Introduction

In 2012 I cycled from Land's End to John O'Groats, a journey that often forms something of a rite of passage among long distance cyclists in the UK. Although not a regular cyclist, for some time I had looked on it as an ‘interesting’ challenge, something that appealed to that sliver of an adventurous streak that lay within. For a while it remained no more than an aspiration as I was distracted by other activities and by less demanding ways of spending a two week break. I am therefore forever grateful to John, my neighbour and a fellow rider on that 2012 trip, who provided the focus that helped make that interesting challenge a reality. In doing so he opened up a new world of what might be achieved through cycling and changed what had previously been occasional and unadventurous ventures into something more regular and more enterprising. Those twelve long and saddle-sore days from the far south west to the far north were to become the start of something bigger. Cycling has subsequently taken me on various trips around Britain and other countries. It has allowed me to see far more of those places than I might otherwise have done, taking me through more remote areas and at a pace that allowed me to appreciate them more fully. 

The last three years have, among other things, seen me cycle across Europe to the Black Sea and from the north to the south of Spain. Nevertheless, despite those adventurous forays overseas, my thoughts have never strayed far from home and for a while John and I have been talking about a reverse of our 2012 trip, cycling from John O'Groats to Land's End. Like the 2012 trip this was to be supported, that is a third party would follow us in a vehicle carrying our baggage and any essential spares. Although that trip, originally planned for this year, has now been slipped by twelve months the idea of a 2026 long-distance British ride had now been firmly planted in my mind. As a result that joint and supported John O’Groats to Land's End ride has now become a solo and unsupported effort. 

On this ride I will be doing the reverse of that which most others would tackle: Land's End is the more common starting point for those attempting this trip, the prevailing south westerly winds helping you along on your journey - although from what I recall from fourteen years ago that is no guarantee. There is also no prescribed route from start to finish: our original route took us west through Glasgow and along the 'Great Glen' to Inverness; other routes stay east and pass through Edinburgh. For my part, the ride through Glen Coe and along the Great Glen was a highlight and I am keen to repeat that section so this year I aim to follow a similar - though not identical- route to that of 2012. Next year's route will follow the alternative, more easterly course. With slightly different routes and the different challenges for a supported and an unsupported ride I feel there is enough to make the two journeys sufficiently dissimilar that doing both would not be wasted effort.

Approximate Route