I was originally planning to ride this solo but Dad said he wanted to join me, so we planned to do 60 miles per day over 15 days.
Trains are as follows:
Out: Cheltenham - Exeter, Exeter - Penzance
Return: Wick - Inverness, Inverness - Edinburgh, Edinburgh - Cheltenham
Booked via gner.co.uk with bicycle reservations.
The route is
here,
here and
here,
Kitlist follows.
kitlist
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papers and wallet
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maps * 5
CTC membership
credit cards w/pin
cash card
train tickets
train itinerary
keys
clothing
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SPD sandals
socks x2
underpants x3
shorts x2
cycling jerseys x2
base layer
fleece
pertex top
waterproof jacket
arm warmers
leg warmers
cycling cap
wooly hat
buff
camping
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groundsheet
tent
matress
sleeping bag
mini stove
camping pots x2
plastic cutlery
4 ltr water sack
lighter x2
petzl
loo roll
pastic bags for rubbish
bike
----
lights
cables
brake blocks
puncture repair kit
inner tube
pump
tyre levers
trye boot
park multitool
8 and 10mm mini spanner
spoke key
chain tool
chain links
small bottle of chain lube
bathroom
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shaver
insect repellent
sun cream
first aid kit
deodorant
toothbrush/toothpaste
tweezers
nail clippers
camping towel
sudocrem
misc
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earplugs
notepad and pen
book
camera
phone
spare batteries for petzl and bike lights
charge camera/phone/shaver
lock
tissues
food
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nuun tablets
tea bags
soya milk
museli
etc.
My bike in LEJoG mode. It's a butted 531 ST frameset. Dad's been riding a Raleigh M-Trax which is lugged and butted chromoly, with Panaracer Pasela tyres.
Day 1. LE to St Buryan - 6.5 miles.
Got up at 6.15 to get the train from Cheltenham at 7.20. Train from Cheltenham to Exeter and Exeter to Penzance. As we headed further south the weather became worse. Getting the bikes on the train was fun, we managed to hang the two bikes on hooks by their front wheels without removing the panniers on the XC train. We had to remove the panniers on the second train, there was a small guard's van with racks for bikes to stand. There were a couple of other LEJoGers on the train.
Rode from Penzance to St Buryan in the rain, and put the tents up at the campsite. The temperature was 13 degrees C but felt colder with the wind and rain. Removed panniers and went down to Land's End. It was raining and blowing a gale.
Stopped in the pub in Sennen on the way back, but it was cold and we were wet so we headed back to the campsite, stopping to pick up some supplies on the way. Went to the pub in St Buryan for a meal washed down with some Doom Bar. Back to the campsite and change into some dry clothes and a welcome shower.
Day 2. St Buryan to St Maybyn (nr Bodmin) - 73 miles.
Set off at 9.30 and was raining from the start. Stocked up on some pasties from St Buryan. Headed on the A30 for a while and enjoyed a strong tailwind. Stopped in a cafe at Portreath - still raining. Took to the lanes after that until Truro, some lumpy bits, then took B roads. I had a puncture from a small piece of glass. Dad got cold when I was mending my puncture annd wanted to carry on, so I told him to straight on the same road for six miles. Unfortunately the B road forked left at a junction and he went straight on. I pre-empted this and went straight on but my tyre went down again, the patch hadn't stuck properly because of the rain. Tried to patch it again and failed, so fitted a new inner tube. No sign of Dad so I wondered if he had gone left, left a message on his phone and backtracked to the junction and went left. Didn't see Dad again until the campsite, he went up the main road to St Austell and then to Bodmin and I carried on the B road and then took to the lanes, and the sun came out for a while.
Scenery near Bodmin.
End of the first full day - wet and worn out.
Day 3. St Maybyn to South Molton - 64 miles.
Woke up and the sun was out, just - huzzah! Left about 9.30 and grabbed a sandwich and a coke and a spare puncture repair kit from a garage. Stuck to B roads. The B3227 is a great road, like a rollercoaster in places.
Lumpy bits.
Soon passed into Devon. Stopped for lunch in a pub in Holsworthy. Dad was feeling tired and not sure he'd make it so I gave him some nuun and he perked up in the afternoon. Stopped for a banana in Torrington and carried on to South Molton.
Pitched the tents on soggy ground.
My matress has developed a problem.
Day 4. South Molton to Cheddar - 70 miles.
Set off early and headed up the B3227 with Exmoor to the North.
Beware the beast?
Traffic is light. Stopped for tea before Wiveliscombe then headed on to Taunton and took the A38 towards Bridgwater. Not recommened as it is a dual carriageway in places and with no hard shoulder. The detour to Bridgwater was to procure some brake blocks for Dad from SJS cycles. When we arrived there at about 2pm I was told rather curtly that there were no sales people to help me as they were on lunch, but we were given directions to a bike shop. So we bought a couple of pairs of aztecs and left. Continued up the A38 and turned of through Puriton and took B roads through Wedmore and up to Cheddar. The weather had turned nice for this bit and we enjpyed a tailwind. It's very flat around there. Stopped before Wedmore at Rich's cider to buy 4 litres of cider which was duely drunk. Through wedmore and camped just north of Cheddar.
Yesh dear, I'm quite shober.
Day 5. Cheddar to Symond's Yat - 60 miles.
Dad woke up with a sore throat so it looks like he has a cold. He wanted to continue but I told him to take it easy. Set off and climbed up over the end of the mendips in the rain. Stopped at a Spar in Blackwell for sandwiches. Climbed up past Failand and headed over the Clifton suspension bridge.
Headed north through west Bristol and up to Cribb's Causeway, over the M5 and stopped for lunch in Almondsbury. The sun came out. Headed over the M48 bridge into a strong headwind, and up to Chepstow.
Headed up the B road to Coleford and stopped for tea and teacakes. Headed up to Symond's Yat and saw a peregrin falcon through a telescope, a magnificent creature and a beautiful setting. We were told the forecast was for 2.5cm of rain the following day.
Down to the campsite at Symond's Yat east. We rolled in about 6pm and found the site warden in the pub. The campsite is in a very pretty setting next to the river Wye, but quite basic. There are two stalls in the wash block, neither of which have locks. There is one "power" shower which is either luke warm or scalding. Expensive at 12 pounds each. Tortellini, sauce, vegetables and cheese bread for dinner. Stayed up late reading The Curious Event of the Dog in the Night Time, which is really enjoyable.
Day 6. Symond's Yat to Gloucester Buiness Park - 28 miles.
Rain, rain and more rain. Dad woke me up at 7.30 and told me he was going to pack. He had a cold since the previous morning. Packed up by 10 and headed off to Mitcheldean and along the A40 to Gloucester. Dad lost his balance whilst climbing slowly and fell off into the road. He was a bit shaken up as he could hear a car coming, but he managed to get up before it went past. Took the cyclepath from the west of Gloucester through the flood plain area with the power substation that was flooded last year, to the docks. Stopped for tea, and left a lot of water everywhere. Headed up to GBP and picked the car from mrs bob. Dropped dad off at home and installed his new Talk Talk router, said farewell and headed back to Cheltenham for a shower and some dry clothes.
Day 7. Rest day.
To be continued...