Lands end to John-O-Groats alone

[ukdodger]

Hi ukdodger, having read your points (a) (b) & (c), I would say you can undertake the challenge with confidence!
I used Rower40s method of getting accommodation, and travelled at the times recommended by maryinoxford, and it worked a treat. Having time to deal with any problems that may crop up is a major bonus, as shortage of time is a stressful factor for many on this route, the need to be back at work etc..
Some prefer a more methodical approach, but I made up the route as I went along, using the 1:250 000 series Ordnance survey maps and following the white roads with the aid of a handbearing compass. Five maps covered the whole journey. Getting a little lost is no worry as you can always ask a local and it is the people you chat to along the way that make the journey more interesting, and more people will chat when you are cycling solo. I think you miss the best part of cycle touring when you have a support vehicle or travel in a group.
Take along a notebook and a glue stick, to record your journey and stick in bits of paper, receipts etc. you pick up along the way to provide a lasting souvenir of your trip.
The hills between Lands End and Bristol made that the toughest section for me.

Good post Ron. We see things the same way. I heard that the bit coming out of Cornwall was the worst cycling wise. Thanks

[vernon]

Hi. I'm seriously considering cycling Lands end to John-O-Groats alone. Anyone ever done it? Anyone have any good advice. For me it will be the furthest I've cycled and on previous long rides we've always had a back up vehicle supplying grub etc. Thanks

UKD

Done it both ways (two seperate trips) unsupported camping along the way with a one day break at the approx half way point (Preston).

Key points.

Start the day with porridge a good slow energy release food.
End the day with a decent meal to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue.
Keep hydrated especially in hot weather.
Don't overdo the tools list.
Use a Phillips Road Atlas to plan the route. tear out the required pages and the camp sites are located on the maps. only let down twice - wild camped instead.
Avon Skin So Soft is a totally effective product to use a midge repellent.
Took 16 and 19 days to do the jounies - yes the faster one was on the 'downhill' trip.

[Crazydave]

I did the ride by myself in 2005 aged 17. I stayed mostly in hostels, and had a roof over my head every night (I made sure of that). For meals I took hostel meals wherever I could. They are good value for money usually £5-6 for a balanced, nutritious, filling meal and they do a cooked breakfast for about £4.
A roof over your head is very important as Mick F said. If the day was rotten, it's easier to switch off afterwards and is more comfortable. Some of these campsites can be almost as expensive as the YHA, and you have to carry your tent, sleeping bag etc. etc. It's false economy.
Also, book trains several weeks in advance and book all trains before you book accommodation. Have a look at my site at:
http://dangercrazydave.livejournal.com/
P.S. Start at the bottom entry and read upwards.

[ukdodger]

I did the ride by myself in 2005 aged 17. I stayed mostly in hostels, and had a roof over my head every night (I made sure of that). For meals I took hostel meals wherever I could. They are good value for money usually £5-6 for a balanced, nutritious, filling meal and they do a cooked breakfast for about £4.
A roof over your head is very important as Mick F said. If the day was rotten, it's easier to switch off afterwards and is more comfortable. Some of these campsites can be almost as expensive as the YHA, and you have to carry your tent, sleeping bag etc. etc. It's false economy.
Also, book trains several weeks in advance and book all trains before you book accommodation. Have a look at my site at:
http://dangercrazydave.livejournal.com/
P.S. Start at the bottom entry and read upwards.

Interesting blog Dave. I notice you had no trouble with your bike other than the melting peddle. Unless you decided to leave it out. I'm not one for Hostels. They are Ok for you young people but us oldies want a good night's kip without other smelly snoring bodies thank you. Also notice you hit all the big towns, cities even. I really would like to go around them if possible. I see white van man is alive and well up there to. Why did you decide on JOGLE instead of LEJOG? Also what gear did you carry apart from food & clothing. Thanks for the interesting read.

[ukdodger]

Hi. I'm seriously considering cycling Lands end to John-O-Groats alone. Anyone ever done it? Anyone have any good advice. For me it will be the furthest I've cycled and on previous long rides we've always had a back up vehicle supplying grub etc. Thanks

UKD

Done it both ways (two seperate trips) unsupported camping along the way with a one day break at the approx half way point (Preston).

Key points.

Start the day with porridge a good slow energy release food.
End the day with a decent meal to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue.
Keep hydrated especially in hot weather.
Don't overdo the tools list.
Use a Phillips Road Atlas to plan the route. tear out the required pages and the camp sites are located on the maps. only let down twice - wild camped instead.
Avon Skin So Soft is a totally effective product to use a midge repellent.
Took 16 and 19 days to do the jounies - yes the faster one was on the 'downhill' trip.

