OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
HGood One Oh Wise one, I shall take this and use it !!!!
suggested route for Newbie JELoG ??
- Thread starter CafGriff
- Start date
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HGood One Oh Wise one, I shall take this and use it !!!!
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
hey cathy
re Bridgewater accom this might be useful http://www.touruk.co.uk/hotels/somerset-towns.htm?town=Bridgwater&county=Somerset
larry
re Bridgewater accom this might be useful http://www.touruk.co.uk/hotels/somerset-towns.htm?town=Bridgwater&county=Somerset
larry
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
Ha Ha !!You should not have any difficulty finding accommodation or booking bike on train in March, besides the uncertainty adds to the excitement of the venture.
Enjoy it!
yeah Babe!! I've got to admit ... That is egdy and very exciting !!
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
Yeah ... I reckon MikeG has just saved my life !! I have now unfolded my mega map and have my pen poised as I type ...
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
STAR !! Thank you
some of it's toooo pricey, but at a push - should a cyclist say that??? = I know where everything is.
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
STAR !! Thank you
hey hun
it dose not hurt to spoil yourself now and again
just hope the weather is kind to you 
as its very early in the yearA great tip for accommodation on and end-to-end is to join Air BnB https://www.airbnb.co.uk/ (why don't I have any buttons allowing me to do links and smilies?)
This is a sort-of club of ordinary people offering B&B accommodation at sometimes half the price of traditional B&Bs. Also, some of the cheap hotel chains are much cheaper than B&Bs, although many charge extra for breakfast.
Mike
This is a sort-of club of ordinary people offering B&B accommodation at sometimes half the price of traditional B&Bs. Also, some of the cheap hotel chains are much cheaper than B&Bs, although many charge extra for breakfast.
Mike
alans
black belt lounge lizard
- Location
- Staffordshire
You should not have any difficulty finding accommodation or booking bike on train in March, besides the uncertainty adds to the excitement of the venture.
Enjoy it!
Quite so
I pre-booked only two things at the almost-last minute.....
the Scotrail sleeper from Crewe to Inverness
pre-departure b&b in Feswick,approx 10km south of JoG
I did mine in May & had no problems with accommodation.Being a solo rider made so many things easier. I really enjoyed the freedom to start&stop and come&go as I chose to without the limitations of prebooked accommodation.
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
meet me on route and I'll def shout youI probably won't ever let you forget it, either!
some of these. ' Bikers fuel ' !!Mattfen has been intouch people!! Yeah !!
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
Glasgow to Bridge of Orchy means one road. A82. You want to cycle that at the northern end of Loch Lomond? It is worse than the A30 dual carriageway out of Cornwall in my opinion. There is a cycle route for the lower half of Loch Lomond, but the northern end from Ardleiu is murder and probably a better attempt at suicide that you will have on the A30. It is narrow, winding, exceptionally busy, the surface is horrendous and there are frequent rock falls. not to mention that there is no room for manoeuvre if something does happen and even the smallest cars will have difficulty overtaking you. I know some will say they have ridden it, but my childhood playground was just south of Rannoch Moor (not far from Bridge of Orchy) and I know the road has been a lot worse in the past, but even so, there is still a seriously bad section to negotiate and the last time I was there (September 2013) it had not improved along that section in the slightest.
Hi YOU !!
My route and plan is simply to get to get to John o Groats - safetly and soundly
I'm happy ... or will be happy to travel, what ever route from keswick - Moffat or Chester to get to the targetted destination. I have a wonderful hockey, chick - Mother Earth - pal, who has agreed to journey from Plymouth at the beck of my phone call to come get me and my bike!!
so my planned, leisurely look at the country in which we live, is still on target of travelling approx 70ish miles a day at approx 10 - 12 mph, and making safe accommodation haunts during day lights hours, and setting of again at around 8/8.30 am. I'll have time for
I'm aiming to be around Clun - Wed 12th March and Chester Thurs 13th - if you are around.I'm just looking up Chester Backpackers bed prices etc
Is you plan a 'shortest fastest route' option or something you want to enjoy? I ask because I have to pop out now, but can try to come up with an alternative for you later.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
There is a report on the CTC forum, started at LE, but apparently gave up before reaching Glastonbury.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Had to do a search to find it. Sorry to read you had to pull out of it @CafGriff.
The weather was pretty bad here on the days you would have been coming through (dense fog 'til he afternoon) so you didn't miss out there.
I'm sure folk would like to see a report of what happened and to know what the next plan is.
OP
OP
CafGriff
Active Member
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
Hi Guys!! 
Sorry to eave people dangling, only the computer doesn't rule my life and I don't touch it everyday, and I have FB'd all over the place and I'm slao on the CTC forum and ofcourse I have done input on that site as to what has happened ....
Any way ... whathappenedwoz! ...
