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I'm thinking of doing LEJOG offroad next year but I might start from Plymouth because there doesn't seem to be any worthwhile riding in Cornwall. Am I missing anything?
You're missing the fact that Lands End is in Cornwall.
Seriously though, LEJOG off road isn't possible. If you fancy a long off road ride you'd be better planning your own.
Am I missing anything?
Yeah, Lands End.
The point of LEJOG is the challenge, if the quality of off-road riding is more important, I can't see why you'd commit all that time to doing only 90% of the route.
I'm sure you could do a fantastic long distance route through the Alps instead 🙂
Out of interest ,if you did start at Lands End what percentage of the ride could you do off road?
Non shared cycle paths are ok.
I did an off-road E2E in 2015. Couldn't face the mess the tourist industry has sh@t out on Land's End so I started where I got off the train in Penzance. I should probably have applied the same rigorous selection process to the JoG end point...
Other than that it was a great trip, although the 'real' off-road stuff didn't kick in until the third day, when I crossed Exmoor and the Quantocks.
Shouldn't a proper end to end be Lizard Point to Dunnet Head?
How about offroad from Lizard?
Shouldn’t a proper end to end be Lizard Point to Dunnet Head?
Not really, its a diagonal, not vertical, line on the map. However, many folk include Dunnet Head and Duncansbay, the latter possibly having the best claim.
What sort of off-road are you looking for? And how will you be loaded up?
Plenty of bridleways down here to link up and even most footpaths are rideable...and no one really cares if you're riding on them. Coastal path has some amazing singletrack but stay away during peak times i.e. daytime weekends, tourist season near tourist towns. Also, coastal path is hike a bike in many places so not ideal if you're loaded up.
We've got some great riding in Cornwall, just needs some local knowhow. I'm never quite sure whether 'northerners' thinking we have nothing worth riding is a blessing or a curse 🤔
LOL, I am planning my own which is why I'm asking about Cornwall.
I'm not particularly hung up on it being Land's End to John 'O' Groats, that was just my original idea. I'm also doing it on road this September so I'm keen to do it off-road next spring whilst I'm still fit enough. Not sure why someone would say LEJOG off-road is not possible. Most UK rides involves some road, LEJOG is just the same.
zippy - I've not calculated it but it's not much.
Montgomery - Were there any particular parts you wished you'd avoided?
orena45 - it's a blessing! Have you got any links to decent trails? I'll be wild camping mostly but travelling as light as possible.
It was all pretty good. I couldn't avoid a short section of the WHW but stopping early that day set me up for an 05:30 wa*ker-free hop over the Devil's Staircase to Kinlochleven, exit stage right. I wouldn't want to spend much time on the WHW or GGW, and planned accordingly.
Wales was the best bit for me, over the Severn then up all the way to Llangollen.
Be nice to people on the coastal path. They have the right to be on there. You don't.
I'd do Cornwall if for no other reason that if you don't then subsequent conversations about your ride are going to be either frustrating or a little embarrassing, or both 😉
But it's a lovely, scenic (though hilly) ride if you pick your roads carefully.
Apart from West Country drivers, who can be a bit Near Death Experience. But then you'll get that as soon as you set off from Plymouth anyway.
Dave Barter did a cyclocross LeJog a couple of years ago. It wasn't completely off-road but might be worth searching out the route that he did. Not sure if he posts on here but he does post on the BearBones forums (as Dave Barter so no fancy username 🙂 )
A mate is currently doing it (plus a bit more), I'll msg you a link to his blog 🙂