Lands End to John O'Groats - 9 Days - Whatcha Think?
ryan_w-2
Posts: 1,162
So...
I've signed up with a few other work colleagues to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats. We're doing it to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Trust.
Essentially we're doing a 1,000 mile course over 9 days (112 miles a day).
Has anyone done this before and if so, how did you prep and how did you find the route?
Cheers,
Ryan
I've signed up with a few other work colleagues to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats. We're doing it to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Trust.
Essentially we're doing a 1,000 mile course over 9 days (112 miles a day).
Has anyone done this before and if so, how did you prep and how did you find the route?
Cheers,
Ryan
0
Posts
Here's the route I planned out. I had to stop is certain places to visit company offices and Maggie's centres along the way...
https://www.strava.com/routes/7475241
IG: RhinosWorkshop
viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=13074724
Start your thread in one of those forums, and I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice.
Good luck.
There's no need to reinvent the wheel - lots of people have done it and a bit of googling will show you their routes - this might help - http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/index. ... Itemid=219
Route planning is key - there will be some godawful roads you want to avoid like the plague.
112 miles a day does sound like the upper end of the scale - how experienced are the riders - remember you'll be going at the pace of the slowest - not the strongest.
I've created a route which isn't too bad when considering elevation. It's going to be hard enough just doing the flat miles, let alone any hills along the route.
I did take a diversion through the Lakes since it's beautiful and actually quite flat along the roads I selected.
We also wanted to break the 1,000 mile barrier, so I stuck the Glenfinnan Viaduct detour on there (my company built it back in 1897).
We have 10 people doing the entire route and about 30 joining in for segments along the way.
The main group of 10 will be split up into 2 groups (fast and not so fast), and will set off at different times to suit.
I'll be in the fast group with a few other friends I cycle with regularly. They're all very fit (sub 18min 10k, low 6 min Box Hill times).
This is something that is hard to train for though. We often go out for mid-length rides (80k+) but haven't done a 100 miler in a while.
All the fast group cycle on a daily basis, so I think it's just going to be saddle sores and heavy legs that hinder us.
IG: RhinosWorkshop
After Lancaster, head through Carnforth, Silverdale & Arnside following NCN700 from Carnforth rather than fighting your way up the A6. Arnside has the best chippy for miles. Just before Milnthorpe, there's a left turn which means you can avoid a draggy hill out of the village and only have about half a mile on the A6 past Levens Hall.
Do NOT ride on the A590! There's been several cyclists killed on that section in the recent past. Take the road that goes left from the slip road onto the A590 (Sampool Lane), which then drops you opposite the A5074. Then follow the A5074 from Levens to Windermere rather than the A592 from Newby Bridge. Its a wider, straighter road and much less busy. You don't see much of the lake from the A592 anyway. If you do insist on going along to Newby Bridge, I noticed you do plan on using the road between Levens & witherslack that runs parallel - good idea. But where you then rejoin the A590, there's an underpass that takes you onto a flat lane that runs through Meathop and on to Lindale in Furness - DEFINITELY take this rather than riding to the roundabout on the dual carriageway.
After Grasmere you climb Dunmail Raise - definitely the easiest of the lake district hills so a good choice there but don't underestimate it with tired legs. However, at the top it goes very narrow and twisty immediately after a short dual carriageway - you'd have to be suicidal to ride that. When they rebuilt that section of road last year (the bit that go washed away following storm desmond) they improved an old bridleway by tarmacing it. Heads off to the left just before the Dual carriageway bit ends. This avoids the narrowest section and drops you neatly on the western side of Thirlmere - use that route rather than the main road on the east. There's no traffic and the views are better too.
I'd also suggest between Ambleside and Grasmere you consider using the Under Loughrigg road and the new cycleway that goes round Rydal and Grasmere away from the road (its a hard packed surface rather than tarmac, so take that into account). I'm not too sure exactly where the route goes though, but it is signposted. And do divert into Grasmere to pick up some gingerbread.
Here's my suggestions as a route in Strava.
