LEJOG - West or East Scotland

LEJOG - EAST OR WEST SCOTLAND

  • EAST A9 (or side road where possible)

    Votes: 10 62.5%
  • WEST A82

    Votes: 6 37.5%

  • Total voters
    16
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MikeG

Guru
Location
Suffolk
East!

No midges, and you don't have the nightmare run along the A82, which sounds like the ultimate cycling hell.

In the east, you take the OLD A9, not the current one. It is a dedicated cycle path now, and watching the traffic thunder by on the new one makes you very glad you aren't on it. There are a couple of really good climbs, to test you (Helmsdale and Berriedale), but you're fit-as-fiddle anyway, and the end is in reach.
 

HorTs

Über Member
Location
Portsmouth
I haven't cycled the west side so can't compare but can say that when I cycled the east coast it was probably the nicest part of my LEJOG.
 

MikeG

Guru
Location
Suffolk
I've looked out our route for you:

Langholme
Hawick
B709 via Eskdalemuir (don't miss this, it's gorgeous!)
Innerleithen
Peebles
Edinburgh
Forth Bridge
Old A9-Perth-Dunkeld-Pitlochry-Newtonmore-Aviemore-inverness
North Kossock
Munlochy
Fortrose
Invergordon (the Cromarty ferry wasn't running, or we would have gone that way, via Nigg)
Tain
Dunbeath
Latheronwheel (great B&B!)
A9, A99
Wick
J. O'G
Thurso
 

spen666

Legendary Member
East!

No midges, and you don't have the nightmare run along the A82, which sounds like the ultimate cycling hell.

....
I'm not sure what the issue is with the A82. When I road that, it was the best day of my LEJoG. I ended up riding 25 miles more than planned as I was enjoying the day so much.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
I'm not sure what the issue is with the A82. When I road that, it was the best day of my LEJoG. I ended up riding 25 miles more than planned as I was enjoying the day so much.

I too have difficulty reconciling folks reservations about the A82 with my own experiences on the road. I used it for LEJOG and JOGLE and enjoyed every mile of the road.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
It's doing my head in !!!!

You think too much!

Toss a coin once and go with the decision divined by chance.

You can over prepare and that takes the enjoyment away from the ride.
 
I've looked out our route for you:

Langholme
Hawick
B709 via Eskdalemuir (don't miss this, it's gorgeous!)
Innerleithen
Peebles
Edinburgh
Forth Bridge
Old A9-Perth-Dunkeld-Pitlochry-Newtonmore-Aviemore-inverness
North Kossock
Munlochy
Fortrose
Invergordon (the Cromarty ferry wasn't running, or we would have gone that way, via Nigg)
Tain
Dunbeath
Latheronwheel (great B&B!)
A9, A99
Wick
J. O'G
Thurso

Hello Mike - I've looked at your route thru Scotland and like it. Could you send me details of your whole route please? Please bear in mind, of course, that I am travelling solo, so would prefer not to go on more remote routes than I need to; however, I want to avoid busy main roads as well. I have three weeks to do it in. Have already booked my accommodation in Thurso and am about to book my flight back from Wick (+ arrange my bike transport). I plan to leave around 27th August and want to use WarmShowers.org as much as possible.
 

Jimbob312

Regular
we've just done a westerly route. Dunoon ferry to avoid glasgow then up to fort william, oban etc beautiful and roads were pretty good.
 

berty bassett

Legendary Member
Location
I'boro
went up west coast - over to Arran then up to Oban and found it fantastic - no midges , i think they had all been drown by the constant rain ! but the view was brilliant . going up the east coast starting on friday so will let you know
 
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