1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

[Norman H]

Sorry, I made the southern part into my complete map! Southern route is here - https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1808229?units=km

Thanks

Russ

That's quite a lot to digest, here are some general observations of your route through Cornwall and Devon:

The most direct route between LE and Penzance is the A30, and it's OK for cycling.

From Lizzard point you could stay on the south side of the cornish peninsula. Many end-to-enders go this way, using the King Harry ferry to St Austell and Plymouth. MickF of this parish is the Oracle on all things Cornish and may be along later to comment.

From St Newlyn East to Delabole your route is fairly conventional, although some folk avoid Wadebridge and the A39 by using the Padstow ferry. Beyond Delabole your coastal route gets very lumpy. Much better to head across the top of Bodmin Moor towards Launceston and pick up the old A30 to Okehampton.

The Okehampton route also avoids your very hilly route through north Devon and Exmoor. Beyond Okehampton a route that I've used is to follow the old A30 to Whiddon Down and then take minor roads through Hittisleigh and Yeoford to Crediton. At crediton pick up Rob's Passage* via Thorverton, cross the M5 and join the B3181 at Hele and follow the Culm valley through Uffculme towards Wellington

*Search this forum for “Rob's Passage"

[Norman H]

Some further comments:

Any route through Somerset to Bristol will mostly follows the M5 corridor and the flattest land lies to the east. If you follow Rob's Passage to Wellington you could rejoin your route at Bishops Lydeard but it doesn't entirely avoid the Quantock Hills. I would instead go through Taunton.

Head north from Wellington to Nynehead and follow route 3 into the centre of Taunton. From Taunton town centre continue east to Creech St Michael, use minor roads or the path alongside the Bridgewater and Taunton canal. From Creech St Michael either head north via North Newton and North Petherton to rejoin your route at Bridgewter or continue east to North Curry, Athelney, and Burrowbridge. At Burrowbridge join the A361 to Otherly and Greinton and at Pedwell turn left, cross the A39 to Shapwick and Westhay and rejoin your route at Wedmore.

Cheddar Gorge is a nice climb but it's a tourist hot spot and your route east around Bristol takes a big detour. An alternative that avoids the Mendips altogether is the Strawberry Line Cycle path from Cheddar to Yatton. Continue on route 26 to Clevedon then follow the Avon Cycleway over the Avonmouth Bridge to Hallen, Compton Greenfield and the Severn crossing. I seem to remember that it's signposted from some way off .

A route directly through Bristol is another possibility and isn't actually too bad if you've got a decent GPS. From Chew Stoke head for Winford, Barrow Gurney, Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. This brings you into Bristol over Brunel's iconic suspension bridge. Head for Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

Incidentally, use the cycle path on the North side of the Severn Bridge. It avoids using the glass strewn underpass at the Chepstow end. The access is here, just off the roundabout by the entrance to Aust motorway services area.

[turborat]

Some further comments:

Any route through Somerset to Bristol will mostly follows the M5 corridor and the flattest land lies to the east. If you follow Rob's Passage to Wellington you could rejoin your route at Bishops Lydeard but it doesn't entirely avoid the Quantock Hills. I would instead go through Taunton.

Head north from Wellington to Nynehead and follow route 3 into the centre of Taunton. From Taunton town centre continue east to Creech St Michael, use minor roads or the path alongside the Bridgewater and Taunton canal. From Creech St Michael either head north via North Newton and North Petherton to rejoin your route at Bridgewter or continue east to North Curry, Athelney, and Burrowbridge. At Burrowbridge join the A361 to Otherly and Greinton and at Pedwell turn left, cross the A39 to Shapwick and Westhay and rejoin your route at Wedmore.

Cheddar Gorge is a nice climb but it's a tourist hot spot and your route east around Bristol takes a big detour. An alternative that avoids the Mendips altogether is the Strawberry Line Cycle path from Cheddar to Yatton. Continue on route 26 to Clevedon then follow the Avon Cycleway over the Avonmouth Bridge to Hallen, Compton Greenfield and the Severn crossing. I seem to remember that it's signposted from some way off .

