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After a bit of tinkering I've got this down as our planned Lands End to John o' Groats route starting in a couple of weeks. Any last minute tweaks I should consider????
Day 0 (route from Penzance to LE for photo etc then same route back to Penzance before heading off next morning headed for Okehampton) - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1303342
Day 1 - Penzance to Okehampton - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1334408
Day 2 - Okehampton to Bristol - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1302596
Day 3 - Bristol to Clun - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1302859
Day 4 - Clun to Warrington - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1302933
Day 5 - Warrington to Kendal - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1303222
Day 6 - Kendal to Moffat - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1315892
Day 7 - Moffat to Dumbarton - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1315922
Day 8 - Dumbarton to Fort William - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1318666
Day 9 - Fort William to Inverness - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1318697
Day 10 - Inverness to Tongue - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1318714
Day 11 - Tongue to John o' Groats - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1318729
This was our Day 1:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=230728
also we did not cross the Severn but your day 5, 6, 7 & 8 are the same /similar route we took.. though we did, Stoke to Tebay and then Tebay to Strathaven as legs.
We went from Loch Ness up to Digwall then up the coast to JOG.
Go for it!
Did you do this route mykaloon?
Any modifications or alterations you'd do? i'm in the middle of planning my own route now.
If you want a more scenic route from Preston through to, say, Carnforth, rather than the A6 (which is a bit sh!t) then let me know. It'll add miles and metres but be a much nicer day on the bike.
I can add some nice cafes too.
We did an eight-day JOGLE with the route linked [url= http://www.mustdashjogle.co.uk/jogle/page2419 ]here[/url] in June. Preston/Wigan/Warrington was the worst bit but is probably a bit tedious whichever way you do it really.
The main difference from the OP's route is that we avoided Loch Lomond and Glasgow by going through Crianlarich/Callander/Stirling, which was pretty good and very low traffic with some spectacular views between Crianlarich and Callander - probably preferable to staying on the A82.
Also we stayed in Ambleside so went over the Kirkstone pass rather than Shap - tough climb but it was a gorgeous still evening and we stopped for espressos at the top and admired the view. Probably the highlight of the whole trip for me.
If you want a vey scenic, traffic free epic route here is mine which solves most of the busy road problems and includes the Hebrides as a bonus
[url= http://www.phased.co.uk/GBBR/viewcycle.php ]Dave's scenic LEJOG[/url]
Excellent cheers folks, i may well be in touch for more tips.
You've chosen the old A74 and A82 through most of Scotland, these would be at the very bottom of my route choices.
Consider instead heading to Canonbie, Langholm and up the B709 instead. Find a way across the central belt (I can come up with some ideas) and then to Crieff, Aberfeldy and Trinafour. That plonks you onto the Sustrans route to Inverness and JoG.
I did A74 from Lockerbie to Biggar, then up via Carnwath and Forth, through Stirling to Comrie. From there we went via Crieff and towards Aviemore, then Rogart the next night, Tongue, then John O.
Druidh - how was the road from Aberfeldy to Trinafour? As you know, I chickened out and did the A9 Sustrans instead.
Aberfeldy to Trinafour is a cracker. I need to do go that again, maybe as a loop coming back down NCN.
Interested in your end of day 3 westwards detour from Ludlow to Clun. It's a lovely ride but are you looking to stay in Clun for a reason, as it seems to add a fair few miles westwards? Can go more direct north if you need to, east of A49 and stay on similar minor roads while still making good progress. Try Ludlow-Peaton (ne of Stanton Lacey)-Wall under Heywood-Cardington-Condover-Shrewsbury.
I do like your Day 4 start though from Clun to Shrewsbury. Fantastic rolling road with stunning scenery. Maybe that's why you're doing it???
Should have also said avoid the A49 at all costs from Hereford. Shockingly busy, fast, dangerous and truck-y.
To Clun: Head nnw on A4110 to CanonPyon-Kingsland-Wigmore-Leintwardine-HoptonHeath-Purslow-Clun.
To Shrewsbury via Ludlow: head nnw on A4110 to CanonPyon-NE at BushBank to Leominster-N on B4361 to Ludlow-then route as my previous post.
A49. Forget it, unless you really don't want to experience the stunning Shropshire Hills in peace and quiet, and you have miles to munch. Eeek!
I can say that the section of motorway that we did on the run in to Glasgow on a Sunday morning was-interesting 😆
The maps that we had been following were fine but for some reason we ended up on a mile or two section when the A road disappeared, we were going at it like the Sky train in order not to get squished or worst still ticketed.
As for the A82, since we did it in 2009 it has been re-surfaced and so you dont have to swing into the road round all the potholes that we had to avoid. If you dont like traffic it is a route to try and avoid however you will miss some of the iconic LeJog scenery.
Cranlarich also gets frosty early doors in September as was the run up to Glencoe.
I really really still want to do it again for the hell of it. Good luck and enjoy it!
Your Scottish part of the route is horrendous. Look for something either more west or more east - perhaps follow Route 7?
Your route to Bristol will be traffic hell on the A38, but after that it will be fine. I would make a bee line from Carlisle to Abingdon then to Falkirk and Perth. After that it's pretty much traffic free. Take a paper map of your route though, as we used an iPhone for England and it was a pain in the arse. Paper maps for Scotland made us realise how much easier it was to get an overview of your route. Use saddle cream to protect your undercarriage, a subject that will become very close to your heart let me tell you. Enjoy it, it will be an experience you will never forget.
Not the saddle cream bit! - that sucks like you wouldn't believe