LEJOG in 4 days

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
sionstansfield
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Joined: 24 May 2022, 7:48am

LEJOG in 4 days

Post by sionstansfield »

Hi there,

First time posting here - great to see such an active community on here talking about this amazing challenge.

I'm undertaking LEJOG next month - 4 of us riding it in 4 days (with a support vehicle) - between the 24th and the 27th June. Excited and nervous in equal measures.

We've created the routes - using as much intel as we can find in this forum - but as this is our first time riding many of the roads it would be amazing to get some feedback on any elements that might be improved.

We've got our accommodation booked each night so that's fixed.

Day 1 - https://www.strava.com/routes/2913386336725236072 - Lands End to Bristol
Day 2 - https://www.strava.com/routes/2913404044138416778 - Bristol to Lancaster
Day 3 - https://www.strava.com/routes/2913413709416317288 - Lancaster to Perth
Day 4 - https://www.strava.com/routes/2913419781614090300 - Perth to John O'Groats

Any insight much appreciated.

Cheers
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Mick F »

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I have done JOGLE twice, and also LEJOG and Back

Plus, I drove the support vehicle for half a dozen riders doing LEJOG in five days.
LE to Bristol on the first day circa 200miles.

They took the A30 all the way to Exeter, then the Old A38 out of the city - now the B3181 - to join the A38 for Bristol east of Tiverton.
From there .......... if my memory serves me correctly ........... via Gloucester, Worcester, then up via Bridgnorth and Telford, Whitchurch and Chester for the second night.
A49 via Warrington, and Wigan to Preston.
A6 to Carlisle and Old A74 to Moffat for the third night.
Then Lanark, Livingston and Broxburn and cross the Forth.
Inverkeithing, Kelty, Milnathort, Perth and onto the A9 to Kingussie for the fourth night.
Inverness, Wick and A99 to JOG.
Fifth night was in Thurso, where we drove them home.
Mick F. Cornwall
Jamesh
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Jamesh »

Is this 4 riding continuously or relay?

If the former kudos.

I cannot imagine doing 200miles in the first day through to Bristol!

Second day Shap at the end?!
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cycleruk
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by cycleruk »

Jamesh wrote: 27 May 2022, 6:13pm Is this 4 riding continuously or relay?
If the former kudos.
I cannot imagine doing 200miles in the first day through to Bristol!
Second day Shap at the end?!
Shap is early on the third day just above Kendal. :wink:

Third day, from Lancaster, I would go straight onto the A6 for speed. Your proposed route is more scenic and a bit lumpy especially as you drop back onto the A6 near Borwick. You've already had experience of the A6 from Preston the previous day.
Reference Kendal - the route shown after Hincaster goes onto the A590/591.
Really not recommended as the A591 is a very fast 70mph dual carriageway.
From Hincaster - Sedgewick - Natland - Kendal. A bit slower but a lot safer.
Or - if on the A591 have the support vehicle stay behind the cycle rider until into Kendal.!
It's a long time since I cycled in Kendal and there are good cycle paths but whether they are suitable for you I don't know. The A6 through Kendal can be busy and congested.
Suggested route :- https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39587129

What is the squiggle at Worcester ? :?

Good luck with your venture.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
Jamesh
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Jamesh »

Yeap I didn't find theA6 busy at all as you have the M6 next door.

Also why not the main road between Penrith and Carlisle? Though low hesketh? Much more direct?
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Paulatic
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Paulatic »

Jamesh wrote: 28 May 2022, 12:27am Yeap I didn't find theA6 busy at all as you have the M6 next door.

Also why not the main road between Penrith and Carlisle? Though low hesketh? Much more direct?
Yes it is direct and easily navigated but is it quicker?
As someone who has possibly ridden every route between Lancaster and Moffat I found the A6 Penrith > Carlisle, for me, slow. Reasons, for me, hilly and every damn traffic light through Carlisle on red. :D
The other waste of time, for me, is getting through Penrith. Traffic lights, unnecessary hill if you go in on the East side ( rugby club), unnecessary hill if you follow the one way system. I prefer https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39592798 and it even takes you past Cranstons Food Hall https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restauran ... gland.html
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Ron
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Ron »

We are invited to comment without being told what the route compiler was wanting to achieve, we must be told in order to comment constructively!
It's not the most level route or the shortest route or the lightest traffic route or the most direct route.
I can only think there is a wish to create a record for the most Strava segments covered in a LEJOG?
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Mick F
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Mick F »

Our OP posted his/her first and only post on Tuesday,
Today is Saturday. Four days later.

Please, OP, come back to us.
Mick F. Cornwall
sionstansfield
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Joined: 24 May 2022, 7:48am

Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by sionstansfield »

Hi all,

Firstly a huge thank you for all the responses. I've been reading them but on my phone and haven't been able to respond that way - can't log in for some reason (user error) - then had a crash on Sunday so have been trying to get bike fixed up ahead of LEJOG.