A route directly through Bristol is another possibility and isn't actually too bad if you've got a decent GPS. From Chew Stoke head for Winford, Barrow Gurney, Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. This brings you into Bristol over Brunel's iconic suspension bridge. Head for Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

Incidentally, use the cycle path on the North side of the Severn Bridge. It avoids using the glass strewn underpass at the Chepstow end. The access is here, just off the roundabout by the entrance to Aust motorway services area.

WOW....yet again great and concise advice. Appreciate this. I'll take into account what you suggest and amend the route accordingly!! I think if we can avoid any unnecessary climbing on any part of the route, then it will help over the course of the ride. I actually like challenging climbs, but after so many continuous days, I can't imagine I will lol.

Thanks

TR

[SecretSam]

Some further comments:

Any route through Somerset to Bristol will mostly follows the M5 corridor and the flattest land lies to the east. If you follow Rob's Passage to Wellington you could rejoin your route at Bishops Lydeard but it doesn't entirely avoid the Quantock Hills. I would instead go through Taunton.

Head north from Wellington to Nynehead and follow route 3 into the centre of Taunton. From Taunton town centre continue east to Creech St Michael, use minor roads or the path alongside the Bridgewater and Taunton canal. From Creech St Michael either head north via North Newton and North Petherton to rejoin your route at Bridgewter or continue east to North Curry, Athelney, and Burrowbridge. At Burrowbridge join the A361 to Otherly and Greinton and at Pedwell turn left, cross the A39 to Shapwick and Westhay and rejoin your route at Wedmore.

Cheddar Gorge is a nice climb but it's a tourist hot spot and your route east around Bristol takes a big detour. An alternative that avoids the Mendips altogether is the Strawberry Line Cycle path from Cheddar to Yatton. Continue on route 26 to Clevedon then follow the Avon Cycleway over the Avonmouth Bridge to Hallen, Compton Greenfield and the Severn crossing. I seem to remember that it's signposted from some way off .

A route directly through Bristol is another possibility and isn't actually too bad if you've got a decent GPS. From Chew Stoke head for Winford, Barrow Gurney, Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. This brings you into Bristol over Brunel's iconic suspension bridge. Head for Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

Incidentally, use the cycle path on the North side of the Severn Bridge. It avoids using the glass strewn underpass at the Chepstow end. The access is here, just off the roundabout by the entrance to Aust motorway services area.

WOW....yet again great and concise advice. Appreciate this. I'll take into account what you suggest and amend the route accordingly!! I think if we can avoid any unnecessary climbing on any part of the route, then it will help over the course of the ride. I actually like challenging climbs, but after so many continuous days, I can't imagine I will lol.

Thanks

TR

If you want to avoid climbing, stay away from Bristol

[turborat]

Some further comments:

Any route through Somerset to Bristol will mostly follows the M5 corridor and the flattest land lies to the east. If you follow Rob's Passage to Wellington you could rejoin your route at Bishops Lydeard but it doesn't entirely avoid the Quantock Hills. I would instead go through Taunton.

Head north from Wellington to Nynehead and follow route 3 into the centre of Taunton. From Taunton town centre continue east to Creech St Michael, use minor roads or the path alongside the Bridgewater and Taunton canal. From Creech St Michael either head north via North Newton and North Petherton to rejoin your route at Bridgewter or continue east to North Curry, Athelney, and Burrowbridge. At Burrowbridge join the A361 to Otherly and Greinton and at Pedwell turn left, cross the A39 to Shapwick and Westhay and rejoin your route at Wedmore.

Cheddar Gorge is a nice climb but it's a tourist hot spot and your route east around Bristol takes a big detour. An alternative that avoids the Mendips altogether is the Strawberry Line Cycle path from Cheddar to Yatton. Continue on route 26 to Clevedon then follow the Avon Cycleway over the Avonmouth Bridge to Hallen, Compton Greenfield and the Severn crossing. I seem to remember that it's signposted from some way off .

A route directly through Bristol is another possibility and isn't actually too bad if you've got a decent GPS. From Chew Stoke head for Winford, Barrow Gurney, Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. This brings you into Bristol over Brunel's iconic suspension bridge. Head for Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

Incidentally, use the cycle path on the North side of the Severn Bridge. It avoids using the glass strewn underpass at the Chepstow end. The access is here, just off the roundabout by the entrance to Aust motorway services area.

