Land's End to John O'Groats

Description

The Ultimate Road Cycling Holiday in the UK!

That really is the only way to describe our Land's End to John O'Groats tours. LEJOG is a classic challenge across the entire length of mainland Britain that every cyclist should experience at least once in their lifetime. 

In all we will cover roughly 1,000 miles, encompassing some of the UK's most stunning and remote countryside in just 14 days of exhilarating cycling! It's tough, an adventure, hard work, you'll get a puncture or two, but its one of the most rewarding things you will ever do!!

Perfectly Designed Route

Our carefully designed route avoids heavy traffic and busy towns as much as possible, and takes us well off the beaten track along quiet country lanes and specific National Cycle Network (NCN) routes.

We travel from Land's End following the south Cornish coast, riding over the wilds of Dartmoor, and over the Severn Bridge into Wales. Following the River Wye on the Welsh border through the stunning rural landscapes of Hereford and Shropshire.

Heading further north we discover the amazing Forest of Bowland then into the Lake District and cross the border into Scotland. Before long we're passing through the Trossachs, Loch Lomond and Grampian Mountains to Inverness, then the experience wilderness of the Scottish Highlands en-route to our final destination John O'Groats.

Summary of 14 Day LEJOG Route

We Take Care of Everything, You Just Pedal Britain

Being a fully guided and supported cycling tour, you are provided with a detailed turn by turn route notes and for those with navigation devices like Garmin or Wahoo you can download the relevant files from our tour app, allowing you to take things at your own pace. What's more, we'll carry your luggage and feed you along the way, luxury!

Whilst our emphasis is always on safety, we aim to provide a relaxed approach to touring, there is no better way to soak up the UK's distinct culture, see its wildlife and its people than by bike.

Your trip will be led by experienced guides, going the extra mile for customers is not an obligation, its just how we roll at Pedal Britain.

Our goal is to facilitate a fun and enjoyable tour with many laughs and memorable moments along the way. After all, it is a holiday!!

Links to Customer LEJOG Content 

• Andy Friend LEJOG Video - Aug 2024 
• Bill Ross - 14 Daily LEJOG Videos
• Ian Archibald - LEJOG Blog July 2022

Itinerary

Arrival Day: Saturday > Penzance

Our first night Saturday is spent at accommodation in Penzance a lovely Cornish seaside town around 9 miles from Land's End. You can make your way directly to the Hotel if being driven by family or friends who are travelling to wave you off on your adventure.

Or our accommodation is just 2 minutes from the train station. Let us know when your arriving and our guides can meet you helping to take your bike (if we don't already have it) and luggage to the Hotel. 

We ask that people try to arrive at the Hotel by 5.30pm latest on Arrival day. This is because at 6.00pm we normally have a tour briefing session at which important information relating to safety and general advice on how to survive 14 days in the saddle is provided.

After this we have a group evening meal at 7.30pm at our Hotel so you can socialize and meet your fellow LEJOGer’s. So if you arrive early in the afternoon you’ll have plenty of time to explore Penzance. 

Day 1: Land's End to St Austell

60 miles | 97km | 5309 ft | 1646 m

Our journey begins at the famous signpost on the southwestern most tip of England, Land's End. Where its dramatic coastline forms the backdrop for the obligatory photos. Then on winding Cornish roads we head back towards Penzance, cycling along the seafront as we pass St Michael's mount.

The first day is perhaps one of the toughest, the hills in Cornwall are not particularly high, but they are steep and there are a lot of them!! After an amazing lunch at we catch the King Harry ferry and venture further inland passing through picture perfect villages before ending the day the in St Austell.

Day 2: St Austell to Bovey Tracey

77 miles | 124km | 5773 ft | 1759m

Another tough day starts with a little more 'Cornish cycling', short and steep ascents followed by quick descents. We pass through the lovely seaside towns of Looe and Seaton to our lunch stop right on the harbour in Plymouth. We continue into Devon via the Plym Valley which is a fantastic 8 miles traffic free trail through woods, before a steady climb up onto Dartmoor National Park. On a clear day this is a truly spectacular section, with some fantastic cycling across open moorland, although it can get very bleak if the weather is bad! The reward is an exhilarating downhill section before reaching the pretty town of Bovey Tracey. 