To provide some context, we're looking for routes that will be relatively fast - with the time being limited predominantly due to limited annual leave we're looking to take on a big challenge and hopefully raise some money for Mental Health UK along the way - but this does come at the expense of scenery sadly.

Mick F - you are an experienced LEJOG / JOGLE by the sounds of it, thank you for this intel.

Jamesh - 4 days continuously - I completed my first 300k day on Saturday so I'm certainly heading into the unknown but with some good friends + bad chat the miles should hopefully tick along.

Cycleruk / Paulatic / Jamesh - thank you for your thoughts on Day 3 - I believe that the GCN guys took the A6 past Carlisle and I saw a number of people on this forum afterwards suggest this was a mistake due to many traffic lights that make this road quite slow. Having personally never ridden up there I'm very much looking for the fastest route through.

Cycleruk - we will definitely have the option to have the support vehicle sat behind us at points - on closer inspection this section you've highlighted (thank you) between Hincaster + Kendal - the aim is that we will be on that section by 6am so hopefully beat the traffic but better safe than sorry! The squiggle at Worcester is dropping in for tea and cake at my parents house :-)

Paulatic - thanks for your comments on Penrith (plus that could be a great coffee stop - even looks like they're open on a Sunday!). Once you've made it to Newton Reigney do you have any recommendations on best route to progress from there as it looks like that might be taking us off west.

A huge thank you for all the comments - I look forward to carrying on the conversation.
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Paulatic
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Paulatic »

From NR my most used route goes via Dalston and then Peter Lane to get to ring road heading out North through Cargo for the Border.
Having said that, I reckon the fastest because of a level road is, from NR head for Catterlan > Left turn and then first right. You end up with the Mway on your RHS > Calthwaite > Durdar >Currock. A bit of city to deal with to get over the river but you’ve missed out all of London road if coming in on A6.
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Jamesh
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Jamesh »

I stopped fir breakfast at spoons in Carlisle do didn't notice the traffic lights. (Rubbish breakfast... Supermarkets cafes do a better breakfast!)

I'd go up the A6 along Portland place and onto the A7.
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Paulatic
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Paulatic »

Jamesh wrote: 31 May 2022, 8:16pm I stopped fir breakfast at spoons in Carlisle do didn't notice the traffic lights. (Rubbish breakfast... Supermarkets cafes do a better breakfast!)

I'd go up the A6 along Portland place and onto the A7.
You could well be right and it’s probably a close run thing. I’ve just plotted the routes and the A6 is 4 Km shorter to get to over the bridge. It’s also only 40 metres more climbing which surprised me as it always seems hillier.
Perhaps the other options appear quicker to me because the roads are narrower with more interest and time passes quicker.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

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nickyboy
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by nickyboy »

Couple of minor comments:

Lancaster - don't bother with the small diversion you take down to the Lune. Continue on Cable Street around the bus station and pick up Caton Road to your accommodation.

Tewitfield (Carnforth) - Kendal. Going via Burton in Kendal/Crooklands is same distance as your route and avoids the rather nasty dual carriageway section into Kendal

Dalston (Cumbria) - you sort of double back on yourself. There is a minor road that goes over a bridge direct into Dalston

Carlisle - the Western bypass is the quickest route (we did this last year) but you're route picks up cyclepaths. Forget these and ride on the road, it's fine and quick

A9 from Blair Atholl - you route on the A9 and not the cyclepath that runs alongside. In this case, I would definitely take the cyclepath. It's practically as quick as the road which is full of fast traffic
Ron
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by Ron »

As you appear relaxed to negotiate the A9 roundabouts and slip roads on the outskirts of Inverness, I would question why you would not join the A9 at Craggie and after a climb to Daviot Wood you could enjoy the downhill to the seaside rather than the tortuous NCN routing via Culloden.
Leaving the dual carriageway between North Kessock and Tore by means of a right turn is 'interesting'. If you are happy to cycle on a dual carriageway it would be as well to stay on it up to the Tore roundabout. If not happy to be on a dual carriageway then you could use the parallel NCN route between N. Kessock and Tore.
At Tore roundabout you might weigh up the motor traffic levels and choose to follow the A9 towards the Cromarty Firth Bridge rather than the longer but quieter route via Dingwall.
Not clear why you have taken the Old Evanton Road out of Dingwall, this road has a stiff climb and is of varying widths, not particularly attractive for "long distance in a hurry" cycling. The coast road (A862) is almost flat and does not carry a great deal of motor traffic until you get to the Cromarty Bridge roundabout where the A862 merges with the A9. if motor traffic on the day is overbearing you can take a left at Storehouse Point, and rejoin your chosen route towards Evanton. Or take second on the left which takes you directly in to Evanton.
sionstansfield
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Re: LEJOG in 4 days

Post by sionstansfield »

Thanks Ron, Nickyboy, Jamesh and Paulatic - some fantastic insight. I'll be sitting down with the routes this week and making adjustments to make this as fast but also as safe a route as possible.
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