WOW....yet again great and concise advice. Appreciate this. I'll take into account what you suggest and amend the route accordingly!! I think if we can avoid any unnecessary climbing on any part of the route, then it will help over the course of the ride. I actually like challenging climbs, but after so many continuous days, I can't imagine I will lol.

Thanks

TR

If you want to avoid climbing, stay away from Bristol

Any part of Bristol in particular? My route goes round to the East of Bristol then back over the Severn bridge..

Thanks

TR

[Norman H]

Your route to the east is fine, apart from the Cheddar Gorge climb, as is route 26 to the west via Yatton and Clevedon. The only significant hills are through the city and they're fairly modest from what I remember. There's a climb up through the Ashton Court Estate before you cross the Clifton suspension bridge, and then one or two modest climbs as you cross the city from Clifton towards Westbury on Trim and Henbury.

[turborat]

What do you think to my revised south-west route - https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1821085?units=km

Especially the part up to and around Bristol...

Thanks

TR

[nickyboy]

Looks good and suspiciously like our route last year from Okehampton onwards

I would look to include the Meldon viaduct near Okehampton. Someone on this forum recommended it to us and it is really spectacular. Your route is only a mile or two away

[Norman H]

What do you think to my revised south-west route - https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1821085?units=km

Especially the part up to and around Bristol...

Thanks

TR

I don't know Cornwall as well as others on here but there ought to be a better route from Helston to Okehampton. Many end-to-enders go through Cambourne and/or Redruth but your task is complicated by the inclusion of Lizzard Point and the need to cross from south to north whilst avoiding busy roads. As an example of the latter I wouldn't be happy cycling the A386 between Tavistock and Okehampton. If you do go that way a better option would be the back road to Lydford and then the Granite Way into Okehampton.

From Helston I'd be tempted to take a more direct route north, perhaps aiming for Three Burrows or somewhere between Redruth and Zelah to pick up your original route. Briefly, St Newlyn East > White Cross > St Columb Major and then either the A39 to Wadebridge and Camelford or via Padstow and Delabole (B3314) to join the A39 north of Camelford. From there head towards Launceston, either on the A395 or on the minor road past Davidstow Airfield. If you take the minor road be sure to cross the valley and join the A395 before you reach the busy A30 dual carriageway. From Launceston the old A30 via Bridestow to Okehampton as previously suggested.

Beyond Okehampton your route to Bristol looks OK. I'd prefer quieter roads to Crediton as I previously described but that's a personal choice. Likewise I'd opt for the B3181 and the Culm valley to Uffculme, Niclolashane and Wellington and then route 3 to Taunton, rather than the A396 to Tiverton and then the busy A38.

Finally, using the same gap between Loxton and Webbington that the M5 uses is a good idea, I'd also continue north from Winscombe to Sandford and join the Strawberry line to Clevedon and beyond.

[turborat]

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend any accommodation around High Bentham/Kirkby Lonsdale area? We may be looking for space for 9 people.

Thanks

TR

[Slowtwitch]

Is there perhaps a business opportunity for someone to produce either a dedicated website or better still a phone app with different routes? (Routes /accommodation /"how to" guides, equipment, bikes ect) It might not be of interest to the general public (not lunless end to end record breaking became a "sport"), but a lot of smaller app makers make a living from niche ideas like this on subscription models.

I'm on a similar app for microlight aircraft, it only has about 3800 subscribers, but at 3 euro a head per month, someone is doing alright out of it

Could be a decent living, for one or two people.

[Slowtwitch]

TrekRight: West Highland Way is an niche app available on Play Store and the Apple platform, developed by an Canadian company, they've got several long walking route guides at £6 a pop, if you got 20k downloads that's a chunk of change. If you could do several guides, well, you can see how it might be a good business!

[LollyKat]

Or they could just visit https://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/, managed by one of our forum members (rjb) and linked in the sticky at the top this board. It's a huge resource and is regularly updated.

