[andystow]

I’ve just pulled the trigger on my airfare to do LEJoG. I’m in for three weeks, arriving LHR on 27 August, departing 17 September. My plan was to use the 2 week route from Britain’s Best Bike Ride, maybe with a rest day or two, giving me a good buffer if things go awry. I’m in good enough shape that I could do the ten day route if I really wanted (I don’t.)

Unless someone is adamant that I’ll have better luck with weather doing a JoGLE that time of year, I plan to ride south to north. Something like this…

27 Aug: Arrive Heathrow, train to Penzance
28 Aug: Penzance – Land’s End – Wadebridge (77 mi)
29 Aug: Wadebridge – Chulmleigh (66 mi)
30 Aug: Chulmleigh – Glastonbury (75 mi)
31 Aug: Glastonbury – Ross-on-Wye (81 mi)
01 Sep: Rest day? Sunday.
02 Sep: Ross-on-Wye – Market Drayton (89 mi)
03 Sep: Market Drayton – Mellor (82 mi)
04 Sep: Mellor – Sedbergh (53 mi)
05 Sep: Sedbergh – Langholm (77 mi)
06 Sep: Langholm – Peebles (50 mi)
07 Sep: Rest day? Saturday.
08 Sep: Peebles – Perth (78 mi)
09 Sep: Perth – Braemar (50 mi)
10 Sep: Braemar – Inverness (82 mi)
11 Sep: Inverness – Altnaharra (76 mi)
12 Sep: Altnaharra – John o’Groats (74 mi)
13 Sep: Rest day?
14-16 Sep: Train close to London, visit some family
17 Sep: Depart Heathrow

I plan to carry minimal camping gear just in case, but generally I’ll be paying for lodging. If a farmer sprays me down, it will be in the news.

If anyone wants to join me for all or part of it, I’ll put my email in the comments. Or just join me for a beer or two, I’m hoping to find a pub every night and most lunch times.

Topic

[andystow]

Oh, and at the top of one of
Oh, and at the top of one of the climbs, whilst taking photos, some tourists (bloody Americans!) forgot to set their parking brake, and suddenly we heard shouting that the car was rolling. It bumped into the car parked in front of it, with minor damage to both.

If the other car hadn’t been there, it would have probably rolled through the grass a half mile down the hill!

[andystow]

I rode all day today from
I rode all day today from Braemar to Inverness with other Andy, but he’s staying at a B&B, not the hostel I’m in.

We got started about 8:40 after a small hostel breakfast, and rode through to Tomintoul, where we stopped for coffee and a sandwich at The Whisky Castle and Highland Market for lunch and coffee. I didn’t sample any Whiskies, but I did buy a mini Glengoyne bottle for tonight.

A bit over 86 miles for me today, and over 6000 feet of elevation gain. Yes, that Lecht climb is serious! I probably walked a half mile today. But it’s done.

We had all the weather. Some rain, some sleet, strong mostly headwinds all day, but also some hours of beautiful partly cloudy skies. Today was the first day with my legs covered with leg warmers, and I was glad I packed them. It was under 10 °C when we started, and I had my down puffy vest on, but I soon removed it.

We made another brief stop in Grantown-on-Spey where other Andy bought some treats from a bakery, then pushed on with most of the long climbs behind us.

The weather continued to be very variable, but was nothing my layers weren’t up to. We made a brief stop at Culloden for a few photos just before Inverness, then headed into town and parted ways at his B&B for tonight.

Still a good day despite the weather, and I’m feeling pretty good. Sláinte!

[andystow]

Tomorrow is 82 miles, vs.
Tomorrow is 82 miles, vs. today’s 50ish, and we’ll be climbing The Lecht. Per the book, “the start of which is a leading contender for the most challenging mile of cycling you will find between Land’s End and John o’Groats.”

[andystow]

The weather today started out
The weather today started out beautiful, but windy. I left the hotel before 9, and stopped after 80 minutes and about 17 miles for breakfast at The Wee Coffee Shop in Blairgowrie. It’s small, but very nice.

Before my food came, an older gentleman came in and asked to sit with me. His name is Bill, he’s 88 years old, and has been retired for over 30 years. We had a nice chat over breakfast, and when I went to the loo he cheekily paid for mine!

An hour later or so I saw a sign for Persie Distillery, so I pulled in. They only do gin and vodka, but were very nice and I sampled a couple of gins. I bought two small bottles, one of which will make it back to a friend in the US.

Carrying on, I really didn’t find it hard all the way to the top of Cairnwell Pass, although I did stop to recover a couple of times. Sorry, I mean I stopped to take photos.

Around when I got to the top, it started sleeting and the wind picked up. I put on gloves for the first time on this trip and started the descent. The sleet got worse, but just around the next bend was Tea @ The Shee, which was open, so I stopped in to wait it out with the motorcyclists. And have a beer and crisps.

While I was there, another cyclist pulled in, also conveniently named Andy. He’s also doing a LEJoG, but started the day in Edinburgh, so he’s done a lot more miles than me today.

After the weather got marginally better, I dug out my down vest because I was chilled, and we descended together into Braemar. We’re both staying at the hostel tonight, but reception was closed until 5, so we rode back to town (0.33 miles) and ate together at Farquharsons. We were lucky to get there just as dinner was starting, otherwise we would have been unlikely to get a table.

Sitting now in the nice, warm lounge at the hostel, and enjoying a Cairngorm STAG beer. Great day, despite the weather!

[dubwise]

I hope you go well, as the
I hope you go well, as the forecast is for high winds.

Keep safe.

[andystow]

It was indeed upstairs.
It was indeed upstairs.

[ktache]

I was thinking that, and that

I was thinking that, and that Halfords has a bike rack. Though these days I tend to take her in, and most probably the bike hut is up stairs.

[chrisonabike]

They can be very handy for
They can be very handy for parts!

[andystow]

Halfords.
Halfords.

[andystow]

Well, a mostly successful
Well, a mostly successful rest day, if walking over seven miles counts as rest. We’ll call it “active recovery.”

I tried to go to a local bike shop that Google said was open, but the sign on the door said otherwise, so I walked to the fine establishment called Halfords. I’ve never been to one before. I bought a set of brake pads as I’ve been on the edge going down some hills with the lever touching the bar.

Then I tried to visit Innis & Gunn Brewery, which Google said was open but (there’s a theme here) it wasn’t. At least, all the gates were closed. It appears to be strictly a brewery, not a taproom.

I then went to a nearby M&S for some more on-bike snacks (Percy Pigs and shortbread.) Back at the hotel, I lubed my chain for the second time this trip, changed my rear pads, and adjusted the front.

Did some reading, then to Brewdog for pizza and a few pints. Ready for tomorrow, which is 50 miles, but I think it has the biggest climb of the trip approaching Braemar. I’ll be keeping an eye out for the King.

[andystow]

kinderje wrote:

kinderje wrote:

Is it worth you pushing on for an extra day and resting on Tuesday? The forecast for Tuesday looks awful – gales and rain!

Good luck!

 

Well, too late now! Just finished my breakfast.

[kinderje]

Is it worth you pushing on

Is it worth you pushing on for an extra day and resting on Tuesday? The forecast for Tuesday looks awful – gales and rain!

Good luck!

 

[chrisonabike]

Nothing like a dram at the
Nothing like a dram at the end of a cold day’s cycling. Or a warm one. In fact the cycling is optional too…

[pockstone]

Slàinte!
Slàinte!

[andystow]

Finally had my celebratory “I
Finally had my celebratory “I’m in Scotland” Scotch: a 12 year old Aberlour.

[Author]

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