Which Lejog route do we choose?

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
Rachelelisabeth
Posts: 2
Joined: 13 Aug 2022, 2:07pm

Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Rachelelisabeth »

We, dutch couple , 51&55, on 1Ebike and 1 Koga Myata, want to try the U.K. Lejog route... We're used to take camping gear with us. After biking to Rome, Nice and Pisa the last three years we'd love a new experience!
* Can you tell me the difference between the Cicerone and the Sustrans route book?
* Would an E-bike have trouble charging on the route?
* Is there any service for bringing bikes (back) to start & end?( In Holland we're spoilt with a dutch firm who collects bikes on several points in Europe that bring your bikes back to your home address, allowing you to make a one way ride easily..)
Thanks in advance!!!
Ron
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Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Ron »

I don't know about the Cicerone guides, but Sustrans routes often follow a circuitous route, and may go off road on to poorly surfaced paths. The overall distance covered on the Sustrans route is likely to be longer than any route you would select for yourselves. Many just make up a route which passes through areas that appeal to their personal tastes, there are countless options available.
There is not a network of e bike charging points in the UK, but if you were to take your own transformer with a 13 amp square pin plug on it, or an adaptor to plug in to our 13 amp sockets I would hope you would get a charge from camp sites etc.
There is no national bike transport service equivalent to the system you describe in NL. I would say the majority of End to End cyclists use the train to get between their homes and the ends of the LE/JOG journey. As they will be travelling in the same trains as their bikes, there is no requirement for packaging of any sort, but advance booking is usually required if we wish to take bikes on trains.
nosmarbaj
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Joined: 17 Aug 2011, 3:02pm
Location: West Berks

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by nosmarbaj »

[Cross-posted with Ron]
Well, as no-one else has responded, I'll have a go - but others may have much more up-to-date information than I do.
Rachelelisabeth wrote: 13 Aug 2022, 2:30pm We, dutch couple , 51&55, on 1Ebike and 1 Koga Myata, want to try the U.K. Lejog route... We're used to take camping gear with us. After biking to Rome, Nice and Pisa the last three years we'd love a new experience!
* Can you tell me the difference between the Cicerone and the Sustrans route book?
I haven't read either of these, but Sustrans have a reputation for sometimes recommending routes that are suitable only for MTBs, or which deviate excessively to avoid busy roads. If you look through posts on this forum, you'll find many suggested routes.
* Would an E-bike have trouble charging on the route?
If you intend to camp, then it might not be easy. I assume you need a 230V power supply, which you generally won't get on a tent pitch at a camp site (and obviously not if you're wild camping). It partly depends on how long it takes to charge - if very quick you might be able to charge while stopped in a cafe or pub, assuming the battery can be dismounted from the bike.
* Is there any service for bringing bikes (back) to start & end?( In Holland we're spoilt with a dutch firm who collects bikes on several points in Europe that bring your bikes back to your home address, allowing you to make a one way ride easily..)
Not that I know of. Getting to Land's End is fairly easy from major cities, especially London - there's a direct fast train to Penzance, which is about 17km from LE. You do need to book the bikes on the train in advance. From JOG it's more difficult - there are trains southbound from Wick, but again you need to book bikes, and you may find it's not easy to do this as there will be others trying to do the same thing. An option if you want a little more cycling, is to go to Gills Bay (7km), ferry to Orkney, cycle to Kirkwall (32km), ferry to Aberdeen (departs around midnight). Aberdeen is a city with good transport links to the south.
Rachelelisabeth
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Joined: 13 Aug 2022, 2:07pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Rachelelisabeth »

Thanks for answers and info! For now I ordered both route-books, just to have a good time reading in advance, and see the amount of cafe's and pubs on the road, as charging possibilities ..
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Tigerbiten
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Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Tigerbiten »

All big and most small campsites have electrical hook ups for caravans/campervans and "posh" camping.
As long as one is free and you're willing to pay the extra charge then you can charge your bike off one overnight.
You will need the "blue waterproof" plug which is the standard for outside power in the UK.
Main downside of this plug is it's fairly bulky.
Then either run the power cord into your tent and charge in there.
Or fit a waterproof cover over the bikes and charge there.
I've seen both ways done on my travels.