Day 3: Bovey Tracey to Wookey Hole

87 miles | 140km | 4226ft | 1287m 

Todays adventure begins with some hilly cycling as we negotiate the idyllic back roads towards Exeter. Once through the city it's quiet country lanes and the english countryside at its best. After lunch, we will be wending our way across the Somerset Levels to bring us via quirky Glastonbury to the historic cathedral city of Wells. Our overnight stop of Wookey Hole is just a couple of miles further.

Day 4: Wookey Hole to Hereford 

78 miles | 126km | 4868ft | 1509m

Today you have an optional detour of 8 miles to experience the incredible Cheddar Gorge. Even if not, there is still a sharp ascent out of Wookey Hole followed by some fine cycling across the plateau of the Mendip Hills, before dropping down to Chew Valley Lake. We will cycle over the iconic Clifton suspension bridge before heading through Bristol and over the Severn Bridge into Wales. The afternoon is spent cycling along the Wye Valley passing Tintern Abbey, a truly memorable days cycling before stopping near Hereford.

Day 5: Hereford to Shrewsbury 

70 miles | 113km | 3235ft | 1003m

Perhaps the easiest day. But the scenery is stunning with the Black Mountains brooding away in the distance. Cycling on undulating country lanes, passing fields and picture postcard villages onwards through the Welsh Marches, we eventually stop for the night in medieval Shrewsbury.

Day 6: Shrewsbury to Leigh 

71 miles | 114km | 1888ft | 585m

A scenic, undulating road takes us from the historic white and black timbered buildings of Shrewsbury north on flat and quiet roads along the Cheshire plains. Another relatively easy day, we avoid most of the busy roads by cycling through the Delamere Forest. There is some tricky navigation towards the end, however the reward in Leigh an optional local swimming pool to sooth those aching limbs.

Day 7: Leigh to Carnforth

70 miles | 113km | 4656ft | 1419m

Leaving Leigh we will be weaving through the Manchester / Liverpool conurbation, but being early on a Saturday we miss the heavy traffic. The cycling is flat but with a number of road junctions, roundabouts and town centres. As we head up on to the Moors close to Tockholes the countryside beckons again. The terrain becomes hilly as we cycle up through the glorious Forest of Bowland and lunch in the pretty village of Dunsop Bridge. From here you steadily climb 'The Cross of Greet' giving way to stunning views across the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales, then it is downhill on quiet back roads into Carnforth.

Day 8 : Kendal to Gretna Green 

72 miles | 116km | 4933ft | 1529m 

An easy start as we hug the waters edge through beautiful lakeland towns such as Windermere, Ambleside and reach a brew stop in Grasmere. After a short climb we descend to take an amazing traffic free route around Thirlmere Lake. Crossing the busy A591 onto quieter back roads we reach Castlerigg stone circle and yet more stunning views as we descend into the town of Keswick for lunch. From here we leave the lakes via Uldale and the Caldbeck hills. Once we reach the outskirts of Carlisle it is then relatively flat as we cross the border into Scotland (don't forget t stop for a picture) to stay in the famous Gretna Green village.

Day 9: Gretna Green to Larkhall 

76 miles | 122km | 3271ft | 1014m

Terrain in the Scottish Lowlands is relatively flat making for easy cycling to start as we weave our way along lush green river valleys north towards the outskirts of Glasgow. Some hilly cycling in the afternoon away from our lunch stop in Moffat tests the legs before descending again towards Larkhall.

Day 10: Larkhall to Tyndrum 

79 miles | 127km | 3382ft | 1048m

At Hamilton southwest of Glasgow we join the Clyde Corridor cycle route, and as we traverse the city we will be enjoying a traffic free ride alongside the River Clyde, with the Trossachs ahead of us, we will be heading for the banks of Loch Lomond.

