United Kingdom

Land's End to John O'Groats Classic

Guided Road Bike Tour

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

16 days

Prices from

$4,745 P.P.
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The ultimate road cycling holiday in the UK - that really is the only way to describe our Land’s End to John O’Groats tour. Riding the entire length of mainland Britain is a journey that we believe every cyclist should experience at least once in their lifetime. With over 1,000 miles through 3 countries in just 14 days of riding, it’s one of the most impressive challenges in our range for riders to conquer. 
 
Making the most of the prevailing winds, our journey starts at Land’s End and heads north. Leaving the Cornish coast we head past the stunning wilds of Dartmoor and cross the River Severn before riding into Wales. Heading further north, we skim the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria and cross the border into Scotland. Before long, we’re riding through the rugged Cairngorms towards Inverness, before reaching the north Scottish coast and John O’Groats. 
 
This is a fully guided and supported cycling tour, with GPX files provided (GPS units available on request). We carry your bags and feed you along the way too, so all you have to do is focus on conquering the miles each day. Due to the longer daily distances involved on these tours, the group can sometimes find itself spreading out and riding at different speeds throughout the day. Although managed by the riding guide to ensure regular meet ups, giving you the GPX files to navigate the routes yourself gives a little bit more flexibility to ride at your own pace.
 
We’ve been leading Land's End to John O'Groats tours since 2006. Our experts have carefully crafted the route based on years of experience. We provide a journey that showcases the very best of Britain, from the best roads to the most remote landscapes. Learn more about what makes our route so special in our dedicated 'story behind' blog, which includes insights from legendary guide Peter Eagan who has led over 20 LEJOG tours for Skedaddle. 
 
Are you looking for a more leisurely LEJOG ride where you can take your time to soak in the views along the way? Check out our 3-week version which takes in the route in a more relaxed 19 days of riding.  
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Highlights

  • Ride the length of Britain from toe to tip and declare yourself an ‘End to Ender’
  • Experience the regional changes in tradition, culture and accents as you progress from county to county
  • Enjoy spectacular scenery from Cheddar Gorge to the Cairngorms
  • 3 countries in 14 days of riding
  • 1,000 miles of Britain at its best
  • Cornish pasties to haggis and everything in between

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It was an amazing ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip. We were very well looked after by very supportive guides and it has inspired me to do lots more.

Pippa, UK

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival: Penzance / Land's End
Non Riding Day

You will be met on arrival and transferred to the coastal town of Land’s End where we will spend our first evening. For anyone wishing to arrive by car, accommodation details will be provided in advance of the departure date (please note that we will not be transferring back to Land’s End at the end of the tour).

A midday/early afternoon arrival will be necessary in order to allow enough time for the group transfer to Land’s End and for those bringing their own bikes to rebuild them. We will also use this time to make sure that anyone renting a Skedaddle bike is fitted to one of appropriate size with any necessary adjustments made.

The rest of the day is yours to relax before the evening when we will eat out as a group in the hotel restaurant, an opportunity to get to know the rest of the party and to discuss the programme with your Skedaddle guides.

Day 2
Land's End to Bodmin
67 Miles / 108 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,585 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 1,585 Metres Approx.

Riding easterly from Land’s End we head for Penzance.

Moving inland (although it’s impossible to be more than 10 miles from the sea on this first day!) we continue along some of Cornwall’s finest country roads via Redruth. Later we head northwards and skirt Newquay before making our way to Bodmin.

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Day 3
Bodmin to Tiverton
80 Miles / 129 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 2,060 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 2,060 Metres Approx.

Make sure you have a hearty breakfast today – the route is about the same length as yesterday’s, but it’s a hilly one that sees us riding in an incredibly beautiful part of South West England.

Onwards and upwards (and of course, occasionally downwards!!) we wind our way through the high-hedged Cornish country lanes, passing through numerous villages on the way. Crossing the Tamar at Launceston, we leave Cornwall behind us and enter the county of Devon, and on to our destination of the night at Tiverton.

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Day 4
Tiverton to Cheddar
61 Miles / 98 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 855 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 855 Metres Approx.

