Ratae quartet conquer LEJOG

This June, Brian, Karl, Tim and myself attempted to cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats. An iconic route for any cyclist. This is diary of our 12 day experience.

Day 1 Lands End to Liskeard 76 miles 

As we leave an overcast Lands End the excitement level of everyone in the group is sky high, keen to get started. After the photos in front of the sign, we roll out.

There is lettering on the road. START on the left side of the road, END upside down on the right. The enormity of our ride ahead sinks in. One thousand miles lies ahead of us. A totally different feeling than any of the sportives or long rides we have done. We pass a touring cyclist going the other way. “Have you come from John O’Groats?”. “Yes, just finishing”. We shout our congratulations.

The road through Penzance is patchy but we don’t care, exhilaration is still with us. We pass the majestic St Michael Mounts castle in the sea, before we hit the wonderful roads to Truro. The roads are lined with high hedgerows, but at hill summits views of the Cornish landscape stretch out.

There are 31 climbs on the ride today but most are short, although we know each time we descend, a climb is to follow.

A coffee and cake stop in bustling Truro is followed by a smooth swooping descent on the A390 to St Austell. Unfortunately the final leg to our hotel in Liskeard on the same road is busy with tough long ascents. We finish with the steepest climb of the day at 8% but all finish feeling that today was a great start to this adventure.

Day 2 Liskeard to Taunton 88 miles

Early morning rain means we leave Liskeard on wet and slippy roads. The descent to Callington is fast and treacherous, so there is plenty of brake squealing. Today’s ride is front loaded for climbs, and after 1 hour’s ride we’ve only done 12 miles. When we leave Cornwall, Devon greats us immediately with a 10% hill, but it’s gorgeous with switchbacks through a forest, reminding us of Alpine riding. The stop in Tavistock is a local icon, Bobs East End cafe. 

Up and across the Dartmoor National Park we get magnificent views of the rolling expansive hills of Devon. The landscape being different from Cornwall’s short sharp climbs.

Today route is mostly on A road, through Okehampton and Tiverton, but occasionally we leave it to wind through sleepy villages.

We catch sight of an unexpected sign ‘Somerset’. We’ve ridden across Devon in a few hours. This lifts us as we time trial our way to our hotel in Taunton.

Day 3 Taunton to Gloucester 88 miles

We wake to blue skies, and the promise of a warm, sunny day. As we set off from Taunton, the scenery changes again from the long drags of Devon, to flat Somerset meadows. 

The roads are excellent as we ride through this very rural landscape. Glastonbury Tor appears on the horizon to our right, as we pass from one quiet village to the next. Spirits are high as we approach a ridge, where the road up is Cheddar Gorge. A wonderful climb snaking along with cliff faces either side. As we look up, mountain goats step with ease. We don’t do quite so well on the 15% early switchbacks. But this gradient quickly eases to lovely sweeping bends.

The descent to Chew Valley is fast on more great roads. 

We have reached the mouth of the Severn, and climb a steep ascent to the Clifton suspension bridge. Crossing the bridge. we scarcely believe how high up we are, before a descent into Bristol.

This is the worst part of the trip so far, lots of traffic and lights, so when we finally turn left off the A38, we feel relieved with the peace of rural Gloucestershire. Villages just off the estuary are calm and quiet. Even a disappointing cafe stop (it was closed) does not dampen our mood.

We rejoin the A38 for the last 10 miles with a tail wind and bike lane, so it isn’t long until we reach our hotel just south of Gloucester. A quarter of the total mileage done already, and it still feels like we have just started.

One thing we don’t tire of is in cafes when asked where we are headed. “John O’Groats” always gets a jaw drop.

Day 4 Gloucester to Telford.  88 miles

The weather forecast is not good today, so rain jackets are packed as we roll through Gloucester town, passing Kingsholme Stadium, under an overcast sky.

The bike lanes and surfaces are excellent, so getting through the city is such a different feeling to Bristol,

We are soon out into the rural countryside, where the pace quickens as we ride on good fast roads. Leaving flat Gloucestershire we enter Worcestershire. The Cotswolds that have been on our eastern horizon disappear to be replaced by the Mendips to our west.

Rain starts slowly but becomes a steady downpour, so we take shelter in a lovely cafe Olga Dunn, in Kinver. The owner, after hearing of our ride, kindly gives us her tip jar, as a donation for the Mind charity. 