[rareposter]

Is there perhaps a business opportunity for someone to produce either a dedicated website or better still a phone app with different routes? (Routes /accommodation /"how to" guides, equipment, bikes ect) It might not be of interest to the general public (not lunless end to end record breaking became a "sport"), but a lot of smaller app makers make a living from niche ideas like this on subscription models.

I'm on a similar app for microlight aircraft, it only has about 3800 subscribers, but at 3 euro a head per month, someone is doing alright out of it

Could be a decent living, for one or two people.

Part of the fun of doing long-distance tours is planning stuff like that yourself and everyone's needs will be different - from basic campsites to 5* hotels and everything in between, it'd be a colossal amount of work to document all that and keep it updated for very little reward and you'd need to get accommodation, cafes, bike shops etc to sign up to it. Since most are already on existing apps like Booking.com for accommodation, JustEat / UberEats for food and so on, you're just duplicating existing info.

Or they could just visit https://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/, managed by one of our forum members (rjb) and linked in the sticky at the top this board. It's a huge resource and is regularly updated.

There are prices on there from 2010 so I'd question the "regularly updated" part of it. In fact, plenty of the accommodation listed on there (in seemingly random order rather than by location as you travel up or down the country) is out of date. With a grand total of 10 bike shops and 3 cafes listed, it's not exactly a comprehensive source of info...

Which goes back to the first point - a "resource" like that which is out of date is worse than useless. I appreciate that it's maintained FOC by an enthusiast but something like that is best used as a repository for previous rides, blogs and so on, general tips for planning tours and then bin off all the out of date info on there.

Google Maps does all of that and more for free, it'll find you hotels, campsites, supermarkets, restaurants and bike shops in seconds. Booking.com for accommodation.
Trainline or National Rail app for booking train tickets to the start / from the finish.

[Slowtwitch]

Is there perhaps a business opportunity for someone to produce either a dedicated website or better still a phone app with different routes? (Routes /accommodation /"how to" guides, equipment, bikes ect) It might not be of interest to the general public (not lunless end to end record breaking became a "sport"), but a lot of smaller app makers make a living from niche ideas like this on subscription models.

I'm on a similar app for microlight aircraft, it only has about 3800 subscribers, but at 3 euro a head per month, someone is doing alright out of it

Could be a decent living, for one or two people.

Part of the fun of doing long-distance tours is planning stuff like that yourself and everyone's needs will be different - from basic campsites to 5* hotels and everything in between, it'd be a colossal amount of work to document all that and keep it updated for very little reward and you'd need to get accommodation, cafes, bike shops etc to sign up to it. Since most are already on existing apps like Booking.com for accommodation, JustEat / UberEats for food and so on, you're just duplicating existing info.

Or they could just visit https://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/, managed by one of our forum members (rjb) and linked in the sticky at the top this board. It's a huge resource and is regularly updated.

There are prices on there from 2010 so I'd question the "regularly updated" part of it. In fact, plenty of the accommodation listed on there (in seemingly random order rather than by location as you travel up or down the country) is out of date. With a grand total of 10 bike shops and 3 cafes listed, it's not exactly a comprehensive source of info...

Which goes back to the first point - a "resource" like that which is out of date is worse than useless. I appreciate that it's maintained FOC by an enthusiast but something like that is best used as a repository for previous rides, blogs and so on, general tips for planning tours and then bin off all the out of date info on there.

Google Maps does all of that and more for free, it'll find you hotels, campsites, supermarkets, restaurants and bike shops in seconds. Booking.com for accommodation.
Trainline or National Rail app for booking train tickets to the start / from the finish.

Niche apps could be extremely useful for niche events like Jogle, its true that mapping and bookings are available on other platforms, but they are general sources of information, not collated like you would have on a custom designed niche app. The secret is all about high degrees of relevance. It's clear even from just this thread, that people are frequently asking for help, and in depth route planning. Is it a service people would pay for? I think they would, I know I would.

Niche apps (with anywhere from 3-20,000 users) can also bring in a good bit of revenue for two or three people, not only from subscriptions, but also advertising and product sales/endorsements. Even something simple like a finishers Jersey /medal /certificates.