1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
turborat
Posts: 33
Joined: 18 Jan 2022, 9:19pm

1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by turborat »

Hi,

I've been wanting to do LEJOG since I was in my teens (now in my 50th year!) and have finally made the decision to do it in 2023 over 10 or 11 days with a few friends. As we only plan to only do the ride once, we wanted to also take in Lizard Point & Dunnet Head at the same time. I've seen the odd route but wondered if a) anyone else has done the same route in the same time and b) if you have, any route & accommodation ideas? Ideally we are looking at travelodge/premier inn type pricing (cheap but with bet & bath/shower) and if you have tips for places to eat during the day that would be awesome..

Also, what time of year would usually be best to carry out the ride (obviously we can't guarantee the weather!!).

We are planning to ride around 80-100 miles per day.

Thanks in advance

TR
Norman H
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Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 4:39pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Norman H »

+1 for Lizzard Point and Dunnet Head, Land's End and John O'Groats are mere imposters.

As for routes, there's plenty of inspiration on here, just search this section of the forum. Cycling UK also has a useful page on their web site, based on the previous CTC LEGOG information pack. And finally there's the Cycle: End-to-End website.

Timing wise I'd vote for May/June, decent hours of daylight, reasonable chance of good weather and pre school holidays to avoid pressure on accommodation.
Slowtwitch
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Joined: 25 Oct 2021, 11:35pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Slowtwitch »

I've got some great low budget tips for accommodation North England /Scotland. Message me if interested. I favour the Great Glen route, as the A9 is not for the feint hearted :lol:
turborat
Posts: 33
Joined: 18 Jan 2022, 9:19pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by turborat »

Thanks for getting back to me guys,

We were thinking June anyway so to have confirmation is great. I'll look at the links provided and also the Great Glen route. I'm sure I'll be on again with more questions ;-)

TR
rareposter
Posts: 1992
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by rareposter »

turborat wrote: 25 Jan 2022, 8:06pm Thanks for getting back to me guys,

We were thinking June anyway so to have confirmation is great. I'll look at the links provided and also the Great Glen route. I'm sure I'll be on again with more questions ;-)

TR
Best starting point is probably the recently revised Cicerone Guide:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/cyclin ... 1786310255

You can adjust the route based on your timings and any points you want to visit on the way.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by thirdcrank »

If you were to follow the direct route as taken by RRA record attempts, your daily mileage would be in the 80 ish range. Easily doable by a strong rider but needing detailed planning for any sort of group, especially if it's made up of people not used to group riding. The basic point is that it's immeasurably easier to lose time than to make it it up and having a group without a single, agreed way of dealing with everything is a time loser.

An organised group with a shared approach is the perfect way to do a ride like this and strong riders with support could be looking at doing it both ways in 11 days but at that level they might not be looking for advice, apart from things like the state of short bits of route and suitable accommodation. So, taking in any points of interest - so long as they are agreed in advance - should be no problem, for a co-ordinated group

Arrangers of any sort of group activity know or quickly learn that there are those who put their name down, with no real commitment. What's bad enough with a coach trip is much worse with a big bike ride
turborat
Posts: 33
Joined: 18 Jan 2022, 9:19pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by turborat »

thirdcrank wrote: 26 Jan 2022, 9:25am If you were to follow the direct route as taken by RRA record attempts, your daily mileage would be in the 80 ish range. Easily doable by a strong rider but needing detailed planning for any sort of group, especially if it's made up of people not used to group riding. The basic point is that it's immeasurably easier to lose time than to make it it up and having a group without a single, agreed way of dealing with everything is a time loser.

An organised group with a shared approach is the perfect way to do a ride like this and strong riders with support could be looking at doing it both ways in 11 days but at that level they might not be looking for advice, apart from things like the state of short bits of route and suitable accommodation. So, taking in any points of interest - so long as they are agreed in advance - should be no problem, for a co-ordinated group

Arrangers of any sort of group activity know or quickly learn that there are those who put their name down, with no real commitment. What's bad enough with a coach trip is much worse with a big bike ride
Thanks for the advice. Luckily our group is experienced in group rides and especially longer ones. Amongst other recent rides, last year we completed the C2C in a day which was fun
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by thirdcrank »

OK - you know exactly what I meant and your experience is greater than mine anyway. All the best for an enjoyable ride in decent weather.
Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Jamesh »

thirdcrank wrote: 26 Jan 2022, 9:25am If you were to follow the direct route as taken by RRA record attempts, your daily mileage would be in the 80 ish range. Easily doable by a strong rider but needing detailed planning for any sort of group, especially if it's made up of people not used to group riding. The basic point is that it's immeasurably easier to lose time than to make it it up and having a group without a single, agreed way of dealing with everything is a time loser.

An organised group with a shared approach is the perfect way to do a ride like this and strong riders with support could be looking at doing it both ways in 11 days but at that level they might not be looking for advice, apart from things like the state of short bits of route and suitable accommodation. So, taking in any points of interest - so long as they are agreed in advance - should be no problem, for a co-ordinated group

Arrangers of any sort of group activity know or quickly learn that there are those who put their name down, with no real commitment. What's bad enough with a coach trip is much worse with a big bike ride
I'd take a more scenic route tbh. If you have 10-11days what's the point of blasting up A roads? 5 days yes you have too, 11 days take your time enjoy the scenery and avoid the hills esp in Cornwall!
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by thirdcrank »

Just to make myself clear - and I think the OP understood this - all I was trying to say was that a 10/11 day End-to-End would involve quite a high daily mileage and that while an experienced group would gobble that up, a less-organised group might never get off the hotel cap park, in whichever direction they went. Come to think of it, they might not agree on the direction.
Tiggertoo
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Joined: 2 Jun 2021, 4:52pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Tiggertoo »

I am little surprised that you would think = or even > 100 miles for ten days would be a problem for anyone seriously considering riding LEJOG.
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by thirdcrank »

I do think there are all sorts of potential problems for people thinking of riding to the end of their street if they don't think it through. In this case, the OP made clear in their reply to me that they had good experience of group riding which I was more than happy to acknowledge.
Ron
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Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Ron »

Slowtwitch wrote: 23 Jan 2022, 8:03ame, as the A9 is not for the feint hearted :lol:
It seems odd to condemn the A9 routing without explanation, what has changed?
turborat
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Joined: 18 Jan 2022, 9:19pm

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by turborat »

So I've now got a couple of route ideas to get me started, but wondered if anyone has an idea on best route from Carlisle to Fort William (I may decide to follow the Great Glen route to Inverness)? Ideally as direct as possible but avoiding any major/problem roads.

Thanks

TR
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Paulatic
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Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: 1st 10/11 day LEJOG trip advice please

Post by Paulatic »

Ron wrote: 29 Jan 2022, 11:47am
Slowtwitch wrote: 23 Jan 2022, 8:03ame, as the A9 is not for the feint hearted :lol:
It seems odd to condemn the A9 routing without explanation, what has changed?
I suspect Slowtwitch might be referring to A9 nth of Inverness?
In 2018 I didn’t think it was too bad.
There’s a possible ~200 mile of A9 seems odd to write it all off as one.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
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