Comments on our May 2020 LEJOG route

[wjhall]

The Strawberry Line between Yatton and Congresbury is useful, I use it regularly on 28 mm tyres, and see plenty of cyclists on road bikes, the surface generally being similar to the section south of Congresbury that you have chosen. Nice moorland section. The B road from Yatton to Congresbury carries a lot of traffic, being a main route south from the M5 juction near Clevedon.

Approaching Pill the paths beside the car pounds are a useful way from Clapton-in-Gordano to the M5 bridge, although you miss Pill, which has some interesting features. (5)

Your route along the Severn levels to the west of the A38 is good. You may wish to consider some local details from the Bristol transit routes (1-3) and the BS9 exit route (4). My detailed local knowledge extends roughly from Axbridge to Slimbridge.


(1) https://cycle.travel/map/journey/141212

(2) https://cycle.travel/map/journey/141207

(3) https://cycle.travel/map/journey/131474

(4) https://cycle.travel/map/journey/133222

(5) https://cycle.travel/map/journey/132034

[Ron]

On Day 10 you are crossing the Kessock Bridge and turning left down a very steep hill then along the water front and up a slightly less steep hill to cross under the A9. You might consider instead of turning left after the bridge crossing continuing on the flat and level joint user path alongside the A9, until you come to the undercrossing of the A9. Apart from being less energy sapping, this routing takes you via a large layby with a good bakery where you can buy snacks, takeaway or sit in.

[nickyboy]

So we're back on it.....2021 May 11-21. I'll incorporate the tweaks to the route suggested upthread. Everything was easy to unentangle except those tossers at hotels.com who kept promising me the refund but in the end I had to make a Cr Card claim to get the cash back.

I'm interested to hear what people think about the difficulty of the route. Everyone talks about how hard Cornwall/Devon is. But the stats suggest it's significantly easier than the Peak District we usually ride in. For example, yesterday we did 63 miles with 4,700ft of climbing. That seems at least as hilly as our hardest days. Of course, the cumulative effect of riding may take its toll. That's why we're budgeting for 12mph on the hilly days, 14-15mph on the flatter days. We did yesterday at 15mph so that is a significant knock off in our usual pace so that should help with fatigue I hope

Not planning any specific training, just tapping out the miles and hopefully winter weather isn't too bad

[honesty]

Cornwall and Devon are difficult not because of the total amount of climbing, but because the climbs are short, sharp, and unremitting. It just goes up and down all the way...

[Mick F]

..............For example, yesterday we did 63 miles with 4,700ft of climbing ......................

That is a walk in the park.

100ft ish per mile is the norm in Cornwall and Devon.
63miles is 6,000ft of ascent.

[Paulatic]

For example, yesterday we did 63 miles with 4,700ft of climbing.

It’s more than enough to get out of the SW on a LEJOG. Less than 10,00 ft for the first 167 mls
I find Derbyshire hills much harder they go on for longer.

[whoof]

A couple of things on your first day. In Penzance just before the railway station your route goes through a car park and then follows the coast path. This can be covered in sand in places. I would stick to the road and go through Long Rock. If you don't want to ride on the two lane road (eastern Green) you can take Jelbert Way for that section.
Unless you want to ride through Marazion, climb up and then drop back down you can take Green Lane, New Dairy Lane and the bike path (tarmaced) that runs parallel to the Marazion by-pass as it's flat and come out in the same place.

As to the hills in Cornwall and Devon. Cornwall is hilly but unless you go looking for 20% plus stuff you'll be fine. With the exception of Dartmoor I find Devon to be somewhere between rolling and lumpy. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[nickyboy]

For example, yesterday we did 63 miles with 4,700ft of climbing.

It’s more than enough to get out of the SW on a LEJOG. Less than 10,00 ft for the first 167 mls
I find Derbyshire hills much harder they go on for longer.
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Yes, assuming RWGPS is an any way accurate, our Cornwall/Devon hilly days are about 70ft/mile elevation which would count as "rolling" at worst around here (I'm based in Glossop). There is actually a fair bit of easy riding in Cornwall it seems...the first 40 miles (via Penzance, Hayle etc) only has about 2,000ft of climbing which we Peak District types would classify as "pan flat"

[mjr]

only has about 2,000ft of climbing which we Peak District types would classify as "pan flat"

Your pancakes must have holes.

