Having read many posts my Mick F regarding LEJoG routes (and much else besides) I was wondering if he could cast an eye over the route outlined on this site - http://www.lejog06.co.uk/ - I'd really welcome his input. The daily ride reports are to be found on the "Latest News" page.
I'm planning a 7-day unsupported solo b&b LEJoG in May and this seems to be fairly direct. The only tweak I've pencilled in so far is going directly north from Inverness through Altnaharra and hitting the north coast at Coldbachie (instead of the A9/99), then going east (this is basically to get a bit of sightseeing in on the last day, and it's reckoned to be a bit flatter than the coast route). Also I'd like the stopover at the end of day 6 to be a bit further than Inverness to even out the mileages of days 6 & 7 so I've earmarked a b&b in Alness.
I'll be traveling light and 140+ on a couple of the days shouldn't be a problem as I am in serious training! Cheers.
Question for Mick F - 7 day LEJoG
Question for Mick F - 7 day LEJoG
Last edited by toontra on 25 Feb 2008, 4:08pm, edited 1 time in total.
Back again! Wine in reach, and Larkrise to Candleford over!
I've had a shufti at your route. 7 days is pushing it, but as you're traveling light it should be ok.
Dartmoor is a no-no unless you like hard work. It's your first day and you want to get to Exeter. 140 miles ish. It's an accepted fact that Cornwall and Devon are the hardest stretch. Dartmoor is a waste of time unless you want to take your time. And why Exeter? It's out of your way, you're going too far south. Dartmoor is great and wonderful and a terrific achievement to get over, but if the weather changes you have no shelter and no relief.
Better to head north of Dartmoor, still hilly but certainly not climbing to 1500ft. A390 from Truro to Tavistock is hard enough work, and then to tackle Dartmoor is daft. Head out of Tavistock to Okehampton and then Crediton and then toward Tiverton and Taunton. Look at the map, you'll see it makes sense. Find accomm Crediton/Tiverton.
Actually, The Race Against Time riders (LEJOG in 5 days) stayed on the A30 dual carriageway Penzance to Exeter. Further, but faster, and dangerous. They were completely cosseted with support, you won't have any. Keep off dual carriageways as much as possible.
Your actual route from then on looks good to me. Maybe your stops are not that evenly spaced though. Leominster to Lancaster long but ok. Lancaster to Galashiels ok too. Then Pitlochry to Inverness is too easy considering what you've achieved. However Inverness to JOG is hard work but do-able.
Are you going over the Forth Road Bridge? From Edinburgh on the A90 to the bridge is closed to cyclists. You MUST follow the cycle route. Also, sometimes the access roads over the bridge are closed to cycles. They have one open, but sometimes not both of them. No warning. You come down the slipway to find your route closed off, so you have to cross under the carriageways down flights of steps and underpasses. Believe me, it happened to me both ways.
The route north of Inverness is always a sticking point. I would go the shortest if I were you. That is A9 and A99. It's only hilly and difficult after Helmsdale - Braes of Berridale, Navidale and Muir of Ord. After what you'd have been through by then it'll be a doddle.
The main problems will be getting to LE and getting home from JOG. When you get to JOG, just cycle home!
Enjoy!
Any more ??? please post back, but there are others even more experienced than me!
I've had a shufti at your route. 7 days is pushing it, but as you're traveling light it should be ok.
Dartmoor is a no-no unless you like hard work. It's your first day and you want to get to Exeter. 140 miles ish. It's an accepted fact that Cornwall and Devon are the hardest stretch. Dartmoor is a waste of time unless you want to take your time. And why Exeter? It's out of your way, you're going too far south. Dartmoor is great and wonderful and a terrific achievement to get over, but if the weather changes you have no shelter and no relief.
Better to head north of Dartmoor, still hilly but certainly not climbing to 1500ft. A390 from Truro to Tavistock is hard enough work, and then to tackle Dartmoor is daft. Head out of Tavistock to Okehampton and then Crediton and then toward Tiverton and Taunton. Look at the map, you'll see it makes sense. Find accomm Crediton/Tiverton.
Actually, The Race Against Time riders (LEJOG in 5 days) stayed on the A30 dual carriageway Penzance to Exeter. Further, but faster, and dangerous. They were completely cosseted with support, you won't have any. Keep off dual carriageways as much as possible.
Your actual route from then on looks good to me. Maybe your stops are not that evenly spaced though. Leominster to Lancaster long but ok. Lancaster to Galashiels ok too. Then Pitlochry to Inverness is too easy considering what you've achieved. However Inverness to JOG is hard work but do-able.
