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Lands End to John O Groats
mark1989 
| 15 Nov 14:07 |
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 Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 35 Bike: My Profile | Hey all, As I've just started working at a school and just got into cycling I am planning to combine these 2 things, well the long holiday I get working at a school. and I am thinking of doing the Lands End to John O Groats sometime during the summer. Any hints on how I should start organising this. And how organised I need to be. Any kit or gear I shouldn't go without. And also should I just go ahead and do it on my own, or do it with a charity? Hope this helps others planning to get into touring and some good ideas for christmas pressies. Mark1989 |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Burton Latimer to Desborough Loop | |
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skudupnorth
| 02 Dec 07:15 |
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 Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 48 Bike: My Profile | Hi Mark,just picked up on this thread.I am planning to ride to Lands end from Manchester (LeMan in reverse) so i am looking at routes,campsites ect for my half route.I have used the route planner on here and also there is a good section on Cycle Chat web-site just for LeJog plus there are a good few guides available at most good book shops (Christmas present idea ! ) Hope this little bit of info helps and good luck on the quest. steve |
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dudley
| 03 Dec 03:45 |
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Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 498 Bike: My Profile | personally, i'd do it for a charity, rather than with a charity. The organised rides generally are run by a third party company. Within the rules, i believe up to 50% of takings are able to go to the organisation of an event, rather than the charity themselves. With the likes of justgiving.com, it is easy to raise significantly more than the old name and address on a sheet of paper affair, and 100% goes to the charity (justgiving costs come out of the gift aid) think 'raise £1000 and get a free parachute jump' type thing. The charity does not see £1000. People are also a bit tired of the organised thing, and LEJOG is a well trodden path, albeit a mighty personal challenge. Give your story a personal edge, chose the right charity, and you'll be off and flying as regards raising cash. as for the organisation? i've never done it, but i would suggest time in the saddle, followed by time in the saddle as a good start! work up to 75-100 mile days, and before you set off, make sure you can do long days back to back. getting through the 100 is one thing - doing it again tomorrow is another! |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Forth Estuary Circular | |
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dudley
| 07 Dec 09:57 |
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Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 498 Bike: My Profile | is LEJOG considered easier than JOGLE? if it is, i assume it's a prevailing South Westerly issue |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Forth Estuary Circular | |
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mark1989
| 07 Dec 12:51 |
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Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 35 Bike: My Profile | hmm dont know, good question. anyone out thier got an answer? Also would it be easier to have the big Scottish hills at the begginging or the end? Mark1989 |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Burton Latimer to Desborough Loop | |
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mattk
| 07 Dec 13:36 |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Posts: 116 Bike: My Profile | It will depend on the prevailing winds as to how easy/difficult each direction is to ride. But as winds are ever changing, you'd probably be best planning both directions and looking at the wind forcasts to make up your mind nearer the time to setting off. NE winds make it easier to ride JOGLE, and obv. SW winds make LEJOG easier. Anything inbetween then its pretty much up to you. The hills (apparently) aren't really a factor - they're fairly similar gradients (on average) in either direction. |
| My Latest Route: Feb 2010 National Cycle Network 15 NCN | |
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mattk
| 07 Dec 13:39 |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Posts: 116 Bike: My Profile | As for the Scottish hills... that just depends on whether you want to be shattered at the start or (even more) shattered at the end! Although by the end you will have strengthened your legs and your body will probably take the extra strain a little better... |
| My Latest Route: Feb 2010 National Cycle Network 15 NCN | |
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skudupnorth
| 08 Dec 07:08 |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 48 Bike: My Profile | I have read that the hills are harder in Devon and Cornwall as opposed to the ones up in Scotland which amazed me,you always think Scotland would be harder.Still planning away at my mini tor next year,cannot wait for May ! |
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mattk
| 08 Dec 11:14 |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Posts: 116 Bike: My Profile | Yeah that rings a bell actually - I probably read it somewhere too. I seem to remember there being 2 different routes through Devon/Cornwall though. One being on busy A roads (that isn't too bad for hills) and the second which uses much quieter country roads but is much steeper. |
