Hello,
I went by bicycle from Land's End in Cornwall to John o' Groats in Scotland.
Due to work commitments at the start, the trip was taken in two parts:
part 1 - days 1 and 2 in July 2007
part 2 - days 3 to 14 in August 2008.

This is a record of the trip, which I hope may be of some use to all who are contemplating on undertaking the same.
(abbreviations used from here on: LE = Land's End; JOG = John o' Groats)


DAY 1:
10 July 2007 - Land's End to Penzance:

time: 53.11 mins
distance: 16.45 km (10.22 miles)
average speed: 18.5 km/hour
maximum speed: 56.2 km/hour
calories burnt: 290.2

Day 1 was a short one, because I had to get to the starting place first, i.e. by train from London to Penzance and from there by bike to Land's End.
The way from Penzance to LE should have been a warning of future things to come! It was hilly and some part of the way I had to come off the bike and actually walk it up the incline!
Considering how bendy the roads are that's quite dangerous and I was worried that cars might not see me early enough to overtake safely.
By way of compensation. some downhill sections were quite steep and account for the high maximum speed achieved for the day of more than 56km/h!
Land's End itself is a theme park with photo booth, restaurants and gift shops, nothing to hold your interest really.
So off I went on the first leg, every journey of 1000 miles (877 actually) starting with a single step. How true!


DAY 2:
11 July 2007 - Penzance to Bodmin Parkway.
time: 4h 11.51 mins
distance: 82.67 km (51.38 miles)
average speed: 19.6 km/hour
maximum speed: 55.2 km/hour
calories burnt: 1366.0

(Running totals:
time 5.05.02 hrs, 99.12 km = 61.60 miles, 1656.2 calories)

After some avoidable detour at the start I followed the A30 all the way to Bodmin, which was dull, but at least it was the straightest line to get me to Bodmin. Other routes I have seen suggested follow the coast, but from what I can see they are more hilly and you will learn to detest the inclines! I am writing this a year after the event, and the two overriding memories are the sunburn I got (it was a gloriously sunny day) and the dread of yet another uphill section. Thankfully much of the A30 has got some run-off lane at the side, only about 1m wide, but enough for a cycle to get out of the way of passing traffic. That's especially important if you're going slow as invariably you will going uphill!


Due to issues at work and severe weather warnings further north I decided to go home from Bodmin. The train station is a couple of miles out of Bodmin on the A38 towards Liskeard. Whatever time and distance I took I don't recall, it's too little to worry about for the stats.
I was however determined to continue the trip as soon as possible.


DAY 3:
07 August 2008 - Bodmin Parkway to Knowle.
time: 5h 44.32 mins
distance: 95.92 km (59.61 miles)
average speed: 16.7 km/hour
maximum speed: 57.2 km/hour
calories burnt: 1502.1

(Running totals:
time 10.49.34 hrs, 195.04 km = 121.22 miles, 3158.2 calories)

So here we were again, I took the 0906 train from Paddington to Bodmin Parkway, which took quite exactly 4 hrs and picked up the tour from where I left off the year before. Purists may scoff, but to me this counts still as one trip.
I had in the meantime sorted my job issues out and was again at peace to tackle the cycle ride . This time I was determined I would complete it, come rain or shine (and there would be plenty of each!).

Turning out of Bodmin Parkway onto the A38 towards Liskeard and from there onto the A390 to Tavistock. Have a look on the map, it's very bendy. I now know that that means hilly terrain, but on the day I found out the hard way. Let me tell you, Devon and Cornwall is by far the worst section of the entire LE to JOG trip! Once you left there things improve massively. In terms on nice scenery The South-West is beautiful, but you'll struggle to appreciate it.
By the time I got to Tavistock I realised that I had underestimated how long and arduous the journey would be, so I rang the B&B in Knowle, where I had booked a room, that I'd be late by a couple of hours at least. It turned out to be nearer a 3 hours delay when I finally got there just before 2100 hrs.
Tavistock to Okehampton on the A386, then onto the B3260 -> B3215 -> A3072 -> A377 to Knowle.

The B&B was great, massive bathroom with freestanding bathtub, which I gladly used to warm myself up. I was shivering from exhaustion and the last 5-10 km had been especially gruelling, forever climbing up one more god-forsaken stretch.


DAY 4:
08 August 2008 - Knowle to Weston-Super-Mare.
time: 5h 45.53 mins
distance: 108.56 km (67.47 miles)
average speed: 18.8 km/hour
maximum speed: 58.0 km/hour
calories burnt: 1500.0

(Running totals:
time 16.35.27 hrs, 303.60 km = 188.69 miles, 4658.2 calories)

Today was so much easier! The first 2-3 hrs were hilly still, but then it flattened out and with lovely weather this bit was quite fun.
Knowle -> Crediton on the A377, then A3072 and A396 to Tiverton, via A361 to the A38 and follow it via Taunton and Bridgwater to Weston-Super-Mare.
Nice enough small hotel near the sea front and I even managed to catch a bit about the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Sorted!



DAY 5:
09 August 2008 - Weston-Super-Mare to Worcester.
time: 7h 02.51 mins
distance: 142.16 km (88.35 miles)
average speed: 20.1 km/hour
maximum speed: 45.2 km/hour
calories burnt: 2084.7

(Running totals:
time 23.38.18 hrs, 445.76 km = 277.04 miles, 6742.9 calories)

They had said it'd be raining today, and so it did, all day long! I had a bright pink rain cape that's hideous to look at, but at least it's high-viz and it kept the wet out. That, plus plastic carrier bags over my socks, my rucksack in bin liners and myself wearing police-issue waterproof trousers I was all set to battle the elements. It worked reasonably well. No accommodation booked and I could only find one hotel I liked the look of. It wasn't cheap for what it was, but I was too cold to care. Dinner was a McDonalds meal in my room and plenty of cups of tea.
From Weston-Super-Mare onto the A370 to Bristol, there after some detour finally onto the A38 through Gloucester and Tewksbury into Worcester town center.
Including finding my way and breaks I was out and about for 8h 50mins today.


DAY 6:
10 August 2008 - Worcester to Northwich.
time: 8h 34.40 mins
distance: 155.25 km (96.49 miles)
average speed: 18.0 km/hour
maximum speed: 47.4 km/hour
calories burnt: 2012.3

(Running totals:
time 32.12.58 hrs, 601.01 km = 373.53 miles, 8754.2 calories)