Cycling UK Forum

Yes, I always call them "Pinch Points" and most riders go through them.

LE
Bristol
Warrington/Wigan/Preston
Carlisle
Inverness
JOG

"Choice Points" are:
Bristol/Severn Bridge/Wye Valley - versus - Bristol/A38 to Gloucester
Carlisle/Edinburgh/Forth Bridge/Inverness - versus Carlisle/Glasgow/A82 Loch Lomond/Inverness - versus - Carlisle/Stirling/Crieff/Inverness
Inverness/Crask/Bettyhill/JOG - versus - Inverness/Wick/JOG

Neither of these lists are exhaustive!

Strange I have done 4 E2Es via different routes but never on any gone through Inverness. I have visited the city many times on other Scotland tours but never on an E2E.

Kendal was another popular point, I used to work in a bike shop there and we'd quite regularly get laden tourers coming in with broken bikes. Spokes usually. The bike would have made it to Kendal and then given up the unequal struggle, maybe at the mere thought of going over Shap.

Agree with MickF and Rich_Clements, crossing the Mersey is extremely limited unless you swing much further inland and skirt the western side of Manchester.

well here's the route I plan to do next year (if I can talk my wife around!) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12398388

The only pinch point I hit is Inverness!

Nice route, I like the different ones. That said, I'd still avoid the A9 from Inverness to Perth, it's a horrible road. As you're taking the scenic route, go across from Inverness to Dalcross, Cawdor, Littlemill then south to Grantown-on-Spey, SE to Tomintoul, Bridge of Gairn then to Braemar, Spittal of Glenshee, Blairgowrie, Perth. Much nicer route.

Mick F wrote:Yes, I always call them "Pinch Points" and most riders go through them.

LE
Bristol
Warrington/Wigan/Preston
Carlisle
Inverness
JOG

"Choice Points" are:
Bristol/Severn Bridge/Wye Valley - versus - Bristol/A38 to Gloucester
Carlisle/Edinburgh/Forth Bridge/Inverness - versus Carlisle/Glasgow/A82 Loch Lomond/Inverness - versus - Carlisle/Stirling/Crieff/Inverness
Inverness/Crask/Bettyhill/JOG - versus - Inverness/Wick/JOG

Neither of these lists are exhaustive!

I think it's great that such an iconic cycle ride can have a multitude of countless different routes. I guess it's why some of you keep coming back for more!!!. I hope I have the enthusiasm after my first E2E this June to even consider another go.

Great stuff!

I reckon that the Major Pinch Point is Bristol (or the surrounding area somewhere).

If you had a big map of GB and stuck pins in LE and JOG and spread an elastic band between the two, then more pins on the roads that kept you out of the sea ................. just look at where the pinch points are.

A Scott Hill left LE this morning,1st March, on a 5 day schedule. First of the year to my knowledge

bikepacker wrote:Strange I have done 4 E2Es via different routes but never on any gone through Inverness. I have visited the city many times on other Scotland tours but never on an E2E.

Its a lovely stop with a trip over the Black Isle the following morning

bikepacker wrote:

nnc283 wrote:We run a hostel in the Highlands on Route 7, been here four years now and in that time we've noticed a gradual falling off in trade from touring cyclists generally but E2E riders in particular. It doesn't affect us financially but I would like to understand what is going on - we're lifelong cyclists ourselves, and E2E veterans you might say.

Which is your hostel?

I think nnc283 is too polite to run the risk of being accused of promoting their hostel - there are some very chippy folk on the forum. I'm fairly sure it's a hostel I stayed in on my middle-to-ender last year (Berwick to Orkney), and would definitely recommend to touring cyclists.

rareposter wrote:Nice route, I like the different ones. That said, I'd still avoid the A9 from Inverness to Perth, it's a horrible road. As you're taking the scenic route, go across from Inverness to Dalcross, Cawdor, Littlemill then south to Grantown-on-Spey, SE to Tomintoul, Bridge of Gairn then to Braemar, Spittal of Glenshee, Blairgowrie, Perth. Much nicer route.

I've updated the route as suggested, is that what you mean? I take it that even though that road is an A road it's not that busy then?

Paulatic wrote:A Scott Hill left LE this morning,1st March, on a 5 day schedule. First of the year to my knowledge

Any idea of the route down at this end?

At 8am , 83 ml in at a Devon county sign.
Hasn't published his route AFAIK

EDIT to add, think he actually left this morning. Yesterday must just have been the obligatory photo/video. [emoji3]

My son & D-I-L are thinking of doing JOGLE or LEJOG possibly next year, and trying to talk me into it. For some reason I can't get enthused.
I might be persuaded to consider (just for a moment) a corner-to-corner, Dover to Cape Wrath - slightly more 'different' and less transport challenges at the southern end but it would probably need to go through That London.

millimole wrote:My son & D-I-L are thinking of doing JOGLE or LEJOG possibly next year, and trying to talk me into it. For some reason I can't get enthused.
I might be persuaded to consider (just for a moment) a corner-to-corner, Dover to Cape Wrath - slightly more 'different' and less transport challenges at the southern end but it would probably need to go through That London.

Somewhere on a couple of other threads on this board, there are various references and comments on "opposite diagonal". Beachy Head or Dover up to Cape Wrath.
Bear in mind that the ferry across to CW is a bit flaky at the best of times and only runs May - September. It will be cancelled in bad weather or if the military happen to be using the numerous firing and bombing ranges on the Cape.

You can bypass London though, I worked out a nice route from Beachy Head up through West Sussex, Surrey Hills, Windsor Great Park, Henley-on Thames. Going from Dover is worse, it's just solid with port traffic and lorries and it's harder to find a way through.