We all feel slightly stronger today, rolling through and off, which eats up the country miles. The landscape is mostly flat, villages small, but still busy. We skirt Worcester and Kidderminster before an unexpected sign appears “Staffordshire”. Feels strange only being 1 county away from home. 

Turning east we cross the Severn again at iconic IronBridge. The river seems our constant companion today, The sun comes out as we climb up Jiggers Bank then descend into tonight’s hotel in Telford.

Day 5 Telford to Wigan. 103 miles

Today is the flattest day of the trip, the sun is out, and it’s warm. A dream for any cyclist.

We are now in leafy Cheshire, in the footballers belt. The houses and cars show how affluent the area is, as do the cafe prices. 

The roads here are smooth, after the miles since Monday, our chain gang technique has improved significantly, so our speed is high. We ride through the up market towns of Nantwich , Northwich and Alderley Edge

We pass the Jodrell Bank telescope. Then looking east we glimpse the high rise buildings of Manchester, with the Pennines beyond, and can’t quite believe how far we’ve come. The final leg is to Wigan, where we battle Friday afternoon traffic to finish. 

Day 6 Wigan to Shap. 91 miles

When we leave Wigan it’s overcast, warm and muggy. One of the tour group, new to cycling, comes out with bib shorts on inside out, red chamois proudly displayed, so we set off in a fun mood.

We pass into Lancashire as the sun comes out. The roads are good in the countryside but deteriorate in Preston and Lancaster. 

We ride through Leyland where the trucks are built and then it’s into Cumbria with the landscape changing dramatically. Gone are the houses, cars and population replaced by sheep, fields and deep rolling hills

We put the hammer down to get to Kendal for the start of the Tigers game, watching in the very obliging Clock tower pub..

A long climb up to finish in an old hotel high in the Cumbrian moors, surrounding only by farm outhouses. We have finished half the ride.

We learn in the evening, that we should have paid a toll crossing the river Wyre, we had ridden it unawares. They tracked us down from our club shirts, and emailed the club secretary. The toll 20p each. One of us was wearing an Ineos Grenadiers top, had they emailed them too?

One thing we have noticed is how the accents change. From Cornwall, Gloucester, the Black Country, to Lancashire, each version of English is hugely different.

Day 7 Shap to Moffat. 82 miles

Leaving the Shap Hotel we head out across the Cumbria moors. The hotel is so remote the mile long entrance drive is rutted and patrolled with sheep and cows. 

Back onto the A6 we pass a field with a pair of horses that run with us, no doubt impressed with our now dialled in through-and-off technique. 

Carlisle is a lovely city to ride through, surface is good, with plenty of bike lanes.

When we see a sign in Gretna Green “Welcome to Scotland” we all get a little emotional. We have ridden the length of England in a week.

We really know we are north of the border after hearing the waitress’s charming soft Scottish accent, and the rain that starts after we set off. But it’s only light, and we are soon into very rural countryside. It’s flat, with a big variation in the surface of the road. Long sections are great, but interspersed with rutted parts. 

We stop for an ice cream in Lochmaben, before the last 15 miles to our Moffat hotel. The Buccleuch is fantastic privately owned place, fully equipped for cyclists, with excellent staff.

Although we now have over 600 miles in the legs, we all feel strong, and look forward to continuing our adventure in Scotland.

Day 8 Moffat to Kinross. 80 miles

It’s a sunny morning in Scotland, and Immediately we hit the Devils Beef Tubs climb, it’s 6 miles long, with a very constant 3% gradient. As we climb we have a pine forest on our left and a valley to our right. It’s glorious in the morning sun, reinforcing why we love cycling.

An equally marvellous 6 mile descent alongside a meandering river takes us into the Scottish Borders.

The road to Broughton is patchy to bad, but a left turn to Biggar returns us to smooth country lanes. We cross the Firth of Forth on the Forth Road bridge, looking left we see the new M90 road bridge but it’s the right view that grabs our attention, the icon Forth Rail Bridge.

We finish in Kinross on some great roads. Although an 80 mile day, our legs are strong and we feel the end is now reachable. 

Day 9 Kinross to Braemar. 75 miles 

Morning drizzle is with us as we leave Kinross on side roads and head north towards Perth. Then we join the A93 towards Blairgowrie. Although an A road, traffic is sparse, and the drivers considerate, which is a trend we have found on the less populated areas in Scotland on our trip.

Once the sun breaks through, a buzzard flies close overhead then a deer bounds alongside through a field, we are far from home.

