the End2End club.....

Santa cruzing

Well, I'm joining it!

I know a few of you have done it and I'm sure MRS can give some route tips for the northerly parts of the trip. Planning on heading down the A9 to Tain on the first day unless there is any reason not to?

I'm sure I'll need a little more local knowledge as the route plan progresses.

Will be going north to south starting on 1st September, with one other rider and Mrs SC in the support car. We have a lot of work to do before we set off but training has started and if the weather ever improves i'm sure we will have a blast. Trying to raise some money along the way for Headway and Everyman - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Be ... ing_Heroes

Looking at a 12 day route to balance the challenge vs acheivability.

Any tips, annecdotes and good humored mockery welcomed!

Santa cruzing

And now on wordpress too - linked in the sig!
Cheers!

mpdouglas

I did the Deloitte Ride Across Britain last year and you could do a lot worse than to follow their route. I went up the country but they're coming down it this year. Their route comes to more like 960 miles over 9 days but it keeps you away from the traffic. The high level view of their route is here:

http://www.rideacrossbritain.com/2013-ride/route-page-new/day-1/

I know some guys doing the ride this year - if you're interested I can possibly get hold of the GPX files they issue with the detailed route. I have them from going up the country - I'm not sure whether there are any tools that make it easy to reverse the route.

unixnerd

The A9 is a fast road but it has good sight lines so if you make yourself VERY visible front and back you'll be fine. I stress a bright front light unless you want someone overtaking in the opposite direction and then seeing you at the last minute. Detouring through Invergordon along the coast road then Alness and Evanton keeps you off the A9 and won't add many miles.

From Tore roundabout to Inverness there are good alternative routes parallel to the main road. From Inverness to Perth NCN7 will see you fine for the most part. The cycle path over Drumochter is another matter:

viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=12876139&p=17844427#p17844427
http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/a9path.html

I'd not try it without at least some very sturdy 25mm tyres, but it's preferable to the A9 at that point unless maybe it's a Sunday and it's quiet. Drumochter is a wonderful place to cycle through despite all that, at least on the path you'll have the peace to enjoy it. I'd father rather use the A9/NCN7 than the A82 by Loch Ness, miracle more cyclists aren't killed on that road.

mpdouglas

I would concur on A9 and A82. Far too much mental driving. Ride Across Britain stays well away from both. We did the run alongside Loch Ness on the Eastern side, along General Wades Military Road. It's a great climb up from Fort Augustus if you're going North.

cyclingprop

mpdouglas wrote:

I did the Deloitte Ride Across Britain last year and you could do a lot worse than to follow their route. I went up the country but they're coming down it this year. Their route comes to more like 960 miles over 9 days but it keeps you away from the traffic. The high level view of their route is here:

http://www.rideacrossbritain.com/2013-ride/route-page-new/day-1/

I know some guys doing the ride this year - if you're interested I can possibly get hold of the GPX files they issue with the detailed route. I have them from going up the country - I'm not sure whether there are any tools that make it easy to reverse the route.

.


*Ahem*. Come in June and I'll see you there?

mroli

That day 1 ride, along the top of Scotland and turning left is bloody lovely.

Are they still taking you up the Long Mynd? That caught a LOT of people out!

Santa cruzing

Thanks for the valuable insight/links.

I have driven the A82 and would think it is wise to avoid that where possible.

Was planning to stay off the a9 once we get further South. How is it for that 1st stretch down the cost to Tain?

unixnerd

How is it for that 1st stretch down the cost to Tain?

It's busy but stupidly so, a lot of big trucks during the week. Parts have been upgraded of late and site lines aren't too bad. So long as you're highly visible you'll be OK.

lanzzue

right,I'd father rather use the A9/NCN7 than the A82 by Loch Ness, miracle more cyclists aren't killed on that road.thanks

Santa cruzing

Trying to get further with the routing and it seems to boild down to A82 vs A9 - appears A9 is the lessor of the two evils.

Our first day will be a Sunday, so hopefully traffic will be quieter - open to either A9 or B836 along the north coast and south B871, it is where we head after this that I am a little stuck.

mpdouglas wrote:

I would concur on A9 and A82. Far too much mental driving. Ride Across Britain stays well away from both. We did the run alongside Loch Ness on the Eastern side, along General Wades Military Road. It's a great climb up from Fort Augustus if you're going North.

This looks good, but dumps us back on the A82 at the end. The RAB route seems to attach to the A82 for a while?


Unixnerd-
I will be on 25c, but my buddy only has clearence for 23, we may have to take it very gentle over the gravel path, but as you say preferable to the road

Does NCR7 run alongside the A9 as a 'cycle path' where it doesn't take to a separate road, or will there be stretches on the A9 itself?

Whilst we are on a tight timescale at 12 days, I'd like to make it as safe/enjoyable as possible - which is proving quite difficult. All part of the fun I guess!

unixnerd

I will be on 25c, but my buddy only has clearence for 23, we may have to take it very gentle over the gravel path, but as you say preferable to the road

It's not gravel really, it's a road / path surface of normal tarmac but it's very gritty and worn in places.

Does NCR7 run alongside the A9 as a 'cycle path' where it doesn't take to a separate road, or will there be stretches on the A9 itself?

There are loads of places there you can go from NCN7 onto the A9 as they run next to each other, much of NCN7 is the old A9. From Inverness to Tomatin you're on B roads, then at the top of Slochd summit you go onto a dedicated cyclepath for a mile, then it's the old A9 / B roads until a few miles south of Dalwhinnie. For the next 18 miles it's a mix of paths and old roads parallel to the A9. At Calvine the path stops and you follow B roads through Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, etc.

One thing I would say is that a north-south route is against the direction of the prevailing wind.

Santa cruzing

Thanks for your help, thats a lot clearer now. Obviously the A9 goes quite some way and is very different in places! Will have another play with the planner tonight.

Going north to south as its easier to get home to Kent from LE, also stopping via Goodwood for the revival meeting too!