APPENDIX 3

ITINERARY

 

The table below shows the mileage cycled each day, and the place and type of lodgings in which each night was spent.

The daily mileage was derived using a map measurer on the OS map, then rounding up or down to the nearest five miles. The coastline of mainland Britain is reputed to be about 6800 miles. The coast road appears to be about 5500 miles, not using major bridges and ferries, and ignoring spurs which lead nowhere. I did 5430 miles. Of the 238 days, 136 were cycling days for which the average distance cycled was 40 miles. The longest day was 70 miles from Arnside to St Annes, and the longest week 340 miles in seven days from Stranraer to Appleby.

Of the 237 nights away from home I spent 84 in bed and breakfasts, 75 in youth hostels, 59 with friends and relatives (including the 31 nights in St Anns), eleven at inns, five in hotels, two in caravans, and one in a former railwayman's cottage. Most youth hostels in England and Wales serve meals, most in Scotland do not. The bed and breakfasts varied in price from £10 to £25, averaged about £15, and most were near pubs or cafes for evening meals. B&Bs were generally found on the day through Tourist Information Centres and never booked more than four nights ahead.

The cost of the journey was about £5300, or £26 a day (1995 prices) excluding the month I spent at my father's house in St Annes.

 

 DAY

 DESTINATION

 LODGINGS

 MILES
       

 CHAPTER 1 - THE BIG IDEA
       

 CHAPTER 2 - THE FIRST WEEK
     1  Hockley  Friends  50
     2  Hockley  Friends  45
     3  Mayland  B&B  45
     4  Alresford  Friends  45
     5  Dedham  Family  50
       

 CHAPTER 3 - DEDHAM INTERLUDE
     6-8  Dedham  Family  Rest
       

 CHAPTER 4 - EAST ANGLIAN PAIN
     9  Blaxhall  YHA  45
   10  Blaxhall  YHA  25
   11  Southwold  Inn  35
   12  Gt Yarmouth  YHA  25
   13  Gt Yarmouth  YHA  Rest
   14  Sheringham  YHA  40
   15  Hunstanton  B&B  35
   16-18  Hunstanton  B&B  Rest
   19  Kings Lynn  YHA  15
   20  Kings Lynn  YHA  Rest
   21  Kings Lynn  YHA  35
  (Castle Acre & back)    
       

 CHAPTER 5 - THE RETURN OF HOPE
   22  Kirton  B&B  40
   23  Skegness  B&B  40
   24  Ruckland  YHA  30
   25  Ruckland  YHA  Rest
   26  Cleethorpes  B&B  40
   27  Beverley  YHA  55
   28-29  Beverley  YHA  Rest
   30  Easington  B&B  40
   31  Hornsea  B&B  40
   32  Scarborough  YHA  50
   33  Whitby  YHA  20
   34  Whitby  YHA  Rest
       

 CHAPTER 6 - THE ROAD NORTH
   35  Redcar  B&B  25
   36  Seaham  B&B  50
   37  Newcastle upon Tyne  Family  30
   38-40  Newcastle upon Tyne  Family  Rest
   41  Newbiggin-by-the-Sea  B&B  30
   42  Alnwick  B&B  30
   43  Alnwick  B&B  Rest
   44  Seahouses  B&B  25
   45  Seahouses  B&B  Rest
   (Boat trip to Farne Islands)  
   46  Holy Island  B&B  20
   47  Coldingham  SYHA  30
   48  Edinburgh  Friends  55
       

 CHAPTER 7 - EDINBURGH INTERLUDE
   49-50  Weekend trip  Friends  Rest
       

 CHAPTER 8 - FURTHER NORTH
   51  Stirling  SYHA  45
   52  Falkland  SYHA  55
   53  Falkland  SYHA  30
   54  St Andrews  B&B  45
   55  Perth  SYHA  40
   56-57  Perth  SYHA  Rest
   58  Montrose  B&B  55
   59  Fintray  Friends  50
       

 CHAPTER 9 - THE RHYTHM OF THE ROAD

 DAY

 DESTINATION

 LODGINGS

 MILES
       

CHAPTER 10 - TURNING POINT 
   60-64  Fintray  Friends  Rest
   65  Easter Cardno  Friends  60
   66  Macduff  B&B  30
   67  Buckie  B&B  25
   68  Findhorn  B&B  50
   69  Inverness  SYHA  40
   70-71  Inverness  SYHA  Rest
   72  Fortrose  B&B  35
   73  Strathpeffer  SYHA  40
   74  Balintore  B&B  40
   75  Culrain  SYHA  40
   76  Helmsdale  SYHA  45
   77  Helmsdale  SYHA  Rest
   78  Wick  B&B  35
   79  John O'Groats  SYHA  25
   80  John O'Groats  SYHA  Rest
   (Boat & bus trip to Orkney)  
   81  Buldoo  B&B  40
   82  Tongue  SYHA  40
   83  Durness  SYHA  35
   84  Durness  SYHA  30
   (Cape Wrath & back)    
       

