Category: LEJOG 2009

As planned we went out for a good training run on Sunday. The weather was cool and cloudy to start with but it soon brightened up to a lovely afternoon with a northerly breeze. It was hard to decide whether it was jacket on or off weather as the wind did have a chilly bite.

We met in Long Crendon and headed south through Thame town centre and out along the B4445 to Chinnor. Pretty uneventful cycling with the Chiltern ‘mountains’ directly ahead of us. We crossed the Ridgeway and then needed to climb up Chinnor Hill, a pretty steep and steady climb to gain 200 m (600 ft) of altitude. We declined the turning along Bledlow Ridge and headed to the more minor road through Crowell Hill and Radnage. This single-track road seemed to attract a number of cars as we descended steadily towards West Wycombe.

We climbed back up the adjacent valley to Saunderton. We stopped briefly at the bottom of what looked like a minor hill on Small Dean Lane, its looks were deceiving. It was short but boy was it steep, we reckon that was probably the steepest hill we have encountered whilst training. From the map I’ve calculated it as 1:5 and it was a job keeping the front wheel down! From the top we had an undulating ride to Speen which had a steep hairpin approach.

After the climbing it was a gentle descent into Great Missenden and a coffee-stop at the caf

Not long to go now and with Easter out of the way it’s time to schedule the training in the next few weeks. As well as commuting as often as possible we have the following training planned.

This Saturday we plan to do a 70 mile circular ride in the Chilterns. The following weekend will be our shakedown test run where we go fully laden and camp somewhere and cycle back the following day, full LEJOG distance each way. No plans for the following weekend but the Isle of Wight Randonnee looks tempting! John has been invited to do the Classic Oxfordshire ride on 10th May with some colleagues from work which he might do as well.

Then it’ll be time to LEJOG!

Only John was able to go out training this weekend and he did a short half-day ride on Saturday afternoon. It was a very pleasant day but with a teasing brisk westerly wind.

The route climbed up to the NCN route to Wantage from East Hendred. This uses very minor roads and/or farm tracks and is quiet and the surface is generally good and surfaced. After Cycling through the centre of Wantage the bridleway from East Challow to Childrey was used to cut off a stretch along the B4507. This track is narrow but surfaced and is a useful little cut through.

Sticking to minor roads through Sparsholt and Westcot John had to briefly join the B-road to get to Kingston Lisle and the steep descent back into the Vale of White Horse. Familiar roads followed to Goosey, Charney Bassett, Lyford and the Hanneys. This area is very flat and with a tail wind the pace was pretty speedy. Finally the long, straight, boring road to Steventon and on to Drayton and home.

An easy ride just to keep the legs from seizing up.

Andrew and John went to Evan’s Cycles in Milton Keynes on Sunday to top up on equipment. They had a very poor selection of panniers which John wanted to look at but they both came away with a few essentials. We think we have most equipment sussed now and are aiming to put it all to the test later in April on a training run.

No joint training ride this week. John was in Portugal for a long weekend but Andrew did a 60-mile ride near Salisbury on his racing bike.

In other news, Tom has decided to step down from the challenge. He hasn’t been able to do as much training and has felt it would be better if he didn’t try the LEJOG at this time.

Here is the potential route for the final few days of the trip. After eleven days cycling we should be in the vicinity of Loch Lomond. We’ll head westwards up Glen Croe to Rest and be thankful (I think we will be!) before descending alongside Loch Fynne to Inveraray. The A819 and A85 will take us through the Pass of Brander to Connel for an overnight stop near Loch Creran.

Day 13 starts alongside Loch Linnhe all the way to Fort William. We’ll try and cycle as much of the Great Glen Cycle Route to Fort Augustus as possible. The route uses minor roads, forest tracks and the Caledonian Canal towpath to avoid the busy A82. We’ll avoid the worst of the forest track sections though which will mean using the A82.

We’re going to avoid the A82 alongside Loch Ness on Day 14 as it is busy with tourist traffic and not pleasant to cycle along. We’ll climb on the B862 on the east bank of the loch down into Foyers and alongside the loch to Inverness. Using the NCN 1 to get us across the Moray Firth we’ll use minor roads alongside Beauly Firth to get to Muir of Ord. From here we turn north through Dingwall before using minor and B-raods past Alness and a planned stop at Bonar Bridge.

From Bonar Bridge the route is north past Lairg into the wilderness of central northern Scotland. At Altnaharra we can either continue north to Tongue or take the slightly shorter route via the B873 to Bettyhill. Quite a short day this, it will probably be the shortest cycling day. The final day is also quite short and will use the NCN 1 route to Thurso and John o’ Groats. This route uses mostly minor roads and avoids the A836 as much as possible. We’ll probably have time for a diversion to Dunnet Head (the most northerly point in mainland Britain). After celebrating the finish I’m sure we’ll head out to the lighthouse at Duncansby Head to complete the trip from SW to NE.

We’ll probably camp at John o’ Groats before the short journey to Wick to arrange travel back home.

So, that’s the plan, I’m sure we’ll modify it as we go but we think it’s a good idea to have a general route in mind before we set off. It’ll be interesting to see how close we stick to it!

Due to Mothering Sunday and other commitments there was no formal training ride this weekend. Just commuting miles in the interim to keep the fitness going.

Here, however, is the next batch of route information. After day seven we should be staying somewhere around Clitheroe where we leave for day eight through the Forest of Bowland and over Catlow Fell to Kirkby Lonsdale. Heading almost due north all day we follow the River Lune valley through the spectacular gap at Tebay. John will stop to admire the geology which he mapped and drew for his first degree. Over the fells and down into the Eden Valley for a planned stop near Temple Sowerby a few miles from Penrith.

Day nine should see us following the Eden valley northwards to the west of Carlisle before we turn east to Gretna. Crossing into Scotland we’ll follow the Solway Firth to Annan and Dumfries. This will be one of the flattest days on the whole trip with no major climbs.

The next day has given John the most difficulty. There are several routes for getting through central Scotland on a LEJOG. You can follow the M74 on the old road and go between Glasgow and Edinburgh and head towards Stirling. The A76 route is sometimes done but this is an unpleasant and dangerous road. Many LEJOGgers head across to Arran from Ardrossan and on to the Mull of Kintyre. The route John has chosen uses advice from the CTC forums about suitable cycling roads. From Dumfries the route will be B729, A702, B729, A713, B730, B751. This takes us west of Ayr and east of Kilmarnock on quieter roads, there’s little potential for using minor roads in this area. But the roads follow the valleys so hopefully it shouldn’t be too hilly. We’ll aim to camp somewhere near Kilmaurs.

The eleventh day aims to go through Glasgow. The old A77 alongside the new M77 is apparently almost deserted now so we’ll use that to get into Glasgow. We’ll pick up the NCN routes from here. NCN 7 crosses the Clyde via Bell’s Bridge and then follows an old railway route to Dumbarton. From here it goes alongside the River Leven northwards to Balloch. From here we’ll pick up the NCN 40 path alongside the west bank of Loch Lomond all the way to Arrochar and an overnight stop. This should be an interesting day of contrasts. Navigating through the centre of Glasgow followed by riverside and lochside offroad routes. Has the potential to be the highlight day of the trip.

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of the Ordnance Survey