Hi, We need your help to get our project over the start line, we are 5 non cyclists of reasonable fitness that want to give Lejog a crack but could do with some advice on routes, we’re not looking to break any records but the NCN route does add a lot of miles so any help would be much appreciated in finding a route on quiet roads without adding 200 miles to the journey or is this unrealistic?
Total amateurs in need of help
- Thread starter Magorhoop
- Start date
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theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
a good start would be here ... http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/ a vast amount info to mull over
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
:My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623?beta=false - 1000 miles (including the 30km on Orkneys)
9 days: B&B, or friends/relatives (2 nights), and hostel once.
Northlew (NW of Okehampton, good B&B and pub next door), Bristol, Shrewsbury, Lancaster, Sanquhar (on A76), Croabh Haven (35km S of Oban), South Laggan (NNE of Fort William), Crask Inn
Night before starting: Trevescan Hostel
After JoG: ferry to Orkney, ride to Kirkwall hostel, overnight ferry (2330-0700) to Aberdeen, flew back (with bike in box from bike shop).
Ferries: Padstow > Rock, Ardrossan > Arran, Lochranza > Kintyre, Oban > Mull, Fishnish > Lochaline, Corran ferry
then 12km of A82 to to Ft William (Banavie), towpath (excellent), cut up to Commando memorial (pictured, Spean Bridge), cut off A82 at Drumnadrochit ^^^ and N to Dingwall.
My suggestion would be to not look for the shortest distance with a direct route. It will take you on some horrible roads and you will miss out on so much. I would work on being able to find an extra day or two for the journey to make a lovely unforgettable route.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Drawing on a post from last year: route choice, in a 'macro' sense.
The main choke points on an end-to-end are: N/S of Bodmin Moor, Bridgwater, crossing the Mersey (Widnes or Warrington), Preston and Carlisle.
Routes to Bridgwater are broadly 4:
1) Keeping south past St Austell, Fowey ferry, Plymouth/Tavistock and over or north of Dartmoor
2) Head for Bodmin paralleling A30, skirting Bodmin Moor via Minions, Horsebridge and Tavistock,and over or north of Dartmoor
3) Head for Wadebridge and A39 north of Bodmin Moor, to Davidstow and then either cut east to Launceston and the old A30 to Exeter, or 4) from Davidstow take the 'high line' via Holsworthy and then either Torrington, and B3227 to Taunton or Hatherleigh and ENE (various options).
From Bridgwater north: either over Avon or Clifton Suspension bridges, and then either up (or parallel to) A38 (Gloucester and north/Severn valley) or across Severn Bridge and Forest of Dean, Hereford and variations north.
North of the Mersey the 'normal' route is to parallel the A6 (with some stretches on it) via Preston to Lancaster or take a line further east into the Forest of Bowland. After Lancaster it's: the A6 (Kendal/Shap), optional westerly excursion to enjoy some of the Lake District, or head up the Lune valley via Tebay before coming back towards the A6 at Shap or dropping into the Lyvennet, then Eden valleys heading north.
Penrith to Carlisle, then Longtown/Gretna (A7 or // M6): boring A6, Hutton End (racecourse) road or scenic Eden valley
In Scotland and going north.
Three main ways to get up to the Clyde/Forth line:
A. NW to Ardrossan and ferries to Kintyre via Isle of Arran.
B. // M74 to Glasgow (or pass east of the city)
C. N to Edinburgh (using south-going LEL route recommended)
A1. If A you're going 'West Coast' via Oban, Fort William, Great Glen
A11. to Dingwall (via Inverness or Beauly)
A12. 'West coast' to Durness via Ullapool (Note consider going from Oban via Mull , Ardnamurchan and Skye if heading for there)
B1. If B you could cut NE through Dunblane and Crieff to the A9 (to Inverness)
B2. Go north via Killin to the A9 (to Inverness)
B3. Head NW/NNW/N to the A82 (Loch Lomond) to Fort William
B4. Option of the Gourock/Dunoon ferry and 'west coast' via Connel or back to the A82 to Fort William
C1. If C, you're logically heading for Perth, the A9 and Inverness
C2. Tho' maybe via Braemar for some scenery (and to stay off the A9).