CHAPTER 11 - HIGHLAND SUMMER 
   85  Durness  SYHA  Rest
   86  Kylescu  B&B  40
   87  Achmelvich  SYHA  25
   88  Achininver  SYHA  25
   89  Ullapool  SYHA  25
   90-91  Ullapool  SYHA  Rest
   92  Gairloch  SYHA  60
   93  Torridon  SYHA  30
   94  Lochcarron  B&B  55
   (via the Pass of the Cattle)  
   95  Broadford  SYHA  35
   96  Broadford  SYHA  Rest
   97  Portree  B&B  25
   98  Portree  B&B  Rest
   99  Uig  SYHA  35
 100  Glen Brittle  SYHA  55
 101  Broadford  Caravan  30
 102  Ratagan  SYHA  35
 103  Laggan  SYHA  40
 104  Laggan  SYHA  Rest
 105  Glenfinnan  Cottage  35
 106  Glenborrodale  Hotel  40
 107  Glenborrodale  Hotel  40
  (Ardnamurchan Point & back)   
 108  Loch Eil  B&B  45
 109  Kentallen  B&B  35
 110  Oban  SYHA  40
       

 CHAPTER 12 - STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT
       

 CHAPTER 13 - LAST HIGHLAND FLING
 111-113  Oban  SYHA  Rest
   (Day trip to Mull, Staffa, Iona)  
 114  Achanamara  B&B  45
 115  Carradale  B&B  65
 116  Campbeltown  B&B  15
 117  Tarbet  B&B  35
 118  Inverarey  SYHA  40
 119-120  Inverarey  SYHA  Rest
 121  Tighnabruaich  SYHA  55
 122  Kilmun  Hotel  30
 123  Ardgarten  SYHA  35
 124  Gourock  B&B  50
 125  Ayr  SYHA  50

 DAY

 DESTINATION

 LODGINGS

 MILES
       

CHAPTER 14 - THE LOW ROAD 
 126-127  Ayr  B&B  Rest
 128  Stranraer  B&B  50
 129  Drummore  B&B  50
 130  Whithorn  B&B  50
 131  Gatehouse of Fleet  B&B  45
 132  Colvend  B&B  45
 133  Gretna Green  B&B  50
 134  Appleby  Family  50
 135-136  Appleby  Family  Rest
 137  Bowness-on-Solway  B&B  50
 138  St Bees  B&B  50
 139  Broughton in Furness  B&B  45
 140  Arnside  YHA  60
 141  St Annes  Family  70
       

 CHAPTER 15 - REQUIEM FOR A GENTLEMAN
 142-171  St Annes  Family Rest 
   (Sat 30 Sept Father died)  
   (15 mile & 25 mile training rides)  
       

CHAPTER 16 - ON THE ROAD AGAIN 
 172  Southport  B&B  35
 173  Runcorn  B&B  45
 174  New Brighton  B&B  35
 175  Chester  YHA  35
 176-177  Chester  YHA  Rest
       

CHAPTER 17 - AUTUMN IN WALES 
 178  Colwyn Bay  YHA  45
 179  Bangor  YHA  30
 180  Boduan  B&B  40
 181  Pwllheli  B&B  40
 182  Barmouth  B&B  35
 183  Barmouth  B&B  Rest
 184  Aberystwyth  B&B  50
 185  Cardigan  B&B  45
 186  St David's  B&B  40
 187  St David's  B&B  Rest
 188  Pembroke  Inn  40
 189-193  Pembroke  Inn  Rest
   (Ill with throat infection)  
 194  Tenby  B&B  25
 195  Carmarthen  B&B  40
 196  Port-Eynon  YHA  50
 197  Porthcawl  Hotel  40
 198  Porthcawl  Hotel  Rest
 199  Cardiff  YHA  45
 200  Alvington  B&B  45
       

CHAPTER 18 - LANDS END 
 201  Slimbridge  YHA  45
 202  Bristol  YHA  40
 203-204  Bristol  YHA  Rest
 205  Burnham-on-Sea  B&B  50
 206  Minehead  B&B  40
 207  Ilfracombe  Inn  35
 208  Bideford  B&B  35
 209  Bideford  B&B  Rest
 210  Boscastle  B&B  45
 211  Padstow  Inn  30
 212  Hayle  Inn  40
 213  Penzance  YHA  35
   (via Lands End after 5,065 miles)  
       

 CHAPTER 19 - HERITAGE COAST
       

CHAPTER 20 - HOMEWARD BOUND 
 214-215  Penzance  YHA  Rest
 216  Falmouth  B&B  45
   (via Lizard Point)    
 217  Fowey  B&B  25
 218  Membland  Family  40
 219-221  Membland  Family  Rest
 222  Dartmouth  B&B  30
 223-229  Dartmouth  B&B  Rest
   (Ill with bronchitis)    
 230  Creely Barton  B&B  35
 231  Bridport  B&B  35
 232  Bridport  B&B  Rest
 233  Wimborne Minster  B&B  40
 234  Winchester  B&B  40
 235-236  Winchester  B&B  Rest
 237  Bagshot  Inn  40
 238  London  Home  25
       

 CHAPTER 21 - AND THEN . . .