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

Thurso

Better than I thought - cheers Colin.

There's Murmansk if you're really going for it

Karskaya most northerly apparently

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).

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.....

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.

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

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.

Problem is wind is always high and in your face

Just shut the window?

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.

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.

In Reverse wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:41 am Just shut the window?

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

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.

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.

Thanks.... I better look if I have a photo in front of the lighthouse!

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

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

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

Good call Chew. https://splitticketing.trainsplit.com/default.aspx

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