Cycling to Glasgow in October

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Jdsk
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Jdsk »

Wow.

Jonathan
Tyre Lady
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tyre Lady »

Thank you all for your great comments and tips as per usual.

The draft map that had created was to give me an idea of a route, trying to avoid big cities. From the first and last big trip I cycled way more miles than had estimated. So I rounded this trip to 600 miles to allow for deviations, etc. We are headed for COP 26. Grannie is in her 70s, very active but hit quite badly with Covid last year (not hospitalised but lasted a month) and has not quite recovered her fitness. Probably has had a touch of long covid. She is a strong lady, but want to be gentle with her.

So for all my choices of route, am thinking to stick to the NCN as much as possible to see what it is like, deviations will be for places the 13 year old would like to see (haven't spoken to her yet) + using canals. Does anyone have a favourite place they would recommend to see between Runnymede and Glasgow?

Potential Recommended Routes from the discussion so far:
1. Runnymede - GCN to Birmingham - Liverpool - Ferry Crossing to Mersey - Morecambe - Carlisle - Glasgow
2. Runnymede - Cambridge - then north via the Vale of York - Cross the Pennines over the top of Yad Moss, Barnard Castle to Alston, then continue onto Glasgow over Beattock summit.

Gear:
Will be ensuring 13 year old has warm gear - grannie has done a lot of adventuring so will ensure this.
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Thehairs1970
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Thehairs1970 »

simonhill wrote:For those that don't know or don't remember, tyre lady posted back in May 2019. A non cyclist wanting to cycle from London to Trieste before running a marathon pulling a lorry tyre. Then cycle back all on an ancient borrowed bike.

Lots of scepticism plus lots of advice.

Bottom line, she did it. Never underestimate the tyre lady. Respect.


I recall her posts. I don’t think anyone is doubting her abilities but motivating teenagers and giving advice they may take makes her previous exploits look easy.

We have cycle toured with our kids since they were early teens. They are both fit and play sport a lot. Bike fit is different of course. Some days they could cycle loads, others they couldn’t. The oldest was absolutely caned on a 50km trip to a cheese market one day and the younger fine and on the way back they switched over. (Don’t ask about why with the cheese market). They are at their best when there are plenty of snacks (the boy) and nice shops at stops ( the girl). I think the shakedown tour is a definite birth for riders and bikes.
Tyre Lady
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tyre Lady »

simonhill wrote:For those that don't know or don't remember, tyre lady posted back in May 2019. A non cyclist wanting to cycle from London to Trieste before running a marathon pulling a lorry tyre. Then cycle back all on an ancient borrowed bike.

Lots of scepticism plus lots of advice.

Bottom line, she did it. Never underestimate the tyre lady. Respect.


LOL - and am back for more great advice :)

Still have the 1970s bike and will be using to go to Glasgow :) The owner who is in his 90s says its a piece of junk as he has a nice carbon graphite frame!

Will try to do a better job of journaling the preparation and the trip. Hopefully 13 year old will do most of that for me :D

Incidentally I got one of the tyres you all recommended. Both are still on and cycling well for the 2500 miles and only one puncture on my first night due to me turning the bicycle on its side whilst wild camping and a thorn went through. Also a bike mechanic in Italy changed my gear cables + chain + derailleur as the chain kept falling off.

My first 6 days was learning how to use the dynamo, phone, handling my bike. After Trieste I learned how to use my gears after having cycled to Trieste only using the 3 big gears.

@jdsk - definitely will be doing a shake down with 13 year old.
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Tyre Lady
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tyre Lady »

Thehairs1970 wrote:
I recall her posts. I don’t think anyone is doubting her abilities but motivating teenagers and giving advice they may take makes her previous exploits look easy.

We have cycle toured with our kids since they were early teens. They are both fit and play sport a lot. Bike fit is different of course. Some days they could cycle loads, others they couldn’t. The oldest was absolutely caned on a 50km trip to a cheese market one day and the younger fine and on the way back they switched over. (Don’t ask about why with the cheese market). They are at their best when there are plenty of snacks (the boy) and nice shops at stops ( the girl). I think the shakedown tour is a definite birth for riders and bikes.


Think cycling by oneself is somewhat easier than having to motivate others. Hence it is great to hear what others do to keep their teens motivated.
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nirakaro
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by nirakaro »

Tyre Lady wrote:+ using canals

Canal towpaths need careful planning: much of the network is delightful for cycling, then you'll suddenly hit a lumpy/stony/rooty/muddy stretch where it's almost quicker to get off and walk. And you don't know whether that's going to be for a hundred yards, or twenty miles…
Specific enquiries on this forum will sometimes provide local knowledge.
Vorpal
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Vorpal »

nirakaro wrote:
Tyre Lady wrote:+ using canals

Canal towpaths need careful planning: much of the network is delightful for cycling, then you'll suddenly hit a lumpy/stony/rooty/muddy stretch where it's almost quicker to get off and walk. And you don't know whether that's going to be for a hundred yards, or twenty miles…
Specific enquiries on this forum will sometimes provide local knowledge.

The condition of canal tow paths is less likely to be useable in October. I've used some that were generally fine in summer, but October - April too muddy for anything but goats & pigs.
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Tyre Lady
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tyre Lady »

Vorpal wrote:
nirakaro wrote:
Tyre Lady wrote:+ using canals

Canal towpaths need careful planning: much of the network is delightful for cycling, then you'll suddenly hit a lumpy/stony/rooty/muddy stretch where it's almost quicker to get off and walk. And you don't know whether that's going to be for a hundred yards, or twenty miles…
Specific enquiries on this forum will sometimes provide local knowledge.

