Cycling UK Forum

I'm planning an 8-day charity JOGLE, and considering routing via Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. I've not heard of anyone else doing this route. I like to be different, want to visit Ireland - and think an unusual route is more likely to attract publicity and charity donations (I'd be fundraising for Arthritis Research UK; my eldest daughter has arthritis, and was diagnosed aged 8 ). I want a quick but enjoyable and of course overall safe route - avoiding dual carriageways completely.

I'd love to get any thoughts on this route, or hear of anyone that's cycled this way before.

Day 1 - John O'Groats to Inverness - approx 146 miles
* via Tongue / Loch Loyal / Loch Shin (A836)
Day 2 - Inverness to Balloch (Loch Lomond) - approx 150 miles
* via B852 (south shore of Loch Ness), A82, B8004 (Caledonian Canal), A82
Day 3 - Balloch to Cairnryan - approx 120 miles
* via A82, B789 past Loch Thom, A78, B746, A79, A77
FERRY CAIRNRYAN TO LARNE
Day 4 - Larne to Dublin - approx 139 miles
* via A57, Lough Neagh, Craigavon, Newry Canal, B113, R132, R166, Drogheda, R132
Day 5 - Dublin to Rosslare - approx 101 miles
* via coast (including R118, R119, R761, R750, R772, R740)
FERRY ROSSLARE TO PEMBROKE
Day 6 - Pembroke to Gloucester - approx 144 miles
* via unnumbered roads to St. Clears and Carmarthen, B4300, A4069, unnumbered road to Trecastle, A40, Brecon, B4558, Crickhowell, B4347, A49, A40.
Day 7 - Gloucester to Barnstaple - approx 140 miles
* via national route 41/cycletrack, A38, A39, Lynmouth, B3234, A39.
Day 8 - Barnstaple to Land's End - approx 131 miles
* via B3233, A386 to Landcross, A388, unnumbered roads, A392, A3075, unnumbered road, B3302, coast road, B3315

I'd aim to do this, at the earliest, in June 2015.

What are the best navigation aids for a route like this?

First thought from me is that they're impressive daily mileages!

That's got me thinking about doing a Lands End-Mizen-Malin-John O'Groats tour at some time.

For navigation I'd simply buy a £2 supermarket road atlas as I find the scale acceptable for cycling.

Your daily mileage objectives are monumental. Those mileages would be comfortable on a motorcycle, but I think they’d be hard to attain for most cyclists.

BruceF wrote:Your daily mileage objectives are monumental. Those mileages would be comfortable on a motorcycle, but I think they’d be hard to attain for most cyclists.

I wouldn't go as far as 'monumental', although it's intended to be a challenge rather than a holiday

I know I can already happily sustain 15 mph for 8-10 hours without feeling any after effects (admittedly haven't tried it back-to-back yet), or I can do 20 mph for up to a couple of hours - so far. I'm aiming to build my average speed up to close on 18 mph over a day, but even at 15 mph the longest day would still only be 10 hours in the saddle. I'm aiming to start early each day, fitting in a couple of hours before breakfast, and not expecting to stop and enjoy the scenery all that much. On the first day, I'd aim to leave Duncansby Head after doing sunrise photos, sunrise being just a shade after 4 a.m. early in June.

A search shows quite a few people that have done six or seven day LEJOGs or JOGLEs on a route not much shorter than mine.

There was someone on the original CTC forum who did this the other way around. He used the Swansea to Cork ferry (I believe no longer running) but which was far more convenient. It is a ride I have been considering doing but not this year.

With the daily mileage you are considering I can see the need to use A roads but am confused as to why you would want to go from Brecon to Gloucester. You would be better heading down to Chepstow, crossing on the Severn Bridge, follow the estuary down to Avonmouth then use the cycle track alongside the M5 bridge to get into Somerset. From Gordano use the Avon Cycleway and Strawberry Line cycle track to near Axbridge. This has to save you around 30 miles on your route.

iolair wrote:

BruceF wrote:Your daily mileage objectives are monumental. Those mileages would be comfortable on a motorcycle, but I think they’d be hard to attain for most cyclists.

I wouldn't go as far as 'monumental', although it's intended to be a challenge rather than a holiday

I know I can already happily sustain 15 mph for 8-10 hours without feeling any after effects (admittedly haven't tried it back-to-back yet), or I can do 20 mph for up to a couple of hours - so far. I'm aiming to build my average speed up to close on 18 mph over a day, but even at 15 mph the longest day would still only be 10 hours in the saddle. I'm aiming to start early each day, fitting in a couple of hours before breakfast, and not expecting to stop and enjoy the scenery all that much. On the first day, I'd aim to leave Duncansby Head after doing sunrise photos, sunrise being just a shade after 4 a.m. early in June.

A search shows quite a few people that have done six or seven day LEJOGs or JOGLEs on a route not much shorter than mine.

Good luck managing 15mph average in Cornwall after cycling 150miles for 7 previous days.

I did LEJOG in 7 days doing the same mileage as you are looking at. I ended up cycling from 6am till around 9pm most days including stops with a few days pushing up to 11pm as it was raining and moral was low.

Another note is that I don't think I could of done it by myself. I was the fastest and fittest by quite a way (did it with my parents that are pushing 50) but even so I had low points that you rely on your mates to pick you up and give you the support to push on.

bikepacker wrote:With the daily mileage you are considering I can see the need to use A roads but am confused as to why you would want to go from Brecon to Gloucester. You would be better heading down to Chepstow, crossing on the Severn Bridge, follow the estuary down to Avonmouth then use the cycle track alongside the M5 bridge to get into Somerset. From Gordano use the Avon Cycleway and Strawberry Line cycle track to near Axbridge. This has to save you around 30 miles on your route.

Thanks, that's great information. I'd actually not realised that there was a cycle path on the Severn Bridge. And Chepstow looks like it has some good accommodation options.

After some playing with routes, Days 6, 7, 8 would then look something like
Day 6 - Pembroke to Chepstow - approx 130 miles
Day 7 - Chepstow to Bideford - approx 122 miles
Day 8 - Bideford to LE - approx 126 miles

iolair wrote:

bikepacker wrote:With the daily mileage you are considering I can see the need to use A roads but am confused as to why you would want to go from Brecon to Gloucester. You would be better heading down to Chepstow, crossing on the Severn Bridge, follow the estuary down to Avonmouth then use the cycle track alongside the M5 bridge to get into Somerset. From Gordano use the Avon Cycleway and Strawberry Line cycle track to near Axbridge. This has to save you around 30 miles on your route.

Thanks, that's great information. I'd actually not realised that there was a cycle path on the Severn Bridge. And Chepstow looks like it has some good accommodation options.

After some playing with routes, Days 6, 7, 8 would then look something like
Day 6 - Pembroke to Chepstow - approx 130 miles
Day 7 - Chepstow to Bideford - approx 122 miles
Day 8 - Bideford to LE - approx 126 miles

On the opposite side of the Severn Bridge to Chepstow at the Aust Services, there is a Travelodge. They are used to E2E cyclists and allow bikes in the room. If you can book in advance you may get a good deal.

Day 4 Larne to Dublin - The A57 is not the best of roads to ride along. There is also a charity event over here called the Maracycle which is 108miles from Belfast to Dublin (city centres) via Newry. information on it can be found here http://www.cooperationireland.org/maracycle although I could not see a route as such for it. It is running a bit early for your challenge but if you can find the route it may help with directions over here.