John o’Groats to Lands end by bicycle

I am not a cyclist but in 1993 I decided to cycle the entire length of Great Britain - from John o’Groats (the most northern tip of Scotland) to Lands end (the most south western tip of Cornwall). I did ask friends at the time if they wanted to come - but no one wanted to - so I set of by myself.

Route

Started in Southampton by train to Bristol, Edinburgh, Inverness then Wick (about as far as you can go via train!)

My initial plans were to spend some time in youth hostels and some time camping. As a result I took too much kit - and ended up giving away my tent somewhere in the Yorkshire dales. As a result, my route was predetermined by where you can find (or could find, in 1993) a youth hostel:

1. John o’Groats to Helmsdale - 53 miles
2. Helmsdale to Dingwall - 60 miles
3. Dingwall to  Kingussie - 56 miles
4. Kingussie to Perth - 74 miles
5. Perth to Melrose - 87 miles
6. Melrose to Bellingham - 46 miles
7. Bellingham to Baldersdale - 30 miles
8. Baldersdale to York - 75 miles
9. York to Langsett - 51 miles
10. Langsett to Dimmingsdale - 35 miles
11. Dimmingsdale to Ludlow - 74 miles
12. Ludlow to Slimbridge - 64 miles
13. Slimbridge to Street - 56 miles
14. Street to Exeter - 60 miles
15. Exeter to Golant - 79 miles
16. Golant to Lands end - 66 miles (70 covered in day)

This route takes you pretty much down the middle of Great Britain - however it does include the Yorkshire dales - which are perhaps a little too hilly for my personal liking - these could be avoided - but the Scottish mountains probably can’t be avoided. 

Other notes

• As mentioned, took too much kit - either decide to go in youth hostels / bed & breakfasts - or decide to camp - but if you do both - you have to have kit for both - which if cycling alone may be too much to take
• Should have had better clothing - had too much cotten and once it was wet it got very cold - looking at what you can get now (in 2006) the kit is much better than it was then
• I cycled at approximately 12-15 miles per hour
• I met up with 2 other cyclists “en route” who I didn’t know. I found it hard to cycle with them as I was used to my own pace - and wasn’t prepared to push harder on hills to stay with them (or sometimes I wanted to push ahead and they were behind). I didn’t stay with them for long!

…finally, at Lands End…

If you go into the hotel at Lands End - and give them proof that you have cycled from John o’Groats - you get a free beer!