The condition of canal tow paths is less likely to be useable in October. I've used some that were generally fine in summer, but October - April too muddy for anything but goats & pigs.


Good point. If the weather has been bad, avoid usage.

Was wondering if anyone can help me understand what the NCN is like to cycle on?
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tigerbiten »

NCN routes ..... :lol:

I find if I try to religiously follow a NCN route along all its quirks then I find it takes more energy to travel slower going from A to B than if I plot my own route.
You'll find that in town they'll route you along 3 sides of a rectangle to miss a bit of main road or out of town along 2 sides of a triangle just because the roads are quieter.
So I'll remove these types of deviation when plotting them into my sat nav.
For off road it's even more iffy, it could be anything from good hard macadam to deep mud.
A named cycle trail will probably be ok unless there has been a lot of rain.
A track used just to get you off a stretch of road may only be passable after a long dry spell.
And that's not to mention the anti-cycling barriers on a lot of off road routes. Some are hard to get a normal cycle through, not to mention anything non standard like a bike with panniers.
I'll follow one if I'm on a go slow and I've also budgeted the extra time/energy needed, otherwise I find it probably better to stick to my own route.

Luck ............. :D
Vorpal
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Vorpal »

Tyre Lady wrote:
Vorpal wrote:
nirakaro wrote:Canal towpaths need careful planning: much of the network is delightful for cycling, then you'll suddenly hit a lumpy/stony/rooty/muddy stretch where it's almost quicker to get off and walk. And you don't know whether that's going to be for a hundred yards, or twenty miles…
Specific enquiries on this forum will sometimes provide local knowledge.

The condition of canal tow paths is less likely to be useable in October. I've used some that were generally fine in summer, but October - April too muddy for anything but goats & pigs.


Good point. If the weather has been bad, avoid usage.

Was wondering if anyone can help me understand what the NCN is like to cycle on?

It varies hugely. I would say that most of it is useable, and if you don't mind extra miles, and circuitous routes to go places, much of it is better than useable. Some bits are nice country lane, some are good, segregated cycleway, some are littered with barriers intended to keep motorcyclists off, some have gravel surfaces that are okay in most weather, and a few are muddy morrasses for all but a few weeks each year. It really requires asking about specific sections or areas, to understand whether it is the best route through the area.

I have a bit of a tendency, when I want to follow an NCN, to just do it, and modify it as I go along, because, for example, I find that a section doesn't suit me, I get fed up with barriers, or I want to detour into a town or something. Obviously, my judgement about that might be different with a 13 year old along.
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Paulatic
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Paulatic »

"NCN routes"
As above they can be the best and the worst.
However I can say with confidence if you decide on a West side option then following Route 7 from Penrith and then joining Route 74 after Carlisle and taking it right into Glasgow centre are firm under tyre and 13 yo safe.
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Jdsk
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Jdsk »

Tyre Lady wrote: Does anyone have a favourite place they would recommend to see between Runnymede and Glasgow?

Potential Recommended Routes from the discussion so far:
1. Runnymede - GCN to Birmingham - Liverpool - Ferry Crossing to Mersey - Morecambe - Carlisle - Glasgow
2. Runnymede - Cambridge - then north via the Vale of York - Cross the Pennines over the top of Yad Moss, Barnard Castle to Alston, then continue onto Glasgow over Beattock summit.

Oxford
Woodstock/ Blenheim Palace
The Rollright Stones
Stratford
Coventry Cathedral
Liverpool Docklands
Wigan Pier
Blackpool
Grasmere

Bletchley Park
Cambridge
Saltaire

New Lanark

Jonathan
nosmarbaj
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by nosmarbaj »

If the wild camping idea is for budget reasons, fair enough. But if I were doing this trip, I wouldn't plan on wild camping at all.
- weather in October too uncertain
- lack of daylight
- hard to find suitable spots in crowded England, especially as there will be 3 of you.
- bearing in mind the above, just not worth the hassle of carrying camping kit

Presumably the girl's schooling allows for this trip? (I can't see how, but it's not my affair.)

In your shoes, I would try to plan a much faster itinerary - c. 10 days instead of c.20 days; have a bail-out option (e.g. train) if you get behind schedule. I'd also try to overnight in largeish places - more to do in evenings, girl (and adults) less likely to get bored.

Make sure girl and grannie are fully involved in preparations, and committed to final plan.

Having said all that, you know the girl and grannie, so you'll know better than me what's likely to work.
Tyre Lady
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tyre Lady »

Thanks again for all the constructive comments.

My buddy (grannie) and I both love wild camping, but don't want to put off young lass especially if the weather is poor.... unless we find a nice cave to dwell in. So will be making accommodation backup plans but keeping everything fluid. If I were riding alone, I would make this a much faster itinerary but need to consider my other 2 buddies especially the grannie.

As for school - am trying to work that one out. Will see how long she can be with us.

Thank you for the place recommendations. xx :)
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Cycling to Glasgow in October

Post by Tigerbiten »

One other thing to think about.
The max downside I've found with wild camping all the time is trying to keep all my devices charged up.
At a campsite I tended to leave my cache battery in the office/toilet overnight.
When wild camping I only had my hub dynamo/solar panel to keep my devices charged up.
The other option is to stop somewhere for an hour or two, this will hopefully let you plug into a wall socket.
With the three of you, how do you plan to keep all your devices charged up.

Luck .......... :D
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