Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
andfyv
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Joined: 19 Jul 2018, 1:29pm

Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by andfyv »

hello,

I am attempting LeJog starting on 16th June next year. I have decided on my route (see below) it will change i'm sure, when i look into camping and accommodation.

Day 1 - Lands End to Truro (via Lizard Point)
Day 2 - Truro - Okehampton
Day 3 - Okehampton to Glastonbury
Day 4 - Glastonbury to Hereford
Day 5 - Hereford to Dolgellau (wales)
Day 6 - Dolgellau (wales) to Wincham (Frances's House)
Day 7 - Wincham to Windermere
Day 8 - Windermere to Eskdalemuir
Day 9 - Eskdalemuir to Ardrossan
Day 10 - Ardrossan to Crainlarich
Day 11 - Crainlarich to Fort Augustus
Day 12 - Fort Augustus to Ullapool
Day 13 - Ullapool to Durness
Day 14 - Durness to Thurso
Day 15 - Thruso to John o'Groats (and Home)

Feel free to comment or ask question about my route and why i have decided on certain stops.

My main question is how to get myself and bike from Inverness to lands end? I have thought about flying to Bristol then getting the train to lands end. Getting my bike to the same place and at the same time i am a bit stuck with.
whoof
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by whoof »

EasyJet fly from Inverness to Bristol and Cross-country trains travel from Bristol to Penzance. Both will carry you and your bike at the same time. Some people don't like taking bikes on planes and/or trains but it's a viable option.
PH
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by PH »

The train is around £120 and 14 hours.
The cheapest train option is probably to book Inv > Birm and Birm> Penz as two separate journeys. Though if you have a play with it you may find cheaper. Just turn up at a ticket office and you're likely to pay at least twice that!
EDIT - Just noticed your start date, you won't be able to book cheap train tickets till about 12 weeks before.
charliepolecat
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by charliepolecat »

You can hire a car in Inverness and drive to Penzance and drop it off there. I plan to do that - but to Heathrow - and have confirmed that is possible.
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honesty
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by honesty »

Having looked into it, the hire a car option does seem to be the cheapest, especially if you can get someone else to go with you so you can split the costs.
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Paulatic
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by Paulatic »

I’m interested to know why you want to go up To Eskdalemuir when the next day you want Ardrossan?
Why not just stick to the West?
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andfyv
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by andfyv »

Thanks for all the replies.

I like the idea of renting a car and driving to Penzance, would save time in packing up the bike and having to rebuild it at the other end. Which hire company are you using?

Paulatic, i'm going past eskdalmuir to visit samye ling monastery, Its scotlands only buddhist monestery (i think). I'm then going to ardross and upto crainlarich, trying to avoid glasgow as much as possible.
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ferrit worrier
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by ferrit worrier »

Nowt wrong with Glasgow, head up from Carlisle B7076 A74 B7078 and head into Glasgow, Cross the Clyde my favourite is via the "Squinty Bridge" and head up to the A82 you can try and follow the NCN route to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs but I've found it poorly signposted, its ok to get out of Glasgow but once on the outskirts follow the signs for Dumbarton, Renton, Alexandria, that will get to the A82 it's a fast road but not all that bad. once out in the country it calms down.

Hope that helps
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Paulatic
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by Paulatic »

andfyv wrote:?

Paulatic, i'm going past eskdalmuir to visit samye ling monastery, Its scotlands only buddhist monestery (i think). I'm then going to ardross and upto crainlarich, trying to avoid glasgow as much as possible.


Visit Samye Ling but, if looking for food eat at the community hub, a mile short of Samye. You say you are going past but if you carry on you’ll be a long way east before you can head for the West again. So you’ve guessed my next question why Adrossan?
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davieb
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by davieb »

Flew from Inverness to Bristol for my LEJOG last month (£29 for me, £32 for bike) airlink bus into Bristol Temple Meads then Cross Country train to Penzance £44. Bike was in a soft bike bag. Put bike back together, wrap bike bag in parcel tape and post it back to Inverness (£13) Cheaper than any other alternative I could find and better than knackering yourself with a massive drive beforehand.
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Seems perverse that driving hundreds of miles, a whole day or more, is more attractive/cheaper than going by train
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PH
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by PH »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Seems perverse that driving hundreds of miles, a whole day or more, is more attractive/cheaper than going by train

If you're on your own it probably isn't. The larger the group the cheaper driving becomes, it is a shame.
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Mick F
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by Mick F »

Inverness to Edinburgh on Scotrail.
Edinburgh to Penzance on Cross Country.
Damned long way on the train, so you'd need a sleeper service. Dunno which train providers that do sleepers from Edinburgh to Penzance. You'd have to look it up.

How about this idea?
Train to Edinburgh and stop at the YHA on Leith Walk. Cheap and cheerful with a secure bike shed down some steps.
Then hire car from there to somewhere Down South. Maybe Reading and return your car and a stopover nearby. Travelodge?
Then catch the Paddington Penzance GWR train.

--------------------------
Question:
Why Truro and then Okehampton?

Okehampton is a good stop, but Truro (though a lovely city) is a bit off-track.
Need to stay north IMO.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Mick F
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Re: Getting to Lands End from Scotland to start

Post by Mick F »

PS:
I sent my Raleigh Chopper and Trailer up to Wick on a wrapped pallet by a transport company.
I intended flying up to Wick to pick it up for my JOGLE on the damned Chopper.
http://jogleonachopper.blogspot.com/201 ... -gone.html

The company transported it for free (as I was doing the ride for charity) and I'd been in touch with Far North Aviation at Wick Airport to accept it.
In the end, I took the train, but the system worked wonderfully. FNA disposed of the pallet etc for me, and off I went, and the rest is history! :D

So, if you were to find a friendly local transport firm who would accept a pallet with a bike on it wrapped up correctly, they may be able to get it to somewhere in Cornwall and you could get down here by whatever method you choose without the encumbrance of a bike and luggage ................. just like I did in reverse.

It can be done, and once arranged, it was simple and easy.
It's just a matter of asking.
Mick F. Cornwall
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