Lands End to Lowestoft on midsummers night 2014
Discussion
Great stuff! 
A mate and I did it in 2013 in my 350Z, three guys in a BMW M3 and a couple of bikers also did it.
We went the A303 route, the M3 guys went the, err, M3 way.
A few pics;
Arriving waaay before sunrise, about two minutes before the M3...
A load of Harley Davidsons arrived, it was their starting point for a charity run to Lands End, visiting Harley dealers on the way.
I'm not saying what time we arrived at Lowestoft as, despite rain for the first two hundred or so miles, the average speed was a bit naughty!!
Sadly, the two bikers arrived about an hour after sunrise just as we were leaving, I guess the weather slowed them down a lot, and maybe other problems.
It was a weekend to remember, it still brings a smile to my face thinking about it!
I'd recommend it to anyone.
A mate and I did it in 2013 in my 350Z, three guys in a BMW M3 and a couple of bikers also did it.
We went the A303 route, the M3 guys went the, err, M3 way.
A few pics;
Arriving waaay before sunrise, about two minutes before the M3...
A load of Harley Davidsons arrived, it was their starting point for a charity run to Lands End, visiting Harley dealers on the way.
I'm not saying what time we arrived at Lowestoft as, despite rain for the first two hundred or so miles, the average speed was a bit naughty!!
Sadly, the two bikers arrived about an hour after sunrise just as we were leaving, I guess the weather slowed them down a lot, and maybe other problems.
It was a weekend to remember, it still brings a smile to my face thinking about it!
I'd recommend it to anyone.
In my opinion, it has to be the A303 route every time. Much more fun than mile after mile of boring motorway.
Clockwise or anticlockwise on the M25 will always be down to what roadworks are ongoing.
You can find out here: http://roadworks.org/
Recommend a weekend rather than during the week.
Most roadworks, other than major works, shut down at the weekend.
Also, downloading the latest camera locations from http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ is the best £19.99 you can spend.
The databases on standard sat navs just aren't good enough.
Finally, you really don't have to drive like a lunatic to make it on time.
Pace yourselves and have the route, driver changes, fuel stop and contingencies ready for dealing with the unexpected and a successful run is more likely.
Don't fanny around at the start or at petrol stations or when changing drivers.
Every minute lost will take between 10 and 15 minutes to make up depending on the road you are on.
Any less time made up than that means that you're driving like a numpty, just waiting to get your collar felt or you're keen to visit the local A&E.
If you're stopped for speeding and you have speed tables, maps of the route and other related paperwork lying around the car, expect to be held for quite a while and all the time you may have made up will be lost, looking sheepish at the side of the road.
At that time of the night, especially through Essex and Suffolk, there were hardly any cars on the road and you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Don't get the idea that I'm a killjoy.
This is a great run and should be crossed off everyone's bucket list.
Just be sensible and be prepared and you'll enjoy the experience all the more.
Jim.
Clockwise or anticlockwise on the M25 will always be down to what roadworks are ongoing.
You can find out here: http://roadworks.org/
Recommend a weekend rather than during the week.
Most roadworks, other than major works, shut down at the weekend.
Also, downloading the latest camera locations from http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ is the best £19.99 you can spend.
The databases on standard sat navs just aren't good enough.
Finally, you really don't have to drive like a lunatic to make it on time.
Pace yourselves and have the route, driver changes, fuel stop and contingencies ready for dealing with the unexpected and a successful run is more likely.
Don't fanny around at the start or at petrol stations or when changing drivers.
Every minute lost will take between 10 and 15 minutes to make up depending on the road you are on.
Any less time made up than that means that you're driving like a numpty, just waiting to get your collar felt or you're keen to visit the local A&E.
If you're stopped for speeding and you have speed tables, maps of the route and other related paperwork lying around the car, expect to be held for quite a while and all the time you may have made up will be lost, looking sheepish at the side of the road.
At that time of the night, especially through Essex and Suffolk, there were hardly any cars on the road and you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Don't get the idea that I'm a killjoy.
This is a great run and should be crossed off everyone's bucket list.
Just be sensible and be prepared and you'll enjoy the experience all the more.
Jim.
Yeah, A303 is great late at night!
I didn't do the camera download thing, I relied on sat nav warnings, that were overly frequent, and trying to have eyes like an owl!
I didn't really have any contingency plan either, my mate and I planned it in the pub!
