Well, so there we are. After much excitement, trepidation, train strikes and risk of flight cancellations, not to mention two years’ delay due to COVID, Planning Director Iain Painting, Reside Developments' Planning Director, Andrew Munton, and A2Dominion Group's Simon Potts, finally embarked upon their Lands End to John O’Groats adventure.
Their aim... to cycle LEJoG unsupported, for the Evelina Children’s Hospital, who helped Iain's daughter, Mimi, and many 1000’s of other sick children across the country, and who continue to do amazing research.
Riding your bike across the UK provides a fantastic if not unique perspective on all that the UK has to offer: stunning scenery, wonderful people, fine cake and coffee and some shocking road surfaces not to mention the weather…
Thank you to everyone for all your support and encouragement. Through your generosity they have raised over £4,800 for Evelina London! To support their fundraising efforts, fellow BW Velo and Raid Pyrenees teammate, Planning Director Huw Edwards, donated his Quella Varsity Imperial bike as a raffle prize, which was won by mutual pal Tom Hegan (Turner Morum LLP). Congratulations Tom, and thank you for your generous donation!
So, for all of you who are thinking of embarking on your own cycling adventure, however long, here are their top (and not so) take outs!
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Top 10:
Frame bags
Disk brakes
Mudguards
Shake dry water proof
Garmin route map
Ballater and Glenshee
Steak and chips
Double cake double coffee
Sudocreme
Chamois cream
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10 not so top:
Scottish roads
Riding to a deadline
Avonmouth
Carlisle Premier evening meal
Bridge closures and diversions
Headwind
Lands End - poor
Grumpy bike shop owner
Cycle paths not made for cycling
Cafes not open - unreliable
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Best Cafes:
Bakery in Grantown on Spey
The Store Inn at Bettyhill
Little Wee Haus in Glenshee
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Best Meal:
Ballater - steak and chips, Pinot Noir and whisky
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Best View:
Shap Fell across to the Pennines
Decent from Lecht
Looking back up to Glenshee
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Best River:
Dee
Naver
Spey
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Best Beer:
Cairngorm Gold, at Northern Star JOG (best chips too)
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Best Cake:
Caramel cake in Perth
Cinnamon bun in Grantown on Spey
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Best Climb:
Shap Fell
Glenshee
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Best Wildlife:
Red Squirrel
Eagle
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Best Accommodation:
Ballater Hostel
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Best Descent:
Glenshee to Ballater
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Best Gates:
Quantocks
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Best Industrial Archaeology:
The aqua duct on the Shropshire Union
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Best Person met:
Virtual cyclist in Bettyhill
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Best Bonkers Person:
Digger driver in Devon
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Best Toilet:
Public loo in Bettyhill
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Best Town:
Perth
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Best Bridge:
Warburton
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Best Day:
Day 7
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Posted with the following keywords:
LEJoG, Charity, Challenge