Mick F route fast but safe.

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Jamesh
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Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Jamesh »

Hi

I'm hoping to do lejog next year in a week, so fast and staying a travel lodge and yha etc.

Mick seems to be the authority on such a route so was wondering if he might post a suitable route?

If your doing it over 2 weeks then I guess you have time to ponder the map for a good while over breakfast?

But if going for a week (two weekends to get to le and return jog) then time is of the essence.

Bike will be Cannondale six with seat pack and handle bar bag.

Cheers James
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Mick F
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Mick F »

Hi!
Here I am! :D
What sort of info do you want?

Recently, I converted my 2010 Raleigh Chopper JOGLE ride into Garmin FIT files as the one's I have are in huge Garmin GPX - gigabytes of it!
That JOGLE was the last time I did the whole complete route, though I have ridden up as far as Manchester from here more recently. PM me with your email address and I'll email the FIT files if you want.

Basic route LE to JOG:
LE to Hayle on the A30, then Old A30 via Connor Downs, Camborne and Redruth to Three Burrows to join the A30.
Turn off for St Newlyn East to White Cross and to St Columb Major, then A39.
Keep going through Wadebridge and Camelford and turn east onto the A395.
Turn off to Egloskerry and to the north of Launceston, and then Old A30 to Sourton.
Go under the A30 and keep on for a mile then turn right signposted Meldon, to join the Old A30 again for Okehampton.

Take the B3215/A3072/A377 for Crediton
Follow Rob's Passage through Thorveton to A396 and turn north for Tiverton.
Out via Halberton and Samford Peverell to M5 J27 and join the A38 and head north.

Keep on the A38 to Bristol. What I've done is to go under the Clifton Suspension bridge and turn north up the hill past the zoo.
Follow your nose north-ish to re-join the A38 for Gloucester.
Then A417 for Ledbury and though to Hope-under-Dinmore to join the A49.

Keep on that all the way to Preston and join the A6 for Carlisle.
Follow the A7 for Edinburgh and then cycle routes to Forth Road Bridge and cross to Inverkeithing.
Go via Crossgates, Kelty and Kinross and Milnathort, then Glenfarg and Bridge of Earn for Perth.

A9 all the way to Inverness, though there are many stretches of the Old A9 and cycle tracks to follow instead. Personally, I would mix and match that lot using the New A9 on the long downhill stretches as it's vary fast and some of the old route is a bit rough and ready. There are many bits of Old A9 that are now B Roads. Look at a map and you'll see them.

From Inverness, cross the Kessock Bridge and immediately after crossing the bridge, turn off left and head down to the water's edge and follow the way to Beauly and Muir of Ord , Dingwall and Invergordon and join the A9 just east of there and follow it all the way to Latheron and then A99 to JOG.

Hope that's ok! :D
Mick F. Cornwall
PH
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by PH »

You might also consider that the fastest route for you may not be the fastest for someone else, for a good climber who recovers well shortest will be fastest, but if you'd benefit from some easier if longer days in the middle you can plan them in. it also used to be the case that a lot of time could be eaten up with navigation. GPX has taken a lot of that away, though there's still the disadvantage of stop/start in built up areas and avoiding them even at the cost of some extra distance can still be quicker.
With no disrespect to Mick F, you might be better off asking those who've done it in your proposed timescale. Look up toontra who's sig includes details of his 5 day ride.
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Mick F
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Mick F »

The fastest route isn't the nicest one at all.
LE to Exeter on the A30.
B3181 then A38 to Worcester.
Kidderminster, Telford to Whitchurch on all trunk roads.
A49 then A6 to Carlisle.
Take the Old A74 from Inverkeithing to north of Abington and through the Lanark area to Whitburn and Bathgate and Broxburn to cross the Forth from the western side.
Then Old A9 to Perth, and A9 all the way to Latheron and A99 to JOG.

I supported some riders doing that exact route in five days in 2007.
Day one LE to Bristol
Day two to Chester
Day three to Moffat
Day four to Kingussie
Day five arrived JOG.
Mick F. Cornwall
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mjr
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by mjr »

Mick F wrote:Out via Halberton and Samford Peverell to M5 J27 and join the A38 and head north.

