LEJOG Adventure

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Arrived late again with just time to eat and sleep. Both feeling sore but we’re nearly there. Just two more days to JOG! Hoping the weather holds and the following wind we ordered arrives on cue 😊

Another long hard day. We’re both hurting but determined to keep going. Thanks everyone for your support. Sorry for the lack of updates!

Long tough cycle ending with what would have been a beautiful canal path route from Glasgow to Balloch if it had been daylight. Cycling in the dark along a narrow path beside water dodging hundreds of flying bats was em, interesting! 😱🦇😂

2.30 pm - just arrived in Scotland!

Never been so excited to reach Scotland...hoorah! Lovely stay in the Norcroft guest house who had two very bouncy old English sheep dogs George and Howie

B&b really looked after us. Breakfast was amazing (food’s become quite a big thing)! Feeling slightly less feral 😆 started the day with a massive climb out of slaidburn - garmin’s registering 1057 ft (that’s a third of a Munro!). Trial run for the big climb up the Shap Road just before Penrith. 1400 feet! Beautiful route though 😊

Great start leaving Northwich for first 15 miles then lots of starts and stops thereafter. Lovely canal paths starting around Warrington but barriers at each lock and junction which we couldn’t pass through without removing laden panniers from bikes (which are starting to feel heavier by the day - think we’re both lugging around 10 kg in weight), then manoeuvring bikes around them on back wheels. Also managed to lose the path at one point and ended up on a horrible dank muddy dead end path that we had to walk then carry bikes up a steep embankment to get back onto a trail - exhausting! Shirley’s hands are very painful so gravel tracks make them worse and result in shooting pains up arms so lots of stops to ease that too. Passed through Preston as the night scene was just kicking off (some encouragement from very drunk football supporters 😊), then countryside really beautiful after that. Met these guys on passing when cycling towards our b&b for the night in the Forest of Bowland (

Today we met Lily who’s also cycling to John o’Groats 😍

Just leaving the George pub and b&b. Had a lovely stay. Owners very friendly. Starting to feel a bit weathered 😊. Hoping today is an easier day...but we’ll see!

Lulled into false sense of security with relatively easy start. Even planned a relaxing evening 😂 Eventually arrived in Bridgnorth, Shropshire after a rollercoaster cycle. Pooped! 😴

...and don’t know what Snapchat was trying to tell me when I looked at the map coming out of Bristol but pretty much summed up how I felt...

Tough day! Couldn’t get going. Very steep ups and downs around Wookey Hole then a trip through Bristol. That was an experience on a bike! No pics as staying safe around the crazy traffic was all we could focus on - not to mention our navigation going a bit loopy (thanks to Garmin!) - that took a good hour to recover from. Finally got through Bristol into Gloucester which brought us onto the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Lovely but some of the track almost unridable (on our bikes with loaded panniers), so walked a bit of the way. Then route closed for maintenance which led to a detour and more navigational problems around Gloucester. Very long day. Feeling physically strong but mentally drained. Weather was lovely - just one small downpour in Bristol. Bristol really was an experience - never again! 😊 

10 miles into journey when hit with a 867ft climb out of Wookey Hole 😓 lovely views of Glastonbury in the distance if it wasn’t so muggy! 

Big hills at start of route but flat along the canal and only slight ups and downs into Glastonbury.  Easiest day so far and managed a good few stops along the way to take in the sights. Settling into a premier inn in Glastonbury for the night watching the news...as you do! So glad we’ve left Cornwall behind given the G7 situation - looks like we.got out just in time! Lovely view of Glastonbury Tor from route in.

Not so quaint but hey, we’ve made it to Glastonbury 😀 

Bella the dog from B&B, their rabbit, cutest little dog in motor scooter, swans and signets along the canal and a very fine gorilla (possibly an imposter 😊)

Another beautiful day! Reluctant to leave this b&b (The Anchor Inn), really is idyllic and so beautiful. Excited to get to Glastonbury though. Cornwall and Devon finished at last. Onto Somerset! 

Most scenic day so far. Tarka trail was lovely and flat and lots to look at along the way. Passed through so many quaint villages and beautiful scenery although people drive way too fast. Very narrow lanes and not really space for cars and bikes (let alone tractors and lorries!). Highlights of today - Tarka trail, pretty village of Sheepwash, arriving at our B&b (The Anchor Inn), which is totally idyllic!! Food is amazing too 😋 Food tastes sooo good after a long and pretty exhausting day...feeling pooped 😊 

Meeting all sorts of interesting folks along the Tarka trail 😊

Fab! Best part of the route today (it’s very flat)! 😊

Such a pretty place - love all the thatch cottages. Stocking up on supplies at sheepworth stores 😊

Stayed in the most amazing b&b last night - Barton Gate Farm guesthouse. Spoilt only slightly by being close to a fairly busy road but otherwise quite idyllic.This is a view of part of the garden. Lovely day for a cycle!

Big day but beautiful route via Camel Trail and over Bodmin moor. Bit of a wonky start, down and up a footpath followed by a tour of a field. Google map fail. Nothing to do with the navigator 😂 Eventually arrived at a fab B&B who have fed and watered us very well 😋. Just arrived in Devon.