Cycling the full length of this majestic span of water, we end the day in Tyndrum on the West Highland Way, surrounded by stunning mountain peaks.

Day 11: Tyndrum to Fort Augustus 

82 miles | 132km | 4283ft | 1328m

As the long steady, ascents open up we will have glorious views of the Grampian Mountains. Travelling north the views become even more dramatic, a stiff climb up onto Rannoch Moor and into the spectacular and historic 'Pass of Glencoe'.

The towering Three Sisters mark the last miles before Glencoe Village. From here we ride the eastern shores of Loch Linnhe to Fort William. After visiting the Commando Memorial, quiet tow paths along the Caledonian Canal lead us to the quaint Fort Augustus which lies on the banks of Loch Ness.

Day 12: Fort Augustus to Evanton 

53 miles | 85km | 3048ft | 929m

A steep and lengthy climb onto General Wades Military Road is rewarded with breathtaking views.

We then weave alongside the famous Loch Ness to the Capital of the Highlands - Inverness. A stunning ride away from Inverness takes you over the Kessock Bridge and alongside the Beauly Firth to the Muir of Ord before resting overnight in Evanton.

Day 13:  Evanton to Bettyhill 

76 miles | 126km | 3454ft | 1052m

Just out of Evanton brings another ascent onto what the locals call the 'Struie'. As we reach the top, we will be amply rewarded with impressive views of the Dornoch Firth and away in the distance Loch Shin. Descending down to Bonnar Bridge its then a steady climb via Lairg to The Crask Inn, arguably the quirkiest and friendliest of pubs in the UK. Some of the finest cycling of the trip begins with some 'free miles' descending from the Crask Inn with the dazzling backdrop provided by Loch Naver and Ben Klibreck. A truly unforgettable day ends as we sight the Atlantic Ocean at Bettyhill.

Day 14: Bettyhill to John O'Groats 

50 miles | 81km | 2448ft | 759m

The final morning will be spent making progress along the stunning but hilly northern coastline of Scotland. As we approach our journeys end the terrain flattens out and we are rewarded with an easy ride to the finish line at John O'Groats. 

On the final day we finish cycling on Saturday around 1pm. Once the champagne corks have been popped a coach is booked to transfer everyone the 2hr 30mins to our Hotel in Inverness, where we will have a celebratory meal.

If you are taking your bike home we will transport it to Inverness for you to collect at the Hotel. However if you chose the ‘Bike Transfer’ option then your bike will be packed on to the van and delivered back to your home address the following week.

Departure Day: Sunday > Inverness

Pedal Britain staff will need to leave early for the long journey home. However we will beforehand arrange for transport to collect groups from the Hotel and take to the airport.

What's included

     15 Nights Bed & Breakfast Accommodation

We stay in a great mix of cyclist friendly Hotels or B&B's. Where ever it is possible we all stay together in the same accommodation as a group. No need to check in Pedal Britain team will have done that for you, just collect your key and relax. Bikes are either locked in a secure area of the hotel or in your room. Breakfasts are all included with a choice of Full or Continental available.

 Fully Supported Tour 

The Pedal Britain support van is never far away to provide any assistance you need, be it access to your day bag, resolve a mechanical issue, report a first aid problem or just have a morale boosting chat. Just phone the driver or tap helmet as we pass if you need anything and we'll stop for you.  

Daily Luggage Transfer

The support vehicle moves all of your luggage between each nights accommodation. Luxury, wherever time allows we'll even put it in your room for you. Also we recommend leaving a day bag in the support van to further reduce what you need to carry on the bike.

Includes Lunch and Brew Stop Refreshments 

Lunches are a mix of rolling buffets in pubs and cafes or a picnic in a very scenic spot. The famous Pedal Britain pop up café delivers welcome brew stops at strategic points along the route to keep energy levels up providing you with water, tea, coffee, fruit, biscuits, cake, flap jacks and anything else you specifically request.

