Lejog Day 3: Liskeard – Crediton

Distance: 55.4 miles

Time: 5:34

Elevation: 4096 feet

The day started well when the campsite owner, Kathryn, brought me over some porridge and a coffee. I was on the road at 10 o’clock and had unfinished business with the climb up to Bodmin Moor.

A brisk descent through Pensilva followed and then another stiff climb up to Golberdon, where my alternative accommodation for the previous evening had been. Down and up again through anonymous country lanes, then another brake-busting descent led to Horsebridge, where a medieval bridge aided my passage to a new county, Devon.

Devon welcomed me with a grinding climb; from 50m Horsebridge to 300m and the edge of Dartmoor. Under the shadow of Brent Tor and its ancient church, I chatted to a cyclist on a few day tour around the moor, laden with four panniers and with a rucksack strapped atop his rack.

The road dropped down to Lydford Gorge, and I stopped at the visitor centre cafe for ice cream and a scone. As I sat preparing my scone on the grass, I realised that I was at risk of committing a huge cultural faux pas, by ignorantly applying the clotted cream and jam in an order wholly incognisant of the Devonian methodology. I carried on regardless, if any interested party, Devonian or Cornish, wanted to see how a scone should be prepared, this could be a lesson to them. As it happens, the right way is the Devonian way, but I’d desecrated tradition anyway by having a fruit scone, and raspberry – not strawberry – jam.

Soon there was a distinct improvement in proceedings as I turned onto ‘The Granite Way’, a tarmacked former railway bed that crept around the edge of Dartmoor for 8 gloriously flat miles between Lydford and Okehampton. The cycle path was busy with other users and one man in particular appeared to be having a tough time of it, with a fixed wheel tagalong attached to his bike, his son seemed to be having a great time back pedalling up the climbs!

After popping into a shop on the edge of Okehampton for provisions, I committed myself to aim for Crediton, another 20 miles further on. Thankfully, the road stuck to major roads to Whiddon Down, and I felt good riding the shallower gradients. The going remained good until a sharp climb a mile from Crediton, and instantly the fatigue in my legs returned. When a further 9% ramp followed shortly after, I opted to push, after 48 miles I’d given up the battle for today.

The nearest campsite was 5 miles to the East, and with no response to my phone call I headed there regardless, largely because the route looked flat. Arriving at the Langford Bridge campsite at 20 to 7, the sign stated that reception was open ‘til 7, and the campsite was largely empty, I’d found my abode for the night.

Luckily, after the exertions of the day, my dinner couldn’t be simpler, a tin of Heinz beans and sausages, and, finally, a use for the stove I’ve been carrying.

Lejog Day 2: Ponsanooth – Liskeard

Distance: 51.4 miles

Time: 5:33

Elevation: 5244 feet

By the time I’d packed up camp this morning, my start wasn’t much earlier, and still to have breakfast, I made for the Norway Inn, waiting impatiently for my fry up to arrive. Now 10:40, I found myself on the busy A39, holding up a truck, before a cycle lane appeared just before the lengthy hill to Devoran. Thankfully, I was exiting here to rejoin the route and swept along some country lanes to King Harry Ferry, a chain ferry across the Carrick Roads.

Climbing steeply away from the slipway, I momentarily reached some higher ground, before the road plummeted again, a pattern that would continue for most of the ride. Much like yesterday, the roads were narrow, and lined with high hedges on either side, I considered the wisdom of choosing an ‘optimal’ route solely on the criteria of minimising traffic, and distance. I had other variables to throw into the mix, like avoiding going over every hilltop, and ensuring that there was occasionally something other than a hedge to look at.

I was thankful for the lack of traffic, though, and as I slogged up the first few climbs there was no one to be seen. Eventually, my luck ran out, and it became a regular occurrence that, no sooner had I started up a climb, a car would come over the brow of the hill, tuck into the verge somewhere near the top, and I’d have to spin up the hill as fast as I could to get past.

On the last few miles into St Austell, the route branched off onto a cycle path of loose gravel and stones, and instantly I regretted following it. I bailed out half a mile later, for the good of my tyres, but, it was too late, and shortly afterwards, my front wheel started to go squidgy. I hauled the bike off the road, through a patch of nettles, and set to work changing the inner tube, resolving to avoid any off road detours in future.

Eventually, I reached St Austell, but not spotting anywhere for lunch, I continued to St Blazey, popping into a shop for provisions. One more climb saw me reach the short Ferry crossing between Fowey and Bodinnick, but the climbing didn’t stop there, and where the hills had been 100 metres high before they now pushed 200.

Passing 43 miles for the day, the relentless climbing caught up with me, and after a tricky 17% descent, the road climbed steeply back up the other side, and I was defeated. 3 times I got off and walked, not ideal on a narrow country lane, but there was nothing else for it.

The miles passed ever more slowly, and I realised that I wouldn’t even make the first of my potential campsites by their check in time of 6pm. One by one, I interrogated Google Maps for alternatives, and one by one, the options disappeared. Passing through Liskeard, I strapped a fish supper to the back of my bike, and set off in the hope that the kind people of Fursdon Farm would forgive my late arrival. At just after 7, I was standing by the campsite entrance when the owners drove in. Head on in they said, and would you like a coffee?

