How far north can you get ont' train?

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Bearbonesnorm
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How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Quite fancy the Great North Trail next year but logistics might prove interesting, hence ... how far north can you get by train?
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by ScotRoutes »

Thurso
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Better than I thought - cheers Colin.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by pistonbroke »

There's Murmansk if you're really going for it :grin:
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Dave Barter
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Dave Barter »

Karskaya most northerly apparently
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by In Reverse »

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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by ScotRoutes »

I guess that the JoG variation will be more popular than the Cape Wrath one just due to the logistics. Cape Wrath involves a small boat trip (i.e. a small trip on a very small boat) too. In addition to the Thurso train there is also a cyclists taxi service regularly going to/from JoG, based out of Inverness.
https://www.tickettoridehighlands.co.uk ... nsport.php

There used to be a Bike Bus service between Durness, Ullapool and Inverness but that stopped running in 2017 (just in case you find some old links).
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by slarge »

When are you thinking Stu? Ive been looking at this also, but have no real plans. Would love to ride from home but that needs more time than I think I have.....
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by In Reverse »

Train to Wick from Inverness is a nice journey with plenty to look at. The ride from Wick to JoG is 26km and pretty much flat.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by ScotRoutes »

Oh - there's a chance that the new Scotrail carriages will be on that line next year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... s-50168117
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Dave Barter »

In Reverse wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 11:22 pm Train to Wick from Inverness is a nice journey with plenty to look at. The ride from Wick to JoG is 26km and pretty much flat.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by In Reverse »

Just shut the window?
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Pirahna »

I've been looking at doing this and for me van hire is the cheapest and easiest. I've done some Googling on your behalf.

To hire a small van from Hertz in Aberystwyth for a couple of days is £110 then less than £70 in fuel driving to Wick airport. You can do a one way hire. If there's two of you going then van hire is a no brainer. It's a 16 mile ride up to John o' Groats.

The train from Aberystwyth/Machynlleth will cost you over £200 per person, be slower and you'll have the added agro of trying to book your bike on multiple trains. The train only becomes cheaper if you get yourself to somewhere like Wolverhampton.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Hamish »

I rode from Corrur station to Cape Wrath in September along the ATM route. Then just rode on to Thurso and caught the train home. It worked really well. Bike was booked on I advance with Scotrail and the train journey from Thurso to Inverness was great.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by RIP »

In Reverse wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:41 am Just shut the window?
:lol: :roll:
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

When are you thinking Stu?
Really not sure yet Steve, I just know that I need to get the wheels in motion for next year. I'd thought about riding it N - S (no idea if this is a good thing) and finishing at my mums which is only a few miles off route.
I've been looking at doing this and for me van hire is the cheapest and easiest.
I'm sure it is easier / cheaper but I hate driving. I'm not a great fan of trains either but they always feel like an adventure in their own right :wink:
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by sean_iow »

Hamish wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2019 8:44 am I rode from Corrur station to Cape Wrath in September along the ATM route.
Slightly off topic but have you seen this?

https://www.cyclinguk.org/capewrath

The Cape Wrath Fellowship, founded in 1949 for anyone who's ridden there.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Hamish »

Slightly off topic but have you seen this?

https://www.cyclinguk.org/capewrath

The Cape Wrath Fellowship, founded in 1949 for anyone who's ridden there.
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by BigdummySteve »

When I did my jogle on the dummy I flew into wick from Birmingham airport with a change at Edinburgh, half the cost of the train, my dummy was sent with a courier and arrived at my guesthouse an hour after me :-bd
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by adjustablewench »

Looked at a random date for tickets as we have thought about this. Came up with 400+ for two of us - this reduces to 280ish with a two together rail card.

As you can buy a two together railcard for 30 (or just £10 of Tesco clubcard vouchers) it seems like a no brainer to get one if you can share the trip up there with someone
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by Chew »

Or look at split tickets

I once got a train up to Glasgow for £25, and then another to Oban for £25, whereas it was easily £200 if bought all as one X_X
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by RIP »

"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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Re: How far north can you get ont' train?

Post by labrat »

Oykel bridge was recognised as a break point, as it would riders to complete the route in sections by riding across to/from Lairg, Culrain or Invershin.

Also note that by backtracking your route back to the Cape Wrath/JOG split point, you can then follow the GNT route over to Kinbrace station, which is fairly chilled, very scenic and far less motor traffic than trying to follow the NC500 route along the coast
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