For our story of our LEJOG trip, click Cycling Lands End to John O’Groats
In 2003 I, along with 3 friends, cycled LEJOG, Lands End to John O’Groats, one end of the British mainland to the other over a distance of 1066 miles for our particular route. A fabulous journey I would recommend anybody to do. So I was surprised and flattered to be asked 9 years later to be interviewed and filmed for a new DVD to be produced about LEJOG and the route we used.
On New Year’s Day 2011, Sian Belfield, Emily Morissey and Kate Ryley decided this was the year for a challenge. What started as a slightly hungover New Year’s pact has quickly evolved into a big event with increasing momentum. Now the three ladies are about to embark on the ride of their summer, from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Cycling over 900miles and up to 90miles a day, they will be pushing themselves to the limit for Mountain Rescue England and Wales.
Gareth Roulston and 4 friends are cycling the Great British End-to-End, or as it’s also known, LEJOG (Lands End to John O’Groats) in April 2010. You may have heard about this particular challenge when David Walliams, Davina and Co completed the challenge for Sport Relief last year, although they did it as a relay rather than cycling the complete journey. Gareth and his team will all be cycling every metre of the 1000 Miles over 10 days and raising funds for Cancer Research UK and the Scleroderma Society in the process. So why am I telling you this?
Since posting the article below, I have found Dave Barter and I recommend having a read of his blog. Plenty of great cycling reading.
Dave’s blog. http://www.phased.co.uk/ Furthermore Dave has recently come into possession of Tommy’s bike and you can read about how he did, and see a picture of the bike on Dave’s blog post.
In a diversion from my normal blog ramblings, I thought I would share the following article with you that was brought to my attention by John Speedie. Written by Dave Barter for the June 2005 issue of the CTC Magazine “Cycle”, it tells the story of Tommy Godwin, a professional cyclist who cycled more than 75,000 miles in 1939! An incredible feat that remains a record to this day, and unlikely ever to be repeated. I felt that Tommy’s record deserved to be shared with a wider audience so I have reproduced Dave’s original article below. I wonder if the idea for this record attempt came to fruition over a pint or two of London Pride?
Tommy Godwin
In 2003, Keith, Mark and I cycled Lands End to John O’Groats (LEJOG). It was a fantastic experience and one we all really enjoyed. At the finish – beer involved probably – we talked about what we would like to do as a new challenge and tackling some of the classic Tour De France climbs you see those lycra clad nutters cycle over every July came up in conversation. This year is Keith’s 50th birthday so what better excuse do we need to put the talk into action.
The start of our Lands End to John O’Groats cycle
In the summer of 2003, 3 friends and I spent 15 days cycling the classic British ‘End to End’ or LEJOG (or JOGLE if doing the other way!) from Lands End to John O’Groats, all 1066 Miles. This website is an account of our LEJOG cycle ride hopefully giving others the incentive to do it themselves. It also gives details of our LEJOG route, directions, GPS waypoints, preparation, bikes, training, advice, and any other information I can think of that might prove helpful to somebody else who has considered having a go themselves.
The LEJOG route we followed was one broadly based around the CTC (Cycle Touring Club) Scenic Route (scenic means hilly by the way!), with our own modifications particularly through Devon and Cornwall using local knowledge and a detour via the Isle of Arran to avoid Glasgow. Both bits we would highly recommend.
I hope you find it interesting and thanks for reading
Good luck.
Alan Pewsey
To help you navigate the way through our LEJOG story, I suggest taking the following route.
For all the blog posts regarding our trip < click here >
© Alan Pewsey 2003.
In 2001 I lost both my father Maurice Pewsey and Mother-in-Law Margaret Weilding to Cancer. This website and the money raised from the trip in aid of MacMillan Cancer Relief is dedicated to their memory.
Maurice Pewsey
1922 – 2001
Margaret Weilding (nee Jones)
1932 – 2001
Yes, or something similar. We all enjoyed the trip – and each other’s company – so much that we are keen to do another. Perhaps something in France taking in a few classic Tour de France mountain stages just to see what they are like. (Since writing this we have done many more trips including a trip to the Alps climbing Galibier, Alpe D’Huez and the mighty Ventoux. Superb!)
Definitely!!
