Vaguely thinking about doing Lands End to Bristol this Autumn but now looks like I would only have two days in which to do it. Anyone done it in this time? Routes?? is it unrealistic? I have done a few 100mile + days but not back to back.
I did it in three, using a not particularly direct route, so I'm sure it's possible. Are you up to successive hilly century rides?
Not done it, but the A30 makes for a stressful cycling experience. I'd take some quieter, although hillier roads.
Sound like a good adventure though.
Having done LEJOG I'd say its doable in 2 days but it wont be a lot of fun.
Is there a specific reason you want to do that route?
Given two days to pack in some good road miles I'd head somewhere different, or,still head to Lands End but do Lands End to Plymouth via the coastal routes or similar.
Pounding straight up the A30 is a horrible horrible route. That said, once you're at Exeter and you hit the A38 its much more pleasant.
I did LE to Bath in 2 without a problem, we barely touched the A30. LE to Okehampton on Day 1, Oke to Bath on Day 2. Bristol wouldn't be much more on top of that.
It's a great thing to go to a significant geographical point and ride home (presuming the OP lives in Bristol).
CRazy legs, do you have a route log?
I did it in 3. That is the hilliest section of the trip. Or at least the minor-roads route I used is.
I'd find two days character building for sure. But if you're only going as far as Bristol I guess that's not so bad.
Having done LEJOG I'd say its doable in 2 days but it wont be a lot of fun.
I did it in less than 2.
It was fine and I enjoyed it a lot.
Day 1 Lands end to Tiverton.
Day 2 Tiverton to Ledbury via Bristol.
Start early ,finish early.
Speaking from experience of two JOGLE (not LEJOG) expeditions and other rides over the years, I'd say that 2 days is do-able.
The Sustrans routes are really pleasant and I'd thoroughly recommend a route using these. This was a big difference between doing the run in 2001 and 2009.
Be warned that the Sustrans routes are generally slower and there are some unsurfaced sections south of Taunton (canal) and Truro (moors / old mine tracks) from memory. This has to be balanced against a much lovelier experience of the scenery and lack of traffic - but do consider wider tyres than the 23c ones I last used.
The route from Plymouth > Oakehampton > Tiverton is easier IMO than the South Hams alternative.
I'd also suggest following the coastal B-roads from Truro > Fowey > Plymouth, as they are flatter, quieter and speedier than a quick glance at the map might indicate.
Whichever way you go, don't bother with the A30 (bitter experience).
CRazy legs, do you have a route log?
It's on my Strava. I might still have the gpx files on my Garmin too. Will have a look later tonight, if you pop your email address on here I'll send them over or a link to my Strava profile.
It's 200 miles. It's doable in a day if you really wanted.
We did LE to Slimbridge (15 miles North of Bristol) for the first two days of our LEJOG route. Stayed at Great Torrington overnight.
The a30 has cycle diversions in place check if your route goes that way
LEJOG is doable in 2 days, bit of a stretch though
Indeed. Whilst 200 miles in a day is within reach of most people if they really want to.
You'll have more chance of being alive at the end if you avoid the A30.
Depends when you do the A30. I used some of it on mine but was on an early Sunday start so it was fine. Two days doable, we stayed Okehampton on the first night, then just North of Bristol the second.
Of course it's doable, the question is whether it's doable for the OP 🙂
If you can do 100 miles without feeling trashed at the end of it, you can do it. It's probably worth pencilling in a 100-miler or two beforehand with shorter rides first thing the following day (big ride on Sunday, commute on Monday?) just to get in the swing of it.
The big decision is the route: broadly, the quieter roads are very hilly and tiring, while the flatter roads are terrifying. (Some, perhaps even most, of the absolute scariest moments I've ever had on a bicycle were courtesy of the good folk of the West Country.) If you use a decent route tool like RideWithGPS or whatever, you can take note of the route profile. Don't underestimate the hills of Devon and Cornwall.
If you value enjoying it or your own health and safety then don't ride along the A30.
It is a brilliant ride if you follow the back lanes, weather or not you can do it is a personal thing. It is very very hilly on some of the back lane routes.
We did it in one push a few years ago. Last train from Temple Meads down to Penzance then a lift in the back of a T5/open top bus with a chippie (nice).
Started from LE at midnight. Had a couple of good stops (had a 20 minute kip at one), got half a pizza from drunk people in Newquay near 3am, met a man covered in blood in the middle of nowhere at 4am, sun came out, everyone enjoying. Last 30 miles into Bristol were an arse as my GPS died, everyone was knackered, we had no idea what route to take etc.
Avon Gorge just before 17:00. Chippie, lots of good beer, SLEEEEP.
Over 2 would be much more enjoyable but you'd miss all the witching hour antics!
We stayed north but can't find any notes for the route. Enjoy!
EDIT: We took all the nice wee back lanes along the north side of the peninsula. It was 230 miles all in and loads of climbing.
of course it is
beauty.
of course it is.
'kin ell. I struggle to maintain that pace for 100Km 😯
Please don't do it on the A30 - too many JOGLE people have been killed on that road. If you want a relatively direct but slightly safer route, the 'old A30' runs almost alongside it for a fair stretch from Launceston to Exeter.