So with less than 3 days to ‘clip-in’ (Gulp!) I thought I would look outline the route in some detail so you can see what I’ve planned. This isn’t the most direct route as we wanted to make sure we actually saw some of the country, not just the fasted and flattest A roads of Great Britain. A lot of this route takes in the cycle network routes, so it’s not all on road and, although much slower, will give us the chance to get away from cars, trucks and idiots.
The route has taken me about 6 months to plan with literally every road being examined and checked before putting in on the route. It’s been difficult, and I’ve struggled to find the elusive, quiet, yet flat, fast and well tarmaced B roads. Basically, A Roads are flat and fast. B roads meander over massive hills and often haven’t been repaved for decades. There are no exceptions it appears, anyway …
Day 1. Penzance to Lands End to Golant YHA. after shuffling down on the sleeper train, avoiding the onboard bar, we have a fairly hilly 60 mile day to Golant through some quiet Cornish lanes. Penzance have a festival on, so might stop there for a breakfast.
Day 2 Golant to Exeter. One of my highlights of the whole tour. It’s one of the shortest days distance-wise, but probably the most difficult save for the penultimate day in Scotland. From Golant we shimmy around the Fowey Estuary and then head full bore straight over Dartmoor. The scenery looks amazing, long trafficless roads stretching to the horizon. There’s a lot of climbing to do though, somewhere in the region of over 7000 feet in one day (that’s two alpe d’heuz!). I’m hoping the scenery and numerous donkeys with spur us on though, and maybe tow us up a few of the hills.
Day 3 Exeter to Cheddar YHA. A bit of a ‘connector’ day, looks to be flatter and it’ll be nice to get away from the hills of Devon and Cornwall and into Somerset. We’re basically following the M5, so probably a lack of photo opportunities.I’m looking forward to going to Cheddar again, I always like it there. We’re not travelling up the gorge, but if there’s anything left in my legs and we get there early enough I might have a sprackle up and down it!
Day 4 Cheddar to Brecon YHA. A very flat first 30 miles, then into Wales, where is becomes very un-flat. The highlights are going to be crossing the Severn on the M42 (which apparently you can do), and the long climb up to our base at Brecon. There are going to be some sort legs.
Day 5 Brecon and Telford. We literally go round the Wrekin before getting to our final location which is aCountry Club by the M54. Apparently they are going to let us use a Board Room for our bikes! Should be nice heading up through the Malverns.
Day 6 Telford to Glossop. We’re stopping with Anna’s sister in Glossop, the lovely Stella and Mew (cat). Nothing exciting springs to mind on this day.
Day 7 Glossop to Kettlewell. I’m looking forward to this day. The plan is to stop off in Hebden Bridge, about halfway. We’re following a cycle network path most of the morning following the Rochdale canal, which appears to be a rather picturesque route. Hebden Bridge, is a cycling mad town with proper cafes, and huge hills either side. After a hearty luch we head into the Dales, quite roads, sheep, dry stone walls, postman pat etc, stopping in Kettlewell.
Day 8 Kettlewell to Alston starts with a difficult morning in the north Dales, before heading right up the centre of England to Alston. Don’t know much about this day, basically the only YHA I could find within striking distance of the north dales.
Day 9 Alston to Wooller, skirting around NorthumberlandNational Park. It looks like it’ll be full of midges due to lakes and forests, I reckon this is where I’m going to get my firstseries of bites. Nice scenery though and the roads lookerelatively quiet. Should be a nice day in the saddle.
Day 10 Wooller to Edinburgh This will be another highlight, and the day that takes us across the boarder into Scotland. We’ve to traverse the stunning B6355 for about 20 miles. (that sounded a bit Alan Partridge), a road which seems to have been forgotten, and that I have failed to find a car on on Google street view. This is our first evening in a non-YHA hostel, and hopefully won’t be as loud as the website appears to show it. I like Edinburgh so I’m looking forward to a walk around and a refreshing pint of Buckfast.
Day 11 Edinburgh to Pitlochry. This day finds us poking our further into the interior of untamed Scotland. The morning will be a series of rat-runs on a cycle path before heading rudely north over the Firth of Forth road bridge with the obligatory photo stop of course. Perth will be our stop for lunch, and then onwards. There are various lochs and firths north of Edinburgh, and it should be okay once we are in the afternoon.
Day 12 Pitlochry to Nethy Bridge takes us around theCaringorms and into Nethy Bridge along a dedicated cycle path for nearly all of the day alongside the A9. This could be a nice day, we stay on the outskirts of the stunning Cairngorms which will be visible all day and won’t have to do any serious climbing. The proximity to the busy A9 might put a bit of a dampner on it, but I’m looking forward to a day without traffic! We are staying with Anna’s old neighbours Sandra and Dick, who are thoughtfully putting us up in their house.
Day 13 Nethy Bridge to Helmsdale. This day is flagged as being the hardest in my book. The distance is going to be over 100 miles and much of it will be headed north east along the coast. A head or cross wind off the North Sea and I might cry. Hopefully, the amazing coastal views and countryside will keep us going. Along with about a dozen energy gels and coffee.
Day 14 Helmsdale to John O’Groats (to Thurso) The beauty of a long day 13 is a short day 14. 50 miles to JOG, although we do then have a 20 mile ride to Thurso. Monique and Dave are meeting us there and (although they don’t know it yet) will be taking our bags for us to Thurso. This day follows the coast all the way. It looks really quiet and hopefully the wind will be with us and the Scottish weather gods will be kind so we can sail into JOG with happy smiles on our faces. There are only 3 hours of darkness in Thurso on 12 July, between just after midnight and 3am. Therefore I’m expecting a suitable nice of revelry, before climbing into bed at the austerely fronted SandrasGuest House. Which looks like it’s been carved out of granite.
So that’s it! Looks easy doesn’t it. 1013.5 miles, 55,000 feet of climbing. … SHIT!
And here’s the link to what we are doing it for. Thanks. Gx
Http://www.justgiving.com/teams/LEJOG4
