27/06/2026
Ok… you may want to make a cuppa and have a few biscuits to hand as this is a long read.
Time for a write up of my journey from Lands End to John O Groats on a £500 motorcycle as one of 39 entrants for this years The Longest Day Challenge
At 4am exactly 39 bikes fired up in unison, leaving the Premier inn car park at Camborne then off onto the A30 heading east to Exeter. This is where the group very quickly dispersed with some of the faster lads and seasoned veterans of the LDC gone out of sight within minutes.
With the previous fuel pump issue I decided to settle into a progressive pace to get a feel for the bike after fitting a replacement fuel pump the evening before. The bike ran great and felt much better having more power up top.
Greeted to a lovely sunrise the A30 was empty as expected and I soon settled into the ride and mechanical worries were alleviated.
Using my route notes taped to the fuel tank was my primary navigation method with the phone being a backup Sat Nav.
Route notes are great…. as long as you pay attention to them as I missed my first turn off for Exeter and was cursing myself inside the helmet for being such a plonker.
Never mind the next slip road I plotted a route via Google maps to get me past Exeter back into the route, I reckon it cost me 10mins which may seem insignificant but this is a time trial first and foremost and several of these mistakes can soon swallow up an hour.
The sun was shining, the roads are dry and this set the tone for the entire day, just perfect riding conditions.
So anyhow back on the A30 eastbound we turned off heading more northerly to Warminster then to Chippenham and to the first pitstop at Cirencester arriving at 7.50. A quick check of the bike, clean of the visor, some food and drink and a toilet break and we’re off once again.
P1 - P2 had us heading to Gloucester, then Leominster, Shrewsbury, Chester then arriving at Ellesmere Port just before midday. Some great scenic A & B roads en route were enjoyed. The day beginning to get quite hot by this point.
Same drill as before at the pit stop then back in the road.
P2 -P3 was the shortest section covering only 76 miles but was by far the least enjoyable. Heading into Liverpool via the Mersey tunnel the midday heat was getting uncomfortable and whilst the Dullville has a great windscreen you dont get the benefit of any wind blast to cool you down. The route taken us through Southport, Preston, Lancaster then arriving at a truck stop in Carnforth where pitstop 3 was held. Plenty of water was taken on and I enjoyed a chicken quesadilla and scotch egg.
P3 - P4 was a delight, heading out of Carnforth Cumbria awaited and what beautiful scenery and roads we were treated to. Heading through Kendal into Penrith and Carlisle we were soon over the border into Scotland running from Gretna to Dumfries, Kilmarnock, Irvine then the ferry terminal at Greenock greeted us with pitstop 4.
This is where I ballsed up again.
A lot of riders said that if the ferry is loading as you arrive at P4 then take the opportunity to board straight away as it can save you a good hour as it’s a 20 min crossing. I decided to stop at P4 instead with another rider and get some additional water and food… the previous section being 197 miles and almost 5 hours duration.
Hindsight is a great thing and in truth it would have been better to hop straight onto the ferry, use the toilet, check over the bike etc whilst on the water and simply use the petrol station at Dunoon to buy some water and snacks.. lesson learned.
P4 -P5 was the section I was most looking forward to.. riding into the Highlands. Exiting the Ferry at Dunoon we headed onto the A825 then A82 towards Fort William. The roads were almost empty and in great condition. Heading towards Glencoe it was getting dusk and turning chilly so I stopped to put on my waterproof bottoms and jacket to help keep off the chill. It was at this point that 5 or 6 bikes came past waving and honking their horns so I quickly got back on the bike to try and catch them back up (it’s not a race btw). My £20 Temu spot lamps were put to work and were bloody superb in lighting up the road ahead. Another 176 miles had us arriving at the final pitstop at Inverness shortly after 12.30. A coffee, some hot food and chatting to some of the lads it became apparent that we could make it to John O Groats within 24 hours. That was it for me, one last fuel stop at the BP garage and I was off onto the A9 heading along the coast then inland towards Thurso due to road closures preventing us from reaching Wick. Arriving at Thurso around 3.15am I had 20 miles to go to John O Groats. The night sky had a dull orange glow in the northerly direction and after 23hours 41 minutes I made it to the signpost riding the entire last leg of 120 miles by myself.
Was I tired? Not in the slightest as I think by this point you’re running on adrenaline and excitement.
Condition wise the day could not have been more perfect, with zero rain up and down the country, great visibility, almost no roadworks etc and only one detour near Kilmarnock to contend with.
The anxiety about breaking down never leaves you and it’s always at the forefront of your thoughts which can add more tensions/worry but overall the Dullville did me proud and didn’t miss a beat on the day. Wiring the fan to run permanently was a master stroke as the bike did run hot being a V-Twin and it helped to keep temps down and was one less thing to worry about.
Total miles clocked on the day was around 960… may be a few more due to my Exeter detour and the road closure at Kilmarnock.
Would I attempt this again……? Too right I would. It was quite simply one of the best and most enjoyable experiences I’ve had the pleasure to be part of and all in aid of Cancer Research UK. Sure, a group of men riding motorcycles for a day sounds like one big jolley but everyone I spoken to has a back story about how they have been affected by Cancer… some guys had truly heartbreaking reasons for doing the ride and that is the motivation to get out there, challenge yourself and participate in doing something for a greater good.
I hope you didn’t drop your biscuit in your cuppa… 😂
