Perhaps one of the cycling challenges Britain is most known for is LEJOG - Lands End to John O Groat’s. This manual from Ciricone Guides is the perfect guide to plan and embark on such a trip. The first thing to note is that this guide was published in March 2012, so it is pretty much as up to date a guide as you will currently find for the route. However we always recommend you plan ahead and book accommodation or at least check everything is open.
Contents
The book is split up into the following chapters
- Overview map
- Introduction
- Things to see
- Getting there
- Accommodation
- Getting back
- Which way and when to go
- Health and safety
- Training fitness
- What to take
- Food and drink
- Using this guide
- The Route
- Stage 1 Land’s End to Fowey
- Stage 2 Fowey to Moretonhampstead
- Stage 3 Moretonhampstead to Street
- Stage 4 Street to Monmouth
- Stage 5 Monmouth to Clun
- Stage 6 Clun to Runcorn
- Stage 7 Runcorn to Slaidburn
- Stage 8 Slaidburn to Keswick
- Stage 9 Keswick to Moffat
- Stage 10 Moffat to Loch Lomond
- Stage 11 Loch Lomond to Glencoe
- Stage 12 Glencoe to Inverness
- Stage 13 Inverness to the Crask Inn
- Stage 14 The Crask Inn to John o’ Groats
- Appendix A Route summary table
- Appendix B OS maps covering the route
- Appendix C Accommodation
- Appendix D Tourist information
- Appendix E Cycle repair shops en route
- Appendix F Other useful resources
- Appendix G OS grid references
The first section of the guide discusses everything you’ll need to think about for your ride - Things to see (it’s no point cycling head down if you don’t see the sites along the way) accommodation be it campsites, B&B’s or Hostels. How to train, what to take and more.
The ride itself is separated into 14 stages, with each stage averaging around 70 miles. The route is a tried and tested route designed to avoid the busier A roads as much as possible and follow minor roads and cycle paths taking in the sights and scenery of Britain.
Finally and most essentially the book contains an appendix of guides including cycle repair shops!
Amazon customers rate this book 4.9 out of 5 stars, their comments include
If you are looking for a clearly written, pedal by pedal guide to ‘LeJog’ I don’t think you could better than this book. With precise instructions on every turn in every road, gradient profiles and clear maps and photographs this has obviously been a labour of love for the author
If you’re even vaguely curious about attempting this ride, then this book is simply a must buy. There are some other great guides out there, but the author has clearly poured his heart and soul into this book
I was lucky enough to ride the end-to-end under the guidance of the author (Nick) in 2011. He was undertaking the ride for the eighth or ninth time and was constantly searching for ways to improve his guide notes. This book has contains the notes written by a man who can now cycle this great trip from memory!
Clearly the author has put his all into this book making it a must have reference book while planning and cycling LEJOG. Have you done the Lands End to John o’Groats? Leave a comment and tell us how you got on and your best memories.
Find Land’s End to John o’Groats at Amazon