Dear Cyclist, Thank you for your enquiry regarding your

Dear Cyclist, Thank you for your enquiry regarding your

Dear Cyclist,
Thank you for your enquiry regarding your planned cycle ride from Lands End to John
O'Groats.
The National Cycle Network (NCN) was not designed for this sort of challenge but
rather for linked local routes suitable for everyday use and novice cyclists. However,
many cyclists use the NCN for long-distance challenges and the End to End or LEJOG
/JOGLE is the ultimate challenge.
There are various different routes you can take to ride the route. Before showing a
logical route on the National Cycle Network, here are a few other well ridden routes
between Lands End to John O’Groats you may like to consider.
Lands End to John O’Groats cycle routes:
Nick Mitchell, an experienced LEJOG rider, has written this excellent guide to his route
over 14 days and 991 miles, avoiding busy roads as much as possible and detailing
accommodation and facilities along the way. Published by Cicerone:
RB128 The End to End Cycle Route
Phil Horsley’s great guide book to riding LEJOG details his route which uses quiet
roads as well as National Cycle Network routes where they fit in, plus 500 miles of
alternative routes:
RB02 Lands End to John O’Groats The Great British Bike Adventure
For a wonderfully fun and funny account of a slow and steady run on the LEJOG check
out “Mud, Sweat & Gears” by Ellie Bennett:
RB129 : Mud, Sweat and Gears: Cycling from Land's End to John o'Groats (Via the
Pub)
The Cycle Touring Club (CTC) have a pack with
loads of information on three different routes of
varying length and difficulty: A most direct route
on A roads of approx 1000 miles, or two
different scenic options on quieter roads. They
have also put together an “off-road” Land’s End
to John O’Groats route using bridleways, parts
of the National Cycle Network, and minor roads.
[Note that only CTC members can view the
detailed route online.]
Lands End to John O’Groats on the National Cycle Network
There are many routes you can take on the National Cycle Network but they are not
particularly direct. The most direct route on the National Cycle Network is
approximately 1200 miles. The best way to view the whole National Cycle Network for
planning is via our interactive online mapping.
If you prefer physical maps we recommend a combination of RG94B NCN Poster Map
2013 and RG120 UK Cycle Route Planner as the best planning tool for your ride
available from our online shop [www.sustransshop.co.uk].
Here is an example of one route you could
take on the National Cycle Network to
complete the LEJOG (south to north):
National Route 3 - also known as the West
Country Way runs from Lands End to Bristol
(320 miles).
linking routes:
RMC07 : Cornwall Cycle Map
RMC04 : Devon North Cycle Map
RMC03 : Somerset Levels Cycle Map
The following maps cover this route and many
other National Cycle Routes and other useful
Followed by National Route 41 – Bristol to Gloucester (53 miles):
The Severn and Thames Cycle Route map covers this route:
RMC01 : Severn & Thames Cycle Map
Then take National Route 45 from Gloucester to Chester via Telford; and/ or
National Route 55 from Telford to Manchester.
Use RMC17 Herefordshire, Worcestershire & North Gloucestershire Cycle Map with
RMC18 Shropshire, Staffordshire & the Black Country Cycle Map to take you north on
either /both routes as far as Whitchurch /Stoke-on-Trent.
Currently there are no further maps Sustrans have of the NCN in Cheshire but an option
is RPL38 National Byway West Midlands map, from which you can either follow the
National Byway or use the map to scribe the National Cycle Network onto. Alternatively,
please see Cheshire Cycleway, or visit the local councils Cheshire West & Cheshire
Council; Cheshire East Council; Shropshire Cycling for local free maps of NCN routes.
If following National Route 55 you will end up going via Manchester. If you are following
National Route 45 to Chester you will connect with National Route 5 east, then National
Route 562, then National Route 62 further east (RPN08A Trans Pennine Trail West will
be useful here), and also end up in Manchester. Therefore the free maps of Greater
Manchester are very useful for negotiating the biggest built up area on the LEJOG cycle
route.
National Route 6 runs from Manchester to Threlkeld
in the Lake District via Lancaster and the following
leaflets and maps have information on this part of
National Route 6:
FPR37 : Preston to Lancaster
FPR36 : Lancaster to Kendal
ROS03 : OS Tour 3 Lake District & Cumbria
From Threlkeld, National Route 71, which is part of the Sea to Sea (C2C) cycle route:
NN7A : NCN Sea to Sea (C2C), runs just beyond a village called Little Blencow where it
meets National Route 7.
