If you're a follower of such things, you may be wondering why we're cycling 'the wrong way'. Conventional wisdom says it's better to cycle from Land's End so that the prevailing winds are behind you. Well, as you may know, Becky is currently living and working in Cornwall and she obviously thought it would be easier (for her!) to get home after we reach our journey's end.
You can see our route in Google Earth or online in Google Maps:
Google Earth: right-click the link below, save the file to your computer and then open it.
Google Maps: copy the link below and paste it into the search box of Google Maps.
http://www.bernardallen.com/E2E.kml
Day 1 - John O'Groats to Thurso
20 (20), 99m
Distance (cumulative distance), max. height reached
After driving from Truro, flying from Exeter to Edinburgh, then Wick, collecting our bikes and cycling to John O'Groats, we won't actually start the journey until mid afternoon! A short, flat start.
Day 2 - Carbisdale Castle
83 (103), 264m
Our first full day is one of our longest as we travel along the north coast to Bettyhill and then travel due south to our first Youth Hostel. It is a proper Scottish castle though!
Day 3 - Loch Ness
63 (166), 249m
We travel on towards Inverness and reach Loch Ness at Drumnadrochit, cycling down to Invermoriston for the night.
Day 4 - Oban
84 (250), 69m
Another long day, but pretty flat as cycle alongside Loch Ness and Loch Lochy to Fort William. A couple of ferries mean we can avoid some of the busy A82. Oban is on the west coast.
Day 5 - Lochranza
66 (316), 166m
An easier day travelling south along the coast to Tarbert and then we take a short ferry ride to the Isle of Arran. We're doing this to avoid Glasgow (remember, this is a holiday!), but this will also mean extra miles.
Day 6 - Glenhoul
81 (397), 302m
Back over to the mainland and then slowly uphill through Dumfries and Galloway to another glamorous Youth Hostel - a hut in the middle of nowhere!
Day 7 - Carlisle
68 (465), 309m
We pass through Dumfries and then along the Solway Firth, through Gretna Green (very quickly, without stopping!) and over the English border to Carlisle.
Day 8 - Kendal
51 (516), 454m
A day of milestones as we pass through the mileage halfway mark and reach our highest point - the Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District. Depending on the weather and our sanity, we have a low level option too, but hope to travel through the Lakes. Kirkstone Pass links Ullswater with Lake Windermere.
Day 9 - Blackburn
58 (574), 427m
If anything, this is an even tougher day with hills from start to finish and we nearly reach yesterday's heights as we travel through the Forest of Bowland on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. This also marks our halfway point in days.
Day 10 - Chester
62 (636), 324m
A big hill out of Blackburn and then we work our way around Bolton and Manchester to reach Chester.
Day 11 - Clun
67 (703), 318m
From Chester we make our way down into Shropshire and over the Long Mynd to Clun Mill, another Youth Hostel.
Day 12 - St Briavel
68 (771), 208m
Today we travel through Leominster and Ross-on-Wye, leaving the River Wye at Welsh Bicknor to go to St Briavel's Castle - the second castle stay of our trip!
Day 13 - Wells
51 (822), 264m
One of our shortest days, crossing the River Severn and passing through Bristol, over the Clifton suspension bridge, to reach Wells.
Day 14 - Exeter
66 (888), 255m
Today's journey starts off going by Glastonbury and on to Honiton, using some stretches of the A303 and A30.
Day 15 - Fowey
74 (962), 435m
From Exeter we go over Dartmoor to Plymouth. Then the hills start up again as we head towards Fowey. Today we use ferries to cross rivers at Plymouth and Fowey.
Day 16 - Land's End
66 (1028), 180m
For our last day we start by going through St Austell, across the River Fal on the King Harry Ferry, then on to St Michael's Mount, Penzance and finally, Land's End!