Leaving Devon this morning and entering Somerset we head firstly through winding country lanes towards Taunton and then from here it’s off across the Somerset Levels. We skirt the historic town of Glastonbury and its Tor, which will be spotted a long way off in the distance. The last leg is to the large village of Cheddar situated on the edge of the Mendip Hills.

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Day 5
Cheddar to Hereford
80 Miles / 129 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,470 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 1,470 Metres Approx.

Leaving Cheddar this morning we head north and into the famous Cheddar Gorge, the largest and most impressive gorge in the United Kingdom. Navigating carefully to avoid the major roads connecting the larger towns and cities of the area we then wind our way northwards into southern Wales, crossing the River Severn via the cycleway on the famous Severn Bridge.

Once beyond Chepstow we rejoin country lanes and minor roads and continue the journey through the delightful countryside of the Wye Valley.

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Day 6
Hereford to Ironbridge
54 Miles / 87 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 845 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 845 Metres Approx.

Back in the saddle once more we continue through the small villages of the Herefordshire and into Worcestershire. We head on up through the market town of Leominster, the site of the Battle of Llanllieni, the first battle between the Normans and the Welsh way back in 1052.

Next stop is Shropshire's historic Ludlow with its wonderful black and white timbered buildings and ancient ruined castle. We need to keep the old legs spinning a little more as we head through more picturesque towns and villages such as Much Wenlock and its sister Little Wenlock as we head for our finish in Ironbridge on the outskirts of Telford.

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Day 7
Ironbridge to Wrightington
88 Miles / 141 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 970 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 970 Metres Approx.

Today we climb out of Ironbridge over the Wrekin before riding along Shropshire’s country lanes. We enter Cheshire near Audlem on our way to Nantwich, a medieval market town known for its black and white timbered buildings. From here our route takes us on a combination of minor and B roads (with occasional and brief sections of A road) via Middlewich, Knutsford and Leigh before eventually reaching our destination of Wrightington, north of Wigan – welcome to the North of England, it’s ‘right proper’ up here and you’re going to love the next few days.

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Day 8
Wrightington to Casterton
71 Miles / 114 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,815 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 1,815 Metres Approx.

Today we ride through 4 counties, starting out from Bolton, over Rivington and leaving Greater Manchester behind us we enter Lancashire. Bypassing the bigger towns and steering clear of the busiest roads we carry on northwards. Things quieten down again as we pass through the villages of Slaidburn and High Bentham and head into North Yorkshire. After 7 days in the saddle and just over 500 miles we reach the sleepy Cumbrian town of Kirkby Lonsdale on the outskirts of the Lake District.

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Day 9
Casterton to Talkin / Hallbankgate
60 Miles / 96 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,360 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 1,360 Metres Approx.

With the Cumbrian mountains and the Lake District to the west and the Yorkshire Dales to the east, it’s difficult to think of a better place to start a day’s riding. The route today, which for the main part is in Cumbria, is as dramatic as it is rugged as we press on along deserted roads through villages and towns such as Orton, Langwathby and finally Talkin or Hallbankgate. Feast yourselves this evening on Cumberland sausages and the local sticky toffee pudding, we’ve passed the halfway mark and tomorrow we‘re going to Scotland!

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Day 10
Talkin / Hallbankgate to Cardrona
76 Miles / 123 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,540 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 1,540 Metres Approx.

Weaving our way through more remote country lanes we make our way to the Scottish/English border. A few miles north of the border we arrive in Langholm where we pick up the B709. Navigation today is easier than usual since we stay on the B709 for most of the day, all the way to Traquair. Riding past the Tweed Valley mountain biking centres of Innerliethen and Glentress, we head into the busy border town of Cardrona, our destination for tonight.

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Day 11
Cardrona to Perth
75 Miles / 121 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,110 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 1,110 Metres Approx.

Moving on from Peebles we skirt the Moorfoot hills and head for Edinburgh. It’s impossible to avoid Edinburgh’s traffic completely but our route will mainly steer clear of the city’s busiest roads. Once out of town we cycle over the Firth of Forth across the Forth Road Bridge and enter the Kingdom of Fife. It’s not long before we rejoin some quieter roads and pass Kinross as we head for our overnight stay in Perth.

