Below is the route that we took together with daily distances and times in the saddle and a few notes. If anyone would like more detailed information please email me at ph@chestertongray.com Our support manager, Jeff would also be pleased to talk it through with you.

John O’Groats to Lands End 16^th to 25^th June 2011-06-30

Day One JOG to Tain

Miles:   91

Hours:  5hr 41m

Avge:   16.01 (tailwind)

A99 to Wick – Latheon

A9 to Helmsdale – Tain

Day Two Tain to Dalwhinnie

Miles:   93.78

Hours:  6hrs 50m

Avge:   13.73 (headwind pm)

Back roads to Alness (lovely scenic route)

A9 to Tore – Inverness – Aviemore – Dalwhinnie

Day Three Dalwhinnie to Edinburgh

Miles: 101.62

Hours: 6hrs 47m

Avge:   14.98

A9 to Pitlochry – Perth

A912/B996 to Kinross – Kelty

B917 to Inverkeithing

Forth Bridge

A90 to Edinburgh (avoid cycle routes from the bridge as they go all over the place and are hard to follow)

Day Four Edinburgh to Carlisle

Miles:   88.46

Hours:  6hrs 8m

Avge:   14.4

A7 to Stow – Galashiels – Selkirk - Hawick – Langholm – Carlisle

Day Five Carlisle to Preston

Miles:   97.44

Hours:  6hrs 41m

Avge:   14.6

A6 to Penrith – Shap – Kendal – Carnforth – Lancaster – Garstang (about half way to Lands End here) – Preston

Day Six Preston to Shrewsbury

Miles:   83.97

Hours:  5hrs 53m

Avge:   14.29

A49 to Wigan – Warrington – Tarporley – Whitchurch - Shrewsbury

Day Seven Shrewsbury to Chepstow

Miles:   88.96

Hours:  5hrs 46m

Avge:   15.42

A49 to Church Stretton – Ludlow – Leominster – Hereford

A466 to Monmouth – Chepstow

Day Eight Chepstow to Tiverton

Miles:   86.35

Hours:  5hrs 51m

Avge:   14.75

Severn Bridge

A403 to Avonmouth

A4 to Bristol

A38 to Highbridge – Bridgwater – Taunton

A361 to Tiverton

Day Nine Tiverton to Bodmin

Miles:   73

Hours:  5hrs 25

Avge:   13.48 (headwind pm)

A396 to Bickleigh

A3072 to Crediton

A377 to Copplestone

A3072 to North Tawton

B3215 to Okehampton

B3260 out of Okehampton onto the A386 then avoiding the A30 by going under onto

A388 through Bridestowe,Lewdown, Tinhay joining A30 at Lifton

A30 to Launceston – Bodmin

Day Ten Bodmin to Lands End

Miles:   53.5

Hours:  3hrs 48m

Avge:   14.08 (headwind)

A30 to Penzance – Lands End

We did take some minor roads that ran alongside the main A roads where appropriate. For the most part the roads (except parts of the A9 and A30) were not too busy. After a couple of days we had sorted out our nutrition – we had a large breakfast followed by two meals on route, stopping also for coffee, ice creams and to enjoy the views. We also snacked whilst riding and ensured we were hydrated taking on fluids every 15-20 minutes. Thankfully it was not too hot. It rained on seven of the ten days but only for an hour or so at a time! On two days we had good tailwinds but also on two days we had strong headwinds; during the course of the day the wind tended to switch around which was good and the weather varied considerably.

Generally we started about 9am and got to our destination around 6 – 6.30pm so full days!

Monday morning and back to reality! Took Michaela to school and then went to the office to catch up. Legs still a bit sore but walking well!

Thanks to all of you who have donated to our Just Giving page and those that have given us something direct. Hopefully we can collect some more over the next few weeks.

Already decided on next years' challenge - West to East; St David's to Lowestoft!

Day 10! Last night we went to Sam's Fish Restaurant and had a great meal and a good time. Left Alistair and Vicki's at about 9.30am after a great breakfast. Jeff drove us to the A30 where we stopped last night just past Bodmin and we carried on towards the West.

Very strong headwinds today and tough going - we did about 12 miles in the first hour - pedalling downhill into the wind is not a good feeling.We agreed to stop in Hayle on the way for a pastie - Jeff has been raving about Philp's Pasties since we started last week - which took us 2.5 hours and 36 miles.

The pasties did not disappoint and Sarahann and Michaela, as well as Jeff's wife Ann, joined us for lunch. Not sure that a pastie is the best food to have when cycling but it was very good. Only 18 miles to go from Hayle so back on the A30 towards Penzance.

At this stage the wind was still strong although in stages it di switch around and allow us to get a good speed up. We went through Penzance rather than on the bypass - good to see the seafront - and then only 9 miles to go. We saw a few other groups on the way to Lands End and cycled a short distsance with them. Tough little hills around here as well.

