7 day LEJOG

[fossala]

I'm looking at doing a 7 day LEJOG with a few family members on June 2nd and we still don't have a route.

Does anyone have one or could help me organise one? I want to go fairly directly but don't mind going slightly out of my way to get the quieter road.

Cheers.

[notlobgp14]

Go on Google Maps Le to Jog Walking Follow that route. Or do some research, the Shortest Route is The Shortest Route.

[Mick F]

Seven days is fast.
Some would say too fast.

You need to get out of Cornwall and Devon as simply as possible, so (sadly) the best way is A30 all the way to Exeter.
From there, head north on the B3181 (the old A38) and join the A38 further north and follow that through Bristol and to at least Gloucester.
You need to get over to the west to join the A49 and head north via Ludlow and Whitchurch, then Warrington and Wigan to join the A6 just short of Preston.

Follow that to Carlisle and then the Old A74 to Moffat, then out via Lanark and cross the Forth Road Bridge by heading up through Broxburn and to the west of Edinburgh.
From there, go north through Inverkeithing and Cowdenbeath then Kelty, Glen Farg and enter Perth.
Join the A9 and keep going over the Grampians.
Cross the Kessock Bridge at Inverness and continue on the A9 to Latheron and join the A99 to JOG.

[Paulatic]

Shortest way from Moffat to Forth bridge us up the A701. No need to go round by Lanark.

[Mick F]

Yep. Agree .............. but
...... shortest isn't quickest.

It's speed they need, not fewer miles.

Same as my advice regarding the A30 to Exeter.
Much shorter to go over Dartmoor, or perhaps via Okehampton to Crediton/Tiverton.

[fossala]

Thanks guy's. Just quickly my planned stops are here.
LE to Tiverton - 124miles
Tiverton to Worcester - 123miles
Worcester to Blackburn* - 123miles
Blackburn* to Lockerbie - 112miles
Lockerbie to Perth - 103miles
Perth to Inverness - 114miles
Inverness to John O Groats 117miles

I'm going to work out the routes on Saturday and I'll post them up here.

*I know blackburn is a 12ish mile detour but I have grandparents up there that means free bed and hot meal .

[toontra]

Far be it for me to disagree with Mick but I would also recommend the A701 from Moffat to Embra. I've tried most of the routes in that section and found the 701 is not only the quickest but the prettiest & is always a highlight of the ride. It will be part of my 5-day route in June.

[Paulatic]

I am not going to argue with Mick F either having never ridden via Lanark to Edinburgh. I live near Moffat and have never even considered going that way. I would say the advantage of the A701 is there is no navigating required and it is, for an A road, a quiet road. Once you've got to the top of the beef tub, takes me about 50 mins, it is down hill for miles.
I usually go via Gordon Arms, Innerleithen, super countryside very quiet roads just a lot hillier .

[Mick F]

Hi guys!

I never said Lanark to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh is too far east, so you have to hit the FRB from the west.
Speed is of the essence.

[toontra]

Ah! Apologies due, Mick I knew there must have been a good reason for your suggestion!

[Paulatic]

Ah right, I see that will make a difference apologies for my missing the detail. Looking at that route, unless you are a fast climber, I would come out of Moffat back to Route74 at Beattock and not over Greenhillstairs. Maybe a mile longer, depends on which end of town you are staying, but you aren't climbing just to loose it on a descent with a bend that you've to brake for. I've some 15yo brake blocks tell you I hate braking lol.

[Mick F]

The trouble with the route I illustrated above, it has to be where it is because there is a paucity of roads there, the ones that are there don't go direct enough.
The little wiggles near Lanark is a case in point.

When they built the FRB, it had to be where it is because of geography and not because of North/South roads. The "direct" route from the top of the M6 to Inverness, is via M74, M73, M80, A9 and not via the FRB.

There is merit of going up the centre, but you need to keep away from Glasgow ................ possibly right up Old A74 to Larkhall/Hamilton and then diagonally through Cumbernauld and Stirling and joining the A9.