Lands End to John O'Groats Rotary Relay Drive. Crazy wild idea

[qwakers]

The title effectively says what this would involve in just seven words but the planning required and eventual road book will be major challenges and require some considerable team work and support from our members along the route. I don't even know if it can be pulled off!
Bear in mind I have not even looked at mapping this out yet so what follows is very much guess work.
In the most simplistic format the trip would comprise of c200 mile daily legs involving c6 hours driving allowing time for coffee, comfort and lunch stops. Overnight stops would be Travelodge or Premier Inn with a grand dinner at John O'Groats.
The whole trip end to end would be c14 days and the route will avoid motorways where possible and criss cross the country to take in great driving roads and maximise contact with regions and so that participants will be able join for anything from a couple of hours to several days. Mazda HQ and their dealers are to be included as far as possible and hopefully we will get some sponsorship from Mazda.
Target day would possibly be in September 2020.
OK I have floated the idea now let's get some thoughts going on the pros, cons and how tos.

[warpc0il]

John O'Groats to Lands End would be quicker, as you're going down the map rather than up, at least according to Pauline.
Trouble is, then she'd have to spin the map upside down to work out which way to turn (left/right)

Good luck getting this off the ground, and you might want to practice herding cats to see it through to reality

[ChrisHolmes]

Totally agree with all you points and point 2 is sorted here

[warpc0il]

[Shagrington]

Sounds like a fun little road trip

[njkmr]

Sounds like an epic trip in the making...

[goodeggbob]

good luck with this, although personal circumstances would prevent me doing this, i can offer some sort of pit stop/workshop /camping facilities with a ramp,pit,car lift for anyone who gets caught out on the way,rob.

[ChrisHolmes]

Thanks Rob, en route maintenance could be a necessary part of the trip. By having the zig zag routing if someone does lose a day or two for repairs then they should be able to rejoin the main group fairly easily. A group of BMW 8 series owners have made the run which is where my idea came from and the actual organiser broke down on the first leg!

[V8 Power]

Sounds like a great idea Chris.
We would need some sort of relay baton thing to pass on from one driver to the next.
Have to have a think about what we could use?

[Ainmhidh]

When you say 'relay' do you mean different folks covering different stints, or some people trying to do the whole thing? One would be an incredible effort of organisation (cat-herding as Dave put it) the other a wonderful demo of how reliable RX8s are!

[Eddie_r32]

John o groats is a: not the most northerly point and b: a dump. Dunnets head is where you want to go

[qwakers]

When you say 'relay' do you mean different folks covering different stints, or some people trying to do the whole thing? One would be an incredible effort of organisation (cat-herding as Dave put it) the other a wonderful demo of how reliable RX8s are!

I think a simple, complicated in reality YES to all those points would suffice.

My vision of the relay is that people start from Lands End and then others join in either along the way or at lunch and overnight stops whilst and others take their leave in a similar manner so the numbers will go up and down throughout the trip and a each leg will need both a leader and a tail end Charlie.

Having started this thread I had better get myself a spreadsheet and lever arch file to record all the suggestions and start plotting the route which will only become a reality if I get regional route suggestions from people of good driving roads that must not be missed.

The first post will become the main summary point for ideas and the route and participants should be seen to be developing on there once things get moving.

WHAT THE HECK HAVE I STARTED!!!!!

PS: Just thought of the ideal service and support vehicle Qwakers are you up for it?

[qwakers]

yes.. but... it would restrict the convoy to a max 9 hrs travelling every day and only 5 days driving a week. (simplified, but still...)f


short answer is i wouldnt be able to keepup!.

[TheJDMStereotype]

You might be able to time this so we can stop at a car show on the way... just an idea

[Ainmhidh]

So the google reckons that it's between 800 and a 1000 miles avoiding highways - and gives an option via Dublin-Belfast... Obviously some less direct routing on the mainland would add some more miles to it, but I just liked that it included the irish contingent(s)!

LE2JOG.PNG (194.43 KiB) Viewed 173 times

EDITED to add: As Chris says down below, this isn't the route. This isn't even a suggestion for a route, it was just a quick look to see how far it would be without motorways if you went as straight as possible. It comes nowhere near me for a start so that's no good!

[Ainmhidh]

and then you top it off with an NC500 back west to Ullapool! ;-)

[TheJDMStereotype]

https://goo.gl/maps/5djANb9L9ehScSHB8

[ChrisHolmes]

https://goo.gl/maps/5djANb9L9ehScSHB8

But what about everyone east of the Pennines?

[Harrizone]

Both routes so far leave out some of the iconic routes through England i.e. Snake Pass. Hardknot Pass.

How about taking in three race circuits down Wiltshire way , Goodwood, Thruxton and Castle Coombe, not forgetting North Yorkshire, Pennines and Lake District possibly even Snowdonia.

The variety is overwhelming.

There was a suggestion along similar lines many years back when the proposal was a relay around the entire coastline of the UK passing the 'baton' at the coastal resorts. Needless to say it never happened because there were insufficient interested members to make it work.

I could no longer be involved in this venture however as I no longer have an 8 and would be to far east and on some fairly uninspriring roads.

[Humane-Hobgoblin]

It’s a shame it’s not coming down Dorset way, woulda loved to be part of this!


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[ChrisHolmes]

At this stage there is no route planned so treat any maps that you see in the thread only as suggestions. My plan is to gather as many suggestions as possible, plot them all on a map, noting venues and routes, attractions etc;
Only when I have all that information can I, or a small team, start to work out how to be as inclusive as possible.
It's far far to early yet to consider anyone as being too far from the route so as not to be partake in some way even if it is a simple drive by.
Keep the suggestions coming in and I will keep logging them, somehow.

[Humane-Hobgoblin]

It’s a shame it’s not coming down Dorset way, woulda loved to be part of this!


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It could well be, Dorset hasxsomexgreat roadsxand attractions.

[ChrisHolmes]

Both routes so far leave out some of the iconic routes through England i.e. Snake Pass. Hardknot Pass.

How about taking in three race circuits down Wiltshire way , Goodwood, Thruxton and Castle Coombe, not forgetting North Yorkshire, Pennines and Lake District possibly even Snowdonia.

The variety is overwhelming.

There was a suggestion along similar lines many years back when the proposal was a relay around the entire coastline of the UK passing the 'baton' at the coastal resorts. Needless to say it never happened because there were insufficient interested members to make it work.

I could no longer be involved in this venture however as I no longer have an 8 and would be to far east and on some fairly uninspriring roads.

Those maps are simply members initial stabs at a route. My initial stab looks like a zig zag back and fiorwardscand up and down the country!!!

[ChrisHolmes]

So the google reckons that it's between 800 and a 1000 miles avoiding highways - and gives an option via Dublin-Belfast... Obviously some less direct routing on the mainland would add some more miles to it, but I just liked that it included the irish contingent(s)!
LE2JOG.PNG

This route us nothing like what I have in mind and to have a large group of cars going over the water may make no sense. Some may choose to go over to Dublin and up to Belfast returning into Stranraer for the Scottish leg. Who knows what we will end up doing, if it gets off the ground that is!

[Ainmhidh]

Oh man, some giant spider-web map of all the various routes! It'd be crazy awesome!