With a couple of miles to go it started to sink in what we had achieved and at 3.30pm we arrived in Lands End - 54 miles today and 858 miles in total, with 58 hours 50 minutes in the saddle; an average of 14.57 mph. Our families were waiting for us and it was a very emotional end to the ride.

After a couple of well deserved beers in the First & Last we headed to the hotel. Tonight we will celebrate in style and have a good lie in tomorrow!

Thanks go to:

Jeff Clayton for being a fantastic support/team leader
Mike Costin of Worcester Audi
Worcester Cycle Centre
Helen and Gerry Sheridan
ML Cycles in Wigan
Alastair and Vicki
Sarahann and Michaela; Basia and Alex
All our friends, family and supporters

Day 9 - one to go! 73 miles in 5 hours 25 minutes.

Very tough day with the hills in Devon. Left the B&B and had a very steep hill within minutes which killed us off - this was followed by more steep hills - all short, sharp little devils. Two hours to Oakhampton and we were spent; had to stop for beans on toast and then had a kip in the car! At this stage we thought we wouldn't last the day.

From there we went to Launceston and then down to Bodmin on the A30. Head wind most of the way with some very long hills. After a coffee stop 10 miles from Bodmin the wind changed to our tails and we flew down the A30 - crusing at 22-24mph - excellent. And then it rained again!

Only 73 miles today but one of the toughest in terms of using energy - according to Nick's iphone app we have climbed over 5000 feet today.

We are staying with Jeff's brother in law tonight about 10 miles from Bodmin - great hospitality!

55 miles tomorrow and we are there - straight down the A30 with a pastie stop in Hayle on the way.

Another dry day but very windy! 86 miles in 5 hours and 51 minutes.

We left Chepstow and headed over the Severn Bridge and then down to Avonmouth - very exotic industrial land! Wind in our faces at this stage and hard going. We then turned East onto the A4 to go into Bristol passing under the Clifton bridge, with the wind behind us. Turning south onto the A38 we had the wind in our faces agian abd a few challenging hills to climb to get to the airport.

First lunch stop at the airport at 26miles. Eating pork pies watching the planes come in. Brother Ian joined us here - a proper cyclist with a very clean featherweight bike - amazing how dirty yours gets over 7 days of riding. Ian stayed with us for 10 miles before heading off home. Great to see him and much appreciated.

Shortly afterwards the wind changed direction and was behind us for a while. We had a hot chocolate stop at a village cafe and then met Jeff just past Bridgwater at 53 miles for a second lunch. We then kept on the A38 through Taunton and down to Tiverton.

Seemed a long day in the wind today and we both have scrubbed faces! We met a few fellow 'nutters' today going north and south - a good fellowship between us cyclists.

Tomorrow we go to near Bodmin - via Crediton, Oakhampton and Launceston

Day 7: 89 miles in 5 hours 46 minutes.

After a good night in Shrewsbury with great hospitality from the Verve gastro pub- great staff, food and beer; one of the customers even paid half our bill when he found we were doing JOGLE!

Left this morning in rain which only lasted about ten minutes; the wind switched also to behind us and stayed there all day - great! Down the A49 today; reached our first lunch stop at 26 miles in 1.5 hours; Sarahann joined us for lunch and it was lovely to see her, I have missed her and Michaela greatly on this trip.

Headed through Hereford - saw the first sign for Worcester which was bizarre - and stopped for our second lunch at 55 miles. We met a chap supporting a JOGLE rider who passed us - he is doing JOGLE as well as the three peaks on route and swimming across Windermere - respect! Great to sit in the sunshine for lunch.

We then headed down the A466 to Monmouth - nice quiet road but very up and down and about 4 miles from Monmouth we climbed the steepest hill of the trip so far - really tough. 72 miles to the town.

Through Monmouth and then down the valley following the Wye - beautiful scenery and lovely in the sunshine. Quick ice cream stop and onto Tintern climbing up for about two miles and then down into Chepstow ending at the bridge, ready for tomorrow.

645 miles to date - not long left now. Tomorrow we skirt around Bristol on the A4 and then down the A38 to Tiverton. Brother Ian is joining us for an hour or so in the morning which will be good -  he is a 'proper' cyclist so I hope we can stay with him!

Day Six: bit shorter today at 84 miles in 5 hours 52 mins. So far we have cycled 556 miles in 37 hours 31 mins - not bad!

Left Preston South this morning and headed down the A49 to Wigan which we reached in one hour. Had a pit stop at a traditional Aladins Cave bike shop to get Nick's gears fixed. During the wait we had some pies and coffee.

Off to Warrington next which took just under two hours and then out towards Whitchurch - all the 'w's today. Very urban for the first few hours until we got into the country side. A bit of a change after the first five days.

