Who's doing LEJOG in 2019?

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jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
Subject to work not being forthcoming I aim to set off from LE on Monday 20th May. Approx 16-18 days fully laden and aiming to camp or Warmshowers as much as possible.

www.jmhr.com links to Crazy Guy and I will be blogging there once I am certain to be going.

Route is essentially the Deloitte Ride Across Britain from 2017 I think.

@Angry Blonde are you still going?
 
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jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
here is the route https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29840929

Any comments?
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Since you asked, here goes:
52.8 Care down to Bissoe
59.4 Cyclepath option to cross A390 (L and imm R across central grass/trees)
68-90 Better choice (imo) is B4375 (Ladock) to Indian Queens and then Goss Moor cyclepath
199-212 To avoid Cadbury Hills, head W then NW from Crediton via Shute Cross, Thorverton and Silverton to get to Bickleigh/Tiverton.
256.8 RwGPS 'tag'
292-318 Firm recommendation for NCN26 . Carry on in Mark and N to Lower Weare and pick up NCN26 (Strawberry Line NB lights in tunnel!)
318-362 Stay on NCN26 to Clevedon and then quiet NCN410 to cross Avon Bridge. Then cut up to Blaise Castle and down to Hallen. Then NCN410/NCN4 combo to Severn Bridge (N side).
469-488 Prefer B4365/B4368 to Broadstone.
508-523 SO after Gossage thro' Eaton C; touch Wellington suburbs and join A442 at Long Lane.
545-559 V narrow roads for a fair way.
573-585 B5074 N from Nantwich (use NCN551 on way in)
674 NNE to NCN55 into Preston - bridge over Ribble a special place/bonus.
695+ Better off thro' Garstang and then NW (across A6) via Cockerham to Lancaster.
Nearly half way!
 

OldShep

Über Member
@572 mls I always advise going through village of Crawford. Gives shop opportunity and cuts out unnecessary little hill.
@675 mls good luck on A82 hope you get up early.
 
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jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
Since you asked, here goes:
52.8 Care down to Bissoe
59.4 Cyclepath option to cross A390 (L and imm R across central grass/trees)
68-90 Better choice (imo) is B4375 (Ladock) to Indian Queens and then Goss Moor cyclepath
199-212 To avoid Cadbury Hills, head W then NW from Crediton via Shute Cross, Thorverton and Silverton to get to Bickleigh/Tiverton.
256.8 RwGPS 'tag'
292-318 Firm recommendation for NCN26 . Carry on in Mark and N to Lower Weare and pick up NCN26 (Strawberry Line NB lights in tunnel!)
318-362 Stay on NCN26 to Clevedon and then quiet NCN410 to cross Avon Bridge. Then cut up to Blaise Castle and down to Hallen. Then NCN410/NCN4 combo to Severn Bridge (N side).
469-488 Prefer B4365/B4368 to Broadstone.
508-523 SO after Gossage thro' Eaton C; touch Wellington suburbs and join A442 at Long Lane.
545-559 V narrow roads for a fair way.
573-585 B5074 N from Nantwich (use NCN551 on way in)
674 NNE to NCN55 into Preston - bridge over Ribble a special place/bonus.
695+ Better off thro' Garstang and then NW (across A6) via Cockerham to Lancaster.
Nearly half way!
@Ajax Bay that is amazing. I have done wholesale tinkering and removed several hundred metres of climbs. 300m on one 150km stretch in the south wet. Have got it in segments, will rejoin when done and share for more feedback
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Second tranche (NB current RwGPS route for the km references)
725 - 848: Route philosophy issue. From Milnthorpe (A6) you have chosen minor roads into Kendal (fine), but then the A6 all the way to Carlisle and the B7076/B7078 (old main road) which stays close / parallels M74 to Glasgow. If you were riding this in 8 days, I'd understand that choice, but you're not, and earlier in the route you've been 'wiggling around' eg in Cornwall. In England, consider two alternatives: either:
1) through the Lakes (left at Levens bridge and) through Bowness and then either:
a) Grasmere (A591/B5322) and up through Mungrisdale, or
b) Kirkstone Pass and Ullswater
and back roads to Carlisle, or
2) Lune valley (Halton, Kirkby Lonsdale, Tebay, Orton) and then cross to the Eden valley towards Carlisle (Maulds Meaburn, Temple Sowerby, Lazonby, Armathwaite)
In Scotland, I confess an antipathy to the road paralleling the M74: noise and lack of 'imagination'. Mercifully I've only 'had' to take it as far as Moffat (on LEL, after sunset Day 2).
1000: Having forced your way past Glasgow, Campsie Fells and Fintry Hills is a lovely choice.
Note SYHA hostels at Crianlarich and Glencoe
1155-1170: Try to choose the time you cycle the A82 south of Fort William: in a 1000 mile LEJOG, this was my least favourite stretch of road (I'd joined it at Corran, having crossed Loch Linnhe on the ferry).
1172: Immediately after Fort William, recommend get off the A82 left to Banavie (A830) and take the canal towpath - excellent surface - then right at Gairlochy up to the Commando Memorial above Spean Bridge. I see you've chosen the canal towpath which leads into Fort Augustus (when are 'they' going to Scottify these names, I wonder?)
I've stayed at South Laggan hostel (@1204, S of Invergarry): http://www.greatglenhostel.com/
1235: Applaud choice of going east of Loch Ness. There are options not to drop into Foyers.
1273: Option to cross Kessock Bridge (cycle path NCN1) and take road along north shore of Beauly Firth.
From Beauly, your route is (imo) the best.
After Thurso, consider taking in Dunnet Head, as the most northerly point of the British mainland.
 
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jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
1155-1170: Try to choose the time you cycle the A82 south of Fort William: in a 1000 mile LEJOG, this was my least favourite stretch of road (I'd joined it at Corran, having crossed Loch Linnhe on the ferry)..

I was actually going to see if I could get the ferry to Corran, up the west side then another ferry across?
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
You can but the ferry back from Camusnagaul (to the Fort William mini-pier) cannot be relied on and is only every few(?) hours. That 8 mile stretch of the A82 cannot be avoided unless one's prepared to do 35 miles round via Kinlocheil, after taking the Corran ferry. You may have the time to do this.
My approach was to go to Oban (you'd have to go left at Tyndrum), catch the ferry to Mull (tick, albeit only for 7 miles) and then back to the remote Sunart peninsula (mainland, but frontier country) using the Fishnish/Lochaline ferry and in due course to Ardgour for the three minute ferry to Corran. If I'd had a day longer I'd have cycled to Tobermory (YH) and then taken the ferry to Kilchoan, with the aspiration to ride out to Ardnamurchan Point the westernmost point of the British mainland (accessible by road - there's a point one mile south which is about 200m further west). Then back to Salen (Loch Sunart) north to Lochailort and east to FW.
 
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jay clock

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
OK so very frustrating.... I WILL be going if not working. Had a meeting Weds with promise of a decision Thursday (and an actual call noon Thursday at which they said they would call later that day with an answer.) 28 hours later and not a peep.

I am almost at the point of saying no even if they do call. I mean is it more important to earn loads of money or go cycling?! Sadly earning money is a necessary evil
 

Lee_M

Guru
Group of cycle club members now on their final day of lejog.
9 days.

I don't think I'd manage 2 of them
 
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