LEJOG: would I enjoy it?

[londoncommuter0000]

Any chance of getting unpaid leave?
Or doing overtime to get extra holiday?
Or doing it for charity and your work would agree to you doing it?
Or you have been there long enough to earn a sabbatical?
Or you get v bad flu for two weeks!!!

Just a thought!

I work in education so I can use the summer holidays. The downside is everything is 50% more expensive and the roads are very busy!

The thought of teaching is enticing, but a career change at my age would mean a 70% wage cut.

[gregoryoftours]

This is something that has been on my radar to do for some time. I like the idea of the challenge but how much of the time would I be cursing the amount of traffic?

I like the look of the WIMPS route but going solo would it be advisable as a lot of it is on 'a' roads. There is perhaps the Cicerone route but that could face the opposite problem being over convoluted.

It's a cool thing to do but more for the idea and experience of riding and seeing the length of the country unbroken than the proportion of it that would actually be great roads/scenery (obviously varying to some extent according to route). The bits I enjoyed most of the route I did were the couple of days spent on quieter roads, even though the going is much slower off the A roads. The people I did it with were all about making progress and we spent a lot of time on busy roads. It's a cool thing to have done but doesn't rank as one of my favourite trips.

[Nickeveson]

Hi,
I was one of the WIMPS who successfully completed it in 2018. You say that at 51 you don't know how many summer's you have left.....as I was second youngest at 52 I think you have a few! Our oldest was 71......that gives you at least 20 more years. Lol

[mnichols]

I've done it three times now, the first time in 14 days on a paid tour with about a dozen people. The second time in 5 days with 2 people, the third time was 8 days with 1 other person

Some enjoyed it some didn't. The difference is the individual, not the ride, the weather or the daily mileage. It's more about your personality.

Without getting too philosophical, wherever you go, there you are.

If you're the kind of person that enjoys stuff you will enjoy LeJoG. If you're a bit grumpy and moany (no offence) then LeJoG won't change that.

[Jamesh]

I've done it three times now, the first time in 14 days on a paid tour with about a dozen people. The second time in 5 days with 2 people, the third time was 8 days with 1 other person

Some enjoyed it some didn't. The difference is the individual, not the ride, the weather or the daily mileage. It's more about your personality.

Without getting too philosophical, wherever you go, there you are.

If you're the kind of person that enjoys stuff you will enjoy LeJoG. If you're a bit grumpy and moany (no offence) then LeJoG won't change that.

How did you find the 8 day lejog compared to the 5 day one. Was it slow enough to be enjoyable or was it a gel fueled marathon of pain?!

[mnichols]

I've done it three times now, the first time in 14 days on a paid tour with about a dozen people. The second time in 5 days with 2 people, the third time was 8 days with 1 other person

Some enjoyed it some didn't. The difference is the individual, not the ride, the weather or the daily mileage. It's more about your personality.

Without getting too philosophical, wherever you go, there you are.

If you're the kind of person that enjoys stuff you will enjoy LeJoG. If you're a bit grumpy and moany (no offence) then LeJoG won't change that.

How did you find the 8 day lejog compared to the 5 day one. Was it slow enough to be enjoyable or was it a gel fueled marathon of pain?!

8 days (might have been 9, can't remember now) was on a 1,000 mile route was ok. Got in each day late afternoon, so enough time to clean up, have a good meal and a chat, time to stop for lunch and coffee in the day, normal wake up time and breakfast. So it was good

By comparison 5 days, on a different 1,000 mile route was tough. Early starts, late finishes, and so much more of a treadmill. It was also a hilly, tough route. I actually think that 4 days on the more direct route would have been easier - its on my things to do list.

14 days is also ok, you just get to wake up later, finish earlier and spend longer in the coffee shops. That said, i only needed one stop each day and often finished by lunch time and so spent a bit too much time off the bike

[Tigerbiten]

I'm another one who's done it three times.
But because my recumbent trike-trailer rig isn't allowed on trains/busses, I've done it Home -> LE -> JoG -> Home.
I've no commitments so average time taken for each round trip was around 4.5 months and because I tend to wander wherever I want to go average distance was something over 4,500 miles.

[landsurfer]

We did it in 14 days .....
First breakfast at 0700hrs.
2nd Breakfast at 25 mile point approx.
Petrol station or cafe stop about 1500hrs
Finish about 1700hrs ...
Thats the reality of it all, and we where supported by 3 wives in camper vans, one baby of 7 months and our Chris.
Chris kept us watered and watered throughout the ride ... average temp was 30 deg C+ every day .... lucky us ...lol

[shadwellrhino]

This is something that has been on my radar to do for some time. I like the idea of the challenge but how much of the time would I be cursing the amount of traffic?

