LEJOG 2023 (via Lizard Point & Dunnet Head) final route help..

[Mick F]

Oh, I agree entirely locally and out for a ride.

However, passing through en-route on long distances, shorter and faster is the best way IMHO.

My route last time I went through the area.

[Norman H]

I
Thanks again for the detailed infoIs the A38 ok to ride on or do you think avoiding it would be safer? I'll look into the Strawberry line, is the surface ok for road bikes (this is what we'll be on)?

As I said, the A38 wouldn't be my choice but I know many end-to-enders are happy to use it. It's inevitable on a 11 day schedule that you will need to use a higher percentage of main roads. This thread just illustrates the difficulty of knowing which ones to include and which to avoid. If you do decide against the A38, or if you simply want a plan B, then consider Honesty's suggestions which echo those that I made in your earlier thread. In particular the route from Thorveton to Hele to join the B3181 along the Culm valley to Uffculme and then on through Nicholashayne to Wellington. From Wellington head north to Nynehead and follow route 3 into Taunton.

The Strawberry Line is for the most part traffic free, the surface is compacted grit and designed for wheelchair access. It should be fine for road bikes, apart from the previously mentioned section at Sandford that goes around the back of the Thatchers cider factory. The SL is shared use though, so don't expect to be on the rivet if there are many pedestrians around.

[turborat]

Thanks again guys. We will be in a group of 8 and will be thorough before rush hour, so it shouldn't be a problem, but I do like the back road option out of Tiverton to Taunton

[turborat]

So this is my revised Day 3.. I realised we wanted to take in Cheddar Gorge, so I've adjusted it to take this in.. Also modified from Chepstow as advised

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2087358?units=miles

Thanks

TR

[Norman H]

So this is my revised Day 3.. I realised we wanted to take in Cheddar Gorge, so I've adjusted it to take this in.. Also modified from Chepstow as advised

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2087358?units=miles

Thanks

TR

Wow! that's certainly a bit different. Here are some further observations but bear in mind that ultimately it's your LEJOG, so feel free to ignore them.

Re the A38, you should have a fair flavour of it by the time you get to Taunton and could make a decision on the day whether you want to continue to Bridgewater, and even beyond. Otherwise your revised route north of Taunton between Kingston St Mary and Bridgewater is now much less hilly.

The big change is beyond Bridgewater where I see Cheddar Gorge is back on the agenda, presumably just for the hell of it. Nothing wrong with that, but if I was going that way I would avoid the Avonmouth Bridge, the route going that way is quite hilly. I would instead head for Bristol and Brunel's famous suspension bridge. Briefly, after the Cheddar Gorge climb fork left onto the B3371, cross the B3134 and head to Chew Valley Reservoir and Chew Stoke* along the B3114. Leave the B3114 at Chew Stoke and pick up the B 3130 to Winford and Barrow Gurney. This is a flatter route to Barrow Gurney than your route through Blagdon and Butcombe. At Barrow Gurney go north through Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. Once over the Avon gorge plot a route across the city via Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

*There's a good cafe at the Chew stoke end of the reservoir, the entrance is on the right off the B3134 about 1km before Chew Stoke.

Just to add even more confusion regarding the A38. Another possible main road route from Taunton, that also exploits the flatlands of the Somerset Levels, is the A361, and in my view its a nicer road than the A38. Follow it all the way from Taunton to Burrowbridge and beyond to Otherly, Greinton and Pedwell. At Pedwell turn north to Shapwick, Westhay, Wedmore and Cheddar.

[Mick F]

Can I just say .............. and something I've said many times on this board ............. if you want to go to - for instance - cross the Severn Bridge, or ride the Cheddar Gorge or cross Dartmoor, or even go to Cape Wrath ..................
................. Is to do a separate ride for each of them.

If you want to do an End2End, just do and End2End. Do it efficiently and do it well. It's a long way.
If you want to go on a tour, just go on a tour and go where you want to go.
You can't do it all in one go.

This board is a Land's End to John O'Groats board, not the Touring and Expedition board.
Sorry, being a bit grumpy this evening!

[turborat]

Can I just say .............. and something I've said many times on this board ............. if you want to go to - for instance - cross the Severn Bridge, or ride the Cheddar Gorge or cross Dartmoor, or even go to Cape Wrath ..................
................. Is to do a separate ride for each of them.

If you want to do an End2End, just do and End2End. Do it efficiently and do it well. It's a long way.
If you want to go on a tour, just go on a tour and go where you want to go.
You can't do it all in one go.

This board is a Land's End to John O'Groats board, not the Touring and Expedition board.
Sorry, being a bit grumpy this evening!

Our LEJOG trip is also a tour (just a long one), so we plan to add interesting locations where we can as some of us don't have the time to explore these places at other times (and in the group we will be in).It fits into the timescale we have so I feel any request for advice is justified, but thanks for your feedback..

[turborat]

Wow! that's certainly a bit different. Here are some further observations but bear in mind that ultimately it's your LEJOG, so feel free to ignore them.

Re the A38, you should have a fair flavour of it by the time you get to Taunton and could make a decision on the day whether you want to continue to Bridgewater, and even beyond. Otherwise your revised route north of Taunton between Kingston St Mary and Bridgewater is now much less hilly.