Luck ........... :D
Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Jamesh »

Quite often you'll find a power point in a farmhouse/ outhouse etc ask the owner if it's ok.

Perhaps offer to pay a pound or two.
cycle tramp
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Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by cycle tramp »

Personally if I was planning on LeJog again, I would plan my own route and I would use the Sustrans lejog route as a starting point..
..Certainly the surfaces of Sustrans routes can range from the lovely and smooth to the very bumpy. However I do use 26 x 1.75 tyres, so comfort is a matter of tyre pressure...
..I know from my experience of Cornwall, when I did Lejog I would have sooner taken the South route which runs through Mousehole and past St Michael's Mount rather than take the route on the Northern coast...
..But if you took the Strawberry line from Cheddar through the Mendip Hills you would have missed the atmospheric climb through Cheddar gorge..
..that said after I'd rather take any Sustrans route rather than take the A1 (I think) which runs past Loch Ness, which for almost two days was nothing but a constant stream of traffic trying to overtake me as closely as possible..
Certainly I think to get the best out of Lejog you do have to do a fair degree of research. But I don't think it has to be a choice of either route, but with some careful consideration the best of both.
It's time to go :-)
Ron
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Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 9:07pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Ron »

cycle tramp wrote: 8 Sep 2022, 9:50pm than take the A1 (I think) which runs past Loch Ness,
If it was the A1 it wasn't Loch Ness.
If it was Loch Ness, it looks as if you had chosen the north side with the heavy fast traffic rather than the south side with lighter traffic but more gradients.
cycle tramp
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Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by cycle tramp »

Rachelelisabeth wrote: 13 Aug 2022, 2:30pm We, dutch couple , 51&55, on 1Ebike and 1 Koga Myata, want to try the U.K. Lejog route... We're used to take camping gear with us. After biking to Rome, Nice and Pisa the last three years we'd love a new experience!
Thanks in advance!!!
One other thing and it might be worth considering, is that if you are used to cycling in a culture which welcomes the bicycle... you're going to find cycling on British roads a more hostile environment. Alot of motorists don't like cyclists and some even react badly around them. When I did Lejog over 3 weeks I had four incidents in which I had some sort of altercation with can, car and once even a pick up truck. I'm British so I'm used to it. If you're not used to it, this threat of aggression might spoil your tour... in which case I would recommend researching the Sustrans routes which are off road or on quieter lanes.
It's time to go :-)
rareposter
Posts: 1964
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by rareposter »

Rachelelisabeth wrote: 13 Aug 2022, 2:30pm We, dutch couple , 51&55, on 1Ebike and 1 Koga Myata, want to try the U.K. Lejog route... We're used to take camping gear with us. After biking to Rome, Nice and Pisa the last three years we'd love a new experience!
* Can you tell me the difference between the Cicerone and the Sustrans route book?
* Would an E-bike have trouble charging on the route?
* Is there any service for bringing bikes (back) to start & end?( In Holland we're spoilt with a dutch firm who collects bikes on several points in Europe that bring your bikes back to your home address, allowing you to make a one way ride easily..)
Thanks in advance!!!
I would go with the Cicerone route as the "guide" although I'd have a think about what landmarks, towns etc you'd like to see while you're over here and alter it accordingly to accommodate those. The Cicerone guide does list fully rideable routes even on road bikes, Sustrans (I know from experience) quite often has paths or sections that are really only suitable for a mountain bike or passable in dry weather...

Charging - depends on where you're staying. Most of the budget hotels in the UK (Travelodge, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn) will let you take bikes into your room so easy to plug in there. Camping, you'll usually find a socket somewhere but it may not be the easiest to access. Very basic campsites, you may have to resort to asking a nearby pub or something so it's worth some research in advance.

