Land's End to John O'Groats Explorer

    The achievement of cycling from one end of the country to the other is one thing, but to do it with such a fabulous bunch of people was something else. The quirky places that we’ve seen and stayed at meant that I’ve got enough stories and memories to last a lifetime. The whole trip seemed far less effort and so much more fun because it was done the skedaddle way – Pete and Rob were amazing, nothing was too much trouble and we all had an amazing time because of it.

    I’ve been on many [tour operator] trips and I keep coming back because the service provided is always spot on. It is so easy to book and any information you need is always readily available either on the website or over the phone. As a single traveller I was never left by myself and nothing was ever too much trouble. My bike broke and it got fixed, when there was limited vegetarian food it was sorted, Pete’s magical mystery tours were brilliant – I can not fault anything, it was brilliant.

    There were many highlights. Cycling up Cheddar Gorge was beautiful, rolling down into Tintern, the mamouth day to Peebles especially the end climbs and mega descents, and beautiful views out of Inverness. I could name many more.

    Excellent doesn’t really do Pete (guide) justice. What he didn’t know about this trip wasn’t worth knowing – the obscure things we saw and did were because he knew every corner of the route. His personalty made everything seem so easy, effortless, and weirdly fun! It was all of the little things that really made a difference. As a single traveller he made sure that I always had somewhere to go and somebody to talk to – this made a big difference to my enjoyment of the trip. He was so professional that if everything was going wrong we wouldn’t have known, and his stories were brilliant!

    I had an absolute amazing time – so many memories that I’ll take with me. Not everything went to plan, but that’s all part of the adventure and means that we all have a bucket load of stories to tell our friends and family. Many thanks for an amazing holiday.

    Some folks say this is the ride of a lifetime. I certainly thought it was. I’m glad I chose the three-week tour. It didn’t feel rushed and I had plenty of chances to stop and take photos, and also make short visits to places of interest. Somehow the overall experience was greater than the sum of the individual parts. I have achieved something that I never thought I could do. Thank you.

    There were so many good days, but crossing the Severn and Forth Bridges were particular favourites. Peter was excellent. Knowledgable, experienced and extremely patient, he was easy company to be with. He also gave us a little of the history of the places we saw on the way, which added to the enjoyment of the trip.

    Your advert said pack lunch provided, I was expecting a sandwich, crisps & a Mars bar, instead we were provided with an excellent feast for a King! Prepared & presented to a superb standard, nutritional & something for everyone, we were very pleasantly surprised.

    Our guide Tom is an extremely experienced team leader, no matter what problems occurred, he dealt with not only professionally but with it with a smile on his face. I couldn’t of asked for a better team leader, he is an absolute asset to [the tour operator]. Tom made a great experience even better, 10 out of 10.

    I liked the variety, some remote areas, some villages and some cities. I especially liked the Old Post House in St. Just near Land’s End. We did a beautiful walk from there on the arrival afternoon to “Poldark’s House” on the SWCP. Picnics were great with very healthy options. Jon was great with the selection and presentation and I learned to make a perfect hot chocolate. Also I liked the local fare from each area.

    I liked the first day of riding from Lands End because the weather was good and everyone was excited about starting a great adventure. I also liked riding down the long valley toward Peebles before the last tea stop and the day we rode into Bettyhill along Loch and River Naver. I think the majority of the routes were excellent and some were downright ingenious. The bike fit was perfect. In fact I am going to make some changes to my own bike to resemble the rental.

    I am sure Peter gets a lot of accolades, and I think if Peter was the tour leader I would go on that ride regardless of where it is was going. I have been on 30 plus guided bike tours and Peter did something I haven’t experienced. Not only would he tell you about highlights of the day, he would wait at the side of road so you wouldn’t miss them, which most people do. We got to see pagan stone circles, the worlds highest hedge, a ringing rock, jumping salmon and something great almost everyday. He also knew the location of every “cheeky” hill on all twenty days of the tour. Jon was new at this but he took it very seriously and for 12 hours a day for three weeks (wow). He worked well with Peter who is a hard act to follow and I expect demanding behind the curtain. Jon even picked up Peter’s skill at leading us to obscure highlights, such as climbing a huge glacier boulder to pinpoint it’s location and finding the hidden memorial to Neil Armstrong in Langholm, Scotland which was great due to the 50 year anniversary.

   

    "Excellent..."   

    A wonderful way to do the End to End without the added stress of organising accommodation along the way and having to carry your own luggage.

    The quality and quantity of all refreshments provided far exceeded what I had expected – well done to Pete and Les for their friendly competitive catering!

    The organisation from the office end and by the guides on the trip itself was as good as we have always come to expect from [the tour operator]

    Pete was very organised, efficient, knowledgeable and supportive. I had complete trust in his ability to deal with any problem with bikes or their riders along the way. He was approachable, friendly and entertaining. He was discretely encouraging when it was required but was able to let us, as adults experienced with cycling, to be independent.

    Initially the cost seems high, but the standard of accommodation was very good, the catering by [the tour operator] was excellent, and having all the worry of organising accommodation and baggage handling taken away from us was priceless.

        Everything that [the tour operator] could control was 100% professional and remarkable. We loved how varied the accommodations were, but they always met all of our needs. Nice rooms, plenty of space, plenty of hot water for showers, room to wash out biking clothes in the evening.  The lunches were absolutely amazing!  So much delicious food, and all of it was healthy and delicious. If we had any requests, all we had to do was ask and the item would be available during the stops. Plus, there was always a local “surprise” that we got to enjoy. My favourite day was the last day, riding into John O‘Groats – it was the best! It was also the one day when the weather was near perfect for cycling. The woman’s bike fit perfectly and was amazingly comfortable. The geometry was perfect, the saddle comfortable, handlebars felt great.  No aches.

    Peter is a natural at leading tours! It was like he was our best friend. Professional, discriminating, talkative, capable, he never missed a thing. It has to be very difficult to stay upbeat and professional for three weeks straight, but he pulled it off flawlessly. Jon was entertaining but still great at everything. Excellent cyclist, chef, mechanic, guide, humourist and storyteller, problem solver.

       As a single lady joining a group I was made to feel welcome from the start. Thank you [tour operator] not only for my fantastic trip but I also raised over £3.000 for The Lymphoma Association.

    Peter and Les were amazing. So patient, thoughtful, encouraging and such good fun. Excellent mechanics.

    Loved the picnic days. Such a great variety and so much.Even the tablecloth adds to the special occasion. How could I cycle after?