Expert Cycling and Tour Guides

Pedal Britain prides itself on having staff with a 'can-do' attitude, their entire focus is on ensuring they attend to your every need, to ensure that you have the best experience possible. They have detailed knowledge of the route, are first aid qualified and decent mechanics - but most importantly they care about you. When asked 'What makes Pedal Britain better than others?' quite simply it is our amazing staff - the one thing our competition cannot copy.

Pedal Britain Tour App & Detailed Route Notes

From here you can download the relevant file format for the daily route maps - GPX, TCX etc.. These can then easily be transferred to whatever GPS unit you are using such as a Garmin or Wahoo.

Don't have a GPS unit? No problem, just download our APP and it turns your Smart Phone into a GPS unit with turn by turn route navigation.

We also provide very detailed route notes which act as both information about the days cycling and back up to your electronic gadgets.

Live Tracking App

Pedal Britain Live Tracker app allows family and friends to see how well your progressing. The same tracker also helps us keep you safe and also ensure your following the route!!

Facebook Tour Groups

We will invite you to join a closed Facebook group for your specific tour. This enables you to get to know people before the holiday and provides a platform to share training experiences or any questions, concerns you may have before the tour.

Not Included

Evening Meals - although group bookings will be made at local restaurants attendance is optional, however payment isn’t!!

Travel Insurance - We highly recommend you take out insurance 

Transport to Start at Penzance or home from the End in Inverness

Easy Bike Transfer (Available for a Fee)

Single Room Option (Limited number available for a supplement)

Fees for any Ferries 

Cycle Hire (Contact us to discuss options)

Travel logistics

Getting to Penzance

By Car

The M5 will take you as far as Exeter, there you can join the A30 which will take you all the way to Penzance. Remember to give yourself enough time as being peak holiday time the roads can and will be very busy especially around Bristol and for the last stretch through Cornwall.

Hiring Car/Van 

Some guests use the 'one way' drop off option offered by hire companies when travelling to the start. Best options for Penzance if you are planning to hire a car or van are:

Europcar: Their office is at Penzance Train Station very close to where we stay on the first night.

Enterprise: Their depot is just outside town at a place called Long Rock. However they will often bring you into town, but if not just let us know and we'll collect you.

By Train  

There are frequent trains from London Paddington to Penzance and via numerous connections from the North such as Reading, 

NB. If you are bringing your bike on a train please make sure you also book it a space on your train as many services have restricted capacity for cycles.

By Air

You can fly to Cornwall by taking a flight from London to Newquay Airport. From Newquay you can take a coach or train onwards to Penzance. If taking the train to Penzance ensure you change at Par station.

Flights from Ireland - The closest major airports are Bristol or Birmingham, from here you can get the train or coach to Penzance. 

By Ferry 

For visitors coming from Europe there are ferry links from Roscoff, in France or Santander, in Spain, both to the nearby port of Plymouth. A train or coach can then be taken to Penzance.

Bike transfer

Getting Your Bike to Land's End and Home Again

Option 1: Customer Drop Off / Collection

FREE of Charge

If you can bring your bike to and collect from our offices in Northamptonshire then we will transfer your bike Free of Charge. No need to dismantle we'll take it fully assembled and safely secure it in the support vehicle for transporting.

We can also take helmets strapped to bikes and day bags labelled with your name.

Option 2: Bike Collection or Delivery - Pedal Britain Support Van

Cost for this service is £75.00 per bike - One Way to Start or From the End

On the Tuesday and Wednesday before a tour starts and in the week after a tour, based on geographical location of clients that have signed up for this service, Pedal Britain's support van will come to an address of your choosing, which could be work, home or cycle shop to collect / deliver your bike. 

No need to dismantle we'll take it fully assembled and safely secure in the support vehicle for transporting.

We can also take helmets strapped to bikes and day bags labelled with your name.

