Around Britain in 14 days? Anyone tried it? Fun or Folly?
- Thread starter Cardinal
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Nick Sanders did it a while back...on a push bike. IIRC in 22 days
The record that Guy Martin had to abandon last xmas.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
The record that Guy Martin had to abandon last xmas.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Mark Beaumont has just just cycled it.....the 3,500 miles version.
Just over 14 days....240 miles/day......on a PUSH BIKE !!!
He's cycling round the world in 80 days soon.....Respect.......
'Cardinal'...It might be worth looking at Mark Beaumont's route. As he was on a push bike there were no motorways or horror busy routes.....
I sort of did it on a ten day break,although I missed out Cornwall due to having holidayed there several times before,and I missed out the South East triangle too.
Had a great time....on my Aprilia Tuareg 600.
Don't over think or over study it.....just go and do it.
Had a great time....on my Aprilia Tuareg 600.
Don't over think or over study it.....just go and do it.
If you include the islands it's 10,700 miles iirc according to 'Coast'
I did a lap of England, wales, Ireland and Scotland a few years ago, with a bunch of biker mates from USA, South Africa and Germany. Didn't follow the coast all the way but took two weeks and did about 3,000 miles.
Got as far into the south-west as Clovelly, did Wales top to bottom, Dublin, Belfast, Skye, Applecross, Inverness, Hadrian's Wall, Lakes etc etc.
Top way to spend a few days - even when it pissed it down on the way to Talisker.
Happy to share the routes and tour book if you PM me...
Got as far into the south-west as Clovelly, did Wales top to bottom, Dublin, Belfast, Skye, Applecross, Inverness, Hadrian's Wall, Lakes etc etc.
Top way to spend a few days - even when it pissed it down on the way to Talisker.
Happy to share the routes and tour book if you PM me...
Did the 3500 mile version back in.....erm, I think 2003 on my VFR800. In 4 days. Can't remember exactly how many hours, but I think something like 78 hours riding in 96 hours.
Missed out Skye, Anglesey and a few other gnarly bits. Raised a few grand for cancer charity back then. Very knackering, but mostly enjoyable - except for the midges.
Not sure if I could do it again, there was a few times I was all but falling asleep, and 14 years on my stamina is probably nowhere near good enough. If I had time I'd like to do the full 10k version, maybe over a good few weeks though.
Missed out Skye, Anglesey and a few other gnarly bits. Raised a few grand for cancer charity back then. Very knackering, but mostly enjoyable - except for the midges.
Not sure if I could do it again, there was a few times I was all but falling asleep, and 14 years on my stamina is probably nowhere near good enough. If I had time I'd like to do the full 10k version, maybe over a good few weeks though.
It's a great idea!
Years ago we did England, clockwise, keeping strictly to the roads nearest to the coast or border, however small.
We took sports bikes (I was on an early R1) going out on a different town every night and enjoying a sporty ride every day. We always tried the local beers and foods, and tried to learn a little of places one would not naturally visit it a lifetime of living on this island.
I'm not sure how many miles it was, but it took 10 days, which were all great fun, used a pair of tyres (we were young 'n daft) and the highlights were:
The coastal route from Hunstanton round to the Thames (unexpectedly nice).
Crab sandwiches on the beach in Beer (Bikes on the beach).
Celebration Pasties on entering and leaving Cornwall. (And at every stop between)
The daft bouncy roads from lands End up to Newquay (riding quite 'confidently' after a few days in the saddle).
A busy summer Saturday night out in Newquay (quite the party town in mid-summer).
Covering ground was relatively slow in Southern England, but we know from trips north that average speed increases dramatically when North of the border, particularly on the fast sweeping roads in the far north, so I guess 14 days would be plenty.
Good luck!
Years ago we did England, clockwise, keeping strictly to the roads nearest to the coast or border, however small.
We took sports bikes (I was on an early R1) going out on a different town every night and enjoying a sporty ride every day. We always tried the local beers and foods, and tried to learn a little of places one would not naturally visit it a lifetime of living on this island.
I'm not sure how many miles it was, but it took 10 days, which were all great fun, used a pair of tyres (we were young 'n daft) and the highlights were:
The coastal route from Hunstanton round to the Thames (unexpectedly nice).
Crab sandwiches on the beach in Beer (Bikes on the beach).