Took off from LE as planned on March 8th. Beautiful blue sky morning with a tail wind pushing myself and fellow cyclist Clay along. Nicki, Clay's girlfriend was our support vehicle and we were all due to meet up on route to Newquay. Brilliant day cycling and 53 miles laterz, made it to overnight stop at YHA at Mor Lodge overlooking Newquay.
Got upgraded to a double bedroom for Clay and Nick, I had a room all to myself with 4 bunk beds ... cos there was noone else staying there and the staff were impressed with our story and adventure so far.
Then next day, our target was Okehampton in Devon. This was a tough day, very hilly and very long and drawn out, again a lovely blue sky day ... we used our water up before the dinner meet but eventually - and following the very confusing road signage - one sign stated Okkie was 6 miles away from our position, and around 2 miles on - and heavy hadr peddling - again another sign stating Okkie 6 miles further on, very bloody soul killing
When we got to Okkie on the Sunday night, exausted, hungrey and somewhat 'ready to deffinately STOP' ... we were met by 2 x members of the Okehampton YHA who after consulting the computer screen said ' Our records don't show that we have any guests tonight'!!
Ha!! Reallly !!?? Look again!!
They did and after 20 minutes, they realised the error of their ways! Again we stated in a lovely room, alone on the complex ... in a room with a double bed, for ' the gruesome twosome' and one of 5 bunk beds for me. No hot water, No food supplied for the evening, so we sent out for pizza and cheesy chips, no milk in the morning for a cup of T ... but a lovely young lad who turned up for work the next morning only to be - unexpectedly told to cook breaksfast for us 3 guests, which he did willing!!
Then we were of again, targetting Taunton. We met for lunch at Tescos in Tiverton, and whilst in the carpark. we where treated to free drinks from a burger wheeler - run by 'James' lovely acts of kindness, he has now become a FB friend and wanted to follow the ride.
Only drinks, but the interest and the insistance of not taking monies, really touched me.
Clay and myself off again
We trooped on, making it to a lovely village outside Taunton, a place called Hatch Beauchamp and stayed at the only Inn in the village, lovely food, lovelly beer and lovelly bath and bed
The next morning was the start of the 'scary morning'
It started with a huge nail in the rear tyre, fixed that ! not a mile down the road! another puncture ... the nail had 'damaged the other side of the tyre wall and hadn't been seen on the first inspection' - the weather had also dropped by about 6 degreesa nd was very cold, very early on with no blue sky 
... fixed THAT puncture. Travelled on again, got another puncture!!
fixed THAT .... limped into Moorland - been on the news because of the floods and was shocked to see the water EVERYWHERE - there were peoples personnal belongings in the ditch channels to the side of the roads - computer cases, a cardigan, books, pens and pencils, little things like that.
We got to the x roads with a finger post stating Glastonbury and Wells on the A361 and was advised by WPC to take the A road and make it to Street. We could travel on to two of the roads, because one was still covered in water and he other you had to be POlice escorted, with a viable reason and cycling to JoG's was not a solid enough reason to warrant an escort, and I didn't want to retrace my tyres on the route we had just spent hrs travelling.
We ventured on towards Wells, - Clay and Nick we due to say goodbye to me anyway at Cheddar anyway and I was planning to carry on anyway. The A road turned into another A road, I received another puncture and this time combined with Very heavy faster moving traffic, there were juganoughts / white van men / delivery lorries - all insisting on me peddling fatser or even joining them in the cabins with them !!
I was struck by a stone, on the chest, which pinged off of the frame of the bike and .... yep, I got a Flat at totally THE wrong place to have a FLAT on narrowing road, with no safe OFF ROAD place to stop and me knowing that as I peddled I was doing damage to the wheel. The road was also very badly damaged under wheel, either due to sever water damage or the intruduction of much heavier usage of much heavier vehicles then what they were used to, or both I don't know. BUT as I limped into MacDonalds at Street, I thought .. 'No, that's enough'! I had travelled on the only road avaiable to me, I wasn't happy,
I love life, I had a slightly bend back wheel, - and over a double cheese burger and chips, we, 3 of us, discussed the rest of the day, at around 2 / 3 pm I called the trip off and was home by ' Neigbours'!!
Next year, we have planned and are already in the throws of preparing, Part 2 of the Epic, will be with the 3 of us and Jimmy, my hubby and Alice, our 3 year old Springadore, all hiring a motorhome, and completeing the dream.
Don't worry people, I shall not be letting the dream die, or fade ... if anything me dipping my big toe into the mix has defo refueled my need to finish this and put it to bed.
I loved every rotation of the peddles and will be better prepare next April 2015
Anyone got a motorhome, I can hire!!!
Sorry to eave people dangling, only the computer doesn't rule my life and I don't touch it everyday, and I have FB'd all over the place and I'm slao on the CTC forum and ofcourse I have done input on that site as to what has happened ....
