John O Groats to Lands End

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godzilla84

Active Member
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192
Location
Liverpool, Merseyside
I'm not sure this counts as an expidition but it seemed like the best place to post.

Still in the early stages of planning this and it's probably not much more than a glorified camping trip but I'm planning a 7-10 day trip with my girlfriend (Sarah), starting in Liverpool (home) with overnight camping stops at Loch Lomond, John O Groats, Somewhere around Northumbria (undecided), The Lake District, Then Cornwall and back to Liverpool.

Along the way we are going to visit my brother in Barrhead (not for long enough that his wife might cook for us though :sick: ) a short stop in Edinburgh, and we are still looking at ideas for other short stops on the longer driving sections.

I'm planning on stopping for at least 3 nights in the lakes and maybe 2-3 nights in Cornwall with some greenlaning thrown in while I'm there. We've never done a "driving holiday" but we'd like to the same sort of thing around Europe in the future so we are looking at this as practice for loading the Disco and packing etc.

We haven't set any dates in stone yet because we are hopefully buying our first house in the new year so it all depends how quickly that goes but when we have dates in mind, it would be cool to meet up with some people for greenlaning or a beer in a local pub on the overnight stops.

I'll keep this thread updated with our plans and the actual trip when we eventually set off and I'd love any advice the wiser folk on here have.

Mark.
 
Avoid high tourist season, July and August, in most of Western Britain, would be my best suggestion! :)
Happy to meet for a beer most times! :D
 
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We "think" sometime in May or June to avoid school holidays and possibly have decent weather although we are talking about Britain here. Haha. September would be pushing it with the day's getting shorter but it's also a possibility.
 
We "think" sometime in May or June to avoid school holidays and possibly have decent weather although we are talking about Britain here. Haha. September would be pushing it with the day's getting shorter but it's also a possibility.
September and October are often the best times to come to the Sarf West. Much quieter on the roads, weather is often nice, sea is still warm. No real problem with the light until the hour changes.
 
When up in John O Groats, pop in to our friends at puffin croft farm, they have a little shop and make good pies and sausage rolls! Its about 1 miles from the facility at J O Groats (which is now crap btw as its all commercialised)
 
When up in John O Groats, pop in to our friends at puffin croft farm, they have a little shop and make good pies and sausage rolls! Its about 1 miles from the facility at J O Groats (which is now crap btw as its all commercialised)
Not as bad as the theme park at Lands End! :(
Reminds me, don't pay for the parking at the theme park! :eek: Park further down the coast and walk along the coast path to LE! ;)
 
It's been suggested to me that it's better to drive the east of Scotland before the west so potentially going to do the first camping stop in Northumbria and drive on to JoG then camp at Loch Lomond then the Lake District via my brothers place. Been told the scenery is better on the west so it's an anti climax if you do the west first.
 
So, 7-10 nights, of which 3 in the Lake District, 3 in Cornwall, one at Lomond-side, one in Northumbria....
I guess you are doing the 700 miles from Loch Lomond to Edinburgh (via JoG) in one day???? Personally I would opt for one trip doing the Northern half..and a separate one for the South. The northcoast 500 in September would get my vote. :D
 
So, 7-10 nights, of which 3 in the Lake District, 3 in Cornwall, one at Lomond-side, one in Northumbria....
I guess you are doing the 700 miles from Loch Lomond to Edinburgh (via JoG) in one day???? Personally I would opt for one trip doing the Northern half..and a separate one for the South. The northcoast 500 in September would get my vote. :D

Also camping near JoG regardless of which side of Scotland we travel through first. None of the route is set in stone yet.
 
I realize this was a discussion a few months back but was wondering if you're still looking to make this trip?

My wife (Sarah) an I are intending to do the J.O.G.L.E. in our '70 series 3 109 in August. Was intending to be June but domestics got in the way so looking at August now. If not by then possibly mid October.

We're looking at using as straight a line as possible keeping to as minor roads as possible (greenlanes where possible) and using Camping and Caravanning Club site to camp. I'm fitting the 109 out as a bit of a camper but still using a drive-away awning.

Would be interested on how your plans are going but if you've already done the trip what you learnt from it.
 
If you're going anywhere near the Scottish lakes in August, take some Avon-Skin-So-Soft. It's a clear cream that acts as a midge repellant, also a face net. I did John O'Groats to Lands End a few years ago. I didn't know about this cream until too late. I was eaten alive. They will infest your tent, your motor, there is no escape from the dam things. It was still a brilliant experience.
 
Thanks for the tip Colonial. My mother's half of the family are highland crofters so get loads of tips on how to avoid the little buggers. Didn't stop me getting well and truly eaten last year riding the Goldwing on to Skye and then across the highlands. Always love going to the upper half of Scotland no matter how hard the midges bite.
 
Thanks for the tip Colonial. My mother's half of the family are highland crofters so get loads of tips on how to avoid the little buggers. Didn't stop me getting well and truly eaten last year riding the Goldwing on to Skye and then across the highlands. Always love going to the upper half of Scotland no matter how hard the midges bite.

I couldn't believe how big Scotland was. From John O'Groats down to the border took about 6 days cycling. (Not me, I was driving the van and putting up the tents) and how empty of people until you came to the cities. I seem to recall we did the entire length of England in 7 days.
 
Last time I camped at Loch Lomond (few years ago now) we stayed at some caravan club camp site right on the lake side I think is was luss because we weren't members there was a minimum say of 2 nights and it was over £20 a night per person to stay in a tent and had we needed to rent a pitch per car and one for the trailer with the canoes on.
Then we were informed if we were going to cook food we had to rent a pitch to cook in away from the cars and tents, it was quite a dear do.

On the way back down the other side the loch we paid £4 for over night parking and paddled out to one of the islands and wild camped on it.

I do have to say the campsite tho was full of lovely people, older (pension age) couples coming over and asking about the canoes and our trip, a reel friendly bunch.
 
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