Lejog Day 1: Penzance – Land’s End – Ponsanooth

Miles: 47.9 miles

Time: 5:03

Elevation: 3696 feet

After a pleasant breakfast in my room, at the Dock Inn in Penzance, I readied the bike and set off at half past 10. For the first mile – along the Penzance beachfront – I enjoyed the warm air as the sun started to break through the clouds, but there was a fiendish 17 mph headwind that clearly objected to my plan to reach Land’s End, and so did the hill at the end of the beach. The road up to Newlyn was unrelentingly steep, narrow, and littered with parked cars. At first I had to stop to let traffic clear in front of me, and then, as my heart rate soared, I had to get off and push. Not a promising start to a 1000 mile journey, but then, the reason I was here was to rebuild some fitness, so good to know that there was plenty of room for improvement!

Over the top of the hill, the route meandered along some quiet back roads as I battled on into the wind. Secretly I was pleased; after the 12 miles to Land’s End, I would be retracing my steps with a stiff tailwind to whisk me along. I passed through pleasant St Buryan and then over to Sennen Cove where the stunning sea views told me the beginning was nigh.

I rolled along the start / finish straight to Land’s End, stopping for the obligatory sign photo before realising that I didn’t really want to have to queue for anything else, so back I went towards Penzance. Reaching Newlyn, I prepared to career down the steep hill into Penzance, and was heartened to find a 16% gradient sign at the top of the hill I’d struggled up, that would always be a challenge.

Picking up a huge Cornish pasty from Warren’s bakery, I set off, back along the Penzance seafront, continuing round to Marazion and the impressive (and familiar looking) St Michael’s Mount.

Soon the road turned inland and I passed, for a while, along narrow country lanes, lined with hedges and well off the beaten track. The weather closed in and there had been a persistent light drizzle for a while, when I started pondering the problem of where to spend the night. Phone reception was extremely patchy and there was no way of stumbling upon a campsite on these quiet back roads, so I pressed on, keen to get a little closer to civilisation. By 20 passed 6 I was within striking distance of the Cosawes Park campsite, so giving them a call, I was relieved to find they had a space for me. Buoyed by this information, the final 6 miles flew by, and after a hard hilly day, the campsite’s hot showers felt fantastic.

Lejog: Edinburgh – Penzance

Edinburgh – Penzance

~ 600 miles

13.5 hours

My plan was to take my bike down to Penzance on the train, thinking that would be the most relaxing way to travel; I was wrong. It all started at 5PM yesterday when the Trainline emailed me to say that my very rare direct Cross Country train from Edinburgh to Penzance with associated bike reservation had been cancelled. The rail network help desk clarified that the 9:08 am train was actually running, but instead of arriving in Penzance at 20:53, it would only be going as far as Bristol Parkway due to ongoing rail works. I could get as far as Bristol, but after that I would have to hope for the best, no cycle reservation spaces were available and only one unreserved bike was allowed per train.

I considered cancelling the booking, and looked longingly at the heavily populated timetables of the East and West coast lines, ruing my decision to opt for the Cross Country route, one that was infrequent, slow and now partially cancelled. But, as is usually the case in situations like this, I decided to embrace the uncertainty and see what happened!

The tone for the day was set when I arrived at Waverley and tried to deposit my bike at the guard van. There was already one bike onboard and another 4 waiting to get on, 3 bike spaces did not seem enough, but at least I had a reservation for this section…

The first few hours passed pleasantly enough, then as we passed through Newcastle and Durham the train filled up and it was a strange sensation to be crammed in with an ever changing cast of maskless strangers. Plenty departed in York but the train soon filled again on the approach to Birmingham, so I was relieved when an emptier train made the final few stops to Bristol Parkway. The fewer people around to board the 17:25 train to Plymouth, the less chance of competition for that one unreserved bike space.

When the 17:25 train arrived, things appeared to be looking up when I found a carriage with three empty bike spaces and jumped on board. Relieved that the train was quieter than I’d imagined, my thoughts now turned to my connection from Plymouth to Penzance on what would be a different network entirely. I would be getting a Great Western Railways train, but I didn’t know at what time, and their website stated that bike reservations were essential.

Leaving Bristol Parkway, the conductor was initially optimistic that our train could arrive in Plymouth before the London – Penzance connection, but that optimism soon faded as we were delayed over and over again. If we missed the connection, I was concerned it’d be too late to check into my accommodation, the last check in time was 10 o’clock, 20 past 11 might be stretching it a bit.

Then, the conductor came excitedly through the carriage again, the Penzance train had been delayed and was now directly behind us, if we jumped out at Tiverton Parkway station, the other train would stop right after us and pick us up. There was no guarantee I’d get my bike on the train and the station was little more than a halt, but it was a risk I was willing to take. This time the bike compartment was carriage C and again I was relieved to find a space. I quickly messaged the network’s Twitter account and requested a cycle reservation for the rest of journey, I’d come so far, I didn’t want to fall at the final hurdle. Then I contacted my hotel to tell them I’d only be a little bit late…

Eventually, the train pulled into the station at half past 10, 13 and a half hours after I’d left Edinburgh, it wasn’t far around the harbour to my hotel, so thankfully I just made last orders. Train travel with a bike is stressful, think I’ll stick to a plane next time!