I like the look of the WIMPS route but going solo would it be advisable as a lot of it is on 'a' roads. There is perhaps the Cicerone route but that could face the opposite problem being over convoluted.

I rode solo (with back up) over approx 920 miles on a mix of A roads and back roads. I didn't have any real problems with the traffic, and wouldn't change much if I were to do it again. If you fancy it then you should definitely do it. This will probably be the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I will ever do. My route can be found if you scroll down a page or two.

[mnichols]

2nd Breakfast at 25 mile point approx.

I'm a big believer in 2nd breakfast on tours

[PH]

IMO you're more likely to enjoy it if you make it your own - ride the sorts of roads you enjoy, stay in the places that interest you, do the mileage you're comfortable with. A quick glance at the country ought to tell you that it isn't very wide, as long as you're travelling in approximately the right direction and not zig-zaging you're not going to add a huge mileage. There's nothing wrong with following someone else's route, but unless they have the same ideas as you it won't be the best.
My route went East of the Pennines over 11 days, added around 200 miles to the shortest distance and in return avoided nearly all the urban riding and several flat easy days in the middle. A pretty straightforward route for ease of navigation, though that was pre GPS days and if I was doing it now I'd be less concerned about complicating the route.
The other thing I think is important is to be clear with yourself whether you're treating it as a tour or a challenge, there's obviously some crossover, but it will predominantly be one or the other.

[robing]

I've had a bit of history with LEJOG. After two failed attempts due to knee problems, I did it twice - in 2012 with a group (14 days) and solo last year (10 days). I enjoyed both but really felt a sense of achievement after my 10 day solo - it was also much cheaper! It was a great route and I stayed at some wonderful places.

What really hit me was that in these divided times - that people up and down Great Britain are Great. Like the hotel in Kendal I went in to - asked if they served coffee to non-residents. They gave me free coffee and said help myself to cereal! I discovered the Scottish Borders for the first time and stayed at a fantastic BnB.

I loved LEJOG so much I marked it with this tattoo and I'll be 51 this year and I feel I'm coming in to my prime

[Jamesh]

I've done it three times now, the first time in 14 days on a paid tour with about a dozen people. The second time in 5 days with 2 people, the third time was 8 days with 1 other person

Some enjoyed it some didn't. The difference is the individual, not the ride, the weather or the daily mileage. It's more about your personality.

Without getting too philosophical, wherever you go, there you are.

If you're the kind of person that enjoys stuff you will enjoy LeJoG. If you're a bit grumpy and moany (no offence) then LeJoG won't change that.

How did you find the 8 day lejog compared to the 5 day one. Was it slow enough to be enjoyable or was it a gel fueled marathon of pain?!

8 days (might have been 9, can't remember now) was on a 1,000 mile route was ok. Got in each day late afternoon, so enough time to clean up, have a good meal and a chat, time to stop for lunch and coffee in the day, normal wake up time and breakfast. So it was good

By comparison 5 days, on a different 1,000 mile route was tough. Early starts, late finishes, and so much more of a treadmill. It was also a hilly, tough route. I actually think that 4 days on the more direct route would have been easier - its on my things to do list.

14 days is also ok, you just get to wake up later, finish earlier and spend longer in the coffee shops. That said, i only needed one stop each day and often finished by lunch time and so spent a bit too much time off the bike

That's good news as I want to enjoy it as well as it being a challenge!
I don't mind hard work so long as your not continually thinking your not going to make the nights b and b etc!!

[landsurfer]

Hi,
I was one of the WIMPS who successfully completed it in 2018. You say that at 51 you don't know how many summer's you have left.....as I was second youngest at 52 I think you have a few! Our oldest was 71......that gives you at least 20 more years. Lol

Hi Nick..
And I had my 60th birthday during the WIMPS ride, we rode in to the campsite at Abington to find the girls had put on a birthday barbie with beers and various family members in attendance . Nice evening Nick .... in the true WIMPS way we where all in bed for 9pm ...lol

[Toffee]

Mrs T and I did it last year over 16 days, both of us in our 50's. Both of us enjoyed the trip but there were some hard days in Devon and Cornwall. We used B&B's with a couple of AirB&B's thrown in.

Don't think we would do it again but there will be another long trip in the years to come probably west to east.