The Schedule

Thought you might be interested in the planned schedule for the challenge. Here it is (you'll find the maps in the March Blog Archive).

Thursday 6th May: Departure by car/van to Birminham area - three in car and three in van. Hopefully we'll be on the road by around 17.30 with all bikes and assorted other gear packed in the van.

Friday 7th May: Continue travel to Lands End. Drop car at Penzance and then all of us will travel the final few miles to Lands End in the van. The plan is to be on the bikes by around 2pm and cycle around 60 miles to St Austell. A very up and down route with about 1100m of climbing and a short ferry trip across the river Fal on the King Harry Ferry.

Saturday 8th May: St Austell to Bridgwater. The first full day of cycling and the hardest in terms of the amount of climbing - around 2500m climb and 117 miles on the roads. Today will be a good check on our fitness.

Sunday 9th May: Bridgwater to Ludlow. No doubts there will be a few aches today as legs start to feel the distance/climbs - less climbing but still 119 miles on the road. A day characterised by the bridge crossings - the M5 Avon Bridge and the Severn Bridge.

Monday 10th May: Ludlow to Chorley. 117 miles. Final part of today is through the Liverpool Manchester corridor - been dificult to find a 'pleasant' route through this area - lets hope our chosen route keeps us off the busy roads.

Tuesday 11th May: Chorley to Carlisle. The shortest day - 101 miles and a few nice steady climbs including Shap. Should be a good 'recovery day' before the distances and climbing increases again in Scotland.

Wednesday 12th May: Carlisle to Dunfermline. 111 miles. Home and familiar territory - at least part of it. Closest we get to home is Abington (with roads very familiar from Sunday rides). Probably will be busy around Forth Road Bridge area but most of the route is either on National Cycle Routes or quiet rural roads.

Thursday 13th May: Dunfermline to Aviemore. 118 miles and a couple of main climbs over the Ochil Hills and Drumochter Pass. Both are fairly steady climbs so shouldn't trouble us much - but then that all depends on how the legs and other body parts are feeling! Covering familiar cycle routes around Pitlochry and Aviemore. Using NCR7 over Drumochter.

Friday 14th May: Aviemore to Tongue. 123 miles with a fair number of ups and downs. The final full day of cycling - familiar cycle route to Inverness but new cycling territory for me above there. Looking forward to the final part of this stage across the open country to Tongue.

Saturday 15th May: Tongue to John o'Groats. 64 miles and 1200m climbing -similar to the first day. Final push to John o'Groats - hoping to arrive mid-day, take a few photos and then cycle down to Wick for a few beers and plenty food.

Sunday 16th May: Travel home. Bikes in the van, some of us travelling by train others in the van.