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UK Tour planning

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ourclarioncall:
Is there any tried and tested tours or routes in the U.K. that would be safe for a beginner ?

I’m in Scotland so I’m familiar with this turf but not so much England and Wales

I would maybe be up for Lands end to John o groats

I am wondering if I would have more fun on walking routes such as west highland way (never done it) or st cuthberts way (have done it)

I would also like to have a good explore around England, take a look at places I’ve heard about but never visited like Penzance/Dover/Cornwall or Brighton or York . Not sure why !   

JohnR:
There's a good selection of maps and guide books at https://shop.sustrans.org.uk/ and there's a national cycle network layer on the OS Maps website https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk .

If you want to do a LEJOG then there are people who have got it all planned for you. I'm booked on the leisurely LEJOG in July https://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/bike-tours/road-cycling-lands-end-to-john-o-groats/ but there are various other options to suit individual aspirations.

ourclarioncall:
Wow, that looks cool, just had a look.

So your looking at about 50 miles per day in the longest trip and about 100 on the quick one (9 days)

I think I’d be lucky if my wife let me away for 9 days and leave her with 5 kids 😆

If I double up and do 200 per day il get back by the weekend haha, maybe she will say yes

Matt2matt2002:
What if you get half way and don't like it?

PH:
Lands End <> John o'Groats is a fantastic challenge ride, the whole country in one ride, can be many things, and a badge of honour.  But IMO it isn't the best of tours unless you have many weeks to do it.  I did it in 11 days + 2 for traveling, not race pace, but nothing like enough time to explore either.  Some parts were not ideal cycling, we went East of the Pennines to avoid the urban riding, though it adds a little mileage.  Cornwall was a real disappointment, high hedges on all the lanes, so relentless climbing but no views! I'm not dismissing it, it'd be on my wish list if I hadn't done it, but neither would I recommend it as the best British tour.
Most of my touring has been self planned, which is easier now we have so much choice of online mapping, I use cycle.travel.  If I choose what looks like a nice route, it'll often turn out to be a part of the NCN anyway and I've done a fair few of those routes.  Two I'd happily recommend to everyone are the Lon Las Cymru, which goes the length of Wales and the Pennine Cycleway from the English Midlands to the Scottish border.  Both very hilly, but rewarded with fantastic views mile after mile.
Not wishing to be controversial, but this sort of cycling doesn't require an exceptional expedition bike.  First time I did the LLC it was on a £300 hybrid and a decade later when I did it with a larger group, we had a variety of bikes from racers to MTB's, they were all fine.

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