JOGLE in 4 weeks time - No Planning

[steveej]

Hello all,

I am planning to do Jogle with my girlfreind in about 4 weeks time.

Unfortunately due to my previous commitments I have been unable to do any real route planning (although I have now bought a large scale road map approx 1:165,000).

I have a rough idea of the route and would like to get the whole thing over and done with as soon as possible, whilst maintaining a balance of not too many busy death defying roads. I am therefore thinking of going via Edinburgh rather than heading out east to fort bill and glencoe (I have been there lots of times already with my climbing).

I have owned a road bike for approximately 8 weeks. I have been out on it about 5 times including a ride of approximately 50 miles. My bum no longer hurts.

I have not booked any accommodation.

My plan is to arrive via train on the 13th August at Wick, blast up to JOG and back and stay in Wick that Saturday. Then start heading south sorting accommodation on the way. There will be no support.

Am I mad for taking a lack of preparation approach.

I am a fit mountain climber who knows how to suffer, and go for day after day after day, freezing weather and no food.

Nevertheless, What would be your Preparation priorities if you only had 4 weeks to prepare?

I was thinking not to bother with booking accommodation as we could take it easy for a few days then start extending the days a little bit as we see fit, rather than being restricted to have to having to do it within the set time frame as dictated by your accommodation bookings - or am I just a complete tool heading for disaster.

Cheers

[delport]

You should be fine all through Scotland, camping is easy due to lack of restrictions.
I went through inverness/fort william/glasgow/carlisle.
What road will you take at edinburgh?
The A 1 is dangerous for drivers let alone cyclists.

I wouldn't say you need months of preparation, or a huge amount of training, just stay focussed every day, that's the difficult part, waking up 23 days in a row [as i did for example] and aware that you have no choice but to keep on cycling, that can be irritating, especially if anything goes wrong, which it shouldn't.

[steveej]

Ok, so update brainwave on the route planning.

I know the route I will be taking from JOG to Edinburgh as I worked it out on google maps (I think heavy use of the A9) and that little ferry crossing from Nigg across the cromarty.

I also have the Cicerone LEJOG guidebook which I can follow between Carlise - Lands End (in reverse due to way guidebook written for LEJOG).

This means I already have a lot of the route planned - haha.

The bit that is missing is between Edinburgh to Carlisle. Is the A7 to be avoided at all costs? Getting down to Selkirk I think the roads likely to be quireter, but between Selkirk and Carlisle the roads look a bot worse.

Should I stick to the A701 from Edinburgh and go west a bit and end up at Dumfries before heading back east?

Thanking you muchly!

[delport]

Ok, so update brainwave on the route planning.

I know the route I will be taking from JOG to Edinburgh as I worked it out on google maps (I think heavy use of the A9) and that little ferry crossing from Nigg across the cromarty.

I also have the Cicerone LEJOG guidebook which I can follow between Carlise - Lands End (in reverse due to way guidebook written for LEJOG).

This means I already have a lot of the route planned - haha.

The bit that is missing is between Edinburgh to Carlisle. Is the A7 to be avoided at all costs?

I was commenting on the edinburgh to Newcastle road, the A1.

[rilem]

Is your bike booked onto the train to Wick? This could be a problem.

[rilem]

Edinburgh to Penrith on quiet roads: -

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=260816
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=261221

[ChasEddie]

I am 70 years old and have just completed LeJog in 8 days despite horrendous weather.
From Carlisle I used the A7 then old A74 then B7076 to Crawford, then A702 to Biggar, then B7016 to Carnwath and A70 and B7031 to A71 and A7030 to Forth bridge and had no problems, plus no big hills.

[rualexander]

The route outlined above by rilem is the best way to get from Edinburgh to Carlisle, except for a slightly odd deviation that his route takes at Mountbenger (Gordon Arms) east onto the A708 then over a steep hill (Witchie Knowe) to Ettrickbridge then west up the B7009 to Tushielaw.
You are better to stay on the B709 between Mountbenger and Tushielaw.

[rilem]

The route outlined above by rilem is the best way to get from Edinburgh to Carlisle, except for a slightly odd deviation that his route takes at Mountbenger (Gordon Arms) east onto the A708 then over a steep hill (Witchie Knowe) to Ettrickbridge then west up the B7009 to Tushielaw.
You are better to stay on the B709 between Mountbenger and Tushielaw.

This was our planned route to get us to our accomodation in Ettrick Bridge - in the event we went Innerliethen > Bowhill > B7009 west to Ettrick Bridge, whuch avoids the hill. If you are camping you won't need to go to EB.

[rilem]

Just read your original post again - if you aren't camping accomodation seems fairly limited on this route - might be worth booking it in advance?

[chrisbrown12]

hey there, i was basically in the same trouble as you bit of a rash discision, http://www.pewseys.eclipse.co.uk/ i literally have used this website as a back bone, im doing JOGLE so literally have turned the route around and i emailed him and he said it will still work!

it has what he took, where he stayed, the route, everything. their are also very helpful people on here, one guy called delport (real name derek) has helped me out a lot so any questions he is always their to help, i would so myself but i have no experience.

[eileithyia]

Hi there, go for it.

When I have holidayed/toured abroad I have frequently done only vague route planning and never booked accommodation, the only fixed points being arrival and leaving points.

This gives all sorts of flexibility for a bit of variation as the whim takes or as weather / problems occur.

Have fun.

[steveej]

cheers for all the responses people. All great stuff and very much appreciated!

[tomp734444]

I started planning my JOGLE last November and I still have 6 weeks to go. I wish that I had planned less and ridden more. I feel that I'm just marking-time and the more I check my plan, the more changes I think I should make.

Go for it! and Godspeed.

[stortfordowl]

Hi,

We did LeJog 3 years ago, check out our route here:

http://www.raceforchase.co.uk/html/route.html

You don't have to do it in 5 days!

After that, if you fancy London to Paris:

http://www.londonparis24.co.uk/the-route

John - happy cycling!