It's now or never ! (Done)

[notlobgp14]

From Altnaharra, unless you need to go via Tongue, turn right and go via the B873 past Loch Naver to Bettyhill.
You save about 5 miles and 1,000 foot of climbing.

Are you sure that the saving is only 5 Miles?

[Tigerbiten]

From Altnaharra, unless you need to go via Tongue, turn right and go via the B873 past Loch Naver to Bettyhill.
You save about 5 miles and 1,000 foot of climbing.

Are you sure that the saving is only 5 Miles?

On Bikehike its ............
25.58 miles and 1760 feet climbing via Tongue.
And .........
20.77 miles and 830 feet climbing.

So it is about 5 miles and 1,000' saved.

The flatest way is to head right over to Kimbrace on the B871, before heading north up Strath Halladale to the coast.
That about 600' flatter than heading up Strath Naver and along the north coast, but does add 10 miles to the distance.
I've gone that way when I've stopped in the bunk house in Strath Halladale.

[mattfen]

Ok, so I realised that some days were too long and there was no teleportation system between Cheddar and Hereford so I've had a tweak.


Lands End to Blackwater (via LP)
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4012162
Blackwater to Holsworthy
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4012269
to Wellington
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4033937
to Monmouth
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4034134
to Wem
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4034160
to Preston
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4034377
to Penrith
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4034536
to St Mary’s Loch
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4038502
to Glenrothes
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4012920
to Newtonmore
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4012993
to Dingwall
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4012997
to Altnahara
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4013003
to Thurso
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4013011
To JOG
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4013035

Matt

[mjr]

Three suggestions for Day 4:

1. leave Mark along Perry Road towards Chapel Allerton to join the A38 at Weare. About 0.3 miles longer, avoids a bit over 2 miles of fairly hostile A38.

2. Stay on National 26 through Winscombe Old Station to Nye Road Sandford. The surface isn't that bad, it's a gentle downhill, most of the Winscombe exits are awkward including the one I think you're taking, and the orchards at Sandford are pretty. About the same distance but probably quicker than messing about with the Winscombe exits and road junctions.

3. Use the non-motor bridge at Portbury (signposted either Regional 10 or National 334) or ride through Pill instead of the busy M5/services/A369 junction. Through Pill is about 0.5 miles longer. This is the suggestion I'm least certain about - the junction probably isn't awful off-peak.

[bogmyrtle]

You seem to be making a pointless detour in Gretna. Stay on the B7076 by going straight over the roundabout beside Gretna Gateway shopping centre, the road then crosses over the A75. Take a right at Gretna Green. This takes you under the motorway towards the old blacksmiths shop. Turn left back onto the B7076 which connects with the rest of your route.

You could also take a straighter route out of Carlisle by going up the A7, turning left before junction 44 at Parkhouse Road and then using the road that runs parallel to the M6 to Gretna.

[Ron]

You might consider this http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4057293 as an alternative between Inverness and Dingwall. Advantages, easier navigation, fewer stops and starts, less climbing, a quieter and more pleasant route. Disadvantage, a few Km longer.
Even if you stick to your planned route, there is no need to go down to sea level after crossing the bridge, just follow the path alongside the A9.

[LollyKat]

You might consider this http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4057293 as an alternative between Inverness and Dingwall. Advantages, easier navigation, fewer stops and starts, less climbing, a quieter and more pleasant route. Disadvantage, a few Km longer.

Definitely agree - and even though it is slightly longer I don't think you would lose any time. Going over the spine of the Black Isle is a bit of a slog and not such a nice road to cycle on generally.

[mattfen]

Thanks for those updates - that's great advice and much appreciated !

Now, how do I get these routes onto my Etrex GPS - RWGPS churns out tracks that are over 5000 points so I am thinking that I need to manually add all the turns to Memory Map as a sub 500 point route ? I will be using my GPS and paper maps....

[ferrit worrier]

You seem to be making a pointless detour in Gretna. Stay on the B7076 by going straight over the roundabout beside Gretna Gateway shopping centre, the road then crosses over the A75. Take a right at Gretna Green. This takes you under the motorway towards the old blacksmiths shop. Turn left back onto the B7076 which connects with the rest of your route.

You could also take a straighter route out of Carlisle by going up the A7, turning left before junction 44 at Parkhouse Road and then using the road that runs parallel to the M6 to Gretna.

+1 spot on

[Tigerbiten]

Thanks for those updates - that's great advice and much appreciated !

Now, how do I get these routes onto my Etrex GPS - RWGPS churns out tracks that are over 5000 points so I am thinking that I need to manually add all the turns to Memory Map as a sub 500 point route ? I will be using my GPS and paper maps....

Download and install BaseCamp from Garmin.
You don't need to install any maps as your only using it to filter your tracks.
Make a track in RWGPS that is local to you to play around with.
Import the local track into BaseCamp.
Open that track, then filter it to reduce the number of points.
Then try exporting it to your eTrex from BaseCamp and seeing if it still works.
If you need more detailed info on how to do it, post back.

Once you have the hang of it, do it with your JoGLE tracks.

[NeilFindlay]

From Altnaharra, unless you need to go via Tongue, turn right and go via the B873 past Loch Naver to Bettyhill.
You save about 5 miles and 1,000 foot of climbing.

Great tip, I picked that up too!

Many thanks

[CafGriff]

Mattfen!! Hey. Check out www.virginmoneygiving.com/cafgrifflejog ...... this is why I'm doing this !! and ofcourse it's been a life log dream

[Deckie]

It might be worth you contacting First Great Western, or Cross Rail (both do the Exeter to Penzance stretch) to check that they can take your bike given that the track no longer exists at Dawlish & they're using "Executive Coaches" to travel from Exeter to Plymouth before picking up the train again. Otherwise have a great time and make sure you concentrate on the positives all the way, like the ever changing landscape and the random kindness of strangers when you get stuck!

[cycloret]

Your Day 4
A suggestion was made for you to take the Perry Road after Mark, going via Chapel Allerton and I assume also Badgworth. Your origin plan in Mark is to turn left on Kingsway and head for the A38 which is more direct and flatter. You would however cover slightly longer on the A38 but either way you could turn left off the A38 and go through Cross (where incidentally Frankie Howard used to live).
Approaching the Avonmouth Bridge I too wouldn't use the A369 roundabout to cross the M5. Going via Pill is safer though I remember there being a bit of glass on the cyclepaths.

Which ever route you take I wish you well and hope you have fine weather.

Day 3 Topsham to Yatton
http://www.bikemap.net/route/625529#

Michael's 2010 LEJOG
http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/index. ... &Itemid=93

[cycloret]

In respose to your PM, I have no news of the current state of the roads and if any are still flooded. I am not sure how you would find out, Tourist Information, the AA, here on CTC Forum?
In 2010 we stayed at the Bridge Inn on the edge of Yatton and got a good deal. The previous night we stayed at a B&B in Topsham but if I were to repeat my Lejog I would probably choose a different route here and not head south into the Exeter area.