[nickyboy]

So we're all sorted for May 2021 and it seems we're also taking in Dunnet Head (on the basis that we are unlikely to be "just passing by" any time in the future)

One question....we plan to take the Padstow-Rock ferry on Tuesday May 11. I recall someone mentioned that this can be a bit of a problem with bikes if it's low tide. I can't find any tide forecasts that would give me a clue

a) Is the ferry really inadvisable with bikes at low tide? We will be lightweight bikepacking and will have cleated cycling shoes

b) Will it be low tide Tuesday May 11 at about 3pm?

[Norman H]

It will depend on what time you aim to catch the ferry.

On the 11th May 2021 HW Padstow is at 05:00 GMT and LW is at 11:30 GMT (add an hour for BST).

More significantly you're about two days off spring tides with a daily range of around 5.5m. I would imagine you would be OK up to around half tide or a little later i.e. between 6am to 9am.

After that you will have a bit further to walk. From what I remember from the time that we used this ferry the sandy foreshore was quite firm with soft sand only above the tide line. Perhaps a local can comment.

Edit:

I've just read to the end of your post and see that you are expecting to cross at around 3pm. The next HW in the sequence above is at 17:20 GMT/18:20 BST. That puts half tide at 15:05 BST which is pretty close to your estimated crossing time.

[nickyboy]

Thanks for this info. We are actually going to have a cafe stop in Padstow (the Padstow Brewery tap looks ideal ) so will probably cross at 1500GMT/1600BST so looks like we should be able to snag a crossing from the harbour which is a bit easier

Our other ferry issue is at Nigg but that either sails or it doesn't. We've got an alternative route if it isn't running on the day

[nickyboy]

Having met up in September 2019 and planned a May 2020 LEJOG, which became September 2020 LEJOG, which became May 2021 LEJOG, we have hopefully made our final rescheduling....June 29-July 9. All the accommodation is rebooked which was a trial in itself what with everyone staycationing. Couldn't get anything decent near LE so we are staying in Penzance so have to decide whether to do the first 10 miles when we arrive in Cornwall or tag it onto our first official day

[Redvee]

Quite surprised I haven't commented on Day 3 around Bristol, a few ideas you might like to consider.

When you get to the junction of Clevedon Lane and Clapton Lane it is quite sharp, steep hill for 0.1 mile till you turn left onto Caswell Lane around mile 55.
When in Pill sround 58.8 miles the straight ahead you intend to use off Severn Road is actually a narrow path behind the houses on Avon road, you'll be better off following Severn Road then Avon Road and into the area where the garages are for the houses and to the left of the gate to get to the bridge.
When you get over the bridge tghe route through Lawrence Weston along Kings Weston Avenue/Long Cross is OK but I'd turn left at St Bede's College. Your route means you're climbing then descending back to the same approx elevation 10 miles later, turning left at St Bede's means you're going round the hill where the avaiation fuel is stored, not up and over it.
Left onto Lawrence Weston Road, over the M5 then under M49 which shouldn't be an issue unless there's been a lot of rain previously and the pumps in the subway have failed then you'll have to swim the subway or detour back to your original route. At end of LWR turn right on Merebank then turn right at roundabout to Poplar Way East and left at the roundabout at the end and head toward John Lewis but turn right just before, this path will bring you out in Hallen past the football club. Go straight across the road with the King Billie pub on your left along Berwick Lane/Bow Street. At the end turn right then left onto Over Lane linking back up with your original route. You could turn left heading towards through Easter Compton then turn right onto Station Road/Pilning Street/Hardy Lane to meet your route in Tockington.

Feel free to ask if you're stuck.

[Jamesh]

On Day 10 you are crossing the Kessock Bridge and turning left down a very steep hill then along the water front and up a slightly less steep hill to cross under the A9. You might consider instead of turning left after the bridge crossing continuing on the flat and level joint user path alongside the A9, until you come to the undercrossing of the A9. Apart from being less energy sapping, this routing takes you via a large layby with a good bakery where you can buy snacks, takeaway or sit in.

Did I missed a good bakery.?

That's it dear cannot do the summer holiday this year as I missed the bakery in the A9 so need to do lejog again!

Cheers James