Cycling UK Forum

Hey all,

First post (but I've been lurking for a while).

As you can tell from the title, my wife and I are planning on doing LEJOG and taking our dog along with us. He's a miniature schnauzer, completely chilled and very happy to curl up in his Burley Tail Wagon trailer... We're shooting for 13 days and going John O'Groats to Lands End. (ok, I know this is technically JOGLE with a DOGLE, but I don't think it rhymes as well). However, we have family in West Cornwall, so having somebody to meet us at the end was the clincher for route direction.

Reason for the post is I'm after some route advice (aren't we all).

Puffin - I've borrowed heavily from your route, with some changes where we want to stay with friends. I'm struggling a bit with the routing between Liverpool and Manchester. We've been told we should really take the opportunity to cycle through the Lake District if we can. It adds about 150M of climbing and another 10km, but should be worth it... However, I'm not sure whether to push closer to Morecambe as we come out south? (days 5,6,7)

Mick F - could you check my West Country routing for me. We have to drop in from west of Bristol. I think I have it right, but being Cornish myself, I know what a bitch some of the hills are like. I've done the north cost a couple of times and it gets lumpy around Boscastle and TIntagle. (days 11,12,13)

We could be going in June if work and weather are favourable!

Day 1 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27373142
Day 2 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27373510
Day 3 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27373747
Day 4 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27373995
Day 5 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27393854
Day 6 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27394156
Day 7 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27480482
Day 8 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27480650
Day 9 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27480716
Day 10 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374872
Day 11 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374300
Day 12 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374477
Day 13 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374569

Thanks in advance for any help and support.

Casp.

JOGLE with DOGLE
Love it!
Welcome to the forum.

Day 12
Just a very small point.
When you leave Okehampton, you come up the long hill and you are going off right and onto the A386.
No issue really, but you're carrying on up hill.
If you didn't turn right, and carried on on the OldA30 and benefitted from a bit of downhill, you could turn right just after Hugeslade Farm and follow the Very OldA30 for a few hundred yards, then turn up a little lane to join the A386 a bit nearer to the OldA30 for Launceston.

I used to go the way you have etched out, but my way is easier. Yes, you still have to get from A to B and climb from Okehampton to Sourton, but it's better and easier my way.

caspartfg wrote:Hey all,

First post (but I've been lurking for a while).

As you can tell from the title, my wife and I are planning on doing LEJOG and taking our dog along with us. He's a miniature schnauzer, completely chilled and very happy to curl up in his Burley Tail Wagon trailer

I bet he is....

Get one of these and make him do his share of the work

[youtube]sDMi3KQDYkg[/youtube]

The key to the LeDogJog is of course the lejostics
Will you take dog food with you, or take a chance on finding it on the way?

I notice that Day 6 you go down the Ambleside "Struggle". This is steep and narrow in places and on a "nice" day is busy with traffic.
Be very careful especially if towing a trailer.
Part 1 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNzElSCbHAI
Part 2 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJJz78sWDbU
Option is to go straight on (A592) and bypass Ambleside. Then straight on at the roundabout to rejoin your original route into Bowness.
At mile 46 the route does a jink and I assume this is an anomaly so keep on the A5074.

Thanks all,
I really appreciate the advice and I'm making the updates to the route.

Looks like work logistics have worked in our favour and we can start sooner than later! we're going to be driving up to Scotland next weekend, with a plan to start on Monday 4th June! - Exciting stuff..... putting together the final details of the packing list.

Thought you'd like a picture of Milo in the dog trailer.
(the back door was only open as we were going down a canal towpath)

Looking at Day 11, I would stay on A38 after the airport till Lye Cross Farm as you've climbed up that high so might as well get the reward of the downhill but be warned it is steep. I've ridden in that direction the once and I came close to exceeding 40mph. Then going through Aldwick to pick up your route. The climb out of Blagdon past Yeo Valley is also steep.

Can't see no real issues with Day 10 through Bristol other than staying on Berwick Road at mile 45 and stay with NCN41, along the A4 Portway on the SUP next to the river and pick up Festival Way at Bower Ashton at the bottom of Ashton Court and onto Nailsea.