National Route 7, known as the Lochs & Glens cycle route, runs all the way from Little
Blencow to Inverness via Carlisle and Glasgow. Heading north from Pitlochry you will
find the route up through the Drumochter Pass particularly useful in avoiding the main
A9.
The Lochs & Glens cycle maps cover National Route 7 from Carlisle to Inverness:
NN7B : NCN Lochs & Glens South
NN7C : NCN Lochs & Glens North
National Route 74 is a far more direct route between Gretna and Glasgow, however this
route isn’t fully opened and signed and there is therefore no route map for this route.
National Route 1 runs up the east coast of the entire length of the UK and is also known
as the North Sea Cycle Route. In northern Scotland it connects Inverness to John
O’Groats via Lairg, Tongue and Thurso:
NN1E : NCN Aberdeen to Shetland covers this final stretch of National Route 1 up to
John O’Groats (169 miles)
An alternative route you could take on the National Cycle Network to complete the
LEJOG:
An alternative option would be to take National Route 3, National Route 41, and
National Route 45 as previously described but head north east from Droitwich and join
National Route 5 at Bromsgrove heading towards Lichfield, where National Route 54
takes you to Derby. Bromsgrove to Derby is covered on RMC17 Herefordshire,
Worcestershire & North Gloucestershire Cycle Map with RMC18 Shropshire,
Staffordshire & the Black Country Cycle Map plus RMC19 East Midlands Cycle Map.
From Etwall, near Derby, the Pennine Cycle Way (also
known as National Route 68) can be followed all the way to
Norham, near Berwick-on-Tweed, where you can pick up
National Route 1 to John O’Groats. The Pennine Cycle
Way is covered on three maps, although two of these are
currently out of print (central section and northern section).
Therefore, from Derby to John O’Groats the maps
available are:
NN68D : NCN South Yorkshire & Peak District
NN1C : NCN Coast & Castles South
NN1D : NCN Coast & Castles North
NN1E : NCN Aberdeen to Shetland
These are just a couple of suggestions and there are many route options you
could take. Please take a look at the maps and guides we have available on our
online shop.
Other mapping
At the moment Sustrans do not have detailed printed maps for the entire National Cycle
Network. Ordnance Survey Landranger maps cover the whole UK and mark the
National Cycle Network.
Other maps which are useful on such a long distance ride are the Ordnance Survey
Road maps at 1:250,000 scale. Though not so detailed through urban areas they are
fine for rural roads and lanes and are available through the Ordnance Survey shop.
Details of canal towpaths which can be used by cyclists are given on the Canal & River
Trust website.
These other websites provide useful mapping for cyclists:
The By Bike option under ‘Get Directions’ on Google Maps
Cycle Streets
Cycle-Route
GPS Cycle & Walking Routes
National Byway
Bikely
GPSies
You can also use the "By Bike" option on the Via Michelin website, although the route
can only be planned using a maximum distance of 200km sections and it does not
include details of traffic-free cycle routes.
Accommodation
There are various useful websites that provide accommodation information:
Beds For Cyclists marks cycle friendly lodgings
against the National Cycle Network.
Cyclists Welcome details Cyclists Welcome
accredited accommodation.
Youth Hostel Association has hostels all over England
and Wales
Scottish Youth Hostel Association
Independent Hostel Guide is a comprehensive collection of Independent Hostels across
the UK. Also available as a guide book: RG82 The Independent Hostel Guide.
Independent Hostels in Scotland
Our online shop also stocks guidebooks of some of the other popular routes, such as
RG30 The Ultimate C2C Guide, RB28 Lochs and Glens Official Guide etc. and these
publications may be relevant for the areas you travel through. Click here for the full
range.
Other useful LEJOG websites
Lands End John O’Groats Association
Cycle End to End
LEJOG - The Great British 'End to End' Cycling
Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you have any further queries regarding
Sustrans and the National Cycle
Network. We would also welcome
any feedback you may wish to
share with us on your experiences
on the National Cycle Network or
any alternative routes to those
suggested above.
If you are thinking about doing the
LEJOG as a sponsored ride
perhaps you would consider
raising money for Sustrans. As we
are a charity, people's support is vital to maintaining and expanding the National Cycle
Network, and fundraising through sponsorship is a very rewarding way of doing this. If
you would like to find out more please contact our Supporters department:
mailto:supporters@sustrans.org.uk
Or you can download a fundraising pack.
We’ll give you a t-shirt to wear with pride, a sponsorship pack, and lots of support (and
if you swing by the Bristol HQ office on the way, a cuppa and a biscuit).
Best of luck with your ride!
Sustrans Information and Trading team
September 2013