mile before taking a left up the hill to rejoin the NCN1 route on the C1023. This avoids a bit of serious climbing out of Dingwall.
Between Tain and the Dornoch Firth bridge stay on the A9, the diversion route on your map is unsurfaced and hilly.

Your Day 12 and Day 13 routes are identical!

Good Luck, it will be fun.

 

[Glow worm]

Good Luck, it will be fun.

Many thanks for all the tips - it's great to get such info. As a flatlander, I am conditioned to diving off the beaten track to avoid busy roads without the added complication of hills! Any road with the letter 'A' in it as a classification is generally a no go area for me naturally, but it's good to know the A9 beyond Inverness is OK.

The tea shop sounds great and I'll head for that. Thanks too for spotting the duplicated maps in error- I have now corrected this.

Edit: just checked your route suggestions on my OS map and looks ideal so will follow them. Hadn't spotted the monster hill at Dingwall so would be good to avoid!

 

[Ticktockmy]

Day 14 further advice..LOL

May I make a suggestion, once you have left Inverness and crossed the Kessock bridge, follow the cycle path (NCN 1) Munlochy then to Casky, at Crasky take the “C” road into Culbokie, or you can stay on the NCN1 until you hit the B9169 then head to Culbokie. In Culbokie take the “C” road down to the A 9 bridge, cross that , then stay on the A9 for 1 KM, on you left will will find a turning which leads you back on To the (NCN 1) cycle route.
Snorri,s route around the North shore of Beauly Firth is a good one as well
Just a Thought

 

[Glow worm]

Day 14 further advice..LOL

May I make a suggestion, once you have left Inverness and crossed the Kessock bridge, follow the cycle path (NCN 1) Munlochy then to Casky, at Crasky take the “C” road into Culbokie, or you can stay on the NCN1 until you hit the B9169 then head to Culbokie. In Culbokie take the “C” road down to the A 9 bridge, cross that , then stay on the A9 for 1 KM, on you left will will find a turning which leads you back on To the (NCN 1) cycle route.
Snorri,s route around the North shore of Beauly Firth is a good one as well
Just a Thought

Great stuff - many thanks - looks like another good alternative. Maybe I'll decide when I get there as the wind direction could play a part.- cheers!

 

[squiddley]

Good luck,i'm going to be doing the same,and like you doing it on my own.Just need to get fitter...
Hope all goes well and the sun starts shining

 

[Fubar]

Well it's been pretty quiet hereabouts for some time, so I thought I'd post my proposed route for my 1st ever Lejog. I start next Thursday (26th) and hope to complete in just over 2 weeks, doing the thing solo as I'm a miserable bastard with no friends. I've planned a largely rural route, using quiet lanes and Sustrans off road paths wherever possible (such as the Tarka Trail in Devon, and later through Liverpool- both ex-rail lines), although I couldn't see a realistic alternative to the A9 at the end.

I'm going to treat it as a series of day rides and if I don't make it this time in one go, I can always go back and finish some other time. My biggest worry is my right knee that's started playing up, (popping sound but no pain), but I'm hoping a little physio may help. I'm not convinced my fitness is that great but hope that the unambitious daily mileages will be OK. I have no hills to train on hereabouts so know that the West Country will be an enormous shock.

I'm most looking forward to some time to take a break from everything, see parts of the UK I have never been to such as Cornwall, and just enjoy the ride at a liesurely pace.

Here's the route- any comments/ criticisms welcome (best to click on the 'cycle' button top right to get the right map).

