{"id":14763,"date":"2025-05-11T11:09:51","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T10:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=14763"},"modified":"2025-05-11T11:09:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T10:09:51","slug":"cycling-lands-end-to-john-ogroats-10-years-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2025\/05\/11\/cycling-lands-end-to-john-ogroats-10-years-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling Land’s End to John O’Groats – 10 years on"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the editor of the John O\u2019Groat Journal, I hear about all sorts of different end-to-end challenges \u2013 some quirkier than others \u2013 but each person who completes the long journey from Land\u2019s End (or the other way around) under their own steam deserves recognition in my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember realising quite how far the journey is just by getting to the start. I wanted to sit back and let the train take the strain without having to change every couple of hours, so I booked the most direct train I could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This took me from Edinburgh to Penzance in the same seat (after getting a train from Inverness to Edinburgh and staying overnight at the Premier Inn) \u2013 during that long train trip I witnessed about three or four changes of crew, and each one commented on the length of my journey as they checked my ticket!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was ten years ago this month, when I met my dad \u2013 who had made his own way south \u2013 at Penzance railway station. I can\u2019t remember what time it was, but darkness had fallen, and we had a short ride to the youth hostel where we would stay the night before pedalling to Land\u2019s End the next morning for our official start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our own journey was a long time in the planning, and there was real anticipation as we embarked on what turned out to be more than 1000 miles of wonderful cycling through the length of Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d spent a long time plotting a route, poring over OS maps and localised cycle maps to find a way that took quiet country lanes and cycle paths but without straying too far off course. We didn\u2019t stick to the National Cycle Network all the way, although we used good sections of it where it made sense, but opted to use short stretches of busier routes here and there just to keep the route more logical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo gallery from Lejog ride<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Every Lejog journey is individual and done for personal reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For my part, I was raising funds for the Special Care Baby Unit at Raigmore Hospital where all of my children spent time after they were born prematurely. My dad was riding for the Christie Hospital in Manchester, where my late mum was treated for cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for both of us, there was the sense of an adventure that we wanted to share. I\u2019d ridden the popular C2C coast-to-coast route in England with my dad (in horrendous weather conditions)\u00a0 previously and this was a big step up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At age 69 at the time, I guess my dad might also have been wanting to complete the journey while he was able \u2013 although he is still fit and active 10 years later, despite his advancing years. He did always tell us he planned to live to 110\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s difficult to sum up such a rewarding and diverse ride in a few paragraphs. The scenery; the fresh air; that wonderful feeling of fitness; the people you meet along the way, however fleetingly. It all added up to an experience that even now is one I treasure \u2013 as well as wishing I could capture and repeat.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The preparation was a big thing. I enjoyed all those evenings devising routes and problem solving awkward stretches of the country, trying to fit in visits to relatives and friends along the way \u2013 including a detour to the street where I spent my childhood. Training just enough to feel confident that you can enjoy the journey, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were in no rush. I booked three weeks off work for the trip, which we\u2019d planned to take two-and-a-half weeks to complete. I packed all my kit, including camping gear, into four pannier bags on my trusty touring bike (which I still have, but is in need of some TLC) and, now here\u2019s a confession \u2013 I actually made a spreadsheet outlining what was in each bag!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Basically, the two back panniers were set aside for overnight kit, one for wet gear (outer tent, waterproofs etc), one for dry kit (sleeping bag, inner tent, spare clothes), then at the front I had a day bag and one for food and other kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once on the road it was just a joy from start to finish. I recall the steep hills of Cornwall and Devon, followed by the flat plains of Somerset, crossing the Severn into Wales, briefly, before heading into northern England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The route through Lancashire, the Pennines and into the Lake District was fantastic, and I discovered some excellent country roads. Then it was north into Scotland \u2013 at just about halfway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lejog in numbers and stories<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It might not surprise you to hear me say that it just gets better the further north you go. We went from Perth to follow the NCN route along the line of the A9, then our approach in the Highlands was to head from Inverness up to Lairg, then go via Altnaharra to Tongue, then head east to John O\u2019Groats \u2013 via the mainland\u2019s most northerly point at Dunnet Head, of course. I also made us go via Duncansby Head, as to me that is the true north-east corner of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s hard to believe that this all happened a decade ago. It\u2019s been nice to reminisce, but it\u2019ll be even nicer to find a new challenge to aim for over the next few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our end-to-end journey may not have been particularly quirky, but we did it in our own way and created memories that will last a lifetime. I hope yours will do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n