 After a cloudy start the sun broke through but about 30 minutes out of Warrington the heavens opened and we got thoroughly wet for about an hour - nice! Were we glad to see Jeff at the 51 mile mark - he took us back to a cafe for coffee and beans on toast where we dried out.

By this time the wind had got up and we had a tough last two hours into a head wind. Rode through Shrewsbury - we are staying just south on the A5 - which is a very picturesque town.

Tomorrow we go to Chepstow through Leominster and Hereford (very close to home) and we hope to meet up with the family on route which will be really good.

Carlisle to Preston. 97 miles, 6 hours 40mins in the saddle

Today, we didn't get wet. I'll say that again; today we didn't get wet. Hurrah!

Left Carlisle after an excellent breakfast from Helen & Gerry at about 9.30am. Nice ride through the countryside and then onto the A6 to Penrith - 22miles in. We followed the A6 then to Shap with the road gently rising. Had our first lunch in Shap and met a bunch of cyclists going the other way to JOG.

We then had a gentle (!) six mile climb to the Shap summit at 1400 feet - nice! From there downhill to Kendal where we stopped for coffee. Back on the A6 with a second lunch at about four hours in.

We then picked up speed - a suspicious tailwind - and cruised at 18-20mph all the way to Lancaster and down to Preston.

We are staying south od Preston at the start of the A49 which we join tomorrow to go to Shrewsbury. A long day's ride with the added bonus of the sunshine and some rather silly sunburnt areas (ears, nose and back of the hand)!

We have now gone over halfway (472 miles in five days) so it is downhill from here (hopefully) with no dirty great hills to climb, although from memory Herefordshire has a few.

Sunday 19th.
Great day today - got back into England after 80 miles and stayed at a friends' - Helen & Gerry Sheridan - about 10 miles from Carlisle.

Very slow start though; took us about 1.5 hours to get going especially when the first hour was uphill out of Edinburgh. Our legs hurt but once you get in a rhythm the pain is forgotten and you just ride.

We went through Galashiels and then stopped for our first lunch - we decided to try having two hot lunches as we were running out of energy about 2 hours before the end - and then we stopped again about 60 miles in for our second lunch.

Some fantastic scenery today. After climbing up into Selkirk we went down into the valley and followed the river (Esk I think) for hours with a few gentle hills and rises. Edinburgh seems days ago as does the start in John O'Groats.

Feels good to back in England; at least here we know how far everything is! 89 miles yesterday in just over 6 hours which was not bad as the first hour was about 11 miles!

375 miles in four days so tomorrow we go over the half-distance which will be good for the head.

Tomorrow's route is Carlisle - Penrith - Lancaster - Preston

Started the day with a tailwind so reached Perth (54 miles) in 3 hours. We peaked at 485m high a few miles from Dalwhinnie and then had a downhill run out of the mountains - cruising at 21-22mph on the flat which was great!

Most of the time was spent on the A9 to Perth; we stopped in Pitlochry for tea and cakes and then had lunch in Perth in the Asda car park - army ration beans and bacon - very exotic.

After Perth we took the B roads to Cowdenbeath and then onto the Forth Bridge which had great views. Afternoon weather was rain - what is it with Scotland and rain in the afternoon?

10 miles from the bridge into Edinburgh when we took the cycle routes which was a big mistake as we got lost finding the hotel.

Overall 101 miles today and 6 hours 45mins in the saddle - great with a tailwind. 287 miles in three days; think we need a week off!

Tomorrow we head to Carlisle across country, 94 miles, and get back to England.

Legs are tired and we both ran out of energy with about one hour to go - more food tomorrow. Had a great sauna and spa though when we got here followed by a pint of good beer and a Thai meal. Heartily recommend Sudacrem; not just for babies!

Tomorrows' route is Edinburgh - Galashiels - Hawick - Carlisle.

6.30am. What a beautiful morning! Sunshine and no cloud - views are amazing across the mountains. Forecast though is showers and 'gusty' winds! Oh well...

Tain - Inverness - Aviemore - Dalwhinnie 94 miles, 6hrs 50 mins in the saddle.

A day of great contrast with a fantastic start in perfect conditions - sunny and no wind at all. Great countryside on the way to Inverness with glorious views - good for the soul and no real hills to climb. Excellent relaxed cycling but a bit slower than the day before as it took us a while to get warmed up.

Past Inverness it got interesting with a head wind getting up and eight long (15-25 minutes) climbs before we reached Aviemore for lunch - 64 miles and 4 hours in.

After Aviemore the wind really started to blow and the last 20 miles were very unpleasant with very strong head winds and...then it started to rain! Second day we have got wet at the end. The last 10 miles seemed to go on forever particularly as we got very slow in the headwind. Great, friendly B&B though.

