Which month to make an attempt at LeJog/JogLe?

barney69

I know riders check on this forum on recommendations for routes, accommodation, type of bike etc so I thought I'd preempt and say why I chose to go the month I did listing the advantages and disadvantages:
I completed my LeJog in August this year
http://www.nigelend2end.co.uk

Advantages
Longish days (although not as long as the end of June), so you don't need lights
Warm (although never guaranteed) - easier to camp
Dry (see above)
Very few mozzies in Scotland
Late enough in season to do some good, tough summer training prior to the attempt
All summer to plan the detail (although some may be doing that in winter or else be on their indoor trainers)

Disadvantages
Sometimes not easy to get accommodation (especially when I hit Fort William on Saturday of bank holiday and some places tried to tie you to min 2 day stay)
Trains (which should be pre-booked) are difficult

pdstsp

Did mine in late May early June which seemed to have most of the advantages above, except for the long summer training. However accommodation was easy to find (though we did b&bs rather than camping) and didn't see a single mozzie. Also I am probably wrong but isn't August in the mozzie season?

barney69

According to one of my friends, 'mozzie season' is July/August - I started 20th August and didn't encounter one - or maybe they couldn't catch me

thecrofter

barney69 wrote:

According to one of my friends, 'mozzie season' is July/August - I started 20th August and didn't encounter one - or maybe they couldn't catch me

Midges are dreadful at flying and won't risk taking off in anything more than about a 1/4 mph wind IIRC. It is possible to get eaten alive anytime from the start of June to the end of Sept by the little b*********.

I always feel our weather it at it's best in May, it's usually wetter in Jun, July Aug, certainly up here. Last summer almost every day was 28 in London and thereabouts and 14 here.

amaferanga

I'd worry about the midges, not the mozzies and you're kidding yourself if you really think they won't be bad in August.

barney69

you're kidding yourself if you really think they won't be bad in August.

I must've been lucky or very quick

richh

It's hard to say as the weather is pure luck and can't be planned for (could be appalling in July/august or magnificent in November) and also it depends on how you were planning your trip. I did mine in mid-September doing 100+ miles every day and I was finding for the longer days (120 miles+) that there was a real risk of running out of daylight (in fact I did on one day). If you're only planning to do 50 miles per day then this isn't an issue. For me finishing in the light was important as I was using fairly major roads and camping so I still had tents to set up, food to cook etc. doing that all in the dark isn't ideal after a long, hard day's riding.

One advantage of doing it at this time of year (September) though is that you'd have the statistically better weather for your training in the run up to the LEJOG/JOGLE. Once again, how important that is will depend on your current fitness and how many miles per day you are planning on doing. Maybe you don't need any training!

I didn't have any problems with booking accommodation or being plagued by midges/mozzies so I guess the worst has passed by mid-September.

amaferanga

barney69 wrote:

you're kidding yourself if you really think they won't be bad in August.

I must've been lucky or very quick

Makes no difference how quick you are on the bike if you're camping though. If you're riding during the day and staying in B&Bs in towns or villages then they likely won't be a problem, but if you're camping they can be unbearable well into September.

barney69

ahaa - I was B&B'ing/YHA'ing it so guess that's why I escaped the little blighters/biters

lastant

I went in May and lucked out with the weather - pretty much glorious sunshine for all twelve days, the worst of it being the afternoon on Day Two. Had some long days, but never ran out of daylight.

Despite reading about the difficulties I would be sure to face I nailed down my planning and booked all of my accommodation at the start of April and had no trouble finding places (actually, Lancaster was fully booked so I decided to stay over in Morecambe instead)...even managed to secure a spot in Edinburgh the night before the marathon.

I did worry a bit about midges whilst planning, but ended up B&B/hostelling it so didn't have to worry in the end.

andymiller

barney69 wrote:

Trains (which should be pre-booked) are difficult

Were you going via Edinburgh? When the Festival is on the trains are pretty busy. It should be a bit easier if you can choose a route avoiding Edinburgh. But personally I'm happy to take my chances with the trains - it's the midges that would put me off going in August.

barney69

I was going via Edinburgh and the festival was finished but problem was had to catch 3 trains: Wick-Inverness, Inverness-Edinburgh, Edinburgh-Newcastle.
With all trains carrying max 2 bikes for one leg or another I couldn't get on all 3 of them in 1 day so had to stay for another day in Wick.

thecrofter

barney69 wrote:

stay for another day in Wick.

SHUDDER!!!

barney69

ha ha - I used to be a tourist and did a 60 odd mile leisurely ride up to Dunnet Head and Castle of Mey etc

neilrobins

Booked the last 2 weeks of June 2012 off so no changing my mind now, gonna pretty much follow Nigels route with a couple of minor diversions for family/friends.
Having Holiday'd around Scotland during Whit and end of July the "usual" trend is better weather before July plus the longest days. The midges can kiss my sweaty ass ... there are some good repelents recomended by a forester I chatted to last year although mostly ladies anti perspirents sold by Avon!

barney69

Nice one Neil and the very best of luck with your attempt. As I always say, any advice you need either drop me a line or just post the question on this forum

I'm really looking forward to following blogs of attempts this year and a little/lot sad that I'll not be doing it again (with children of 2 and 5 my boss/wife says it would be too much time away again!!)

Jay dubbleU

Be aware that statistically August is the wettest month of the year.
If you are B/Bing its peak season in most areas and accommodation will be more expensive and more difficult to book

Donnythebull

Keep in mind the general direction of the prevailing winds. Spring summer months, the wind tends to blow from the South. Autumn winter it tends to blow from the North. I did the trip in March a couple of years back, starting at LE so the wind was behind me. The weather was good to me, but some YHA hostels & campsites were still not open for Spring. But just meant "living it up" in B&B's for a couple of nights here and there!

Nick@D

has anybody completed in mid march??

crossborderreiver

Nick@D wrote:

has anybody completed in mid march??

Normally, the weather is particularly poor in march but last year the weather was unseasonally good in fact March was 'summer'.
This year, the clocks change on 24/25 March which would give a bit of extra daylight. Accommodation may not be quite so prolific as some B & B's and campsites may not open until closer to Easter.

Nick@D

thanks for that crossboderreiver, i will say i thought the weather may be an issue, however i had not considered the digs

pompy

I did mine last year, starting at the end of August, finishing on the 9th September. The weather was beautiful up to Carlisle then dampish for the rest! I felt pretty fortunate, the following week, Scotland experienced the tail end of a hurricane and it was revolting! Basically, the weather is very random so base your decision on other, more predictable factors such as when the roads are quieter and when it is easier to get time off!
Here is my blog if you're interested...
http://lejogononegear.blogspot.com/

dalepoint

We are going in May
http://lejog.foxyrider.co.uk/
Looking forward to it. should be a good trip. Hope yours go well.