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As the editor of the John O\u2019Groat Journal, I hear about all sorts of different end-to-end challenges \u2013 some quirkier than others \u2013 but each person who completes the long journey from Land\u2019s End (or the other way around) under their own steam deserves recognition in my book. I remember realising quite how far the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":false,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,112],"tags":[113,7,188],"class_list":["post-14763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-lands-end-john-ogroats-cycle","tag-bl6lejog","tag-cycle","tag-lejog"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Lejog-May-2015-395-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5M0xs-3Q7","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2190,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2015\/05\/22\/lejog-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":14763,"position":0},"title":"Lejog photos","author":"John Davidson","date":"May 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A (large) selection of images from our Land's End to John O'Groats cycle which we completed in 17 days during May 2015:","rel":"","context":"In "John's blog"","block_context":{"text":"John's blog","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Lejog-May-2015-84.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Lejog-May-2015-84.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Lejog-May-2015-84.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Lejog-May-2015-84.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2307,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2015\/10\/16\/read-active-outdoors-magazine-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":14763,"position":1},"title":"Read Active Outdoors magazine online","author":"John Davidson","date":"October 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The autumn\/winter 2015\/16 issue of Active Outdoors is now available to read online. It contains a special feature on the Dava Way, which is marking its 10th anniversary since officially opening, and a look at the gear used in my Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride earlier this year.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Active Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Active Outdoors Autumn\/Winter 2015\/16 issue eight","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/SP25_09_15P01_Active_1-321x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3702,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2018\/06\/10\/make-way-for-walkers-on-the-john-ogroats-trail\/","url_meta":{"origin":14763,"position":2},"title":"Make way for walkers on the John O’Groats Trail","author":"John Davidson","date":"June 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Striking coastal scenery, beautiful hills and cleared villages \u2013 something that has made parts of the Highlands hugely popular with visitors. It seems, however, that this fondness doesn\u2019t always stretch to the east coast of Caithness and Sutherland, which is too often overlooked as people blast up and down the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Active Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/JOGT-22.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/JOGT-22.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/JOGT-22.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/JOGT-22.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/JOGT-22.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2226,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2015\/06\/18\/go-explore-with-sustrans-family-bike-ride\/","url_meta":{"origin":14763,"position":3},"title":"Go Explore with Sustrans family bike ride","author":"John Davidson","date":"June 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release: What \u2013 get the kids out cycling on a family-friendly led bike ride Where \u2013 along the Caledonian Canal in Inverness. Meet at the rugby pitch car park When \u2013 10am on Saturday 27th June Who \u2013 the ride is led by Sustrans volunteers, including organiser John Davidson\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "John's blog"","block_context":{"text":"John's blog","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Families enjoy a cycle ride along the Caledonian Canal at Dochgarroch. 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It was not so different last week, when I spent a couple of days on a cycling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Active Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_0911-smaller.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_0911-smaller.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_0911-smaller.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_0911-smaller.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_0911-smaller.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3314,"url":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/2017\/09\/03\/a-road-cycle-from-forsinard-to-the-far-north\/","url_meta":{"origin":14763,"position":5},"title":"A road cycle from Forsinard to the far north","author":"John Davidson","date":"September 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The unique landscape of the Flow Country is at the heart of this tour of the far north, which begins at the RSPB visitor centre at Forsinard. A short excursion to the viewing tower is the ideal start to get a look at the lochans and bogs that make up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Active Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Active Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/content\/active-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Forsinard-cycle-9-e1504356823823-640x960.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14763"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14779,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14763\/revisions\/14779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bl6.co.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}