After the Moray/Cromarty Firths, three options:
a. Long tour round the west coast via Durness (see A12 above) and east to JoG
b. A9 up the east coast
c. N thro' Lairg and Altnaharra to Bettyhill (and then east to JoG), either via Tongue or Strathnaver
My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623
Main preference for me was not to ride long distances on the A9 (the lot of the 'East Coast' warrior), or the A82: had to do some from Corran ferry to Ft William (Banavie) and from the Commando memorial (Spean Bridge) to Drumnadrochit but dived off all I could on parallel roads/towpaths (eg from Banavie and from Bridge of Oich to Ft Augustus).
The main choke points on an end-to-end are: N/S of Bodmin Moor, Bridgwater, crossing the Mersey (Widnes or Warrington), Preston and Carlisle.
Routes to Bridgwater are broadly 4:
1) Keeping south past St Austell, Fowey ferry, Plymouth/Tavistock and over or north of Dartmoor
2) Head for Bodmin paralleling A30, skirting Bodmin Moor via Minions, Horsebridge and Tavistock,and over or north of Dartmoor
3) Head for Wadebridge and A39 north of Bodmin Moor, to Davidstow and then either cut east to Launceston and the old A30 to Exeter, or 4) from Davidstow take the 'high line' via Holsworthy and then either Torrington, and B3227 to Taunton or Hatherleigh and ENE (various options).
From Bridgwater north: either over Avon or Clifton Suspension bridges, and then either up (or parallel to) A38 (Gloucester and north/Severn valley) or across Severn Bridge and Forest of Dean, Hereford and variations north.
North of the Mersey the 'normal' route is to parallel the A6 (with some stretches on it) via Preston to Lancaster or take a line further east into the Forest of Bowland. After Lancaster it's: the A6 (Kendal/Shap), optional westerly excursion to enjoy some of the Lake District, or head up the Lune valley via Tebay before coming back towards the A6 at Shap or dropping into the Lyvennet, then Eden valleys heading north.
Penrith to Carlisle, then Longtown/Gretna (A7 or // M6): boring A6, Hutton End (racecourse) road or scenic Eden valley
In Scotland and going north.
Three main ways to get up to the Clyde/Forth line:
A. NW to Ardrossan and ferries to Kintyre via Isle of Arran.
B. // M74 to Glasgow (or pass east of the city)
C. N to Edinburgh (using south-going LEL route recommended)
A1. If A you're going 'West Coast' via Oban, Fort William, Great Glen
A11. to Dingwall (via Inverness or Beauly)
A12. 'West coast' to Durness via Ullapool (Note consider going from Oban via Mull , Ardnamurchan and Skye if heading for there)
B1. If B you could cut NE through Dunblane and Crieff to the A9 (to Inverness)
B2. Go north via Killin to the A9 (to Inverness)
B3. Head NW/NNW/N to the A82 (Loch Lomond) to Fort William
B4. Option of the Gourock/Dunoon ferry and 'west coast' via Connel or back to the A82 to Fort William
C1. If C, you're logically heading for Perth, the A9 and Inverness
C2. Tho' maybe via Braemar for some scenery (and to stay off the A9).
After the Moray/Cromarty Firths, three options:
a. Long tour round the west coast via Durness (see A12 above) and east to JoG
b. A9 up the east coast
c. N thro' Lairg and Altnaharra to Bettyhill (and then east to JoG), either via Tongue or Strathnaver
My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623
Main preference for me was not to ride long distances on the A9 (the lot of the 'East Coast' warrior), or the A82: had to do some from Corran ferry to Ft William (Banavie) and from the Commando memorial (Spean Bridge) to Drumnadrochit but dived off all I could on parallel roads/towpaths (eg from Banavie and from Bridge of Oich to Ft Augustus).
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It all very much depends on what this (epic) journey is about. Is it E2E fast or 'touring' ? 5 or 50 days ? Do you have a support team to carry your stuff ? Are you planning on carrying all you need yourselves ? Camping ? Hotels ? B&B ? Is there anywhere that is a 'must see'?
I did this solo unsupported in 12 days, Camping for 2 nights then B&B / cheap hostel or hotel on the 3rd to dry everything out and recharge batteries. For me the days were riding to the next pub and burger / lasagne. The only waypoint I had was the Crask Inn - everything else fitted to a Google search of x miles from last night + campsite +pub.
Yes it has been done quicker than 12 days and yes I was quicker than others - the point is work out what is important to your group and go from there. For me it was beer, burgers and the Crask Inn - the rest just fell into place.
