Cycling UK Forum

Stage 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449448?beta=false

Stage 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449456?beta=false

Stage 3: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449461?beta=false

Stage 4: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449465?beta=false

Stage 5: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29623804

Stage 6: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29222267

Stage 7: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449491?beta=false

Stage 8: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449496?beta=false

Stage 9: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29449501?beta=false-

Am I the only one is is puzzled by their claim to Ride across Britain (or what ever it is)? They go up and down not across. Typical poor English as to be expected nowadays.

It is clear their route goes from the bottom left hand corner of the country to the top right hand corner, it really doesn't matter what they call it, does it?

Have I missed something? Was there a purpose in publishing their route? Did you want some comment on it? Did you want to publicise it, warn about it. something else?
I know a few people who have done and enjoyed it, though doing something that organised isn't for me. I haven't looked at the route, though I know of some of it, it's planned out for a large group, if you're not riding in such a group you could probably do better.

charliepolecat wrote:It is clear their route goes from the bottom left hand corner of the country to the top right hand corner, it really doesn't matter what they call it, does it?

It’s only clear if you look at the full route. The first time I became aware of RIde Across Britain I was very surprised to find its actually an E2E. My initial thoughts were it must something along the lines of 'Tour of Britain' which would be better named as Tour of a few small areas of Britain. Everyone I know would say they rode through Britain.
I can see how I’d ride across a country, I can even see I’d ride across America and even Europe. What I can’t see is changing and end to end to across.

Was there a purpose in publishing their route

It's there for anyone who might like to consider using that route.

It’s only clear if you look at the full route.

Oh gosh! That's really difficult.

Day one.
Someone likes hills!

Day two.
They don't use Rob's Passage. Therefore, they love hills!

charliepolecat wrote:[]

Oh gosh! That's really difficult.

It’s nigh on impossible to anyone out on the road without internet access.
I first saw signage and a feed station for this event back in 2011. The banners and route signs then had no tag line of LEJOG, as I recall, otherwise I’d have realised there and then. It used to go the other direction back then too.

Paulatic wrote:I first saw signage and a feed station for this event back in 2011. The banners and route signs then had no tag line of LEJOG, as I recall, otherwise I’d have realised there and then. It used to go the other direction back then too.

Last time they did JOGLE was 2013 when it chucked it down every day and they were riding into a headwind the whole way. I think they realised then it was better as LEJOG!
The route has changed a bit over the years, there's usually a few tweaks - maybe to avoid roadworks or a particularly busy stretch. But equally, there's a strong element of logistics involved in getting a route that 700 people can ride over the course of a day that starts and ends at a campsite (or camping area - usually a racecourse) that can accommodate 700 people plus the portaloos, portashowers, tented marquee etc.

2018 was the first time it went via Edinburgh and the Cairngorms. Previously it went up to Glasgow then over Glencoe to Fort William. Personally, I think the new route is better.

While most of the route is actually very good, there are definite parts of it that I would never ride if I was doing it on my own or in a small group.

It’s nigh on impossible to anyone out on the road without internet access.

I agree. I'm going to trace and create a cue sheet from it - same as I will do with Mick F's fast and safe route. That way knowledgeable folk can offer recommended suggestions for variations to them.

I'm finding that a major issue with trying to create a cue sheet list of turns is the lack of road names.

A cue sheet requires a description such as: at mile X turn left onto something road, but the something road has no name shown on the route map or on google maps or on RWGPS (which is based on google maps anyway). I suppose for shorter routes one could say: turn left at Y petrol station, or at the house with the ugly dog - always assuming the ugly dog is out in the front garden to be seen - but reading from a map not knowing local terrain is not very successful.

I can readily see why a GPS device showing the route and advising where and when to turn might be more useful than relying on street names which only exist in local lore.

If your route is a backroad route then road names are a good way to navigate.
However if going via a faster route then I tend to use road numbers and destination signs.
I generally have a list of villages and go from one to the next to the next..... Stopping to check allows the consumption of flapjack -always a bonus!!!
Cheers James

I generally have a list of villages and go from one to the next to the next

That is not a bad way to navigate, as long as the villages are signposted. I think I'll probably lurch from one village or town to another without concerning myself if there another way when the obvious and well signposted route is staring me in the face. One can be too obssessed with following a particular route when you can see the steeple or church tower beckoning over the hedgerows.

I used to navigate by using a list of village names , but I found myself making a lot of mile long detours ,going through a village only to come back onto the same road a few hundred yards further on.