Days 6 & 7

I'm not sure I would fancy trying to get up Honister Pass with a trailer unless you have very low gears & that area can be pretty busy on a quite narrow road when the weather is nice. Coming down The Struggle has already been mentioned.

Similarly if you go inland to Ingleton there are several similarly steep ups & downs on your route. Staying nearer to the A6 /M6 corridor would be flatter.

One thing I would recommend if you still intend to join the Leeds Liverpool Canal north of Chorley. Rather than coming off & wiggling around various back roads, stay on the tow path all the way to Adlington (the path surface is probably better than the bit you've just done) & leave at Park Road (by White Bear Marina). Go up the short steep ramp, turn left over the bridge to a mini roundabout & turn right to follow the A6 for about 3/4 mile until you rejoin your route where it comes out of Grimeford Lane. If the weather is good (or even if it isn't) if you go this way is Frederick's Ice Cream shop on the south side of Chorley (look out for the sign not long after you pass under the railway line). Some of the best ice creams around!

Hi all, just wanted to say thank you again for all of the advice on the route. What a fantastic, friendly forum.

I've been making updates to the route as the tips have come through. I've also rejigged days 11 and 12 so that we can get a bit further into Cornwall so we have an easier last day and can meet up with my family early afternoon.

Casp.

Do keep us informed how you get on, and how the dog enjoys it
Does he sleep a lot?
..
Outside of a dog, a book is the best friend one can have
Inside of a dawg, it's too dark to read

Got another dog question..
I know that dogs die in hot cars but may they be left in cool ones with all the windows closed?

I heard a dog whimpering, it was in the back of a volvo under some trees, not on a hot day
I called the cops. The policeperson thought it was not a problem, he asked me whether I keep the windows closed or open when driving and he said a car is not airtight, he thought it was no matter for the cops

Was he right? How long might the dog have been safely left?

Cyril Haearn wrote:Got another dog question..
I know that dogs die in hot cars but may they be left in cool ones with all the windows closed?

I heard a dog whimpering, it was in the back of a volvo under some trees, not on a hot day
I called the cops. The policeperson thought it was not a problem, he asked me whether I keep the windows closed or open when driving and he said a car is not airtight, he thought it was no matter for the cops

Was he right? How long might the dog have been safely left?

My dogs used to stay in the car overnight when crossing on the Portsmouth/Caen ferry. I'd check then during the trip (easy as everybody asleep so the Purser not too busy to let you into the car deck). Standard practice as far as I'm aware.

In the UK I tended not to leave them in the car but only because there is a reported risk of people stealing dogs from parked cars. In France only during winter/autumn (weather limited - only if it was not going to get too hot).

Dogs react differently in cars and do learn. My 1st dog loved the engine, lorries and anything with a yellow flashing light (tractors, etc - he'd go potty as they passed). 2nd dog was a bit scared as a puppy and did initially whimper a corner. But training and she soon loved the car (as in really loved).

Vocalisations can be caused my many factors (e.g. separation from the owners).

Ian

Hi all,

Wanted to let you know we started our JOGLE adventure on Monday.
If you’re so inclined, you can follow our blog at

joglewithadogle.wordpress.com

Number 1 lesson learned so far. 10kg of dog plus 10kg of food, trailer and other stuff means you have to plan on less daily mileage. However the trip has been amazing so far.

Thx

Casp.

love the blog. We tried our dog in a trainer last year (a child's one, but I bodged a seat together) and she just whined the whole time unless you let her out and then she just ran herself ragged. Sounds like yours is a little calmer!

Day 11 query. You look to be coming down Cothelstone hill. This is one of the steepest ways off the Quantocks (20% I think). I'd suggest one of the following changes (unless you want to go over the hills, then I'd swing by Fyne Court at Broomfield for cake!)
either:
1. use the canal from Bridgwater to Taunton. It's a decent path. There are 1 or 2 narrow bits and gates, but I think your trailer being slightly narrower will help here. Also cake at Maunsel Lock.
or
2. North Petherton, Thurloxton, West Monkton, under Hestercombe Gardens (stop for cake!), passed Kingston St Mary through Yarford and pick your route back up just north of Bishopds Lydeard.