Accomodation booked, one last look at route?

[plumby]

Fly up to Wick 31st July and then depart JoG 1st August. 10 day trip with a detour home via Leicester. All accomodation booked! I've tinkered with my route using advice gained on this forum. In my mind it's all finalised but consider it wise to post for review

I'm trying to avoid any horrible A-roads and those B-roads that are well, you know. Really appreciate any local knowledge and sage experience please!

Thanks in advance!!

Day 1 JOG to Inveran: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30515076
Day 2 Inveran to Kinguisse: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30231605
Day 3 Kinguisse to Dunfermline: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30243447
Day 4: Dunfermline to Carlisle: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30316067
Day 5: Carlisle to Wigan: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30354464
Day 6: Wigan to Leicester: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30372464
Day 7: Leicester to Gloucester: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30186177
Day 8: Gloucester to Taunton: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30513585
Day 9 Taunton to Boscastle: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30513615
Day 10: Boscastle to Land’s End: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30206724

Going on this set-up... Jamis Expat gravel bike with 38mm Marathon Plus tyres and Carradice Longflap saddle bag. Carrying tools on the frame in storage bottles x2 and also frame mounted pump.

[charliepolecat]

About 1,040 miles? The long way round?

Nice bike, heavy tyres though I would have thought.

[plumby]

Yeah the tyres do make a noticable difference but the time I lose I (hopefully) make up in not repairing punctures. I just hate that activity!
Definitely the long way. I could do it in 9 days but my wife can't get the friday off work so is coming down on the saturday instead so I thought sod it I'll have another day at it!

[Paulatic]

Day 5 leaving your night stop in Carlisle. Nothing wrong with the route you’ve chosen but it might be tricky to navigate.
Consider this

A similar thing in Penrith unless you need things in the town
Consider this

It’s 45 ft less climbing and it’s not on the A66 but a protected cycle path beside it.

In Lancaster you’ve gone a bit out of your way and missed the Millennium Bridge and gone further on. You need to pick up NCN route 6 leaving the canal Hammerton Hall lane and follow to bridge.

[geocycle]

Looks a great tour. On day 5 using the A6 all the way south of Penrith is generally fine and you might want to avoid Lancaster Canal towpath. Lots of narrow bridges, decaying tarmac and dog walkers. You can give it a go and always drop down onto the main road if needed. If I'm choosing a day ride in the region I would avoid the A6 like you but on a long JOGLE a more direct approach might be helpful.

[Jamesh]

I think you should swap out the tyres as you may well have a headwind and 100 miles with such heavy and wide tyres will be hard going.
Something 28 -32mm would be optimal.

Your going to have long days of 100miles a day.

All the best

Cheers James

[cycleruk]

Looks a great tour. On day 5 using the A6 all the way south of Penrith is generally fine and you might want to avoid Lancaster Canal towpath. Lots of narrow bridges, decaying tarmac and dog walkers. You can give it a go and always drop down onto the main road if needed. If I'm choosing a day ride in the region I would avoid the A6 like you but on a long JOGLE a more direct approach might be helpful.

+1 for the above.
Your detour through Yealand Redmain, although scenic is a bit lumpy (your mile 58-64).
Stray off the A6 and the roads are quieter but can rise and fall a bit.
Below a route from Penrith to Preston for your perusal :-
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30517003

Have a good ride.

[Mick F]

Day Nine:
If I were you, I'd use a bit of the A39 to cut the corner off and go via Tresparrett Posts to Boscastle.
However, I would go from Week Orchard to Jacobstow to Wainhouse Corner on the A39 and the Tresparrett Posts to Boscastle.

Day Ten:
I can understand why you want to go that way but the A39 ain't that bad at all, and far far far easier than the way you've sketched out.
Come off at St Columb Major and head down to St Newlyn East and carry on as before.
Personally, I'd grin and bear it and join the A30 for a bit, and turn off at Three Burrows onto the Old A30 through Scorrier, Redruth and Camborne. You can peel off through Praze an Beeble for Marazion easily.

Done it all, just about every single road in Cornwall.

[Jamesh]

I always enjoyed going into towns they were a milestone for me and somewhere to stop and enjoy a well earned break.

I guess if your fully self sufficient then it's not such an issue.

Cheers James

[whoof]

Day10
At Chasewater I would stay on that road to Mount Ambrose A393 past Bike Chain (shop) and left at the top of the hill.
Left at the RA at the end of Sandy Lane then first right (Pennance) until you join Bucketts Hill, through Four Lanes R onto B3280 and down to Praze an Beeble.

Unless you like rocky/sandy paths I wouldn't ride the cycle path after Marazion stick to the road through Long Rock and then into Penzance. I would also stick to the coast and ride past the harbour to Newlyn and then Mousehole. From there past the harbour up the hill then to B3280 past not to Lamorna, right to St Buryan, straight across to Crows an Wra. Done it at least one hundred times, lovely ride.

[Mick F]

Yep!
Sounds good to me!

[plumby]

Good shout, just ordered some 32mm Marathon Plus.

I've taken all thew advice on board and amended the maps accordingly.

Paulatic - the A66 having a path beside it is a bonus! I never realised that. Also the route out of Carlisle will be much simpler and kinder on my Wahoo. Thanks!!

Thank you for your comments about the A6. The general consensus is that the A6 is fine from Penrith to Kendal then? That's what i've changed my route to.

After Kendal to Carnforth - i've followed your route CyclerUK you provided on RWGPS. What is the A65/A6070 like out of interest from Kendal to Carnforth?

CyclerUK and Mick F - I'm going to make the changes you suggest, thank you for your input!! Who's Day 10 shall I incorporate? Which one is 'better' if that's not too vague/stupid a question!?

[Paulatic]

Another advantage of coming around the edge in Penrith along Haweswater road is food. I’m sure you’ll be ready for 2nd breakfast at that point As you pass Go Outdoors look beyond it and you’ll see Cranston’s food hall with a cafe up the stairs... very good

[charliepolecat]

A question I need to ask is how are all of the riders coping with leaving their bikes outside shops and cafes? Any problems?

Ken.

[Paulatic]

A question I need to ask is how are all of the riders coping with leaving their bikes outside shops and cafes? Any problems?

Ken.

I’ve studied this one for quite sometime.
1,Initially it depends on where you usually live and ride has bearing on your own attitude.
2, Secondly it depends on your location when parking.

e.g. my own take on it is I rarely lock my bike as I live in SWScotland and we are generally trusting people. On LEJOG I was very keen to lock my bike in a town centre shopping complex while we ate in an ASDA. All other stops I can’t recall feeling a need to lock up although I allowed mine to be locked if others were locking.
A stop in Sutherland at a remote cafe outside were two heavily locked bikes. I found that quite offensive and couldn’t hold my tongue to extract the Michael out of owners sitting in the cafe. The owners were London based so their action to them was perfectly normal and probably second nature thinking nothing unusual about it at all. Which brings us back to point 1.

Perhaps we should ask how many people have had their bikes stolen on a LEJOG? To which I could honestly answer I’ve never met anyone on the route who’ve had their bike stolen.