The big change is beyond Bridgewater where I see Cheddar Gorge is back on the agenda, presumably just for the hell of it. Nothing wrong with that, but if I was going that way I would avoid the Avonmouth Bridge, the route going that way is quite hilly. I would instead head for Bristol and Brunel's famous suspension bridge. Briefly, after the Cheddar Gorge climb fork left onto the B3371, cross the B3134 and head to Chew Valley Reservoir and Chew Stoke* along the B3114. Leave the B3114 at Chew Stoke and pick up the B 3130 to Winford and Barrow Gurney. This is a flatter route to Barrow Gurney than your route through Blagdon and Butcombe. At Barrow Gurney go north through Long Ashton and the Ashton Court Estate. Once over the Avon gorge plot a route across the city via Westbury on Trim, and Henbury, and pick up the Avon Cycleway at Hallen.

*There's a good cafe at the Chew stoke end of the reservoir, the entrance is on the right off the B3134 about 1km before Chew Stoke.

Just to add even more confusion regarding the A38. Another possible main road route from Taunton, that also exploits the flatlands of the Somerset Levels, is the A361, and in my view its a nicer road than the A38. Follow it all the way from Taunton to Burrowbridge and beyond to Otherly, Greinton and Pedwell. At Pedwell turn north to Shapwick, Westhay, Wedmore and Cheddar.

Ok great. I'll take your advice regarding cheddar, no point riding extra hills for the fun of it lol. I'll also look into the A361 option.

Thanks again

[hughwill69]

Can I just say .............. and something I've said many times on this board ............. if you want to go to - for instance - cross the Severn Bridge, or ride the Cheddar Gorge or cross Dartmoor, or even go to Cape Wrath ..................
................. Is to do a separate ride for each of them.

If you want to do an End2End, just do and End2End. Do it efficiently and do it well. It's a long way.
If you want to go on a tour, just go on a tour and go where you want to go.
You can't do it all in one go.

This board is a Land's End to John O'Groats board, not the Touring and Expedition board.
Sorry, being a bit grumpy this evening!

Not Grumpy at all Mick. As the initiator of the longest thread on this forum having said pretty much the same thing
I think the evidence is that there are substantial numbers of people who agree. And I would also say LEJoG/JoGLE should be done
on the most efficient means of riding...... oh Sorry Mick, I'll get me coat!

[rareposter]

Can I just say .............. and something I've said many times on this board ............. if you want to go to - for instance - cross the Severn Bridge, or ride the Cheddar Gorge or cross Dartmoor, or even go to Cape Wrath ..................
................. Is to do a separate ride for each of them.

If you want to do an End2End, just do and End2End. Do it efficiently and do it well. It's a long way.
If you want to go on a tour, just go on a tour and go where you want to go.
You can't do it all in one go.

This board is a Land's End to John O'Groats board, not the Touring and Expedition board.

LEJOG is just a subset of a Tour. Part of the interest in it for many (judging by the sheer number of "rate my route" requests on here) is doing it via whatever particular landmarks they want to see or stopping at a friend's house etc.

Technically, a route that follows the coast from LE to JOG (via Dover or via Fishguard) is still a LEJOG.

The only proviso I'd make on it is that it should be one tour - not for example LE to Bristol, train home and then a month later come back and do Bristol to Liverpool, then train home and a month later do Liverpool to Edinburgh etc. That's not LEJOG, that's a series of separate tours (IMHO). But each to their own I guess.

[Dingdong]

Thanks again guys. We will be in a group of 8 and will be thorough before rush hour, so it shouldn't be a problem, but I do like the back road option out of Tiverton to Taunton

Have you thought about a talk back walkie talkie system? We used one in a group of ten, it was really excellent in heavy traffic.

[Dingdong]

Bluetooth, I think you can pair up to 16 devices with it.

[nickyboy]

I think the general view is that you're better to take the relief road to the W of Carlisle rather than Carlisle town centre. Particularly the case as your route N of Penrith is already W of the A6

[RickH]

Day 5 - Nantwich to Burton in Kendal

Unless you you want the experience of the high moorland crossing at Cross O'Greet north of Slaidburn (a stunning but hard road on a good day, rather grim & isolated in bad weather), I would turn left & left again at the A666 just north of Blackburn & go through Ribchester, Longridge & then more-or-less track the motorway & railway on the little, quiet lanes there. Distancewise it saves you a mile or two but it does shed over 1700 ft (over 500m) of ascent.

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/384011
(If it doesn't automatically do so, make sure the routing is set to "paved only".)

[turborat]

Day 5 - Nantwich to Burton in Kendal

Unless you you want the experience of the high moorland crossing at Cross O'Greet north of Slaidburn (a stunning but hard road on a good day, rather grim & isolated in bad weather), I would turn left & left again at the A666 just north of Blackburn & go through Ribchester, Longridge & then more-or-less track the motorway & railway on the little, quiet lanes there. Distancewise it saves you a mile or two but it does shed over 1700 ft (over 500m) of ascent.

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/384011
(If it doesn't automatically do so, make sure the routing is set to "paved only".)

Thanks so much for that advice, if we can save that much climbing that will help!!

TR