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harrisman	06 Oct 00:20
Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile	Has anyone don this. as am thinking of doing it next year. if so how was it?

rustyspoke	06 Oct 15:03
Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 244 Bike: My Profile	Lots people on here have done this, each will give you a different route or how to do it. Depends on when you are going to do it and if for charity,or how quickly you want to do it. CTC can give you advice. When I did it wehad full back up crew support vehicles the works it took me a year to plan it, arranging accomodation ,route ,vehicles ,team. the lot.

harrisman	06 Oct 15:53
Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile	yeah i would like to do it next year for charity. on the 26may-5june 2012. how did you find it.and what gear do you need to take with you.

rustyspoke	07 Oct 07:32
Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 244 Bike: My Profile	I have done a few long distance rides but make no mistake this is a fairly though ride even for the people who are cycling all the time. Getting up each day no matter what the weather or how you feel is hard at times. You need to be capable of cycling in any one day up to 60 miles. You will need spares wheels ,tyres ,cables, whatever but this will depend if you have back up vehicles or not. If you plan to do it un supported then its a completely different situation. We were very lucky we got a sponsor for the Vehicles and the fuel for them we also go a lot of sponsors for other things but getting them initally was hard and as times are hard now you need to really work at it . Planning is the key.

rustyspoke

07 Oct 07:32

Joined: 28 Aug 2011

Posts: 244

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I have done a few long distance rides but make no mistake this is a fairly though ride even for the people who are cycling all the time.
Getting up each day no matter what the weather or how you feel is hard at times.
You need to be capable of cycling in any one day up to 60 miles.
You will need spares wheels ,tyres ,cables, whatever but this will depend if you have back up vehicles or not.
If you plan to do it un supported then its a completely different situation.
We were very lucky we got a sponsor for the Vehicles and the fuel for them we also go a lot of sponsors for other things but getting them initally was hard and as times are hard now you need to really work at it .
Planning is the key.

harrisman	07 Oct 16:32
Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile	this is the one i want to do here. www.ukend2end.com

txbnet	08 Oct 07:06
Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 149 Bike: My Profile	I couldn't find any mates who wanted to do it, so went solo bottom to top. No support. If I could give you one tip, travel as light as you dare. When I weighed my stuff it was touching a stone, so I halfed it before setting off and then sent stuff back after four days. Lightness is the key I think. Only previous experience had been three day trips doing the Coast to Coast and similar for Coast and Castles. I didn't find the eleven day haul too difficult, inspired by the beautiful countryside of Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Cumria and Scotland. Some bits were less inspiring, e.g. through the corridor between Liverpool and Manchester. Luckily I was able to do an average of 90 miles a day on a hybrid and had no mechanical problems and no punctures. I planned for three months, tinkering with routes on Google maps. Staying Youth Hostels where possible for cheapness and generally brilliant locations. I took two changes of cycling clothes, some waterproofs, shower and clothes washing stuff, a set of photocopied maps (to throw away when through that day!)two inner tubes, scab patches, spare spokes, brake cable, cable ties, small oil, small tool kit, first aid kit and a mobile. On day 4 I posted back my ipod, book, (too tired to read at night, food and sleep was more important!), fleece and a few odds and ends that weren't being used. It makes the hills a little more manageable. In the evenings after showering I would wash that days sweaty kit and put next days kit on for the evening meal. Favourite bit was from Crianlarich along to Fort William and then the lochs almost to Inverness, some wonderful views. You really will enjoy it, and if you're going bottom to top, as you get closer to signs for Thurso and Wick, it is such a feeling of achievement, it brings you alive. So do it even if you have to do it solo, you can go at your own pace, set you own meal breaks and talk to the sheep if you have to! Good luck.
My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

txbnet

08 Oct 07:06

Joined: 29 Jun 2010

Posts: 149

Bike:

My Profile

I couldn't find any mates who wanted to do it, so went solo bottom to top. No support. If I could give you one tip, travel as light as you dare. When I weighed my stuff it was touching a stone, so I halfed it before setting off and then sent stuff back after four days. Lightness is the key I think.

Only previous experience had been three day trips doing the Coast to Coast and similar for Coast and Castles. I didn't find the eleven day haul too difficult, inspired by the beautiful countryside of Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Cumria and Scotland. Some bits were less inspiring, e.g. through the corridor between Liverpool and Manchester. Luckily I was able to do an average of 90 miles a day on a hybrid and had no mechanical problems and no punctures.

I planned for three months, tinkering with routes on Google maps. Staying Youth Hostels where possible for cheapness and generally brilliant locations.

I took two changes of cycling clothes, some waterproofs, shower and clothes washing stuff, a set of photocopied maps (to throw away when through that day!)two inner tubes, scab patches, spare spokes, brake cable, cable ties, small oil, small tool kit, first aid kit and a mobile. On day 4 I posted back my ipod, book, (too tired to read at night, food and sleep was more important!), fleece and a few odds and ends that weren't being used. It makes the hills a little more manageable.

In the evenings after showering I would wash that days sweaty kit and put next days kit on for the evening meal.

Favourite bit was from Crianlarich along to Fort William and then the lochs almost to Inverness, some wonderful views.

You really will enjoy it, and if you're going bottom to top, as you get closer to signs for Thurso and Wick, it is such a feeling of achievement, it brings you alive. So do it even if you have to do it solo, you can go at your own pace, set you own meal breaks and talk to the sheep if you have to!

Good luck.

My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

harrisman	08 Oct 10:40
Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile	good info txbnet.and thanks for sharing it with me.my friend is ment to be doing it with me.and there is full support for us.brave man doing it solo. good on you.

john.lumley	14 Jan 17:21
Joined: 25 Dec 2011 Posts: 7 Bike: My Profile	Dear Harrisman, a friend of mine did it for charity and recorded it on www.fatblokeonabike.co.uk Its a very funny account. He told me that he spent Â£1500 on B&B's as he like his grub, a bottle of wine and a couple pints of Guinness every day! He also got pretty fit and chatted to loads of people the length of Britain, so Im sure that you will enjoy the experience. Best of luck, John
My Latest Route: Jan 2012 Giffnock Railway Station to Dunblane Railway Station

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