Off Road LEJOG - Cycling UK route?

[TomNapper]

Hey gang,

I've seen an article from 2018 explaining that Cycling UK were working on a completely off road version of LEJOG. Is anyone able to give me an update? I can't find anything else about it online so I assume Covid threw a giant spanner in the proceedings.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/cycling- ... n-o-groats

Cheers,

Tom

[Paulatic]

Make your own route to the Peak District and then follow The Great North Trail https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/great-n ... cape-wrath

[Jdsk]

Welcome.

I'd ask the author directly. They're very good at responding quickly.

campaigns@CyclingUK.org

Jonathan

[mattheus]

Welcome.

I'd ask the author directly. They're very good at responding quickly.

campaigns@CyclingUK.org

Jonathan

Sounds a good idea.

I was going to suggest asking ffinlo Kilner for the route he rode (in that article), but it sounds .... sub-optimal based on this account:
https://www.mbuk.com/articles/reader-st ... n-ogroats/
Great story though!

I doubt that an official off-road Le-Jog route is happening. It's a long way, and it would be fortuitous if you could make it work without quite a bit of tarmac (or crappy boggy bits or footpaths with stiles etc).
Maybe ask the GBDuro bunch to borrow their route? Lots of tarmac, but sounds a stunning ride.

[TomNapper]

Welcome.

I'd ask the author directly. They're very good at responding quickly.

campaigns@CyclingUK.org

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan, my next move was going to be asking directly but figured the forum was here to stop hundreds of emails about trails! Good to know!

[TomNapper]

Make your own route to the Peak District and then follow The Great North Trail https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/great-n ... cape-wrath

Thanks Paulatic. Yeah I've got my sights on the Great North Trail as a friend just uttered the words "if you want to visit Scotland you should probably cycle there..." Now to work out the first half.

[TomNapper]

I was going to suggest asking ffinlo Kilner for the route he rode (in that article), but it sounds .... sub-optimal based on this account:
https://www.mbuk.com/articles/reader-st ... n-ogroats/
Great story though!

Thanks Mattheus, yeah there are a few accounts of folk doing their own versions. I'm going to reach out and see if Cycling UK want any of their route tested. Maybe I can make myself useful.

Cheers,

Tom

[rareposter]

Maybe ask the GBDuro bunch to borrow their route? Lots of tarmac, but sounds a stunning ride.

There's a few sections of hike-a-bike in that GBDuro route. Notably, it goes up Great Dun Fell and then just - off the other side. Proper full on trackless wandering.

Couple of random bits in Wales too where you're really not on any discernible track. But yes, the basics of it are sound.

I think if you want to make it as off-road as possible, canal towpaths will end up being your friend for connections but they do wander quite a bit sometimes - the fact that they follow contours means they're rarely the most direct path and they can vary from excellent gravel or tarmac surface through to indistinct muddy tracks.

Great North Trail is the obvious choice from the Peak District northwards.