Hi Vernon. Thanks for the tips. You must have carried a load of gear if you were camping and cooking. I agree about the porridge. Which phillips Atlas did you use and what tools did you take incidentally?

[braz]

What's all the fuss about? End to end last year on a 1978 Raleigh Clubman, b & b with no booking ahead - and no problems anywhere, bar bag and a small saddlebag (change of hanky and a dinner jacket) - 10 days easy. And I'm over 60!

Let me know if you would like details of the stopovers. Mail to crhwhb@hotmail.co.uk.

Regards to all, Braz.

[vernon]

Hi. I'm seriously considering cycling Lands end to John-O-Groats alone. Anyone ever done it? Anyone have any good advice. For me it will be the furthest I've cycled and on previous long rides we've always had a back up vehicle supplying grub etc. Thanks

UKD

Done it both ways (two seperate trips) unsupported camping along the way with a one day break at the approx half way point (Preston).

Key points.

Start the day with porridge a good slow energy release food.
End the day with a decent meal to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue.
Keep hydrated especially in hot weather.
Don't overdo the tools list.
Use a Phillips Road Atlas to plan the route. tear out the required pages and the camp sites are located on the maps. only let down twice - wild camped instead.
Avon Skin So Soft is a totally effective product to use a midge repellent.
Took 16 and 19 days to do the jounies - yes the faster one was on the 'downhill' trip.

Hi Vernon. Thanks for the tips. You must have carried a load of gear if you were camping and cooking. I agree about the porridge. Which phillips Atlas did you use and what tools did you take incidentally?

I use a Trangia into which I packed my tea bags, dried milk, lighter, knife fork and spoon and tin opener. Trangia's are like Marmite - you love love them or hate them.

In terms of loads of gear - I took too many clothes. One change of everything is all that was necessary. I returned homes with many things unworn.

In terms of food bulk, there wasn't too much to worry about as I'd buy the stuff for evening meal late in the day but have a set of emergency rations comprising packet suits, quick cook savoury rice and corned beef or mackerel should there not be a shop near where I ended up. I only had to resort to using the pack once. Other nibbles were purchased throughout the day.

As for tools:

Adjustable spanner
Multitool
Tyre levers
Duck tape
Chain Oil
Puncture Outfit
Small pair of pliers.
Crank removal tool - to replace granny ring see below

Spares:
Brake cable
Gear cable
Power link
Two inner tubes
Emergency spokes
(Granny ring - took it to drop the gearing on one trip but never fitted it)

Some folk take bottom bracket tools and crank tools (I did once) and cassette removal tools.

If the bike is serviced before the trip then there's little, in my experience, that can happen that can not be sorted out within a day in the UK and France

Mechanical failures that I suffered and that no tool kit could fix included:
fractured rear drop out - brazed up by a local bike dealer within the hour
Spoke pulled through rim (1) - camp site owner ferried me to bike shop to purchase replacement in Dumfries sorted in 1 hour
Spoke pulled through rim (2) - fellow camper ferried me to Macon sorted in 2.5 hours

I can not remember the scale of the atlas that I used but it's in the range of 2.5 miles to the inch. The 4 miles to the inch atlas is serviceable but does not have the same degree of clarity as the one I used for the JOGLE and LEJOG rides. I've thrown the unused bits of the larger scale atlas away a long time ago so can not give a definitive answer.

[MLJ]

Have you ever done a day ride on your own? All a longer ride is, just day rides one after the other! Take each day as it comes and be prepared to change the destination according to how each day works out.

[horizon]

Have you ever done a day ride on your own? All a longer ride is, just day rides one after the other!

On this basis I take a well loaded pannier on my day rides, little more on overnight trips and not much more camping - what you need doesn't change much at all but it does make long day rides a bit more complicated to prepare for (though nowadays the panniers are permanently packed and ready). It doesn't even change much from winter to summer.

[ukdodger]

:D What's all the fuss about? End to end last year on a 1978 Raleigh Clubman, b & b with no booking ahead - and no problems anywhere, bar bag and a small saddlebag (change of hanky and a dinner jacket) - 10 days easy. And I'm over 60!

Let me know if you would like details of the stopovers. Mail to crhwhb@hotmail.co.uk.

Regards to all, Braz.

Snap Braz. I'm over sixty too. In ten days eh. Man! 100m per day on an old bike. If you did it so can I. I'll email for the stopovers and for any other tips. Feel free to say anything. Thanks

[ukdodger]

Hi. I'm seriously considering cycling Lands end to John-O-Groats alone. Anyone ever done it? Anyone have any good advice. For me it will be the furthest I've cycled and on previous long rides we've always had a back up vehicle supplying grub etc. Thanks

UKD

Done it both ways (two seperate trips) unsupported camping along the way with a one day break at the approx half way point (Preston).

