Author Topic: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs  (Read 5395 times)

Templogin

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LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« on: November 05, 2014, 11:26:29 AM »
I am wondering what sort of cycling holiday to have next year with the other half.  So far I have looked at C2C, Reivers and Hadrians routes, but the cost of getting down from Shetland to the Newcastle area and back is not cheap; about £800 return.  Yes I could do it cheaper by sleeping on the ferry floor and travelling 2nd class on the train, but I might as well have a bit of comfort at both ends.  Then I started to think about JoGLE or LEJog and wondered about the accommodation costs.  The only thing that I can find on the net is back to 2010, so I am looking at how much it cost you if you have been in the last couple of years and what sort of accommodation you had/how long was your trip.  Any advice gladly received.

It's funny what research finds: the cost of a first class train ticket for two from Penzance to Aberdeen (JogLE) is about 44% of the cost of a new Thorn Raven 420S-T and two flights from Aberdeen to Newquay (LEJog).

John Saxby

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2014, 02:55:37 PM »
Hi temp,

Quote
The only thing that I can find on the net is back to 2010
Have you checked crazyguyonabike.com for info?  A "search" there gave three pages of posts -- I haven't checked those, however.  Here's the link:  www.crazyguyonabike.com/search/?main_type=all&query=Land'sEnd+to+John+o'+Groats

I expect that several members of the Thorn forum can give you their recent advice, though.

(Reckon that the Thorn Raven S-T is better value than several 1st-class train tickets, BTW!)

Templogin

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2014, 03:59:15 PM »
Thanks a lot John.  I must admit that I hadn't thought about that site.

I am thinking the same about the value equation!

JenM

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2014, 04:24:50 PM »
Sorry don't know anything about costs, but the ctc forum has a section devoted to LEJOG / JOGLE, so it may be worth a trawl through there, or ask them the question.

Peejay

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2014, 09:01:04 PM »
Hi Templogin,

I did LEJOG this year on my Raven from 24th May to 3rd June - 890 miles in 11 days.

Regarding costs....

I live in Tarporley near Chester and got to LE using Enterprise one way van hire £143. My eldest son and my wife came to JOG in our van to pick me up after the ride, so the cost was around £200 for diesel plus one night over in the Holiday Inn in Inverness, that was around £200 also for 2 rooms.

Accommodation:-

Day 0 - at LE night before setting off - Land's End Hostel and B & B (1/4 mile from LE) Contact Susie on 07519309908

Day 1 - Launceston - Newmoor Park Guest House. Contact Joseph on 01566784674

Day 2 - Bridgwater - Admiral Blake Guest House. Contact Pauline on 01278456424

Day 3 - Hereford - Kidwell's House B & B. Contact Alison on 01432264625

Day 4 - Overnight at home in Tarporley

Day 5 -  Carnforth - The Royal Station Hotel. Contact Jo on 01524733636

Day 6 - Annan - The Old Rectory Guesthouse. Contact Dave on 01461202029

Day 7 - Uplawmoor - Uplawmoor Hotel. Contact Paul on 01505850565

Day 8 - Ballachulish - Strathassynt Guest House. Contact Mike on 01855811261

Day 9 - Inverness - Heathcote B & B. Contact Peter on 01463236596

Day 10 - Helmsdale -  Ruard Guesthouse. Contact Maggie on 01431821013

Day 11 - Finished in JOG and drove back to Inverness and stayed in the Holiday inn

All have secure bike lock up - sheds, garages, workshops etc. The Royal Station Hotel and The Old Rectory Guesthouse - the bike went and stayed inside the hotel!

All can take care of continental style breakfast at 06:30 hrs for a 07:30 hrs start on the road.

The prices for the accommodation ranged from £25 per night to around £80 per night. I can personally recommend all the accommodation I have listed - they can certainly show big hotels how to look after people properly - great personal service. Interestingly when we got back to the Holiday Inn in Inverness after finishing - we were met at the front desk with "credit card please"  !!

As for the ride - the Raven fully loaded weighed in at 32.6 kgs or 72 lbs and performed faultlessly - no problems whatsoever. Just wiped and oiled the chain every 200 miles or so, or after the bike had been in the rain (3 days).

I'm sure forum member Bikerta will have some good advice for you also, but if you want anymore information from me just let me know.