Are you going over the Forth Road Bridge? From Edinburgh on the A90 to the bridge is closed to cyclists. You MUST follow the cycle route. Also, sometimes the access roads over the bridge are closed to cycles. They have one open, but sometimes not both of them. No warning. You come down the slipway to find your route closed off, so you have to cross under the carriageways down flights of steps and underpasses. Believe me, it happened to me both ways.
The route north of Inverness is always a sticking point. I would go the shortest if I were you. That is A9 and A99. It's only hilly and difficult after Helmsdale - Braes of Berridale, Navidale and Muir of Ord. After what you'd have been through by then it'll be a doddle.
The main problems will be getting to LE and getting home from JOG. When you get to JOG, just cycle home!
Enjoy!
Any more ??? please post back, but there are others even more experienced than me!
Mick F. Cornwall
That's brilliant Mick - exactly the input I was needing. Everything you say makes sense, and as you are from down that way I will take your advice on day 1 and head to Tiverton via Oakhampton.
I will be using the Fourth Road Bridge. I cycle from London to Montrose each year in May and go from Edinburgh to the bridge, so I know what you mean about the road being closed to bikes - got badly lost the first time but think I can navigate it in the dark now!
As for the stretch north of Inverness, I've heard the Altnaharra route is very pretty, and as I've never cycled in the highlands before I thought it would be a fitting final day.
As for transport, I'll get the train from London-Penzance the day before, and my brother says he will collect me + bike from JoG, although if he can't make it I will probably cycle back down to Montrose where I will be recuperating.
Any other advice gratefully received, and thanks so much Mick!
I will be using the Fourth Road Bridge. I cycle from London to Montrose each year in May and go from Edinburgh to the bridge, so I know what you mean about the road being closed to bikes - got badly lost the first time but think I can navigate it in the dark now!
As for the stretch north of Inverness, I've heard the Altnaharra route is very pretty, and as I've never cycled in the highlands before I thought it would be a fitting final day.
As for transport, I'll get the train from London-Penzance the day before, and my brother says he will collect me + bike from JoG, although if he can't make it I will probably cycle back down to Montrose where I will be recuperating.
Any other advice gratefully received, and thanks so much Mick!
A361 Tiverton to M5 J27 is a dual carriage way, flat and uninteresting, and then mainly gently downhill and uninteresting towards the motorway. No compensation if the wind's against you!
Not very busy, and ok to cycle on. Keep well left and no problem, but early in the morning, you may have the road to yourself!
From there you're onto the A38 old trunk road. Major route in the old days before the M5 opened. As you're getting out of Devon, the flatter and easier the terrain is. Until, that is, you reach the Mendips south of Bristol ...
Not very busy, and ok to cycle on. Keep well left and no problem, but early in the morning, you may have the road to yourself!
From there you're onto the A38 old trunk road. Major route in the old days before the M5 opened. As you're getting out of Devon, the flatter and easier the terrain is. Until, that is, you reach the Mendips south of Bristol ...
Mick F. Cornwall
Mick F wrote:From there you're onto the A38 old trunk road. Major route in the old days before the M5 opened. As you're getting out of Devon, the flatter and easier the terrain is. Until, that is, you reach the Mendips south of Bristol ...
I noticed that on their day 2 route they branch off the A38 near a place called East Brent and head off up the A370 (via Weston Super Mare). Does this make sense to you? Could it be to avoid the Mendips, or is it just a quieter road perhaps?
toontra wrote:Mick F wrote:From there you're onto the A38 old trunk road. Major route in the old days before the M5 opened. As you're getting out of Devon, the flatter and easier the terrain is. Until, that is, you reach the Mendips south of Bristol ...
I noticed that on their day 2 route they branch off the A38 near a place called East Brent and head off up the A370 (via Weston Super Mare). Does this make sense to you? Could it be to avoid the Mendips, or is it just a quieter road perhaps?
The A370 is anything but quiet! The route out of WSM towards the motorway is not at all cyclist friendly - fast dual carriageway with not much room at the side. I would advise the A38 instead - there's a long, nasty climb just before Bristol airport, but apart from that it's not too demanding. If you fancied a more scenic route you could head further east towards Cheddar on the CTC route.
Thanks for the confirmation Mick. I'll keep an eye out for the Mendips!
I've just finished mapping out the .gpx route files for the whole trip. I've had to include a couple of slight detours to accommodate Travelodge stop-overs (they have a sale on at the moment for pre-bookings and I quite like TL's - they let you take your bike into your room!).