Key points.

Start the day with porridge a good slow energy release food.
End the day with a decent meal to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue.
Keep hydrated especially in hot weather.
Don't overdo the tools list.
Use a Phillips Road Atlas to plan the route. tear out the required pages and the camp sites are located on the maps. only let down twice - wild camped instead.
Avon Skin So Soft is a totally effective product to use a midge repellent.
Took 16 and 19 days to do the jounies - yes the faster one was on the 'downhill' trip.

Hi Vernon. Thanks for the tips. You must have carried a load of gear if you were camping and cooking. I agree about the porridge. Which phillips Atlas did you use and what tools did you take incidentally?

I use a Trangia into which I packed my tea bags, dried milk, lighter, knife fork and spoon and tin opener. Trangia's are like Marmite - you love love them or hate them.

In terms of loads of gear - I took too many clothes. One change of everything is all that was necessary. I returned homes with many things unworn.

In terms of food bulk, there wasn't too much to worry about as I'd buy the stuff for evening meal late in the day but have a set of emergency rations comprising packet suits, quick cook savoury rice and corned beef or mackerel should there not be a shop near where I ended up. I only had to resort to using the pack once. Other nibbles were purchased throughout the day.

As for tools:

Adjustable spanner
Multitool
Tyre levers
Duck tape
Chain Oil
Puncture Outfit
Small pair of pliers.
Crank removal tool - to replace granny ring see below

Spares:
Brake cable
Gear cable
Power link
Two inner tubes
Emergency spokes
(Granny ring - took it to drop the gearing on one trip but never fitted it)

Some folk take bottom bracket tools and crank tools (I did once) and cassette removal tools.

If the bike is serviced before the trip then there's little, in my experience, that can happen that can not be sorted out within a day in the UK and France

Mechanical failures that I suffered and that no tool kit could fix included:
fractured rear drop out - brazed up by a local bike dealer within the hour
Spoke pulled through rim (1) - camp site owner ferried me to bike shop to purchase replacement in Dumfries sorted in 1 hour
Spoke pulled through rim (2) - fellow camper ferried me to Macon sorted in 2.5 hours

I can not remember the scale of the atlas that I used but it's in the range of 2.5 miles to the inch. The 4 miles to the inch atlas is serviceable but does not have the same degree of clarity as the one I used for the JOGLE and LEJOG rides. I've thrown the unused bits of the larger scale atlas away a long time ago so can not give a definitive answer.

Thanks Vernon. Dont know what a granny ring is though? My cycle has only five gears. I've cycle around the Surrey hills and not yet been defeated and I figure I can always walk up. But Enough or not? Did you use a trailer to haul your stuff?

[ukdodger]

Have you ever done a day ride on your own? All a longer ride is, just day rides one after the other! Take each day as it comes and be prepared to change the destination according to how each day works out.

Many and I agree it's only one day after another. But the furthest I've been so far is 230m in three days. This will be over twenty.

[Si]

Have you ever done a day ride on your own? All a longer ride is, just day rides one after the other! Take each day as it comes and be prepared to change the destination according to how each day works out.

Many and I agree it's only one day after another. But the furthest I've been so far is 230m in three days. This will be over twenty.

Just means that you'll get fitter as you go along. What doesn't kill you will just make you stronger

[vernon]

Hi. I'm seriously considering cycling Lands end to John-O-Groats alone. Anyone ever done it? Anyone have any good advice. For me it will be the furthest I've cycled and on previous long rides we've always had a back up vehicle supplying grub etc. Thanks

UKD

Done it both ways (two seperate trips) unsupported camping along the way with a one day break at the approx half way point (Preston).

Key points.

Start the day with porridge a good slow energy release food.
End the day with a decent meal to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue.
Keep hydrated especially in hot weather.
Don't overdo the tools list.
Use a Phillips Road Atlas to plan the route. tear out the required pages and the camp sites are located on the maps. only let down twice - wild camped instead.
Avon Skin So Soft is a totally effective product to use a midge repellent.
Took 16 and 19 days to do the jounies - yes the faster one was on the 'downhill' trip.

Hi Vernon. Thanks for the tips. You must have carried a load of gear if you were camping and cooking. I agree about the porridge. Which phillips Atlas did you use and what tools did you take incidentally?

