{"id":1777,"date":"2022-12-17T12:50:56","date_gmt":"2022-12-17T12:50:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/?page_id=1777"},"modified":"2025-12-29T15:34:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T15:34:04","slug":"lejog-2012-preparation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/lejog-2012-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"LEJOG 2012 \u2013 Preparation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LEJOG \u2013 Getting to Penzance<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 1 \u2013 Land’s End to Liverpool<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 2 \u2013 Liverpool to Edinburgh<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 3 \u2013 Edinburgh to John O’Groats<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG \u2013 Video Clips<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A trip to The Orkneys<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I’d wanted to cycle Land’s End to John O Groats before my 50th, but it never happened. Still, the desire sat there in the back of my mind, waiting for an opportunity to break free. That moment came in 2011 \u2013 in the days between Christmas and New Year. Sat in the pub and discussing it yet again, we decided we should just do it, otherwise it would never happen… as long as Karon could get extra time off work. Being freelance, it wasn’t a problem for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

And so I started planning the route, trying to find the flattest way between the two points. Well, four points, because we decided to take in The Lizard<\/a> \u2013 the Mainland’s most southerly point, and Dunnet Head<\/a> \u2013 the most northerly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had a few key places along the way. Tandem Club<\/a> connections had provided an offer of a bed for the night in Weston-Super-Mare, my sister lives in Cumbria and we could stay there overnight, and Karon has family in Edinburgh, so we could stay there too. Google Streetview came in really handy for checking out parts of the route which I wasn’t sure about. We planned on only 35-40 miles a day depending on terrain \u2013 we are not big mile eaters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For navigation, I had the Memory Map app<\/a> on my phone, with OS 1:50,000 maps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Our route from Land’s End to John O Groats also took in the Lizzard and Dunnet Head. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overnight stops<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We pre-booked the first week’s stays in Cornwall and Devon because it was half-term and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. We also pre-booked the Tushielaw Inn and the Altnaharra Inn. Both these places are out in the wilds, and if missed, it would mean a 60 mile leg, so I pre-booked them both to make sure we could stay there. I had worked out a rough itinerary for the dates. After the first week, once clear of Devon, we usually stopped at lunchtime in a caf\u00e9 or pub with internet and looked for somewhere to stay further up the road. Our average for the whole trip was 35 miles a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Places we stopped overnight:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

June <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

4\/5 Penzance<\/a>
6\/7 Gweek<\/a>
8 St. Newlands East<\/a>
9 Blisland<\/a>
10 Holsworthy<\/a>
11 Yelland<\/a>
12 Exebridge<\/a>
13 Creech St. Michael<\/a>
14 Weston Supermare (Tandem Club friends)
15 Alveston<\/a>
16 Tewksbury<\/a>
17 Kidderminster<\/a>
18 Ironbridge<\/a>
19 Whitchurch*
20 Heswall<\/a>
21\/22 Liverpool*
23 Preston<\/a>
24 Morecambe<\/a>
25 Kirby Lonsdale*
26 Appleby in Westmorland<\/a>
27 Brampton*
28 Sleetbeck (Relative’s)
29 Langholm<\/a>
30 Tushielaw Inn (Booked well in advance)*<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

July <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

1 Penicuik<\/a>
2 Edinburgh (Relative’s)
3 Kinross*
4 Bankfoot<\/a>
5 Pitlochry*
6 Newtonmore<\/a>
7 Carrbridge<\/a>
8 Inverness<\/a>
9 Tain<\/a>
10 Lairg<\/a>
11 Altnaharra Hotel<\/a> (Booked well in advance)
12 Farr*
13 Thurso<\/a>
14 John O’ Groats<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

* No longer open for business.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Locations of overnight stops (Opens Google Map)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The Pino, still looking new. We had collected it from JD Tandems<\/a> the previous May.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We decided to try and make use of our efforts to raise money for Arthritis Research UK<\/a>. They gave us a contact who arranged some radio and local newspaper publicity. One of our children has rhuematoid arthritis, so it seemed a good choice. Our contact remained in touch for the whole journey and we sent photos along the way. There were a couple of local radio interviews too.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"
A low-rider to carry bags under Karon’s seat was an extra, and came with a more stable stand. We chose Arkle 40 ltr recumbent bags. Not entirely waterproof, they come with a rain cover.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"
Phone mount for navigating using the Memory Map app.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\"\"
Arkle bags from Canada under the seat and Ortlieb rolltops on the rear rack.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
We made a waterproof cover for Karon’s seat which came in handy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

LEJOG \u2013 Getting to Penzance<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 1 \u2013 Land’s End to Liverpool<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 2 \u2013 Liverpool to Edinburgh<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG Part 3 \u2013 Edinburgh to John O’Groats<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

LEJOG \u2013 Video Clips<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A trip to The Orkneys<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LEJOG \u2013 Getting to Penzance LEJOG Part 1 \u2013 Land’s End to Liverpool LEJOG Part 2 \u2013 Liverpool to Edinburgh LEJOG Part 3 \u2013 Edinburgh to John O’Groats LEJOG \u2013 Video Clips A trip to The Orkneys I’d wanted to cycle Land’s End to John O Groats before my 50th, but it never happened. Still, … <\/p>\n

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