The other alternative is from Milnthorpe, go onto the B6385 for a short while, turn left at Ackenthwaite (first left after a mini roundabout) and follow that road through Hincaster, Sedgewick and Natland in to Kendal. Then from Kendal go through Burneside, Bowston, Staveley and Ings to Windermere. Its only the last bit dropping in to Windermere (railway station) where you'd be on the main road rather than quiet lanes or cycle path alongside the main road. https://www.strava.com/routes/7481886
Whilst the elevation of Strava is a helpful guide, be warned that it misses a lot of short ups & downs in the lake district and probably elsewhere. Don't underestimate the pain of a lot of short up and down with a general upward trend, which you get from Levens/Newby Bridge to Ambleside and through St Johns in the Vale, and probably a lot in Scotland too.
Good luck!
That stretch is truly awful. The size of a country lane with lorries and coaches trying to squeeze through
IG: RhinosWorkshop
http://www.difd.co.uk
We were supported with a van which made a big difference, they could run all the errands....
You missed out Glasgow!! Gud stop fura wee swally o' Buckie.
Cheers all.
IG: RhinosWorkshop
We were all basically from Glasgow, didn't want to go through it as part of the trip. Would have felt a bit weird I think as we still had a long way to go.
Now you mention it, I actually recognise someone I used to work with in the photos.
Please comment if you see any glaring issues / dangerous roads / 20% gradients...
https://www.strava.com/routes/7475241
IG: RhinosWorkshop
Ive done lejog solo in 2014 and with a group of very mixed ability riders last year..... your route is very good and not far off what I did last year.
One thing to prepare your self for and there isnt really any way around it..... once you get past Gretna the road quality is censored miserable all the way to Lesmahagow. It is absolutely bone crushing and almost like being on cobbles. I think because no one uses that road due to the motorway being next to it they no longer maintain it. We hit sleet and 20mph headwinds that day and we were averaging less than 8mph for a number of hours There also isnt much in the way of shops past gretna so make sure you have time on your hands and food for that section!
Your route from Fortwilliam to JOG is nearly identical to ours and its great...especially the approach to Altnaharrah - its truly wild and amazing. The military road you will climb up on on the south side of loch ness is also a bit of an epic.
Watch out for the last leg across the north coast .... very challenging roads and we got some weather...it can be slow going! Infinitely preferable to the A9 which I did solo and was terrifying.
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube
Your way through Glasgow is a bit of a detour as you can follow the cyclepath to Balloch from Dalmarnock. That'll miss out the West End/Jordanhill wiggly bit and the Clydebank bit on Argyll Road which is very stop start and tends to be busy for a small road. The cycle route you want is NCN 7. It's a pretty good surface most of the way (gravel tracks by the canal/Leven but fairly well maintained) and will keep you off the roads. There are a couple of points where it isn't obvious as it rejoins back roads but it's pretty easy with a route. If you let me know when you're doing it I would try and meet you and show you the way if needed.
We've got to go through the city centre since we're visiting the Glasgow Maggie's Centre and our Scotland Regional Office.
We're 12w out from the ride now. Training has been mostly my 9km each way commute and a few Zwift hour long races
Just booked a race at Hillingdon this Saturday too :roll:
Time to get the miles in!
IG: RhinosWorkshop
No worries at all mate. Will report back once I've done it and give any tips I learnt along the way...
IG: RhinosWorkshop
In that case, after Gartnavel I would go down Queen Victoria Drive after South Brae Drive and get on NCN7 at Balmoral Street and follow it to Balloch, cuts out the Dumbarton Road stretch and takes you to the same place. If your head office is in Clydebank you can still take NCN7, it runs parallel to the A814 and then Argyll Road so you can just hop off before it turns along the canal. The section of the A82 you are doing has bus lanes so depending when you hit it you'll be able to keep away from the traffic.
The A749 is a fast moving road but it's nice and wide, we use it for evening club training runs in the summer (along with the Strathaven Road).
Absolutely gutted but will still help out as much as I can.
IG: RhinosWorkshop
What's happened?? Sorry to hear this.
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube
viewtopic.php?f=40052&t=13076133
IG: RhinosWorkshop
I'd come back to this thread to give a bit more intelligence on the route through the Lakes. Where I suggested an off road route between Rydal and Grasmere, its really not suitable for road bikes. Its loose shaley slate and has a couple of steep, slippery bits and some steps. It is sort of rideable, but won't do tyres or rims any good. So ignore that bit of my earlier suggestions.