Option 3: Bike Collection or Delivery - Transport Partner

Cost for this service is £75.00 per bike - One Way to Start or From the End

If you happen to fall outside the geographical area being covered by the support van prior to the tour then do not despair we have an alternative solution.

On the Monday before a tour starts we'll arrange for our trusted transport partner to collect your bike from an address of your choosing, which could be work, home or cycle shop and deliver your bike to Pedal Britain.

Clients will need to securely package up their own bike in a Medium size (150 x 22 x 90 cm) cardboard bike box. A local bike shop will for free or small fee provide a suitable box and much of the packing material you will need for this. Pedal Britain will return your bike the same way in the week after a tour ends.

Once we arrive in Penzance on the Saturday the Pedal Britain team will help you re-assemble your bike ready for push off on Sunday.

We cannot via this service accept helmets or any day bags packed inside the boxes.

Option 4:  Bike Delivery - JOG Bike Company 

Cost for this service is £135.00 per bike - One Way back Home

We use this option only when the delivery address for your bike is one that does not fit geographically into any of the routes planned for the Pedal Britain support vehicles and you do not want your bike returned via Option 3. The bikes will be packed into oversized reinforced cardboard boxes for you - saddle lowered and handle bars turned - are only adjustments made.

We'll send you a link to provide information required for this service and your bike will be delivered within 7 days of the tour ending.

Bike Transfer Service: Both Ways

Total Cost is £150.00 per bike 

£210.00 per bike if using JOG Bike Transfer Company for return.

Terms & Conditions of Bike Transfer Service

• Pedal Britain cannot be held responsible for any damage that occurs in transit - although we will obviously take great care of bikes in transit
• Where a third party is being used Pedal Britain cannot be held responsible for any damage in transit
• We recommend that you have insurance in place to cover you for any accidental damage or theft during transit

Bike hire

Pedal Britain has always strongly recommended that clients use their own cycles wherever possible for our tours, as there is no substitute for using a bike that you are familiar with and are comfortable riding. 

However we fully understand that sometimes circumstances mean this is just not possible.

Need to Hire a Bike?

We do not run our own fleet of hire bikes therefore have to source them from our trusted range of suppliers. At peak times of the year stock can be limited therefore please do let us know well in advance if you intend to hire a bike. 

First step is to please email us with your measurements and preferences:

• Frame size
• Shimano group set
• Disc or Caliper brakes
• Carbon or Non carbon

PLEASE NOTE: Most road bikes run 11-28 compact gearing as they are generally set up for sportive hire. However we'll do our best to find a bike that works for you. 

Once you hire the bike it will be available to use from Saturday Morning in Penzance giving us a day to make any adjustments that you may want.

Road Bike Hire:

Branded High Spec Carbon Road Bike = £350-£375 each for 2 weeks. This will be a Trek Madone SLR 6 or equivalent

Non Branded UK Built Bikes = £250-£300 for 2 weeks 

Hybrid Bike Hire:

Branded High Spec Carbon Hybrid Bike = £250-£300 each for 2 weeks.

Want to Bring Your Own Bike But Need Help With Logistics? 

If you currently live outside UK but are unsure about bringing your own cycle, please call or e-mail for advice. We can discuss a variety of solutions that might help you to bring a bike along.

Some of the ways we can help:

1. Bike Box/Bag on Van : On each tour we have room for several soft bike bags and 2 hard case bike boxes - for overseas clients only
2. Getting Bike to the Start : Also if when you land in UK you are planning to tour first / or just want to travel without bike to Penzance - we can as part of our bike transfer service collect your bike from a Hotel (Tuesday/Wednesday) before the tour and take it to the start for you.
3. Staying on longer in UK after tour : Don't want a bike in tow? We can also keep bike and box with us after the tour, then by using our bike transfer service we can deliver the bike to a Hotel near London/or an Airport when you are ready to head home

Just contact us on info@pedalbritain.com setting out what your plans are and we'll come up with a solution that works for you.

Ask a question?