Any way ... whathappenedwoz! ...
Took off from LE as planned on March 8th. Beautiful blue sky morning with a tail wind pushing myself and fellow cyclist Clay along. Nicki, Clay's girlfriend was our support vehicle and we were all due to meet up on route to Newquay. Brilliant day cycling and 53 miles laterz, made it to overnight stop at YHA at Mor Lodge overlooking Newquay.
Got upgraded to a double bedroom for Clay and Nick, I had a room all to myself with 4 bunk beds ... cos there was noone else staying there and the staff were impressed with our story and adventure so far.
Then next day, our target was Okehampton in Devon. This was a tough day, very hilly and very long and drawn out, again a lovely blue sky day ... we used our water up before the dinner meet but eventually - and following the very confusing road signage - one sign stated Okkie was 6 miles away from our position, and around 2 miles on - and heavy hadr peddling - again another sign stating Okkie 6 miles further on, very bloody soul killing
When we got to Okkie on the Sunday night, exausted, hungrey and somewhat 'ready to deffinately STOP' ... we were met by 2 x members of the Okehampton YHA who after consulting the computer screen said ' Our records don't show that we have any guests tonight'!!
Ha!! Reallly !!??
Look again!!They did and after 20 minutes, they realised the error of their ways! Again we stated in a lovely room, alone on the complex ... in a room with a double bed, for ' the gruesome twosome' and one of 5 bunk beds for me. No hot water, No food supplied for the evening, so we sent out for pizza and cheesy chips, no milk in the morning for a cup of T ... but a lovely young lad who turned up for work the next morning only to be - unexpectedly told to cook breaksfast for us 3 guests, which he did willing!!
Then we were of again, targetting Taunton.
We met for lunch at Tescos in Tiverton, and whilst in the carpark. we where treated to free drinks from a burger wheeler - run by 'James' lovely acts of kindness, he has now become a FB friend and wanted to follow the ride.Only drinks, but the interest and the insistance of not taking monies, really touched me.
Clay and myself off again
We trooped on, making it to a lovely village outside Taunton, a place called Hatch Beauchamp and stayed at the only Inn in the village, lovely food, lovelly beer and lovelly bath and bed
The next morning was the start of the 'scary morning' It started with a huge nail in the rear tyre,
fixed that ! not a mile down the road! another puncture ... the nail had 'damaged the other side of the tyre wall and hadn't been seen on the first inspection' - the weather had also dropped by about 6 degreesa nd was very cold, very early on with no blue sky ... fixed THAT puncture. Travelled on again, got another puncture!! fixed THAT .... limped into Moorland - been on the news because of the floods and was shocked to see the water EVERYWHERE - there were peoples personnal belongings in the ditch channels to the side of the roads - computer cases, a cardigan, books, pens and pencils, little things like that.We got to the x roads with a finger post stating Glastonbury and Wells on the A361 and was advised by WPC to take the A road and make it to Street. We could travel on to two of the roads, because one was still covered in water and he other you had to be POlice escorted, with a viable reason and cycling to JoG's was not a solid enough reason to warrant an escort, and I didn't want to retrace my tyres on the route we had just spent hrs travelling.
We ventured on towards Wells, - Clay and Nick we due to say goodbye to me anyway at Cheddar anyway and I was planning to carry on anyway. The A road turned into another A road, I received another puncture and this time combined with Very heavy faster moving traffic, there were juganoughts / white van men / delivery lorries - all insisting on me peddling fatser or even joining them in the cabins with them !!
I was struck by a stone, on the chest, which pinged off of the frame of the bike and .... yep, I got a Flat at totally THE wrong place to have a FLAT on narrowing road, with no safe OFF ROAD place to stop and me knowing that as I peddled I was doing damage to the wheel. The road was also very badly damaged under wheel, either due to sever water damage or the intruduction of much heavier usage of much heavier vehicles then what they were used to, or both I don't know. BUT as I limped into MacDonalds at Street, I thought .. 'No, that's enough'! I had travelled on the only road avaiable to me, I wasn't happy,
I love life, I had a slightly bend back wheel, - and over a double cheese burger and chips, we, 3 of us, discussed the rest of the day, at around 2 / 3 pm I called the trip off and was home by ' Neigbours'!!Next year, we have planned and are already in the throws of preparing, Part 2 of the Epic, will be with the 3 of us and Jimmy, my hubby and Alice, our 3 year old Springadore, all hiring a motorhome, and completeing the dream.
Don't worry people, I shall not be letting the dream die, or fade ... if anything me dipping my big toe into the mix has defo refueled my need to finish this and put it to bed.
I loved every rotation of the peddles and will be better prepare next April 2015
Anyone got a motorhome, I can hire!!!
