Manx Cat does the End to End :)

[loafer]

hey rapidfire72
it dont have to cost that much mate self plan and camp or yha ...have done it twice now going for the third time in 4 years for my 60th b/day its a great trip ..its never the same ...just plan it and get it it done ...

larry

[The Mechanic]

Great Vid Mary. Well done on your achievement. I am doing LEJOG next May with Peak Tours. It's a similar arrangement to your trip. I am really looking forward to it. If I may be so bold, you looked as if the journey did you a power of good judging by the pics at the start and finish.

[Manx Cat]

Yes indeedie you dont have to be mad like me and pay as much.

This trip was sort of 'out of my hands' as my dearest hubby wasn't happy with me planning it myself, and insisted I did it as a 'safer tour' with others.

It was well planned, organised and sorted by Saddle Skedaddle. But in my opinion, the route could have been improved upon. It was on very busy roads 'down south'. I did not see Cornwall or Devon very much. Had I planned it myself I would of utilised YHA accommodation more, the B&B's were ok, but one or two needed pulling down in my opinion - difficult tho to house 15 in one place for one evenings stay at a time.

I felt very much 'out of control' with the route, which is why I spat the dummy on one or two parts along the way and 'did my own thing' which, when I did worked out brilliantly well, and took me away from some of the bigger towns and unpleasant infrastructure. The little vid does only show my happy moments, there were some tearful days due to traffic congestion - which is why on the southern days I frequently went off piste alone with my own maps.

It can and IS done way cheaper, so dont let my stupidity (going with a tour company) put anyone off it.

I know I could of saved about a grand doing it myself and in retrospect I wish I had, but him indoors simply didnt want me to do this ride alone, and its my last chance for a while for a biggie trip like this one was. I have reminded him plenty, that I could improve this ride, but then, I expect it would take longer too. For some you see, it wasn't about the countryside, the beauty of England, Wales and Scotland as it was for me, for others, it was about getting from End to End in the shortest time their legs could do it in.

The ending of this ride did not hold for me the same emotion that a proper tour usually does, when I plan the accommodation, the route and all the travel bits in. My usual tours have me feeling highly emotional at the end, this one did not. I think because it wasn't 'my ride'. At least I didn't get the usual depression hit once I got home that usually follows a long solo tour, which is a good thing too. But i can say I have ridden LEJOG, I just have to go back at some time and get my emotional part happy about it too!

Holiday organisations have their place I shall add. I was the only person on this ride who had ever organised her own tour and done it alone. I happen to like riding alone, but the other women on the tour thought it was dangerous too! So without holiday companies a lot of cyclists simply wouldn't leave their own county.

I met a lady cyclist in Mey in Scotland, fully loaded and sorting out accommodation as she went along, she had my envy and my total respect - thats doing it properly eh!

[The Mechanic]

Mary, I am going with Peak Tours. They do it in 14 days and it cost more that £1k less than the published price on SS website. That does seem a lot of money you paid. I hope my route does not have the issues you had with yours but I don't have the time to plan the whole thing myself and also don't fancy doing the trip on my own. I do a lot of riding alone but always enjoy it more when I am with others such as my local CTC group. Sorry you had some unpleasant times but dwell on the good bits and it will be a memorable experience.

[Anura]

I've not been on here for a while, too many websites to look at! Where can I find the video Mary of your E to E? Well done by the way and, yes, you could certainly have done it on your own. It's a pity you couldn't have found someone to do it with you.

Hope you're keeping well and still posting lots of good pictures.

[Anura]

Oh, daft me, this search only gave me the last page. I've just found it.

[Vorpal]

What a great video. It makes me miss touring; even slogging through the wind & rain.

[nappy501]

Well done and great video. It appears you had good weather for the most part. When I saw the very still day in Scotland on the loch, all I could think of was midges:)

[Anura]

Yes, watched it and really loved it, loved the slick editing and music, hey ho for Macs eh? You went close by me, over the suspension bridge from Lymm to Hollins Green. I often see E to Enders going over there.

Yesterday I saw some supported E2E's stopping for a drink. They had been on the route through Warrington town centre, an unenviable route, but I think that used to be the 'official' route.

What is your next trip?

[tomp734444]

Tomp, the Scottish part in my opinion, will be the best bit! We thankfully avoided the A9 up the West coast, and thankfully so thankfully Saddle Skedaddle chose a nice little road up through Altnaharra to Tongue. A nice alone road... perfect .... Got super pictures taken, and in 2012 I shall repeat this part, but in the opposite direction.

Good luck.


You will LOVE Scotland.

You were right about that although the wind and rain were in abundance, the sheer beauty and majesty of the mountains and glens helped me to forget the weather and I just enjoyed the scenery.

You may have heard, that my JOGLE ended temporarily at Bristol owing to a cardiac arrest, but I will finish in the spring, 3 days to go.