Why JoG and not Dunnets Head (end-end)

rob39
rob39 Posts: 479
edited July 2017 in Road general
Hi all. Planning Mull o Galloway - Dunnets Head none stop ride for next year (the real Scottish end to end lol) But why do we insist on using John o Groats as the official end to end.

Comments

  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    Because diagonally it's further?
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    Same reason it's Lands End and not Lizard Point at the other end... marketing.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    Why do almost all LeJog/JogLe cyclists follow similar boring roads through the Midlands when there are some spectacular routes through Wales?
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    joe2008 wrote:
    Why do almost all LeJog/JogLe cyclists follow similar boring roads through the Midlands when there are some spectacular routes through Wales?

    List tickers. The destination is more important than the journey to them, so they'll take the shortest/easiest option.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    Garry H wrote:
    joe2008 wrote:
    Why do almost all LeJog/JogLe cyclists follow similar boring roads through the Midlands when there are some spectacular routes through Wales?

    List tickers. The destination is more important than the journey to them, so they'll take the shortest/easiest option.

    You're right, it'll help their average speed on Strava too.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Dunnet Head is only about 10km further and its a far nicer place. JO'G is a $hithole - I hadn't been there for 30 years, but we decided to go that way on a camper van trip around Scotland - it's like someone has compressed every bit of tartan-tat into a very small place and you can't even get something decent to eat.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Thick Mike
    Thick Mike Posts: 337
    I have a vague NWES idea that I'm sure has been done before...Dunnet Head, Ardnamurchan Point, Lowestoft, Lizard Point.
  • Mr _Tibbs
    Mr _Tibbs Posts: 46
    For my lejog experience, I tooknthe route that the team and the organizers set. I wasn't too fussed about tweaking it as, at that time, I was more concerned with completing the challenge in the time I had available.

    IfnIndidnit again I would definitely adjust the route. In fact now I think about it on one day we took a long detour to morcombe bay and added about 20 miles to the route as one of our team was local. That was a fantastic day to be honest.

    As far as Dunnet is concerned, we did both, so hit the head then went back to push east to JOG.

    Dunnet head is a far more romantic finish and setting but doesn't provide an opportunity to dip any wheels in the water...If that is something you are into.

    To me, the area south west of JoG...is it Sutherland, is just amazing riding
  • lastant
    lastant Posts: 526
    Mr _Tibbs wrote:
    For my lejog experience, I tooknthe route that the team and the organizers set. I wasn't too fussed about tweaking it as, at that time, I was more concerned with completing the challenge in the time I had available.

    IfnIndidnit again I would definitely adjust the route. In fact now I think about it on one day we took a long detour to morcombe bay and added about 20 miles to the route as one of our team was local. That was a fantastic day to be honest.

    Sounds like you did similar to my LEJOG, I also stopped off at Morecambe along the way as I wanted a photo of me and the statue - the cycle route down to it was fantastic too. I took in Lizard and Dunnets Head as part of the trip, not only did it mean I took in the southerly and northerly points it also bumped up my mileage to just over a thousand (1,056 in the end).

    Took two weeks off work and did the whole trip in twelve days, so wasn't the quickest - still think it's up there as one of the best fortnights in my life, and would encourage anybody that's been thinking about doing it one day to just take the time to tackle it.

    As per Thick Mike's suggestion below, I'd quite like to do an APL west to east 600ish mile trek (purely as it's easier to get back to London from Lowestoft...actually, I'd probably recommend a JOGLE for the same reason!).
    One Man and LEJOG : End-to-End on Two Wheels in Two Weeks (Buy the book; or Kindle it!)
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    Won't it be just a difficult to get to JOG from London? :lol:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • lastant
    lastant Posts: 526
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Won't it be just a difficult to get to JOG from London? :lol:

    Ah, yes...but then you've got a journey ahead of you to focus on and give you time to forget about it.

    Having heard about the 'fun and games' of getting back to Wick, then to Inverness with the limitations on bikes on the services I decided to head on to the Orkneys after finishing - had a couple of nights there before getting the overnight ferry to Aberdeen and a train from there to London Kings Cross.

    Only my opinion, of course, but I'd much rather a pootle to Penzance from Lands End and pick up one of the numerous daytime services or go for the more 'magical' Riviera Sleeper service, book a berth and wake up as you pull into London the following morning.

    More chance of a headwind if you're coming south, of course... :wink:
    One Man and LEJOG : End-to-End on Two Wheels in Two Weeks (Buy the book; or Kindle it!)
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    Logistically it is easier to travel to the Alps or Pyrenees.
    This is the main reason I won't be doing LEJOG. Traffic being second. Weather being third...
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.

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