The Route

   Click here to see the overview map.

   We can't take credit for the route because it was stolen wholesale from 'Ian's East of Pennines Route website' which you can visit here. His brilliant account of his Land's End - John O'Groats ride with a friend is not only the best on the internet but also the only one which we could easily plot on a map as his road numbers and details are spot on. We included however a couple of changes, but these were also mainly based on Ian's ideas of alternatives for his route. For example our amended route takes in Cheddar Gorge and Bristol's Clifton Suspension Bridge, and in Scotland the A93 instead of the A9, although you probably didn't care about that. So we say thanks to Ian for that as we'd probably have made a mess of it, and cycled further than we had to, if we'd done it ourselves.

   This route seemed good for a number of reasons, not least because it takes in so many great sights of Britain. It also avoided Wales, which can only be a good thing, and passes some major engineering spectacles such as the Forth Bridges, Severn Bridges, and Spaghetti Junction. A more detailed account of our schedule and the 'highlights' of each day can be found below. Another benefit of the route is that it goes east of the Pennines range, which is different to most routes whilst simultaneously staying as far away from Wales as possible.

   Having now done the ride, most of the changes we did make along the way are explained in the diary. We stayed on the A30 longer than we would have liked (it turned into a three-lane motorway for a stretch) to save time after our first bike problem. This meant we bypassed some of the scenery but we were fairly safe on the wide edge of the road and not in the way of the cars. The A30 was very quiet anyway especially when compared to our A-roads in Essex.

   The route finding was fairly easy with our trusty 10-year old 4miles:1inch road map, however twice we took long detours through making mistakes. The first time was at Cheddar Gorge, once we had been through the gorge we got overconfident with our map-reading skills, thinking it was pretty much straight on till morning. Only when we had cycled right along the top of the entire length of the Mendip hills did we come to a junction and realise we were about 10miles from where we thought we were, 10miles which we needn't have cycled if we hadn't missed the (unmarked) turnoff. We were never 'lost' but it was a big mistake. In Cheltenham, however...

   We had passed Gloucester and were headed for Cheltenham and looking for somewhere to stay the night. We found a field (more details in the diary) and in the morning we set off, only to find the road no longer corresponded to the map. As you do when there was noone around to ask, we ploughed on until we met a Cheltenham sign pointing pretty much where we had just come. We literally sat at this junction for 10mins unable either to locate our position on the map or decide whether Cheltenham was still where we wanted to go or we had missed it and should contine. With our compass (also see the diary!) unable to assist at this point, we chose Cheltenham and followed the most bizarre series of signes to a place I have ever seen. Despite crossing the M5 five times (no joke) we still had no idea where we were until on the outskirts of Cheltenham we found ourselves close to where we thought we were last night. To this day I have no idea where we slept that night so perhaps we will try to solve the mystery if/when we return next year.

   Here is our planned stops and vague route for each day. The references are for our 4 mile:1 inch road map which is the one we're taking with us.

Schedule – ‘The Theory’

Sat 3rd April- Train to Penzanze, cycle (12miles) to Land’s end, and back to campsite. Spend night Land’s end p2 F9 Cornwall CAMPSITE: Cardinney Caravan and Camping Park, Crows-An-Wra Penzance TR19 6HX Cornwall Tel: +44 (0)1736 810880 (£12.50)

Day 1

Sun 4th April- Through Penzance and Bodmin, Mainly on A30 Across Bodmin Moor.Spend night Altarnun/ Fivelanes /Polyphant p3 A18 Cornwall CAMPSITE: Traveller's rest campsite Nathania, Altarnun, Launceston, Cornwall PL157SL £4 + extra person BOOKED By the way...Today is 04/04/04 and we are missing the first Bahrain Grand Prix.

Day 2

Mon 5th April- Cross Dartmoor and Devon Cross Country. Spend night Wellington/ West Buckland p7 C27 Somerset

Day 3

Tue 6th April – Pass Cheddar Gorge, Mendip hills, Spend night Aust / Northwick (near severn bridges) p19 C31 South Gloucestershire

Day 4

Wed 7th April – Travel through Glocestershire and Hereford+Worcestershire. Spend night Studley Common / Redditch (Just South of Birmingham) p30 B36 Warwickshire

Day 5

Thu 8th April – Through Birmingham and Sutton Colfield am, should be flat, through West Midlands and Staffordshire, Spend night Biggin / Fenny Bentley p50 G37 Derbyshire.

Day 6

Fri 9th April – Through Peak District, South Yorkshire, More rain, Spend night Steeton near Bradford p57 E36 West Yorkshire

Day 7

Sat 10th April – Through North Yorkshire + North Yorkshire Moors. Spend night Eastgate/Stanhope p62 C35 Durham

Day 8

Sun 11th April – Through Northumberland, Keilder Forest and Water National Park, across the Scottish Border on road with no cars, Spend night Kirkton / Bonchester Bridge / Hawick p70 B31 Scottish Borders

Day 9

Mon 12th April – Past lots of hills. Spend night Queensferry just north of Edinburgh , Midlothian p75 C27

Day 10

Tue 13th April – Cross Forth Bridge first thing, pass Loch Leven, Cross Fife and Perthshire. Spend night Clackavoid / Newbigging (miles apart, possible night in field?) p90 E27 Aberdeenshire

Day 11

Wed 14th April – Spend night Craggie / Moy Watch for sheep. Cross Moray p88 A23 Highlands

Day 12

Thu 15th April – Pass Inverness early, get Train tickets? Spend night Brora / Doll (Field Again?) 97 A25 Highlands

Day 13

Fri 16th April – To John O’Groats then Back to Wick,Follow Coast Road A9. spend night at Wick. No sleep all night party co we r there. P103 C29 Highlands

Day 14

Sat 17th April – Get up early catch first train home sleep bed shower proper food roast dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!