We all enjoyed the route and wouldn’t really change much of it in hindsight. Particular highlights though were the mountain route to Tongue, as well as our route through Cornwall and the West Coast of Scotland via Arran.
Bridgewater, Avonmouth, and the A82 through the Great Glen. The route we ended up doing out of Dumfries I also wouldn’t advise as very busy with traffic.
Tight fitting hot and steamy lycra shorts, anything pasta and Tracker chocolate bars.
Key to enjoyment to the whole trip was travelling light meaning we didn’t have to carry lots of weight up the hills. We kept everything so much to a minimum that their really wasn’t anything we didn’t use. Most (not all) YHA’s have washing machines these days so with the combination of modern quick drying cycle clothing, we only had 2 sets of cycle clothing to alternate each day, a pair of normal shorts for the evening, a lightweight fleece jumper and ronhills for cold weather, and a waterproof reflective cycle jacket for wet weather. I also had a pair of nylon waterproof overshoes to keep my feet dry.
The cycling leg and arm warmers available today are definitely worth an investment along with a windstopping gilet which keeps you warm without over heating. These items alone offer many combinations and give you loads of flexibility.
There are many businesses and individuals who offer accommodation options that could be useful to you whilst cycling the End2End. The options range from campsites, Independent hostels, YHA and SYHA hostels, B&B’s, hotel’s and so on. What’s available to you will depend on how rural your route is and how many of you there are. I have had recommendations from individuals which I’ve listed to get you started, failing that it’s a case of trawling the Internet.
Below I have given some links to sites that may help you in locating accommodation that best suits your needs.
The most important bit! The bike was custom built around a Giant OCR “Compact Aluminium frame and forks.
The OCR on the road to Tongue, fully laden.
Shimano 105 Rear mech, Front mech and 105 Triple chainrings.
Shimano HG70 25-12 tooth cassette and 30 – 42 – 52 chainrings. (We were very glad of those low gears for some of the hills in Devon & Cornwall especially, and at the end of a tiring day sometimes just to give the legs a little less stress.
Mavic Cosmos 700c
I used Continental Hybrid Bike Ultra Gator Skin 700 x 23c Tyre TYC18357
Shimano 520 Spd Pedal
As far as cycle jerseys and padded shorts are concerned, there are plenty on the market and they are worth the money for the comfort and there quick drying properties. Some other items that I persoanlly find useful are:
Buff Headwear
Cycling Arm Warmers
Cycling Leg Warmers
Travelled lightweight with just a single Altura Arran Bar Bag
Consisted of puncture kit and spare tubes, chain links and link tool, spoke key, multitool (inc allen keys), pliers, spare cables. We shared the tools between us to keep weight down, although we each carried our own puncture kits and 2 spare innertubes. Over the course of the trip repairs between us consisted of the tubes and puncture repair kit, the chain tool / spare links (as we had 2 broken chains), 2 spare tyres, and one wheel replacement. Keith and I also had our spokes retensioned at Chester.
Other stuff we took was the usual such as first aid kit, camera, spare set of cycling kit, sunglasses
Hydration is very important and you need to keep topping up your fluid levels all the time. Each of us had 2 bottle carriers each mounted on the bike frame, and bottles that carried 750ml of liquid each. I carried one bottle of water and the second one had either water or a carbohydrate drink in it such as Lucozade Sport, depending on what we could find. Food snacks were generally made up with what was available and consisted of either fruit (bananas and the like) or chocolate bars. This supplemented our refreshments stops at café’s or supermarket restaurants which we did at mid morning, lunchtime and mid afternoon. Little and often is the key.
My main source of mapping was using the Memory Map
I have now moved on from the Compaq iPAQ and have Viewranger OS maps on my Android Mobile phone. This gives me OS maps of the UK and I can buy the map tiles I need for a particular area of the whole of the UK. Failing that you can also purchase a Memory Map GPS
We all wore helmets for a majority of the journey, and Keith and I also had small Handlebar end cycle mirrors
Below is a map of our complete route End to End. This is broadly based on the CTC Scenic Route with our own modifications, especially in Devon & Cornwall to avoid some of the worst hills and of course, the holiday traffic.
Our End to end LEJOG route
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Words and pictures 