2019 JOGLE route advice

[rgtuit]

Hi all,

Myself and a mate are due to leave for our first JOGLE tour and ultimately our first ever cycle tour. I have a fair bit of experience with route planning, but mainly through the rest of Europe. Training is going well and we expect to finish the route in around 11 days, travelling ~90miles per day. We have planned out the route taking in a few of the following places:

Loch Ness, Glencoe, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, The Lakes, Forest of Bowland, Shropshire Hills.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/67846142?ref=wtd

The route is in it's relative infancy so can be played around with a fair bit although the first two days have been booked (down to Loch Ness).

It would be great to hear any input on roads to avoid or places to visit along the way that we haven't considered. Is it worth adjusting the route through Dartmoor? Total mileage is around 1000 miles currently.

Cheers!
Russ

[Paulatic]

You’re doing the A82 ? Very few here will advocate that road
A76 just look to the right as you come down Nithsdale. Lovely traffic free lanes run parallel.

[Mick F]

Dartmoor?
Yes, why not?

However, if you want to "do" Dartmoor properly, come down as a separate tour. Same as the North York Moors or The Peak District or The Lake District.

Best way to get to LE from the Bristol area is to follow my tried and tested route.
(If you drew a straight lines down the country (on land) you would find that you have to go through the Bristol area.)

Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington, Tiverton, Crediton, Okehampton, Launceston, Egloskerry, Davidstow, Camelford, Wadebridge, St Newlyn East, Zennor, Blackwater, Redruth, Camborne, Hayle, Penzance, LE.

Look it up ............... and don't forget Rob's Passage to bypass the hills between Tiverton and Crediton

[rgtuit]

I'm glad I posted! Thank you for the tips (and potentially saving our lives ha)

Sadly we have already booked accommodation near to Loch Ness so going back to the A9 would take some time. I have instead followed the roads around the west coast, through Kimilford & Loch Gilphead with a bit of island hopping to avoid most of the A82 & A85. I have also dragged the route away from the A76 as much as possible. I guess it's best to avoid the AXX roads where possible then?

Sounds wise to skip the bigger national parks if we don't have the time to properly explore them. I've followed your route from Bridgewater to Lands End via ' Rob's Passage'

Thank you the suggestions! Any more corrections would be much appreciated. I haven't really touched the route between Preston and Hereford. Are there any roads/places worth visiting on the way down south?

[Mick F]

Excellent!

[Paulatic]

You’ll need to remove "private" from it for anyone to view

[rgtuit]

You’ll need to remove "private" from it for anyone to view

Oops! Should be public now

[Paulatic]

It is public but on my connection it’s cumbersome to use.
Why go via Penrith to get to Keswick?

[rareposter]

and don't forget Rob's Passage to bypass the hills between Tiverton and Crediton

Nothing wrong with a few hills!

[rgtuit]

It is public but on my connection it’s cumbersome to use.
Why go via Penrith to get to Keswick?

Changed that now so it doesn't go through Penrith, ta!

Yeh, Komoot seems to be a lot slower than other route planners. I copied the route over to Strava here:

https://www.strava.com/routes/19178401

The Strava route is 1047mls, 52,374ft yet the Komoot route is 1003mls, 50,475ft. Not sure where I've gone wrong there... which route planner do folks prefer? I'm leaning towards Komoot, but that's only because it makes the route shorter and flatter!

[Mick F]

and don't forget Rob's Passage to bypass the hills between Tiverton and Crediton

Nothing wrong with a few hills!

I agree, of course.

The A3072 between Bickleigh and Crediton is hard work - in either direction. Doing a JOGLE though, you have to climb Bickleigh Hill and it's THE toughest hill on the whole route.
I've done it a few times, and it's tough enough without even carrying a load. It's highly recommended if you like climbing hills!

Rob's Passage is a gift of a road. Maybe three or four miles further, but easy cycling on quiet country lanes.

[irc]

You really want to avoid the A49 north of Hereford. Very busy. There are good alternativs which don't add much distance or height.

From Church Stretton singletrack lanes to Culmington. Then direct quiet B road to Ludlow. Does add a few miles and 300ft.

South of Ludlow via Richard's Castle. No extra distance or height to Leonminster.

Leonminster to Hereford via 3 miles east on A44 then south through Risbury and Sutton At Nicholas. Virtually as flat as A49 and near traffic free.

[Paulatic]

I think you need to take your time and work through the ride section by section. Getting the impression you’ve limited knowledge of the country and it’s roads and you are putting a lot of trust into Komoot.
Your latest offering to get to Keswick puts you on the A66 when there is a far better road, and probably shorter, on the other side of lake Bassenthwaite.

[F70100]

Not sure where I've gone wrong there... which route planner do folks prefer? I'm leaning towards Komoot, but that's only because it makes the route shorter and flatter!

Personally, I prefer ridewithgps.com

Another way round the A82 and Glasgow is the big bypass via Arran. Route details are in the video (https://youtu.be/pX8igF4rX-U) description; day 7 through to day 11.