It's now: Land's End, Tiverton (TL), Leominster, Lancaster (TL), Galashiels, Pitlochry, Alness, JoG.
This spreads the mileage out a bit better, though it's still weighted towards the first few days, which from experience is how I prefer it.
I've just finished mapping out the .gpx route files for the whole trip. I've had to include a couple of slight detours to accommodate Travelodge stop-overs (they have a sale on at the moment for pre-bookings and I quite like TL's - they let you take your bike into your room!).
It's now: Land's End, Tiverton (TL), Leominster, Lancaster (TL), Galashiels, Pitlochry, Alness, JoG.
This spreads the mileage out a bit better, though it's still weighted towards the first few days, which from experience is how I prefer it.
I have followed this thread with interest and wondered what the traffic on the A390 is like is this road as busy as the A30 ? Also mick, thanks for the tip regarding the A370 as I was intending to go this way. Whats all this about ther forth road bridge tho' and the A 90 closed to cyclists is the alternative route signed ?
Be carefull out there.
cranky1 wrote:Whats all this about ther forth road bridge tho' and the A 90 closed to cyclists is the alternative route signed ?
Basically you have to leave the A90 at a junction near Craigiehall and follow the Sustrans Route 1 to the bridge, but it's a bit tricky and not very intuitive (or well signposted for that matter).
Hello Toontra and Cranky1, here we go with my answers.
A390 is a road through Cornwall and into Devon. It starts just north of Truro, and finishes at Tavistock just over the border. It's hilly and varied, busy and quiet, straight and bendy, but rural and a little bit urban.
It's a hard ride, but so is any distance through Cornwall and Devon. There's no really difficult hills coming out of Cornwall other than Penpillick out of St Austell. This hill is long, and when you think it's long, it goes on a bit more. The hard hills IMO are on the way to LE. That is Gunnislake and Lostwithiel , they're steep and long. But don't underestimate the A390. It's tiring and wearisome. Any alternative is even more difficult or longer. Go by the coast, if you want. Enjoy the scenery and coasts, but the only way to do it, is to take your time. A390 is the best way if you're on a mission!
The A30, on the other hand is a main road, dual carriageway, and a motorway by another name. Keep off it. Noisy, dangerous with fast traffic. The further west you go, the less busy it is. By the time you get to Penzance it's not too bad. The A390 on the other hand is full of local traffic, but still with some though traffic - but not much, the main eastbound stuff is on the A30.
Now going way north to Scotland!!!
The FRB is a busy road linking motorways and big A roads. The A90 out of Edinburgh is an old dual carriageway dating back to the 70's. It hasn't been improved since then to any degree. We lived up there from '74 to '80. and when I was up there for my LEJOG and BACK in '06, the road hand't changed other than being horrendously busy! I was directed off the road by huge yellow signs. I HATE bike tracks and pavements - I ride on the road - I ride a vehicle! Vehicles go on roads!
By the time I reached the FRB ..............
Please read lejogandback.blogspot.com for my experiences.........
A390 is a road through Cornwall and into Devon. It starts just north of Truro, and finishes at Tavistock just over the border. It's hilly and varied, busy and quiet, straight and bendy, but rural and a little bit urban.
It's a hard ride, but so is any distance through Cornwall and Devon. There's no really difficult hills coming out of Cornwall other than Penpillick out of St Austell. This hill is long, and when you think it's long, it goes on a bit more. The hard hills IMO are on the way to LE. That is Gunnislake and Lostwithiel , they're steep and long. But don't underestimate the A390. It's tiring and wearisome. Any alternative is even more difficult or longer. Go by the coast, if you want. Enjoy the scenery and coasts, but the only way to do it, is to take your time. A390 is the best way if you're on a mission!
The A30, on the other hand is a main road, dual carriageway, and a motorway by another name. Keep off it. Noisy, dangerous with fast traffic. The further west you go, the less busy it is. By the time you get to Penzance it's not too bad. The A390 on the other hand is full of local traffic, but still with some though traffic - but not much, the main eastbound stuff is on the A30.
Now going way north to Scotland!!!
The FRB is a busy road linking motorways and big A roads. The A90 out of Edinburgh is an old dual carriageway dating back to the 70's. It hasn't been improved since then to any degree. We lived up there from '74 to '80. and when I was up there for my LEJOG and BACK in '06, the road hand't changed other than being horrendously busy! I was directed off the road by huge yellow signs. I HATE bike tracks and pavements - I ride on the road - I ride a vehicle! Vehicles go on roads!
By the time I reached the FRB ..............
Please read lejogandback.blogspot.com for my experiences.........
Mick F. Cornwall