From start to finish
As this blog was designed to be an online diary, updated every day of our travels, it now reads the wrong way round. That could be confusing. In order to make … Continue reading
Day 20 – Helmsdale to John o’ Groats
While the other cyclists staying at the hostel took the busy A9 up to John o’ Groats, we took the A897. It’s a single-track road that climbs gently alongside the … Continue reading
Day 19 – Fortrose to Helmsdale
After breakfast, we took a leisurely cycle down to Chanonry Point to see the dolphins. We didn’t see any. From Rosemarkie there was a long climb, but then it was … Continue reading
Day 18 – Invergarry to Fortrose
Joe’s front tyre had gone down overnight so he got on with mending it, all the while being bitten by midges. Nasty little things. Breakfast isn’t provided at hostels, so … Continue reading
Day 17 – Benderloch to Invegarry
Today was a good day. No rain and no huge hills. Well, lots of huge hills, but we didn’t have to cycle up them, we just looked at them. We … Continue reading
Day 16 – Tarbert to Benderloch
Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Joe in the rain. While the rest of the British Isles basked in sunshine, we got absolutely wet through. Totally soaked. From leaving Tarbert to … Continue reading
Day 15 – Stevenston to Tarbert
A ferry crossing, a horrendous headwind and a massive hill. Probably the best day of our journey so far. After a four mile ride to Ardrossan we caught the 9.45am … Continue reading
Day 14 – Sanquhar to Stevenston
After a hearty breakfast of porridge, salted for me, Golden Syrup for Joe, we set off for the west coast. A strong wind was against us for most of the … Continue reading
Day 13 – Gretna Green to Sanquhar
Midges. I’d forgotten all about them. We stopped for a cup of coffee in the Lakes yesterday and were immediately set upon by the nasty things. Ouch. Our legs are … Continue reading
Day 12 – Ambleside to Gretna Green
I know we really shouldn’t complain, but we’re fed up of eating out. Same stuff everywhere. Burgers and chips and dips and fried this and that. Laminated pubs. Chrome and … Continue reading
Day 11 – Morecambe to Ambleside
Eric Morecambe waves us goodbye as we head off to the Lake District. The heavy rain of yesterday evening had been replaced this morning by grey skies and strong winds. … Continue reading
Day 10 – St Helens to Morecambe
61 miles today. We were dry as we cycled up through Appley Bridge and then on to Leyland, but then the drizzle set in all the way until we reached … Continue reading
Day 9 – Ellesmere to St Helens
What might have been one of the easiest cycling days so far turned into a mud bath. The day started and ended in the rain, stopping after the first forty … Continue reading
Day 8 – Clun to Ellesmere
We left the Youth Hostel fairly early this morning. Quite glad to be up and out of our dorm. Sharing a room with six sweaty, noisy, middle-aged cyclists was a … Continue reading
Day 7 – Wormbridge to Clun
After saying goodbye to Amy and Lily we set off towards Abbey Dore. Not a bad day’s riding today – 57 miles of mainly rolling countryside. The Golden Valley would … Continue reading
Day 6 – Tickenham to Wormbridge
A long day in the saddle today. 67 miles. The first part was flattish, then on to a mix of busy roads and quiet cycle paths around the industrial area … Continue reading
Day 5 – Taunton to Tickenham
Flat, flat, flat! We’ve finally cycled along flat roads. Apart from a couple of nasty climbs, today’s 57 mile ride was easy compared to previous days. A little detour took … Continue reading
Day 4 – Oakhampton to Taunton
Joe got a puncture and had to mend it by the side of the road in the rain. Another very hilly day. Will they ever end? From Oakhampton we cycled … Continue reading
Day 3 – Delabole to Oakhampton
A grey and fairly chilly day of long slow uphills and fast descents. Our route took us up onto Bodmin Moor, through Launceston, and then along the ‘broody flanks of … Continue reading
Day 2 – St Newlyn East to Delabole
We knew that the first three or four days in Cornwall and Devon were going to be quite tough, so we planned for today to be quite a short day. … Continue reading
Day 1 – Land’s End to St Newlyn East
Reached the B&B, Chy-an-Eglos, after a very, very hilly 53 miles. Our first ‘proper’ day of cycling. We knew we’d have to cycle up hills, but didn’t quite realise how … Continue reading
Yesterday…
… all our troubles seemed so far away. That was until we arrived in Cornwall. Well, not exactly troubles, just weather. Very, very windy. Wet, wet, wet and cold. 20 … Continue reading
Lamination’s what you need
If you wanna be the best, If you wanna beat the rest, Oh-oh laminations’s what you need. I’ve been laminating since 5am. Why? Because I decided that the torn … Continue reading
Together in Electric Dreams
In order to save space and to be able to charge our mobile phones and Joe’s iPod touch, I’ve just bought this combo… We can now leave these behind. But … Continue reading
The Longflap’s first outing
Today we packed our bags, attached them to our bikes and went out for a 20 mile test run. No problems to report. Well, apart from my Zipped Roll rubbed … Continue reading
We’ve reached our £1000 target
As soon as we knew we’d be cycling from Land’s End to John 0′ Groats, we knew we’d want to raise money for charity. A family friend’s two sons were … Continue reading
Cadel – you can’t touch him!
With the 2012 Tour starting tomorrow, Bradley Wiggins is the favourite to win. Not so sure myself. My money’s on another Cadel victory. You just can’t touch him. Here’s why… … Continue reading
Weight obsessed?
This morning I spent a very pleasant twenty minutes tearing pages from Phil Horsley’s book, Land’s End to John O’Groats – The Great British Adventure. The book provides a number … Continue reading
Read all about it!
Following hot on the heels of our fame in The Oxford Mail… Today we’re in the Bicester Advertiser!
Something to change into
Two years ago, Joe and I cycled up to York. 240 miles in four days. It was the first ‘cycle tour’ that Joe had attempted and I’d decided that in … Continue reading
Where are we now?
I’ve just added a new feature to the menu on the left: Where are we now? By the use of smoke and mirrors, you can see our current location by … Continue reading
Our route
We’ve got twenty days to complete our cycle ride, so we’ll be meandering up the length of the British Isles along quiet country lanes, travelling about 50 miles per day. … Continue reading
Hot off the press!
We’re in the Oxford Mail. http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk
Less than two weeks to go…
Less than two weeks to go now and lists are being made. Boxes ticked. New chain. Tick. Bottle holders for Joe. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Operation HQ is the front room … Continue reading
James and Joe cycle LeJog 