Eight reasons to ride LEJOG fully supported

LEJOG (Land’s End to John o’Groats) is an iconic challenge, one that we believe should be on the bucket list of every cyclist. Extremely tough, yet still achievable for intermediate and experienced riders or those with plenty of miles under their belt already, it involves cycling from the south western tip of the country – Land’s End – to the north eastern tip – John o’ Groats. Take whichever route you like; you simply need to get from the start to the finish under your own pedal power.

If you’re tempted by LEJOG, but would like to do it without thinking too hard about the logistics or the smaller details, or you’d like to share a smile or two with fellow riders along the way, then the Babble Ride Across Britain (RAB) could be just the thing for you…

It’s a challenging, multi-day endurance ride: 9 days, 980 miles and 800 other riders to share the highs and lows with.

If you’re curious about completing this iconic route, and wondering about the best way to go about it, read on for eight reasons to complete LEJOG by taking part in Babble Ride Across Britain. 

Training plans to help you prepare

Once signed up to the event, the Rider Hub on the Ride Across Britain website provides training plans to help you go into the event fully prepared. Novice, intermediate and advanced riders are catered for, and there are tips for riding in groups and how to cope with mixed and undulating terrains.

15 years of experience

Ride Across Britain has been going since 2009. As an established event, you can be sure of a well-organised, high quality experience. The team’s knowledge and expertise mean you’re guaranteed to have the experience of a lifetime. 

This year, RAB veteran Trevor Marshall will be taking part in his 10th RAB in 2024, and will celebrate his 73rd birthday midway through: 

“I just find it consistently good, otherwise I wouldn’t keep coming back. I can’t speak highly enough of the organisers.” 

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, check out the rave reviews. 

Raise money for your favourite charity

If there’s a charity that’s close to your heart, or you would just like to take up a challenge for a good cause, then RAB’s LEJOG is a good event to choose. Being such a big ride, sponsorship should come easily, and entering with a pledge to raise sponsorship money also dramatically reduces the entry price – to just £499.

“They are the heroes in my eyes, not the ones who win or the front runners, the ones who are doing it for charity.” Trevor Marshall

Flexible entry options

 You can enter Ride Across Britain with a standard entry, do it for charity as mentioned already, or enter as a corporate team. The full route is the main event, however there are also entries available that cover just the English or Scottish legs too, so if you’re not quite ready for the full 980 miles, you needn’t miss out completely. 

Accommodation is also flexible, and you can choose to stay at basecamp for the entirety, or get shuttled to local hotels after each day’s riding as part of the Plus Package. If you go for the latter option, you’ll still camp for the last night before the push to John o’ Groats, so as not to miss out on the basecamp experience completely.

It’s fully supported

 From sign up to completion, this trip is fully supported – there’s nothing that hasn’t been thought of. Before you start, training plans will help you get in shape, while bike fitting and maintenance guides make sure you and your bike are well prepared, together. Detailed route maps and GPX files are provided (with turn-by-turn navigation out on the roads too).

Camp at basecamp – it’s included – or upgrade to a Plus Package featuring local hotel accommodation, with transport to and from the start and finish each day. If you’re camping, you don’t need to worry about pitching your tent or thinking about what to eat either. All this is taken care of, and there are sports physios, massage therapists, relaxation areas and ample hot showers available at the end of each day – you really needn’t rough it!

On the route there are well stocked pit stops, filled with energy-rich foods, cakes and more, catering to every diet and most cravings. On top of this, there’s medical support, and mobile vans can be contacted for on-the-road mechanicals, while the pit stops offer more substantial assistance, and even spare bikes if yours is a little more complicated to fix.

Chaperone riders are scattered throughout the course everyday to provide motivation, company and support as and when, to any rider who needs it. You may want a mental boost to get you up a nasty climb, or simply fancy a chat – this is exactly what the chaperones are there for.

Some cyclists will be doing the event just to complete it, others will want to see their time or compare with friends. Tracking and timing is included for everyone, though the ride is officially non-competitive. A broomwagon sweeps behind the last riders and can pick up those who can’t complete the day for whatever reason, shuttling them to basecamp.

The support through this event really is second to none, and makes it just that little easier to get through the more challenging times.

“The crew is so good, I just can’t fault it as an organisation that’s been my experience. They treat you like royalty.” Trevor Marshall.

There are plenty of extras on offer too: transport to the start, laundry facilities, merchandise and photos.

It’s beautiful

LEJOG can be completed via any route, so one of the big jobs when riding unsupported is planning how you’ll get from start to finish. RAB takes the most picturesque route, so you’re going to get some of the best views and landscapes that England and Scotland have to offer. 

Some of the highlights include: Bodmin Moor, Cheddar Gorge, the Wye Valley, Shap Fell, the Lecht, the Glenshee pass, and the remote Strathnaver Valley in the far north of Scotland. The list goes on…..

You’ll have to get up plenty of climbs, from short and sharp to long and draggy, and fight the powers of Mother Nature at times (this is Britain we’re talking about, after all…), but you can distract yourself with the stunning vistas along the way. 

The camaraderie

Doing LEJOG solo, or in a small group, can be lonely and isolating. 

At RAB, 800 riders means plenty of people to support you. Having others around you who are going through the same experience is hugely motivating. Previous participants often refer to the ‘RAB Bubble’ that, for 9 days, cyclists and crew are a part of. It’s a roving family on the road and at John o’Groats people don’t want it to end.

As everyone starts and finishes the day in the same place, there’s always someone to chat with about your day.

Get LEJOG ticked off

If doing LEJOG is a bucket list event, RAB can make it much easier. You still need to train and ride but, as mentioned already, the hard work is taken out of the preparation and the support is unrivalled.

With over 90% of riders managing to complete the challenge, when you think of LEJOG, think of RAB as the perfect way to do it.

With less than six months to go, RAB 2024 – running from 7th - 15th September – still has a few places left, but they’re selling fast. The event only takes place every other year, if it’s something that you’ve been considering for a while, you have some time to train and a gap in your calendar – make sure you get your entry in soon. Don’t wait for 2026.