Category: Route

Surely it’s uphill, going this way round?

Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG, or vice versa, JOGLE) is a time-honoured challenge first undertaken by Robert and John Naylor on foot in 1871.

When…the question arose. “Where shall we walk this year?” we unanimously decided to walk from John o’ Groat’s to Land’s End, or, as my brother described it, “from the top of the map to the bottom.”

‘John O’Groats to Land’s End’, Naylor and Naylor, 1916

Since then, many have tried, failed and succeeded in both directions and by all means imaginable – walking, unicycling and even on a motorised toilet – but the allure of this epic journey remains.

The Ride Across Britain 2021, an organised event, is a chance for amateur cyclists to undertake this feat of endurance, across 9 days, 969 miles (1,559km) of road and 52,500 feet of climbing (16,000 m).

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Several hundred riders set off early from Land’s End on Saturday 4th September 2021, facing headwinds, hills, rain, traffic, midges, saddle sores, potholes and punctures for up to 12 hours each day.

Two feed stops are provided during each stage and those who remain ahead of the ‘broom wagon’ reach the finish on time and avoid recording a ‘strike’ (three and you’re out).

Tents, showers and hot food are available at ‘base camp’ each night. Mechanics are on hand to fix serious equipment failures. The medical team recorded 1,200 cases of “looking at sore bums” in 2019.

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There’s no doubt that it’s a challenge. The Ride will cover more road than the professional Tour of Britain, which will follow just a day behind. Few participants are athletes, and the transition from life at the desk to life on the road, is going to hurt. However, it should be free of some of the risks of the late 19th Century.

The roads were still far from safe, and many tragedies were enacted in lonely places, and in cases of murder the culprit, when caught, was often hanged or gibbeted near the spot where the crime was committed.

‘John O’Groats to Land’s End’, Naylor and Naylor, 1916

The choice to go from South to North is motivated not by elevation, because to take the same route is to go up and down the same amount. It’s mainly because the prevailing wind is from the South, and because getting to Land’s End is easier than getting to John O’Groats for most people.

The stage guide picks out some highlights:

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But they sounded like hard work, so I was looking forward to:

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I’ll aim to post each day while on the ride, see ‘Stages’ in the menu.