Sustrans end to end

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Ice2911

Über Member
Hi all
I'm still planning my route for LEJOG. I was reading a magazine which mentioned the Sustrans route. It looks to be about 1200 miles which would mean I would need more time, but if it was worth it I could probably work it. Has anyone used this route? I would be very interested in your thoughts before I pay any cash to look at the book. Thanks in advance.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
If you have the time, and there is a bit of the explorer about you, someone who likes the feeling of being where few LEJOGers have gone before, give it a try. It would be a little more demanding from the navigation point of view and may take you on unsurfaced tracks at times but would certainly be more peaceful than the more direct routes favoured by the majority of end to enders.
 

KnackeredBike

I do my own stunts
Presumably your bike will determine if it is a possible route, no road bike will survive that distance of off-road routes.
 

robgul

Legendary Member
There's not a lot new under the sun - in 2006 a chap called Simon Berry attempted to ride LEJOG using (almost) only Sustrans routes . . . he found that the poor surfaces, endless gates and illogical tortuous diversions slowed him to the point that he was so far behind schedule by about a third of the way he had to abandon the idea and continue with a non-Sustrans route. He was riding a Moulton - there's some stuff about him and a link here http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/index. ... &Itemid=61

Rob
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
There's not a lot new under the sun - in 2006 a chap called Simon Berry attempted to ride LEJOG using (almost) only Sustrans routes . . . he found that the poor surfaces, endless gates and illogical tortuous diversions slowed him to the point that he was so far behind schedule by about a third of the way he had to abandon the idea and continue with a non-Sustrans route. He was riding a Moulton - there's some stuff about him and a link here http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/index. ... &Itemid=61
I had a click around the linked journal and searched a bit for Sustrans and didn't find it. From looking at the maps of the route near Bristol, I'm not sure you've linked to the right ride as it doesn't look very Sustrans-y.

Anyone have a link to the official Sustrans route for this? I'm guessing it's Route 3, then 33 (which still has a gap!), 4, 41, 45, 55, 552, 551, 5, 562, 62, 6, 70, 68, 76, 1, 775, 77, 7, 1.
 
I've got the book here...

(LE) 3, 32, 3, 304, 3, (Bristol) 4, 410, 41, (Gloucester) 45, (Worcester) 46, (Droitwich) 45, 55, 552, 551, 5, (Northwich) cut across to RR 70, cut across to 62, (Manchester) 6, (Accrington) cut across to RR91, RR90, 6, (Kendal) 70, 68, 71, 7, (Gretna), 74, 75, (Glasgow), 7, (Inverness) 1, (JOG).
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
You have ridden Sustrans routes in the past. Certainly my experience of the variable surfaces, signage and vague routing suggests that you are making the ride at least twice as difficult as a road route.
 
304 as in the inland route to Bude, rather than the very hilly coastal one. It was signposted as an alternate braid of NCN 3 when I rode it a few years ago but I presume it's been restickered since!
 

NorthernDave

Never used Über Member
Could be a different way of doing the ride, but my experience of Sustrans routes is of variable surfaces - everything from on road to shared paths to rough tracks and bridleways that you need a mountain bike for, especially if it's been raining.
 

minininjarob

Active Member
Its worth using some Sustrans routes for some of the journey as quite a few are excellent and they do keep you away from traffic and there is some amazing scenery along the way. Some are a little convoluted though - especially in towns - and some canals can have poor surfaces. However they do help you plan your route a bit easier if you use a few of them and you link them up yourself. You can often find online what the individual routes are like so you could check each one.
For example I would use the Lochs and Glens North route 7 every day of the week if I could - I loved it - but i went on route 55 to stoke on trent and the canal it was on wasn't great in my opinion.
A lot of their routes tend to keep you away from the hilliest roads except for 68 through Yorkshire - it takes you up some of the steepest roads in West Yorks on purpose so I'd give it a miss if you were fully laden!
 

Mini58

Active Member
Location
Bedford
I completed LEJOG on an Recumbent Trike in May I had intended to use the Sustrans Route: however the number of barriers just made it impossible in England. Scotland was a different story the cycle routes from the Borders all they way up were excellent.
 
Top Bottom