Routes

[Solocle]

I think you'd be better off trying to follow Ajax Bay's route, than dead on the side of the main A30. Having driven on it, full f impatient motorists, caravans and lorries, no way would I cycle on it.

My initial thought was to do the A30 stint in the early morning, by setting of from Land's End at silly-o-clock, hoping to get to Launceston, i.e. across Bodmin Moor, before 8am or certainly before 9am. Thought being that the road would be empty! I generally have no problem using such roads at such hours if I'm equipped with frickin laser beams.

However, my search for a train ticket down to Penzance has proved fruitful - but it's on Saturday 28th August, arriving 14:24. I'll probably gently meander my way down to Land's End from there, 16:30-17:30. So the timings will be rather different to my initial plan.

55k: Chiverton Cross to Carland Cross (65 km). -2k through Zelah. So 8km of naff trunk single carriageway. Then 2k dual to Mitchell. Probably the worst bit of the route.

 

[Solocle]

Estimated average speed: 20 kph.
0 km - Land's End - 17:00
50 km - Chiverton Cross - 19:00-19:30
75 km - Indian Queens - 20:00-20:45
100 km - St Kew Highway, A39 - 21:00-22:00. Bodmin Moor on A30
Here be hills
135 km - Launceston - 22:30-00:00
200 km - Exeter - 01:30-04:00
240 km - Uppotery - 03:30-06:00

If I'm doing this audax timetable, then I'd actually be quite inclined to proceed as follows, and take the sting out of the Blackdowns:
Uppotery - A303 - Ilchester
275 km - Ilchester - 05:15-08:00

Then I'm on roads I know, go up to Henstridge rather than the shorter back way to Stalbridge, because those hills are absolutely not nice with 300k in the legs - the same hill on the A30 is much more friendly in terms of gradient.

307.6 km / 3737 m

That really knocks off some brutal climbing at the tail end, and I'd be quite capable of doing seat-of-my-pants navigation in that area if the A303 looked uncomfortable.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Indian Queens - A39 - A395 - NCN 327 isn't too hard navigationally

On a point of detail (but is a much nicer ride), after turning off A39 and onto A395, after Hallworthy L $ Egloskerry 5. Lovely flat/steady downhill run; drop into town and wiggle to the Devon border/bridge.

I'd actually be quite inclined to proceed as follows, and take the sting out of the Blackdowns: Upottery - A303 - Ilchester

Feel free. climb out of Honiton and A30 / Yarcombe etc goes nowhere near Blackdowns so no sting. Climbed over the Blackdowns on Saturday.
A30/A303 is fastest and least climb but no sane person would ride that road, imo, except for a brief, necessary connection (see the route I shared).
A more southerly alternative to Crewkerne is to take the A3052 to Colyford, L to Axminster and climb out and B3165 thru Marshwood to points east.

 

[Solocle]

On a point of detail (but is a much nicer ride), after turning off A39 and onto A395, after Hallworthy L $ Egloskerry 5. Lovely flat/steady downhill run; drop into town and wiggle to the Devon border/bridge.

Feel free. climb out of Honiton and A30 / Yarcombe etc goes nowhere near Blackdowns so no sting. Climbed over the Blackdowns on Saturday.
A30/A303 is fastest and least climb but no sane person would ride that road, imo, except for a brief, necessary connection (see the route I shared).
A more southerly alternative to Crewkerne is to take the A3052 to Colyford, L to Axminster and climb out and B3165 thru Marshwood to points east.

Yeah, the only time I went out to Honiton was in January- A30 from Chardish. I was fine with the downhill wizz through Monkton etc.

The climbs on the A30 around Chard and Crewkerne are real stingers.

If we get to the A30/A30/A303 junction above, then the A303 has a nice descent to Marsh, then there's a bit of a climb, then downhill again, and then a few km to Ilminster. From there, the terrain is relatively flat, whether you continue following the A303 Ilminster Bypass for simplicity, or go Ilminster-Whitelackington-Seavingtons. Then the simplest route is 1 mile along the A303 from South Petherton to Stoke sub-Hambdon, the road through Montacute towards Yeovil is really quite nice and rustic. Then you have Yeovil to navigate (easy for me).

I wouldn't suggest the A3088 into Yeovil, early in the morning it's probably worse than the A303, as it's a single carriageway link to the 303, just a road that gives me the eebie geebies a bit (unlike the A303, I've never ridden on it).

Carrying along the A303 as far as Podimore has the advantage of Podimore services. Early on a Sunday morning, I suspect that the A303 would be quiet enough to be perfectly reasonable (plenty of alternatives if it isn't). The services along the way make it possibly a little less bleak than the A30 route - last time I was up there, I got a puncture, and there really wasn't much around in the way of supplies, at least that will be open when I'm thinking.

 

[I like Skol]

Driven along the main A30 today and absolutely no frickin way would I ever cycle on there, and I'm nuts, so can't imagine any sane person would ever do it!
I did spot one old crazy tramp guy loaded up with panniers and wooly hat etc going the other way at about 8mph, but I would say he had a pretty slim grip on reality and probably not fully aware of what he was actually doing???

 

[Ajax Bay]

@I like Skol Would you recognise @Solocle then? His edge case is riding these dual carriageways in the wee hours, preferring it when the road goes downhill.