The fitness thing is utter nonsense - if you plan it correctly then you do ride yourself fit - so LE / LP to Bristol was hard but it was 60 to 80 miles each day and then I was in the zone to do the easy (ha !) stretch up the country to Shap (worst day - by far) and into Scotland where you pay for the utter utter beauty with pain but not a bad pain. My longest ride pre LEJOG was 40 miles loaded or 45 unloaded and no more. I appreciate everyones legs (and bellies) are different !!
Do it, have fun and do not come back saying how much a disappointment LE or JOG are - it's all about the journey !
The Widness/Runcorn bridge may be currently closed - I think the old bridge is having maintenance work being done, but will be re-opened for cyclists eventually. Check before the ride.
Hello! It’ll be more than 12 days but only by a few days I think. This is all about enjoying the experience, like yours it will be based on get up early (ish) good breakfast then between 5 and 8 hours riding then pub for the evening. They’ll be no support team and we’d mostly be staying in B&B’s I’d imagine. No must sees yet but once a route has been decided I’d imagine they’ll be a few.
My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623?beta=false - 1000 miles (including the 30km on Orkneys)
9 days: B&B, or friends/relatives (2 nights), and hostel once.
Northlew (NW of Okehampton, good B&B and pub next door), Bristol, Shrewsbury, Lancaster, Sanquhar (on A76), Croabh Haven (35km S of Oban), South Laggan (NNE of Fort William), Crask Inn
Night before starting: Trevescan Hostel
After JoG: ferry to Orkney, ride to Kirkwall hostel, overnight ferry (2330-0700) to Aberdeen, flew back (with bike in box from bike shop).
Ferries: Padstow > Rock, Ardrossan > Arran, Lochranza > Kintyre, Oban > Mull, Fishnish > Lochaline, Corran ferry
then 12km of A82 to to Ft William (Banavie), towpath (excellent), cut up to Commando memorial (pictured, Spean Bridge), cut off A82 at Drumnadrochit ^^^ and N to Dingwall.
View attachment 530128
Some great tips in there, thanks so much. Can I just ask was there a particular reason why you took a ferry from Oban rather than just cycling direct to fort William?
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Fun and remoteness and NB 2 ferries. If I went that way again, once on Mull I would ride on to Tobermory (stay in YH?) get the ferry across to Kilchoan and the Ardanamurchan peninsula and then go to Fort William via Lochailort and the A830 (to Corpach where turn left onto superb canal towpath). Overnight for me was at the indep hostel at South Laggan.
I have ridden from Oban to Corran (and the reverse, on Day 2 of a 1000km audax), mainly on the A82 but there a cycle path for much of the way, but wiggly. Riding direct reduces the complexity, of course, and cost (? ferry ticket 2 x £6). For me ferries was a 'theme': I'd taken the Padstow-Rock ferry in Cornwall, intended (but didn't) take the 'Ferry, Across the Mersey', and also went via Arran (Ardrossan>Brodick and Lochranza (NB YH) > Claonaig) and the Kintyre peninsula. HTH
PS Factor midges into your plan: https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
As I said: "Three main ways to get up to the Clyde/Forth line:
A. NW to Ardrossan and ferries to Kintyre via Isle of Arran. "
My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623
YH in Lochranza (Arran) - wonderful in the September sunshine. Taking that NW line (to Ardrossan) cuts out the unattractive poor surface road which parallels the M74, avoids the huge Glasgow conurbation +, and the trunk road trudge up Loch Lomond.
I went up the A76 but was under a bit of time pressure (224km day from Lancaster to Sanquhar after a tyre near-failure the evening before). I was going to go Dumfries, B729 Moniaive Carsphain A713 and N from Patna. HTH
A. NW to Ardrossan and ferries to Kintyre via Isle of Arran. "
My route was this one: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/8592623
YH in Lochranza (Arran) - wonderful in the September sunshine. Taking that NW line (to Ardrossan) cuts out the unattractive poor surface road which parallels the M74, avoids the huge Glasgow conurbation +, and the trunk road trudge up Loch Lomond.
I went up the A76 but was under a bit of time pressure (224km day from Lancaster to Sanquhar after a tyre near-failure the evening before). I was going to go Dumfries, B729 Moniaive Carsphain A713 and N from Patna. HTH