Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
puffin
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Joined: 15 Aug 2010, 3:29pm
Location: Bicester / Aylesbury

Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by puffin »

All set to go LEJOG this May, arranged it all in November and December...but a LEJOG is a house of cards.....if one hotel shuts that's probably the chain broken. It might even become mandatory. Premier Inn is offering a refund, almost all the rest are cancel-able, the Caledonian Sleeper is not, I'll see what they are offering. I'm thinking of canceling, any thoughts?
pwa
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Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Too risky....

Post by pwa »

Many of us must be going through the same thought processes. I have a self catering place beside a farm booked for May and i think I will probably go ahead with that if the proprietor is happy with it. I may do a bit of cleaning up when I get there, but I can stay away from other people. But in July / August I have B&Bs and camp sites booked, and they look more iffy. Camp sites mean communal toilet blocks..... B&B s mean communal eating....
roubaixtuesday
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Re: Too risky....

Post by roubaixtuesday »

I'd say there's close to zero chance of being able to do such a tour in May.

Even if possible, deliberately visiting a string of locations spread right across the country sounds like a very good way to spread a deadly virus.
pwa
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Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Too risky....

Post by pwa »

roubaixtuesday wrote:I'd say there's close to zero chance of being able to do such a tour in May.

Even if possible, deliberately visiting a string of locations spread right across the country sounds like a very good way to spread a deadly virus.

And does it involve a return by train?
whoof
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Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Too risky....

Post by whoof »

I went to a meeting which was discussing planning how work should react to the Corvid-19 situation. Someone asked what they should be doing next week and was told 'we can tell you what is happening today and maybe tomorrow, we can't say what the situation will be next week'. It's changing so rapidly it's extremely difficult but looking at other countries I would say it is more likely than not that hotels/cafes/pubs will be closed sometime between now and May.
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matt2matt2002
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Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Appreciate the views expressed here.
May I ask views on a Scottish end to end. Wild camping?
I did it 4 or 5 years ago.
Didn't have to mix with many folks.
I did if course visit supermarkets.
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
nickyboy
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Joined: 17 Feb 2020, 5:54pm

Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by nickyboy »

LEJOG booked for May

We are keeping it under regular review. Everything is booked and most is paid for in terms of accomodation

Putting to one side whether it would be wise to be a potential vector there seem to be a few risk factors (assuming that movent isn't banned)

1. Will hotels and B&Bs be open? They will try I'm sure but it may be difficult even if they are allowed to be open
2. In all probability cafes, pubs and restaurants will be required to close
3. We might get ill before or during the ride

As every day goes by my calculation of the % likelihood of doing it in May reduces
reohn2
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Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by reohn2 »

In answer to the title of the thread.Yes it's too risky both for your own sake and others.
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PatrickP
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Joined: 4 Sep 2011, 5:41pm

Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by PatrickP »

Very much at your own risk. You would have to consider probable accomodation difficulties, cafes and pubs now will be closed, carrying your own food supplies, and if you are unfortunate enough to have a medical problem or accident, the medical services are already under stress.
It could end up like touring in a third world country!
Why not wait until next year?
Its a great adventure, I'd like to do it again now retired and no time constraints, but in the present situation I'd put it off for a while.
AlanInBangor
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Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by AlanInBangor »

I was awash with jubilation when I succeeded in booking our bikes on trains to Penzance on 24th April, always the hardest and most stressful part of a cycling holiday. It was to last five weeks, encompassing tourist sights, visits to friends and a detour via Colonsay, Cape Wrath and Dunnet Head. All booked but we're resigned to cancelling. Most of the accommodation is refundable, we stand to lose up to £300 but we won't cancel until mid April since there's no advantage in doing so.

Train companies are allowing change of date but not refunds on Advance tickets, which isn't much use since you can only book three months ahead.
Psamathe
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Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by Psamathe »

AlanInBangor wrote:.....but we won't cancel until mid April since there's no advantage in doing so.

Train companies are allowing change of date but not refunds on Advance tickets, which isn't much use since you can only book three months ahead.

You might find additional travel rules introduced by then that might make cancellation required (e.g. Gov. says no non-essential travel at which point you'd be in a stronger position to claim a refund from the train company or your credit card or somebody).

Ian
rmurphy195
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Location: South Birmingham

Re: Too risky....

Post by rmurphy195 »

roubaixtuesday wrote:I'd say there's close to zero chance of being able to do such a tour in May.

Even if possible, deliberately visiting a string of locations spread right across the country sounds like a very good way to spread a deadly virus.


I quite agree - I'd leave it

This week we've cancelled celebrations for my wife's 65th birthday for exactly this reason (a pub lunch with close relatives yesterday, and a family holiday (children, grandchildren) in a rented cottage due to start today).

Its tough - the only contact we have now with our children/grandchildren is by phone etc. - but necessary. I don't want to increase the risk of our getting it, nor would I want to risk passing it on, especially since our youngest grandchild is only 7 weeks. And I don't want to risk carrying the bug to Ruardean, or back from Ruardean to Wythall, where our closest neighbours are all elderly.

And there's always the possibility of a local lockdown while we are away - at either end of the journey.

As I said - its tough but necessary, if we all chip in there's less risk of being unable to do what we want to do later.
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rareposter
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Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by rareposter »

Call it off.

Almost certain that all the accommodation will be closed, most of the cafes and restaurants closed and there's a risk that picking up supplies from supermarkets is just a bunfight. Train companies are moving to an emergency (ie very reduced) timetable over the course of the next couple of weeks as well which would impact on getting to LE/from JOG.

There's a chance that the riding might be quite nice on quieter roads but the logistics will be near impossible.
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mjr
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Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by mjr »

puffin wrote:[...] almost all the rest are cancel-able, the Caledonian Sleeper is not, I'll see what they are offering. I'm thinking of canceling, any thoughts?

There's strong rumours on other groups that at least one of the Caledonian Sleeper services may be cancelled for the duration to enable two sets to be deep cleaned while the others run. The Riviera Sleeper has already cancelled and I think they've only got two sets. This may mean that they become flexible or cancel on you after all.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Does the Covid-19 virus outbreak make LeJoG too risky ?

Post by Jamesh »

I'd suggest a lejogle with a large cargo trailer full of food, a small tent and a kindle and take the slowest most contorted route possible, missing every population hub possible and you might find that it's all blown over..... Or no one is left... !

Cheers James
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