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Day 12
Perth to Ballater
68 Miles / 110 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,355 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 1,355 Metres Approx.

Today starts off easy heading north from Perth surrounded by rolling fields famed for their raspberries and overlooked by hills and mountains. The main challenge of the day is the ascent up past the Devil’s Elbow to the Glenshee Ski Centre, so keep your climbing legs at the ready. Take your time over the descent to Braemar to enjoy some of the most wild and majestic scenery of the whole trip. It’s a regal finish today as we ride along the banks of the Dee to Balmoral Castle. Onwards to Ballater at last we reach the real Scottish Highlands.

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Day 13
Ballater to Inverness
76 Miles / 123 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,520 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 1,520 Metres Approx.

Don’t forget to raise your eyes from the tarmac as we move on from Ballater this morning, this is spectacular countryside so make sure you take it all in. Beyond Grantown-on-Spey and into exposed moorland wilderness we press on through the villages Dava and Dulsie and pass by Culloden Battlefield, the site of the last battle fought on British soil. A few miles up the road and we arrive in Inverness where we end our day.

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Day 14
Inverness to Lairg
69 Miles / 111 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 960 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 960 Metres Approx.

Back in the saddle, the challenge for this morning is to cross the Black Isle, the jagged peninsula separating Inverness and Dingwall. Once over the Cromarty Firth it’s one road all the way to Bonar Bridge where we meet Dornorch Firth and then it’s northwards past The Fall of Shin and onto Lairg for our penultimate stop.

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Day 15
Lairg to John O’Groats
82 Miles / 132 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 1,125 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Ascent: 1,125 Metres Approx.

As our epic adventure draws to a conclusion, a riverside route takes us to the northernmost shoreline of mainland Britain. A sharp change of direction at Bettyhill saves us from riding into the sea. We follow the coast road to Thurso, the Scottish mainland’s most northerly town; an early Viking settlement named after Norse ‘god of thunder’ Thor. And now we’re on the home straight, only 20 more miles and you’ve made it. Crack open the bubbly – congratulations are in order!!

At John O‘Groats we stop for a picture and celebrations! All that remains now is to settle into our accommodation where we’ll spend the evening celebrating our achievement and resting our legs. Congratulations… you’ve Skedaddled from Land’s End to John O‘Groats!

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Day 16
Departure: Inverness
Non Riding Day
  • Meals: Breakfast

We depart at approx 09:00 for the 3 hour transfer to Inverness. If travelling by train, please do not arrange your train home any earlier than 13:30. If travelling by plane your flight should not depart before 15:00.

Please Note – Some destinations and distances may be subject to change. Lunches are provided for 50% of the riding days, with these specific days subject to alteration due to weather conditions etc.

Understanding Profiles

Use these profiles to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • Ascent / Descent in metres (vertical axis)

Click 'see gradient' to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • % Gradient (vertical axis)

Please check the scales on both graphs, and both axes as they both may differ from day to day.

White vertical lines indicate unpaved sections or slightly rougher terrain. Using both graphs, alongside the grading and terrain information provided, will give you a full picture of how flat, bumpy or steep the climbing on your particular tour is going to be. Please keep in mind this is an indicative guide and GPS units and software produce different statistical information.

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The Cycling

Terrain

We have picked quiet country roads wherever possible. The whole route is on good tarmac, and suited to lightweight road bikes. There are of course lots of climbs, and descents, with some sections through urban areas, but the majority of the route takes us through open countryside.

Some of this will be lowland, agricultural areas, and some will be over high and exposed hill country – especially in the North of England and Scotland.

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Road Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
Grade 3 - 4: Moderate/ Challenging

Distances between 50-75 miles / 80-120km per day

For more regular riders who like to push themselves a little from time to time

Not extreme but certainly challenging on occasions with some good climbing opportunities

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

You’re an enthusiast. Road cycling is probably your main hobby and you ride regularly at weekends, staying on the bike for much of the day. You’re in pretty good shape, and you might also participate in cylo-sportive events. You also love a challenge and are looking for a tour with some good climbing, preferably with an opportunity to tick off some famous Tour de France cols, or the like. You’re a competent descender, and you’re not afraid of speed, but you ride safely and within your limits at all times. You understand road etiquette and you’re comfortable riding in a bunch. You might even take a stint at the front of the pack if the need arises.

