The Where

The route I am taking is... about 960miles. I have planned for an average of roughly 60miles a day, and allowed myself three weeks for the ride. Some days will undoubtedly be better than others, depending on how I am feeling and how flat the roads are, but I should finish well within the 3 weeks.

I keep getting asked why I am going "up hill", from Lands End to Scotland. Well the topography is actually flat, unsurprisingly, as I am going from sea level to sea level. What does make a difference is the prevailing winds; I have read that these are north-easterly and therefore, heading in the same direction will see the wind working in my favour. Hopefully...

The record for doing this ride, as far as I can make out, is 44hrs & 4 mins, by a chap called Gethin Butler. Most people won't have a clue who he is (I don't) but may recall hearing about Steve Gough, the chap who insisted on walking the E2E naked; it took him 6mths including two terms in gaol, but he did have two female companions sharing him along the way so it can't have been all bad... People have run it backwards (26 days) and unicycled it (14 days, ie less time than I'm planning on taking!) and a McDonnel F-4K Phantom Jet did it in 46mins 44secs in 1986. Something tells me I may be a while longer...

Watch this blogspace for updates along the way, I'll try & upload the odd photo for you if I can.

My final route: Penzance – St Just – Land’s End – St Ives – St Agnes – Mawgan Porth – Padstow – Wadebridge – Davidstow – Launceston – Okehampton – Crediton – Tiverton – Wellington – Taunton – Westhay – Cheddar – Long Ashton – Severn Bridge – Monmouth – Eardisley – Bucknell – Ratlinghope – Melverley – Ellesmere – Beeston – Frodsham – Runcorn – Warrington – Newton-le-Willows – Appley Bridge – Preston – Garstang – Lancaster – Carnforth – Levens Bridge – Hawkshead – Thirlmere – Hesket Newmarket – Carlisle – Longtown – Ruthwell – Dumfries – Drumlanrig – Kirkconnel – Stair – Irvine – Ardrossan – Isle of Arran – Kilmartin – Connel – Fort William – Fort Augustus – Muir of Ord – Dornock – Dunbeath – John O’Groats. c.984miles but will wait & see what the odometer says at the end...