Clockwise or Anticlockwise?

[Mick F]

I want to ride all the way round the mainland of Britain this spring/summer taking in the major headlands. My route is still in the very early planning stages but I'd like to make a decision about which way to do it starting here in Cornwall.

Clockwise or Anticlockwise?

[thirdcrank]

What difference would it make? (I'd expect that the year after you would do it the opposite way. )

[Mick F]

What difference would it make?

I don't know.

Question:
Do I want to do the south coast to Dover, and then ride into the "unknown" up through East Anglia and Lincolnshire first?
(Never been there before!)

[531colin]

Clockwise. Wind at back up the West coast.

OK, you could expect a headwind for the last leg along the South coast, but doing the West coast into the wind doesnt bear thinking about.

[snibgo]

I'd do it anti-clockwise because the west-coast geography is more interesting than the east side.

I've done half of it in my old Land Rover: east coast of England, all the way around Scotland, then directly home.

[Si]

ditto snibgo

[ANTONISH]

The chances are that if you go anti-clockwise you will have the wind in your favour in the fens. (I read of your lejog exploits in "Cycle" I don't know how you rode that distance on that saddle-You're a better man than I am Mick F)

[psmiffy]

Both ways have their merits

east first - in theory less interesting - but a voyage of discovery

west first - "probably" have the benefit of the wind

There would almost be something to be said for a grand project such as this to starting from the top - going clockwise and having a "holiday" from touring when you got to the bottom before the assault on the west coast

Some friends of mine did it as their honeymoon and went anti-clockwise from Hampshire - they had periods of headwinds in both halfs

[NUKe]

toss a coin or if you want more options Roll a dice.
Really don't know Mick but Once you have a route I am sure you won't be lost for company. .

Are you intending on sticking to the coast where possible or a more generalised route.just enco0mpassing the major points ?

[Mick F]

Thanks guys.
I fell asleep last night thinking about the merits of CW versus ACW.

I favour ACW as I will get away from home on the first day. I could carry on east, then work my way all the way to JOG etc, then down the west. By the time I get in spitting distance of home, I can be ferried back and forth to my own bed to finish off. Also, as fitness and stamina increases, I can leave the harder bits until the last. If I do Bealach na Ba again, I'd rather do it from the coast this time.

This is not set in stone. I may even do a 'figure of eight' or even a 'zig-zag' to add some variety. I'm looking at 3,500/4,000miles - I think.

Route?
I would follow the main-ish/minor-ish routes and visit the major headlands. To follow the coast absolutely faithfully would be too hard. I want to do this ride for pleasure!

I now need to get my head round the headlands. (pun intended)
Can I get to them all?
Can my Mercian and Carry Freedom trailer get to Cape Wrath?
Is there a road to Spurn Head?

[thirdcrank]

...Is there a road to Spurn Head?

http://www.spurnpoint.com/

There is a road which gets washed away from time to time in bad conditions, but it is maintained to provide access to the RNLI station. This used to have the distinction of being the only lifeboat with a paid crew because it was so remote there would be no hope of assembling a volunteer crew in an emergency. I don't know if this still applies (it's still as remote as it always was, of course, but I don't know if any other stations now have paid crews.)

[hubgearfreak]

Is there a road to Spurn Head?

i take it that you mean spurn point, east of hull & north of cleethorpes? if so, yes there is.

[PW]

Cape Wrath is 11 miles each way from the ferry. If necessary you could lock up the trailer at the dock. There's no-one up there to nick it! The main problem is not knowing if the ferry will operate. The day I was there the boatman had been called away to a family funeral at short notice. Durness to Scourie is only 30 miles, in theory fits nicely with a Cape Wrath visit. In the event I was glad the ferry was off, the headwind that day was horrific.

[vjosullivan]

Anti-clockwise around England and Wales and clockwise around Scotland. All it takes is a couple of quick C2Cs in the middle. Sorted.

[Mick F]

Yes, Spurn Point.
Always looks fascinating on the map, but I don't know much about it - yet.

Cape Wrath, I've been to before - or should I say I've been off it before. It was, and perhaps still is, a firing range. We used to bombard it in the RN as an NGS (Naval Gunfire Support) exercise. There was an army chap ashore that would do the 'spotting'.

What I need is a full list of headlands/heads/points/capes/bills/orms/etc so I can sort out the order.
Is there a Wiki page?