For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.

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I can honestly say that this trip was one of the best cycling experiences that I have ever had. Our guides could not have been more helpful. The fact that this was my sixth trip with Skedaddle speaks volumes!

Neil, UK

Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

Book now with a $500 deposit and nothing more to pay until 60 days before departure. Choose a date to start your booking and see all prices, including bike hire and single room supplements.

Select a date to view prices and book
Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
24/05/2025
Return Date
08/06/2025
Duration
16 days
Price
$4,745.00
Start Date
23/08/2025
Return Date
07/09/2025
Duration
16 days
Price
$4,745.00
Start Date
23/05/2026
Return Date
07/06/2026
Duration
16 days
Price
$4,990.00
Start Date
22/08/2026
Return Date
06/09/2026
Duration
16 days
Price
$4,990.00

Whats Included Tick

A) Accommodation (shared twin / double rooms)

B) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

C) Full support service including a Skedaddle support driver and Skedaddle riding guide

D) Unless stated, at least one leader qualified in First Aid

E) Support vehicle and luggage transfers

F) GPX files provided (GPS units available on request)

G) Access to the Skedaddle App for holiday information

H) Train station transfer on scheduled arrival day from Penzance train station

I) Airport/train station transfer on scheduled departure day to Inverness airport (INV) or Inverness train station

J) Financial Protection through ABTOT

What's not Included Cross

A) Bike hire (available if required)

B) Flights and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Meals not stated in the itinerary

D) Single room (available if required)

E) Travel insurance

F) Personal clothing and equipment

G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

H) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions en route

I) Airport transfers on days other than the scheduled arrival / departure days

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Private Departures

Private Departures

Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.

The Essentials

Travel Options

Group train station transfers from Penzance to the first hotel are included in the holiday cost. If travelling by train we ask that you arrive into Penzance train station by 16:15 in time for the group transfer departing at 16:30. London is the closest international travel hub and is around 6 hours by train from Penzance.

At the end of the trip we will depart John O‘Groats at 09:00 so will not arrive into Inverness before 13:00. Please bear this in mind when booking train/flight tickets home. Inverness has limited international flight options but is connected to larger airports by flight or train.

Please check with us before making any travel arrangements to make sure we have reached the minimum number required to guarantee your holiday and to ensure your arrangements fit with our scheduled transfers and logistics.

Please note If you make alternative travel arrangements, which fall outside of the planned train station transfers, there may be an additional charge for individual transfers.

Accommodation

The accommodation on the tour consists of well-appointed B&Bs, inns and family-run guesthouses that are cycle friendly, with towels and linen provided.

Where possible we prioritise locally owned businesses and those offering locally sourced food, drink, and speciality products. This all promotes sustainability in-line with our responsible travel policy.

Most provide en-suite facilities, though there may be times when only shared facilities are available. We will inform you when booking if this is not available.

All our UK trips are operated on a double/twin-share basis. Single occupancy rooms can be provided for a supplement and are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Bike Hire

If you don’t own a suitable bike or would prefer to avoid bringing your own we have road bikes available to rent.

These bikes are typically full carbon Giant Revolt / Liv Devote, great bikes with good quality components. Bikes are set up tubeless on 700×28c or 700×32c tyres. They provide a comfortable riding position and wide range of gears, running a 2×11 drivetrain with 32/48 chainrings and 11×34 cassette. They are fitted with hydraulic disc brakes.

Bikes come equipped with at least one bottle cage and a seat post bag containing: puncture repair kit, multitool, inner tube and pump.

If you do decide to rent and would like us to provide a helmet, please let us know at the time of booking, otherwise you should bring your own helmet with you.

Please also let us know if you plan on bringing your own clip-in pedals, or if you will use the flat pedals which our rental bikes come fitted with.

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