Getting to Penzance is fairly easy on trains from London and you can book the bike on. Then it's about 16km to Lands End.
Getting back from JOG is more tricky; over the years there have been some bike taxi services to Inverness but they're expensive. You can ride to Thurso or Wick (both about 20km) and get the train to Inverness. Again, you'll have to book the bike on but ScotRail, especially in that area, are very used to bikes and it's generally not an issue. But you will almost certainly have to travel with them; outside of organised tours there are not the options to have the bike couriered to the start and back from the finish, at least not without very considerable expense. Note as well that you can't fly with e-bikes.
cycle tramp wrote: 9 Sep 2022, 10:45pm
One other thing and it might be worth considering, is that if you are used to cycling in a culture which welcomes the bicycle... you're going to find cycling on British roads a more hostile environment.
It's worth noting that comment too - most British cyclists, on riding on the continent, are astonished at the wide smooth bike paths and the considerate motorists. Most continental cyclists, on riding in the UK, are astonished at the reverse - how truly appalling some of the roads, cycle facilities and driving standards actually are!
nickyboy
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Joined: 17 Feb 2020, 5:54pm

Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by nickyboy »

To provide some element of balance, we did LEJOG last year on a route of our own making which was largely small lanes and B roads

Other than one small issue in Taunton at morning rush hour, I don't recall any problems at all with any road traffic. Quite the contrary, we experienced polite and respectful drivers. I can only remember one poor road surface (the Peebles-Penicuik road)
ambodach
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Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by ambodach »

The main road up Loch Ness is the A82 or you can take the other side of the loch from Fort Augustus to Inverness which is less busy.
pwa
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Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by pwa »

nickyboy wrote: 12 Sep 2022, 9:44am To provide some element of balance, we did LEJOG last year on a route of our own making which was largely small lanes and B roads

Other than one small issue in Taunton at morning rush hour, I don't recall any problems at all with any road traffic. Quite the contrary, we experienced polite and respectful drivers. I can only remember one poor road surface (the Peebles-Penicuik road)
If you can be bothered, you might provide more details of your route because it sounds like one that others might consider doing.
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Paulatic
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Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by Paulatic »

pwa wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 8:22am ]
If you can be bothered, you might provide more details of your route because it sounds like one that others might consider doing.
Memory is a wonderful thing when it works :D
nickyboy wrote: 17 Feb 2020, 6:09pm We are doing LEJOG May 19 to May 29 this year. All the accommodation is booked. Basically going via Gloucester but then calling in at home in Glossop in the Peak District. Then we go via Edinburgh and Inverness

Our nightly stops are fixed. We have no problem with hills given where we normally ride so we are taking a lot of minor scenic (but lumpy) roads. I'd appreciate any comments on the route. We have tried to make it as short as possible whilst keeping off busy roads. I'd particularly like any comments on getting through/around the major towns and cities as they will hold us up if we aren't careful.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30824481 LE to Camelford
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30826375 Camelford to Wellington
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825370 Wellington to Gloucester
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825482 Gloucester to Crewe
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825535 Crewe to Glossop (half day)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31683794 Glossop to Tebay
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31374779 Tebay to Tushielaw
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825804 Tushielaw to Perth
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825884 Perth to Boat of Garten
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825961 Boat of Garten to Golspie (may go on the Nigg ferry though)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30826000 Golspie to JoG
Some days are missing though :(
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
pwa
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Re: Which Lejog route do we choose?

Post by pwa »

Paulatic wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 8:33am
pwa wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 8:22am ]
If you can be bothered, you might provide more details of your route because it sounds like one that others might consider doing.
Memory is a wonderful thing when it works :D
nickyboy wrote: 17 Feb 2020, 6:09pm We are doing LEJOG May 19 to May 29 this year. All the accommodation is booked. Basically going via Gloucester but then calling in at home in Glossop in the Peak District. Then we go via Edinburgh and Inverness

Our nightly stops are fixed. We have no problem with hills given where we normally ride so we are taking a lot of minor scenic (but lumpy) roads. I'd appreciate any comments on the route. We have tried to make it as short as possible whilst keeping off busy roads. I'd particularly like any comments on getting through/around the major towns and cities as they will hold us up if we aren't careful.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30824481 LE to Camelford
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30826375 Camelford to Wellington
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825370 Wellington to Gloucester
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825482 Gloucester to Crewe
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825535 Crewe to Glossop (half day)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31683794 Glossop to Tebay
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31374779 Tebay to Tushielaw
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825804 Tushielaw to Perth
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825884 Perth to Boat of Garten
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30825961 Boat of Garten to Golspie (may go on the Nigg ferry though)
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30826000 Golspie to JoG
Thanks, and well done for having a functioning memory.
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