Forecast tomorrow is for rain (yippee) and easterly winds (yippee) - not sure if we will make the 100 miles to Edinburgh.

Route tomorrow is Pitlochry - Perth - Kinloss - Dunbarton - over Forth Bridge to Edinburgh.

Let us hope the legs work after today. One fifth of the distance gone already!

John O Groats to Tain. 91 miles, 5 hours 40 minutes.
A two hour drive from the hotel in Tain to JOG. We started at about 10am in the rain which continued for about 1.5 hours. Tail wind all the way today though which was fantastic.

We stopped for lunch at about 12 and then again for a cup of tea at about 1.45pm. Really sunny here in the harbour at Helmsdale - great location.

A9 not too bad for traffic and only one tough hill - 13% for about three miles - hit 40mph going down though although we slowed for a couple of hairpin bends!

About 15 miles from Tain we took the little coast road - great views of the estuary and really quiet so we could hear the birds. Stopped in a little village, Dornoch, for an ice cream 6 miles from Tain. And then it rained - did it rain! Stung the face riding into it and we got thoroughly wet all the way to the hotel. Have to wring the shoes out I think before tomorrow.

Jeff, team support manager, wangled a bottle of vintage whisky off Glenmorange so we stopped there for a photo. We will auction this off when we can and also hope to call in at a few more distilleries on route (shame we can't drink any of it).

A great first day - hope the legs work tomorrow!

Worcester to Tain 530miles - thankfully by car! We left Worcester at 6am this morning with a vehicle chock full of kit and equipment plus minus Nick who flew to Inverness and met us there. (some excuse about a meeting in Leamington but we rckon it was to get out of driving!).

Some fantastic scenery on the way up through the lakes and Scotland - some nice hills we will have to cycle over as well on the way back. Driving up here certainly gives you a good idea of just how far it is - to reach England and then to get to the far corner of it.

Looking forward to tomorrow and getting on the bike - 7am start getting to JOG and then back to the hotel here in Tain Thursday night.

Many thanks today go to Mike Costin of Listers Worcester Audi who has kindly loaned us a VW Tourag for our support vehicle. Perfect size and fit for our needs with all the kit we need to take! It is very generous of Worcester Audi to support us in this way and he and they get our heartfelt thanks.

Final preparations today and collection of bikes, kit and equipment ready for a 6am start tomorrow when we drive up to the north of Scotland - we will get a good idea of just how far it is I am sure...

Our bikes go into Worcester Cycle Centre today for a service to make sure they can cope with the hills and our riding technique! Many thanks to them for doing this for us for free.

Lister Audi Worcester have sourced a vehicle for us to use as support which is very generous of them. We can pick this up tomorrow and then see if all our kit fits into it! We have also managed to source a bike rack from a friend - Andy Hewston of Bumble Hole Foods, so thanks to him.

Today will be spent getting all the equipment together ready to load up tomorrow for the off on Wednesday morning at 6am. Nick has managed to get out of sharing the driving to Scotland on the lame excuse of having a meeting so he 'will have to fly up to Inverness' !

Total raised so far £1007.00 - thanks to everyone who has donated to date

Seven days to go. Seems strange not being out training but we have been told to rest so that we are fresh for the first morning. Let us hope the good weather continues. Still plenty to sort out before we go like a car, roof rack, provisions, bike service, a hunt around the garage for tools and trying to get all the kit clean and in one place.

Nine days to go! Final team meeting last night with Jeff Clayton, our support driver, who is very organised and has certainly helped Nick and I prepare - it is amazing what stuff you need to take! - this will be his third tour as support so he knows where we are going (and where the big hills are).

Thanks at this stage to Worcester Cycle Centre who have agreed to service our bikes for us next Monday - much appreciated.

Final short ride tonight then a couple of miles a day to keep the legs ticking over. Also need a trip to the energy drink and bar shop!

Training!

Only ten days to go! Training is almost finished with possibly one short (20mile) trip left to do tomorrow before we relax and 'taper off' letting the legs recover before the big day.

We have both spent six months training - cycling 3-4 times a week - and hope that it is enough. Day two will tell us if we can't move after 90 miles on day one. The biggest challenge will be slowing down so we can pace ourselves over the ten days.

Jeff, our support driver, will act as tea-maker, lunch bringer and broom wagon!

Route
June 16th John O'Groats to Tain
June 17th Tain to Dalwhinnie
June 18th Dalwhinnie to Edinburgh
June 19th Edinburgh to Carlisle
June 20th Carlisle to Preston
June 21st Preston to Shrewsbury
June 22nd Shrewsbury to Chepstow
June 23rd Chepstow to Tiverton
June 24th Tiverton to Bodmin
June 25th Bodmin to Lands End