 

[Solocle]

@I like Skol Would you recognise @Solocle then? His edge case is riding these dual carriageways in the wee hours, preferring it when the road goes downhill.

Yep, I've only once used a section of the trunk A30, which was in January. Most of my A303 riding was during April 2020. In fact, I'd highlight the dual carriageway aspect there - the one somewhat sketchy moment there took place on the two miles that were single carriageway. Vehicle planning on overtake that was suddenly faced with an oncoming vehicle.

OK, not the most pleasant road in the world, but hardly mental either!

On the other hand, cycling down the A34 at rush hour... but the one other route that I knew was down the M40, which is obviously illegal, although I strongly suspect would have been safer. Sat nav went absolutely nuts on me in that instance, or I'd have found the nice quiet lane option.

 

[Solocle]

Other potentially nasty segments:

A9 north of Tain. Using Cromarty Ferry to avoid Inverness-Tain.

A82 from Crianlarich to Fort Augustus.

Routing via Fort William with the thought of a rest day that might be tackling Ben Nevis . Not unnegotiable, but pretty stunning parts.

Previous night is Aberfoyle. Night before that is Abington, which seems sensible. But no particular reason for Aberfoyle - would it be better to go via Faslane?

 

[nickyboy]

Other potentially nasty segments:
View attachment 596532
A9 north of Tain. Using Cromarty Ferry to avoid Inverness-Tain.

A82 from Crianlarich to Fort Augustus.

Routing via Fort William with the thought of a rest day that might be tackling Ben Nevis . Not unnegotiable, but pretty stunning parts.

Previous night is Aberfoyle. Night before that is Abington, which seems sensible. But no particular reason for Aberfoyle - would it be better to go via Faslane?

100% agree on the Cromarty ferry. We finished our LEJOG on Friday and we went the Rosemarkle/Cromary/Nigg route and it was 100% nicer than the A9 (and the distance is practically the same). We also diverted off the A9 north of Tain and went via Dornoch which gave a spectacular ride next to Loch Fleet

Routes · Ride with GPS

We were all experienced cyclists used to busy roads and we all agreed that keeping off the A9 as much as possible was better. To that end, we also went up the A9 via Berriedale (as there isn't much of an alternative) but we turned off at Lybster and went via Camster and Watten. That was one of the highlights of our whole ride

 

[Ajax Bay]

we turned off at Lybster and went via Camster and Watten

Neat option (minimal extra distance). Couldn't find Camster on the map, initially, so googled it: wish I hadn't!
Getting off the A9 (once committed to it by taking the Dornoch Firth bridge) is possible after Brora and across and north up Glen Loth and the Helmsdale river valley.
Glad you had a great time (my option for 'getting off the A9' is to never get onto it: Drumnadrochit, Dingwall (back road to) Alness and then Bonar Bridge and north.

 

[Solocle]

100% agree on the Cromarty ferry. We finished our LEJOG on Friday and we went the Rosemarkle/Cromary/Nigg route and it was 100% nicer than the A9 (and the distance is practically the same). We also diverted off the A9 north of Tain and went via Dornoch which gave a spectacular ride next to Loch Fleet

Routes · Ride with GPS

We were all experienced cyclists used to busy roads and we all agreed that keeping off the A9 as much as possible was better. To that end, we also went up the A9 via Berriedale (as there isn't much of an alternative) but we turned off at Lybster and went via Camster and Watten. That was one of the highlights of our whole ride

Yep, my only question re the ferry will be time - first sailing at 8am, as I'm riding 200k that day ("big finish"), I'll probably want to set out somewhat earlier than that. I do want to go via the Tore Roundabout to get a photo with the "John O'Groats 111" sign, so it's over 40 km toCromarty. I figure that means that I'd have to set off before 6am to be hugely delayed. And if I do, then the A9 should be fine early in the morning.

I definitely prefer avoiding too many turnings on long rides, although I imagine the Scottish Highlands are a far shout from my southern audaxing experience.

I'll keep Dornoch in mind, it looks to add a bit of distance, but I need to check whether that day is actually over 200k... if it's not, that may be an option.

Camster is a bit of a no-go, as I'd hope to be off early enough to try and drop by the Pulteney distillery in Wick. I found a bottle of that from Asda, rather nice, so it would be nice to visit where it's made!

Neat option (minimal extra distance). Couldn't find Camster on the map, initially, so googled it: wish I hadn't!
Getting off the A9 (once committed to it by taking the Dornoch Firth bridge) is possible after Brora and across and north up Glen Loth and the Helmsdale river valley.
Glad you had a great time (my option for 'getting off the A9' is to never get onto it: Drumnadrochit, Dingwall (back road to) Alness and then Bonar Bridge and north.

Would have been a potential option, but not as easy in terms of accomodation. Which is now all booked.

(Train to Land's End)
Hotel of Mum and Dad
Cirencester [not yet booked, only one where I'm alone]
Royal Leamington Spa
Derby
Woolley Edge M1 (Northbound)
Burton M6 (pick up & drop off around Hawes, but accomodation in the Dales is expensive)
Carlisle, rest day
Abington M74
Dumbarton (pick up & drop off around Helensburgh, or perhaps Balloch)
Fort William, "rest day", maybe will scale Ben Nevis.
Inverness
Thurso (pick up JOG, unless I feel like adding 14 miles and visiting Dunnet Head, then pick up there likely).

So a family holiday road trip that's also a LEJOG.