We take a detour after Blairgowrie to Athyl. Climbing through pine forests, we enter a huge valley. Logging is the industry here, a massive pile of logs appears on our left, a dense forest to our right. We climb again, and upon cresting the summit a truly awesome sight awaits. The Highlands in all its beauty lies before us, hills stretch to the horizon. We take a moment to take it all in before descending. The tarmac here is perfect, puzzling us, as there are no houses out here, so we have it to ourselves. Completing the beauty of this place, a small loch, then a windy road through more pines, lastly a river flowing down across rocks. 

We all agree this is one of the best sections of roads we have ever ridden, and will live long in our memory.

Back on the A93, we admire how the road hugs the contours of the landscape.

A brutal climb, the Cairnwell takes us up to a ski station. It’s 6 miles long, ramping up to 12% but worth it, for the fantastic descent on empty roads to our log cabins in Braemar. 

Day 10 Braemar to Inverness. 81 miles

We leave the lovely village of Braemar, and head out towards the beautiful Cairngorms. We have 3 hard climbs ahead of us, the last of which is the Lecht. This hill is 3 miles long at an average of 6% but the first and last half mile are 15%, so we get a brief respite in the middle. For the last part the wind and the mountain join forces to try and push us back down the slope. But we fight back and summit at Lecht ski station. The deserted ski drag lifts to our left seems out of place with no snow.

When we descend the cross winds and loose road surface are dangerous, so we take it slow.

We leave the hills, and are on the flats for the first time today but hit a head wind, so our newly forged chain gang skills come in handy. From here on is a fast smooth road, with a cafe stop for Haggis Ciabatta in Gratton-on-Spey.

Finally we see Inverness, the estuary and the bridge across the Moray Firth lying beneath us, a wonderful sight. We descend quickly to our Premier Inn. 

We have now completed 10 days of cycling, everyone in the group is buzzing. 

Day 11 Inverness to Helmsdale. 102 miles

We roll out of Inverness on a bright and clear day. The Forth of Moray is still and calm in morning sun. A sharp climb to Beauly wakes our legs up. 

A great coffee stop in The Courtyard in Dingwall, along a quaint pedestrian street.

The A9 is a fast and busy road, but also the only way northwards for some sections, so a necessary evil.

We ride along it for a few miles, then divert into Invergordon, a famous whisky town. Unfortunately the distillery is just ugly rows of warehouses. We pass along the sea front, the salt air filling our lungs. It’s a fantastic feeling looking out across the North Sea, remembering the Atlantic only a few days ago.

Another coffee stop in Tain then we cross the Forth of Dornoch. a long and windy bridge.

We come off the A9, and find a beautiful stretch of fresh tarmac through Dornoch, and alongside Loch Fleet, where seals bask on the beach.

We take a left at The Mound, for an inland loop, discovering a good hair pin climb. As we head back towards the coast, two large mountains form a wind tunnel and so a stiff headwind.

We rejoin the A9 for a 10 mile blast to the lovely fishing village of Helmsdale. With 2 pubs and 1 restaurant, the local hospitality is warm and welcoming. As a group our excitement at being so close to our goal is high.

Day 12 Helmsdale to John O’Groats. 52 miles

On the last day the sun is warm and bright as we ride out of Helmsdale We hug the coast on the A9, the North Sea a deep blue today. There are some nice sweeping climbs and descents on good surfaces

Once past Wick, the road is long, straight and potholed. The landscape featureless, a cloud has set in overhead, and the last few miles seem to take forever.

However as ride into John O’Groats that is all forgotten. Euphoric smiles, fist pumps and hugs as we congratulate each other. The sun re-appears for photos in front of the sign. This been our destination for so long. Our ride, our adventure, our journey is finished.

The Tour Group

We start as a group of strangers, all with one common goal, cycling across the country. We share the same experience every day, getting from one hotel to the next. Climbing steep hills, battling headwinds, potholes, busy roads and aching muscles. But above all laughs at breakfast, when we meet at various cafe stops, and in the bar post ride. We have become friends, and enjoy a great last meal together.

Tour Guide

Carl Stearman is a very helpful tour guide. Our rooms are checked in, and suitcases delivered to them every day. Out bikes are set up in the morning and stored for us at night. He offers support stops at various checkpoints on route.

http://www.great-bear-tours.co.uk

Finally thanks to my fellow Ratae riders, Brian, Karl and Tim. I couldn’t have done this without your support, company and friendship. Although it would have been nice if you’d done a turn on the front occasionally.