I use a Trangia into which I packed my tea bags, dried milk, lighter, knife fork and spoon and tin opener. Trangia's are like Marmite - you love love them or hate them.

In terms of loads of gear - I took too many clothes. One change of everything is all that was necessary. I returned homes with many things unworn.

In terms of food bulk, there wasn't too much to worry about as I'd buy the stuff for evening meal late in the day but have a set of emergency rations comprising packet suits, quick cook savoury rice and corned beef or mackerel should there not be a shop near where I ended up. I only had to resort to using the pack once. Other nibbles were purchased throughout the day.

As for tools:

Adjustable spanner
Multitool
Tyre levers
Duck tape
Chain Oil
Puncture Outfit
Small pair of pliers.
Crank removal tool - to replace granny ring see below

Spares:
Brake cable
Gear cable
Power link
Two inner tubes
Emergency spokes
(Granny ring - took it to drop the gearing on one trip but never fitted it)

Some folk take bottom bracket tools and crank tools (I did once) and cassette removal tools.

If the bike is serviced before the trip then there's little, in my experience, that can happen that can not be sorted out within a day in the UK and France

Mechanical failures that I suffered and that no tool kit could fix included:
fractured rear drop out - brazed up by a local bike dealer within the hour
Spoke pulled through rim (1) - camp site owner ferried me to bike shop to purchase replacement in Dumfries sorted in 1 hour
Spoke pulled through rim (2) - fellow camper ferried me to Macon sorted in 2.5 hours

I can not remember the scale of the atlas that I used but it's in the range of 2.5 miles to the inch. The 4 miles to the inch atlas is serviceable but does not have the same degree of clarity as the one I used for the JOGLE and LEJOG rides. I've thrown the unused bits of the larger scale atlas away a long time ago so can not give a definitive answer.

Thanks Vernon. Dont know what a granny ring is though? My cycle has only five gears. I've cycle around the Surrey hills and not yet been defeated and I figure I can always walk up. But Enough or not? Did you use a trailer to haul your stuff?

A granny ring is the smallest of the three rings on a triple chain set. I have a seven speed cassette and a triple chain ring giving me 21 gears in all. You might be happy with your five gears but I'd struggle in Devon and Cornwall with such a limited range of gears. I carted all of my stuff in four panniers. Two at the front and two at the rear.

If you are B & B-ing then five gears might well be enough.

[Crazydave]

To answer the questions posed earlier in the thread:
I was naive and didn't realise how bad the traffic would be. I assumed that if I could hack Bath and Bristol, I could hack anywhere else, but I was ill prepared when it came to South Lancashire as I had a load to do in one day. In future, I would use the CTC route. My parents were reluctant to let me go into more remote Highland areas, still being under 18 at the time, they wanted me to stay in the A9 corridor, where there were more people around.
Bike problems- I had a puncture, which I first noticed a mile from LE, but was able to finish the ride without having to stop.
Abusive drivers- Car overtook as I was attempting to turn right in Carlisle.
White van driver shouted something inaudible at 70 mph on the A66.
Unnecessary use of the horn on Runcorn Bridge by white van driver.
Unnecessary use of the horn by a young couple on a back road near W-s-M.
Kid with water pistol between Gunnislake & Liskeard
Use of horn near JOG&LE probably wasn't abusive, but meant to encourage, as drivers could see what I was doing, but can never be 100% sure- the note of the horn was more freindly than abusive
Why North-South? Transport. Trains were easier to book, as I could guarantee when I could travel, and wouldn't suffer on that important aspect if something went wrong. Also allowed my family to come and see me arrive at Land's End.
Kit-Tool kit (2 spare inner tubes, tyre levers, small but strong pump, puncture repair kit, adjustable spanner, allen keys, scissors, large puncture repair patch (from which I could size select) and gaffer tape)
Reading book (Fermat's Last Theorem)
Washit (towel, flannel, shampoo in sachets, toothbrush, razors, deodorant and comb and comb- soap is normally provided, and makes a mess in the washbag so I decided not to carry it. I used soap as a not too painful alternative to shaving foam.)
Hardback A5 Road atlas (Wilkinsons-£3.99. I knew that just the pages or a paperback atlas would get doggiered far too easily).
Notebook, 2 pens and a calculator
Camera +2 films, 3 disposable cameras
Train tickets
YHA recepits
Mobile phone
Wallet with bank card (always keep plety of cash handy too), YHA membership card & young person's railcard
Stamp form
Water (increase from 1.5 to 2.5 litres/ day as I got further South and the weather got hotter)
Enegry bars (emergency food)
Enough food to get me through the day (in lunchbox)
Bin bags to waterproof all my kit
Hope this helps