Celebration Pasties on entering and leaving Cornwall. (And at every stop between)
The daft bouncy roads from lands End up to Newquay (riding quite 'confidently' after a few days in the saddle).
A busy summer Saturday night out in Newquay (quite the party town in mid-summer).
Covering ground was relatively slow in Southern England, but we know from trips north that average speed increases dramatically when North of the border, particularly on the fast sweeping roads in the far north, so I guess 14 days would be plenty.
Good luck!
Another escapade to try is following as far as is possible England's Meridian 2 degrees West which runs from Berwick upon Tweed to the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset 
Did the 3500 mile version back in.....erm, I think 2003 on my VFR800. In 4 days. Can't remember exactly how many hours, but I think something like 78 hours riding in 96 hours.
Missed out Skye, Anglesey and a few other gnarly bits. Raised a few grand for cancer charity back then. Very knackering, but mostly enjoyable - except for the midges.
Not sure if I could do it again, there was a few times I was all but falling asleep, and 14 years on my stamina is probably nowhere near good enough. If I had time I'd like to do the full 10k version, maybe over a good few weeks though.
I'm not sure you could get away with the speeds nowadays Clive with all the scamera vans everywhere
Is your ride report still on the VFR Club forum?
This, with a camping set up on board, a phone, booking.com and airbnb you can do it day by day, choosing to do 250 or 500 miles should you wish.
I'm not sure you could get away with the speeds nowadays Clive with all the scamera vans everywhere
I think you're right Steve, although on a lot of the roads I doubt there's any cameras, just some of the more used ones I'd guess. Correction on the mileage, 3150 miles in 90 hours total time.
Can't find the actual ride report I did, but if you're in any way interested Steve, here's the progress reports on the VFR site.
https://vfr.bikersoracle.com/index.php?threads/muppets-progress-day-one.15564/
https://vfr.bikersoracle.com/index.php?threads/muppets-progress-day-two.15611/
https://vfr.bikersoracle.com/index.php?threads/muppets-progress-day-three.15656/
https://vfr.bikersoracle.com/index.php?threads/muppets-progress-day-4-the-final-leg.15694/
EDIT, just found the writeup.
https://vfr.bikersoracle.com/index....n-ride-the-story-in-words-and-pictures.15803/
Holy thread resurrection Batman... did this happen?
Pondering the same for next year, along with other stuff spinning around my head... had Covid booster yesterday and having a mildish reaction/not do much day, probably feverish
Pondering the same for next year, along with other stuff spinning around my head... had Covid booster yesterday and having a mildish reaction/not do much day, probably feverish
did my " round the coast of Britain " 12 yrs ago . 4500 miles , 14 days . California Metal .
started at Greenwich , staying near the coast where ever possible ,going clockwise from there , touching all the farthest points.
Used 2 sat navs , one with full route , other with daily start and finish points. when i got to 4 pm , i would abort and do fastest route to days destination on 2nd sat nav .
had to put a tyre on in Aberdeen ( sillett tyres , yes i started with new ones)
Avoided riding the same roads twice in a day, most days , roads that were a dead end , probably didn't get ridden . Big seaside towns , i would get on the beach and have a paddle , with
boots on.
I ate lots of fish and chips , or whatever the local area was known for , like crab from Cromer , went to bits of the country I'd never been to , met a retired traffic cop in Scarborough , had a quick chat and a fag , he was curious about the bike .
camped most of the way round , i think i hotelled once , cos it had been a long , very wet day.
would i do it again ? yes , but i would double the time to do it. and take the rush out of it.
started at Greenwich , staying near the coast where ever possible ,going clockwise from there , touching all the farthest points.
Used 2 sat navs , one with full route , other with daily start and finish points. when i got to 4 pm , i would abort and do fastest route to days destination on 2nd sat nav .
had to put a tyre on in Aberdeen ( sillett tyres , yes i started with new ones)
Avoided riding the same roads twice in a day, most days , roads that were a dead end , probably didn't get ridden . Big seaside towns , i would get on the beach and have a paddle , with
boots on.
I ate lots of fish and chips , or whatever the local area was known for , like crab from Cromer , went to bits of the country I'd never been to , met a retired traffic cop in Scarborough , had a quick chat and a fag , he was curious about the bike .
camped most of the way round , i think i hotelled once , cos it had been a long , very wet day.
would i do it again ? yes , but i would double the time to do it. and take the rush out of it.
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