Keep on the A38 to Bristol. What I've done is to go under the Clifton Suspension bridge and turn north up the hill past the zoo.

Even if you really lurve motorist-infested fasty nasty A roads, that's routing over completely unnecessary climbs at Shute Shelve, Redhill and Clifton. Avoid the last two by using B3133/B3155/B3124 then Sheepway to pick up the cycle route over the Avonmouth motorway bridge. You could also avoid the first one by continuing onto the A370 at East Brent, then by roads signed for Bristol(!!), then Rookery Manor, Loxton, Winscombe, Sandford, Churchill, Congresbury, but I'm guessing that would be too much navigation.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Jamesh
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Jamesh »

Thanks very helpful.

Would going up via Monmouth really hamper progress as it's quite pretty up through the forest of Dean.

Cheers James
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Mick F
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Mick F »

Cross the Severn if you want.
Nice route.
Perhaps longer, but definitely hillier, than going A38 via Gloucester.

If you do need/want to get a move on, the A30 to Exeter is a good idea. Boring and noisy, but much faster. I've ridden much of the A30 but not all in one go.
Mick F. Cornwall
charliepolecat
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by charliepolecat »

you might be better off asking those who've done it in your proposed timescale


Is it reasonable to suggest that regardless of the specific route, any route can be ridden fast or slow?
FasterFerret
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by FasterFerret »

charliepolecat wrote:
you might be better off asking those who've done it in your proposed timescale


Is it reasonable to suggest that regardless of the specific route, any route can be ridden fast or slow?


Yes, well maybe...

Some routes will definitely lend themselves to being faster than others.

Hills and conurbations will slow most people down. Some can be avoided some can't. Some seek them out, others try to avoid.

This feels like another thread where there is not much to go on in terms of what the purpose of the endeavour is, and what the OP hopes to get out of the ride other than getting from A-B. (Nor, dare I say it, the capability of the rider/group)
thelawnet
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by thelawnet »

charliepolecat wrote:
you might be better off asking those who've done it in your proposed timescale


Is it reasonable to suggest that regardless of the specific route, any route can be ridden fast or slow?


wouldn't have thought so? if you ride slowly then you'd probably prefer to avoid 70mph dual carriageways, and if you ride fast, then off-road bits aren't going to be of much interest.
charliepolecat
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by charliepolecat »

any route can be ridden fast or slow


Riding slow or fast merely means riding slow or fast, the actual route doesn't impact the speed at which one rides.
FasterFerret
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by FasterFerret »

charliepolecat wrote:
any route can be ridden fast or slow


... the actual route doesn't impact the speed at which one rides.


Really?!
charliepolecat
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by charliepolecat »

Really?!


I think you are being deliberately argumentative, but whatever rocks your boat. No doubt someone thinks you are clever.
FasterFerret
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by FasterFerret »

charliepolecat wrote:
Really?!


I think you are being deliberately argumentative, but whatever rocks your boat. No doubt someone thinks you are clever.


Mmm, I guess I am being argumentative. Probably because I believe that some routes are simply slower than others. Hills will slow most people down, as will traffic lights, complicated navigation, bad surfaces and exposure to winds, to name but a few.

So, yes I disagree with you - I would love to be able to ride uphill as fast as I can ride on the flat, I would love to be able to cross a major conurbation at the same speed I can cover the same distance on a quiet road, but I can't.

However, I'm not sure that my disagreement with you justifies the personal insults?

I do think that we should be able to hold different opinions - even disagree - and still remain civil.
Jamesh
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Re: Mick F route fast but safe.

Post by Jamesh »

More info
My aim is to complete in 10 days including travel to and from lejog.

Why ten days? Because I can get a week off work on charity grounds no problem and the mother in law would happily stay a week and it won't eat into family holiday time.

I'm mildly competitive - 3hr marathon runner.

Did coast to coast 100 miles each day in 6 hours taking in lakes dales and n York Moors in sept.

Want to ride fast as it will save on b&b too.

Happily ride 100 miles in a day.

Cheers James
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