| My Latest Route: Feb 2010 National Cycle Network 15 NCN | |
| shaunyboy | 09 Dec 18:44 |
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Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hey I am Thinking of doing JOGLE in the next year. The thing other than planning a route is how much stuff do I take and what parts to take and what to do if the bike breaks down. |
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dudley
| 10 Dec 11:27 |
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Joined: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 498 Bike: My Profile | it all depends how self sufficient you want to be you could take a tiny under-saddle repair kit - two spare tubes, Co2 canisters and a multitool, and replenish stocks en route as necessary, or cover every eventuality to the extent that you cant move under all the stuff!! other than 'get you back on the road' parts, i'd leave the rest behind. as for gear, depends on your accommodation choice - camping or b&b? |
| My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Forth Estuary Circular | |
| Brian T | 25 Feb 04:21 |
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Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi Im doing LEJOG solo in May 2010 traveling light 10 days is the plan!.Not the scenic route but the shortest.Raising funds for Help for Heroes at http://www.justgiving.com/BrianTinnionHelpforHeros Cheers Brian |
| harrywils100 | 05 Dec 17:10 |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Posts: 1 Bike: | Hi I am doing Jogle this coming easter and i am really struglling on my route. I am trying to do around 60 miles a day staying in B and B's or youth hostles. Is there any way you could help me ? Thanks Harry |
| Lejog60 | 16 Dec 15:12 |
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Joined: 16 Dec 2010 Posts: 1 Bike: | I am 60 and I did it in 16 days in the summer. So you should have no difficulty. Be prepard if you go South to North for the killing hills in Devon in particular. After that it is all plain sailing. If you go on my www.justgiving.com/chris-marchant site you can see the route I took. I b and b'ed it. BUt then you are young. Do take recovery drink to put in your water. All the best. Chris |
| GBBR | 03 Jan 10:26 |
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Joined: 03 Jan 2011 Posts: 4 Bike: | i did lands end to Twickenham www.greatbritishbikeride.com great four days doing again this year graet fun hard ride and good people all the best brendan |
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dawes-rider
| 23 Mar 14:53 |
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Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 38 Bike: My Profile | hope you ave a great time , i know we did, took us 16 days to cover the 1112 miles mainly on side roads , alot more fun than head down trying to avoid being cleared up by a EEC lorry driver. camped most nights which was real fun & bumped in to some great folks kit weighed 21kg in front & rear panniers , once your used to the stuff its fine even cycled up kirkstone pass, walked a few others but what the hell wasn't tring to prove anything. raised £15,000 for charity which spured us on, even when the bike was hit by a woman driver that held us up at the side of the road for 3 hours didn't put us off. if you want any help with the route E mail clivebeach@yahoo.co.uk & i'll forward it on best of luck enjoy |
| My Latest Route: May 2013 Newark Route 64 | |
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txbnet
| 24 Mar 04:52 |
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 Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 149 Bike: My Profile | I'm 55 and starting LEJOG solo in three weeks time, hoping to do it in 12 days to allow one day on the train each end. Can only take a fortnight away from work. I decided to book rooms all the way up, rather than risk having nowhere to stay but the disadvantage is that you've got to then complete those stages even if the weather is against you, you're knackered and in need of a hot bath! I've booked a mix of Youth Hostels and B&Bs. YHA are cheap, B&B not so, Carlisle couldn't get one for under £40. Its costing me around £400 with train fares, and I've managed to raise £320 for charity so far. A mate said why didn't I just put my £400 into the charity and skip the ride but he's missing the point I think! My route is up the west side of England, up the centre of Scotland and turn right at the top! Bikehike shows the gradients on the stages for each day and you can drag and drop the route to see if there's a way of avoiding some of the climbs. Devon day 2 looks worse than Scotland I think. Shap looks a bugger, but what the heck, as long as you start early enough in the morning, you could always get off and push up the hills. I'm travelling with rear panniers only, don't want to risk the front ones dropping into the spokes and cleaning me out if they work loose as happened to a mate. So very little going in, some boxers, some cycle shorts, some tee shirts, vaseline, sudocrem. Two inner tubes, some patches, a few spare spokes, oil etc. Also a small A5 ring binder road map to back up my Garmin in case my battery goes. AI'm am a little nervous at the prospect, would like to have given myself a few more days and taken in more rest stops but hoping 12 days is long enough. Good luck to everyone else attempting this. |
| My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham | |
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