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371584 Day 1
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371586 Day 2
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371595 Day 3
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371596 Day 4
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371602 Day 5
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371604 Day 6
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371611 Day 7
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371619 Day 8
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371624 Day 9
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371631 Day 10
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371636 Day 11
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371637 Day 12
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371638 Day 13
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371639 Day 14
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=371644 Day 15

Looks like you are heading my way on day 11! Are you staying in/near Dunfermline? The NCN1 coming out of Edinburgh heading north towards the Forth Bridge is a bit narrow and bumpy, though I'm sure it won't be your worst bit of tarmac! There are a few CC East Coasters, let me know if you need any help or advice - would love to make this trip as well one day. Regards, Mark

 

[furball]

On the B6318 near Langholm, there is a bit where the road drops down to a bridge and makes a ninety degree turn. There is a lot of loose grit on the road just at the bridge so you don't want to be going too fast or braking when you hit this.

 

[Glow worm]

Looks like you are heading my way on day 11! Are you staying in/near Dunfermline? The NCN1 coming out of Edinburgh heading north towards the Forth Bridge is a bit narrow and bumpy, though I'm sure it won't be your worst bit of tarmac! There are a few CC East Coasters, let me know if you need any help or advice - would love to make this trip as well one day. Regards, Mark

Thanks Mark- I'm planning on just staying wherever I end up so I guess if I'm going well I may end up a little further say near Kinross or Path of Condie which sounds like a brilliant place! If I have time, I may detour to Central Park to visit the home of my Scottish football heroes Cowdenbeath- the Blue Brazil! I fell for Cowdenbeath years ago when they went through an entire season without a win- that's the team for me I thought. Now it looks like they're letting me down by getting promoted!

 

[Glow worm]

On the B6318 near Langholm, there is a bit where the road drops down to a bridge and makes a ninety degree turn. There is a lot of loose grit on the road just at the bridge so you don't want to be going too fast or braking when you hit this.

Great stuff - noted- many thanks!

 

[Fubar]

Thanks Mark- I'm planning on just staying wherever I end up so I guess if I'm going well I may end up a little further say near Kinross or Path of Condie which sounds like a brilliant place! If I have time, I may detour to Central Park to visit the home of my Scottish football heroes Cowdenbeath- the Blue Brazil! I fell for Cowdenbeath years ago when they went through an entire season without a win- that's the team for me I thought. Now it looks like they're letting me down by getting promoted!

Sounds like a good plan, to be honest the south-west end of Fife is a bit boring so if I were you I'd either stop in Edinburgh or once you are over the bridge head north - very nice countryside. There are a few Premier Inn types Edinburgh/Dunfermline way if that is how you are doing it or no doubt some much nicer B&B's once you get past Kinross. Bizarrely I've never been to Path of Condie even though it's just up the road, can't imagine there is much there but I may take a spin up that way this weekend. It wouldn't take you long to divert to Central Park, though you may be in for another let-down when you get there!

Let me know if you need any more info or help with directions etc - if I don't know someone on here will! Kind regards, Mark

 

[Ticktockmy]

Just another idea, from Munlochy you could follow the (NCN 1) to the Cromarty-Nigg ferry and cross over there, then all quite roads to Tain, however sometime the ferry decides not to run, but as they have a new one now it might be more reliable, year before last when I arrived there late one afternoon, I along with a few cars waited on the Nigg side for a ferry that never came, only to find out that it had not run at all that summer.

 

[Glow worm]

Sounds like a good plan, to be honest the south-west end of Fife is a bit boring so if I were you I'd either stop in Edinburgh or once you are over the bridge head north - very nice countryside. There are a few Premier Inn types Edinburgh/Dunfermline way if that is how you are doing it or no doubt some much nicer B&B's once you get past Kinross. Bizarrely I've never been to Path of Condie even though it's just up the road, can't imagine there is much there but I may take a spin up that way this weekend. It wouldn't take you long to divert to Central Park, though you may be in for another let-down when you get there!

Let me know if you need any more info or help with directions etc - if I don't know someone on here will! Kind regards, Mark

Cheers Mark - much appreciated. I'll pop back on here from time to time as I go along.
I've seen the photos of Cantral Park and I'm not expecting much! I rang the club shop once and was told to call back later as she'd popped out for lunch!- like I said - my kind of club.