Pete.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2014, 10:02:46 PM by Peejay »

bikerta

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2014, 10:11:26 PM »
On my recent JOGLE, I had to keep my costs as low as possible, so had to camp most of the time. I had 20 nights in camp sites which ranged from £5 to £18 a night, 1 night at my brothers in Taunton so free of charge, 1 night in a B & B  at £28 and 1 night in a hostel at £25 making a grand total of £235 for accommodation. Of course you could wild camp in Scotland especially, so you could reduce this even more. I actually paid less than this myself as several of the camp sites did not charge or gave me a lower rate as I was cycling for charity, but I put all this money into the Air Ambulance pot.

The train fares were Gillingham Dorset to London , £11  London to Inverness  £61  and Inverness to Thurso £12 making a grand total of £84.
These trains were booked 12 weeks in advance to get the cheaper prices and again I could have got the London to Inverness cheaper on the sleeper if I had got on the computer slightly earlier and picked up one of their bargain berths starting at £19 but you have to be quick to get these.

So as you can see my holiday of almost 3 and half weeks only cost me £319 for accommodation and travel to John O Groats. I was lucky enough to have friends pick me up from Lands End or that would have cost me another £60 in train fares. As far as food was concerned I tried to keep it to around an average of £10 a day, but this proved difficult. Breakfast was usually porridge, so just bought pint of milk each day for coffee and breakfast. Often bought rolls and cheese for lunch, or meal deals from Tesco/co op (sandwiches, pork pies and a drink - around £3) and then ate out cheaply or bought food to cook at camp site. I probably spent nearer £12-£13 per day average, but I did not really keep track of this.

So really the trip can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. I tried to keep costs low, but would still treat myself occasionally (like the giant ice cream costing £3.95) or the numerous cakes along the way. I did look into B & B but I could not make it financially viable for me.

jags

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2014, 10:21:51 PM »
peejay no offence buddy but you need lessons from bikerta.


jags

Peejay

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2014, 06:59:15 AM »
Hey Jags,

I never set out to do it as cheap as I could.

I used B & B's that were convenient for my route and most of them had been recommended by other LEJOGgers from the CTC forum.

Just didn't fancy camping after riding 80 miles (average) every day and then having to pitch a tent etc, especially in the rain.

However on a more positive note, I managed to raise £5,200 for The Walton Neuroscience Fund in Liverpool.

Pete.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2014, 07:54:09 AM by Peejay »

Templogin

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2014, 09:22:01 AM »
Absolutely brilliant answers guys/girls.  I appreciate the effort, whether it was supplying links or long descriptive lists.  To be honest I was starting to rule the ride out and thinking about just going somewhere warm and hiring a couple of bikes, but your input has given me added impetus.  Looks as though there is no right way of doing these things, just your own preferred way, be that accommodation type or the time it takes to complete the ride.  I will have a special cake and ice cream budget though!

I am not going to do a formal charity thing, just going to ask people to give to their favourite charity.

Thanks again

Andy
Shetland

jags

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2014, 11:08:40 AM »
Hey Jags,

I never set out to do it as cheap as I could.

I used B & B's that were convenient for my route and most of them had been recommended by other LEJOGgers from the CTC forum.

Just didn't fancy camping after riding 80 miles (average) every day and then having to pitch a tent etc, especially in the rain.

However on a more positive note, I managed to raise £5,200 for The Walton Neuroscience Fund in Liverpool.

Pete.
fair play to you Pete hell of amount of money to raise.
to be honest i would go the BnB route if only i could afford it,lot to be said  for a nice comfy bed after a hard day in the saddle.

Peejay

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2014, 06:56:35 PM »
Hi Jags,

Thanks......

fair play to you Pete hell of amount of money to raise.
to be honest i would go the BnB route if only i could afford it,lot to be said  for a nice comfy bed after a hard day in the saddle.

Not to mention getting waterproofs dry - most of them had drying rooms, and I washed my kit everyday and managed to get that dry too.

Pete.

jags

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Re: LEJoG - JoGLE Costs
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2014, 07:20:44 PM »
Pete i'm only a fair weather cycle tourer  ::) .
but yeah i would be going the camping route  just could not afford bnb.
the camping gear i have is all great stuff all shiny and new, i'm after a much lighter tent even though i like the 2 man tent i have loads of room in it,but maybe a tad to heavy for my audax.

jags