We didn't change drivers, I did it all, but didn't find it a problem and the car took it in its stride and in comfort.
I took about a dozen CDs with me, the stereo didn't get switched on at all before the M25 roadworks, and we had a bit of 'Quo for the last hour and a half or two!
I do totally agree with all of that though, especially feeling like you'll stand out at 3am-ish blasting up the A12 with hardly anyone else around!
I may well do it again one year.
I didn't do the camera download thing, I relied on sat nav warnings, that were overly frequent, and trying to have eyes like an owl!
I didn't really have any contingency plan either, my mate and I planned it in the pub!
We didn't change drivers, I did it all, but didn't find it a problem and the car took it in its stride and in comfort.
I took about a dozen CDs with me, the stereo didn't get switched on at all before the M25 roadworks, and we had a bit of 'Quo for the last hour and a half or two!
I do totally agree with all of that though, especially feeling like you'll stand out at 3am-ish blasting up the A12 with hardly anyone else around!
I may well do it again one year.
Jim Sprinzel said:
In my opinion, it has to be the A303 route every time. Much more fun than mile after mile of boring motorway.
Clockwise or anticlockwise on the M25 will always be down to what roadworks are ongoing.
You can find out here: http://roadworks.org/
Recommend a weekend rather than during the week.
Most roadworks, other than major works, shut down at the weekend.
Also, downloading the latest camera locations from http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ is the best £19.99 you can spend.
The databases on standard sat navs just aren't good enough.
Finally, you really don't have to drive like a lunatic to make it on time.
Pace yourselves and have the route, driver changes, fuel stop and contingencies ready for dealing with the unexpected and a successful run is more likely.
Don't fanny around at the start or at petrol stations or when changing drivers.
Every minute lost will take between 10 and 15 minutes to make up depending on the road you are on.
Any less time made up than that means that you're driving like a numpty, just waiting to get your collar felt or you're keen to visit the local A&E.
If you're stopped for speeding and you have speed tables, maps of the route and other related paperwork lying around the car, expect to be held for quite a while and all the time you may have made up will be lost, looking sheepish at the side of the road.
At that time of the night, especially through Essex and Suffolk, there were hardly any cars on the road and you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Don't get the idea that I'm a killjoy.
This is a great run and should be crossed off everyone's bucket list.
Just be sensible and be prepared and you'll enjoy the experience all the more.
Jim.
Kudos where it's due. Great post. Nailed it.Clockwise or anticlockwise on the M25 will always be down to what roadworks are ongoing.
You can find out here: http://roadworks.org/
Recommend a weekend rather than during the week.
Most roadworks, other than major works, shut down at the weekend.
Also, downloading the latest camera locations from http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/ is the best £19.99 you can spend.
The databases on standard sat navs just aren't good enough.
Finally, you really don't have to drive like a lunatic to make it on time.
Pace yourselves and have the route, driver changes, fuel stop and contingencies ready for dealing with the unexpected and a successful run is more likely.
Don't fanny around at the start or at petrol stations or when changing drivers.
Every minute lost will take between 10 and 15 minutes to make up depending on the road you are on.
Any less time made up than that means that you're driving like a numpty, just waiting to get your collar felt or you're keen to visit the local A&E.
If you're stopped for speeding and you have speed tables, maps of the route and other related paperwork lying around the car, expect to be held for quite a while and all the time you may have made up will be lost, looking sheepish at the side of the road.
At that time of the night, especially through Essex and Suffolk, there were hardly any cars on the road and you'll stick out like a sore thumb.
Don't get the idea that I'm a killjoy.
This is a great run and should be crossed off everyone's bucket list.
Just be sensible and be prepared and you'll enjoy the experience all the more.
Jim.
I think that a major reason for all the preparation for the run was that we had nearly a round trip of 1000 miles to the start and from the finish to get back home.
Having something stupid, that could have been foreseen, ruining our run was not an option for me.
Also, travelling all that way and not sharing the driving on the run with a mate would have taken away a lot of the fun of the run for me.
Plus, in my rapid advance into senility, I doubt if I could have done it.
David and I do something pointless with cars once a year and this was our "Jolly Boys Outing" for this year.
Next year? Perhaps the Tornado Run from Kings Cross to Waverley Station in Edinburgh in my 1959 Frogeye Sprite or I have a hankering to do John O' Groats to Land's End without using motorways.
The guy we met at Land's End with his motorbike made us aware of this event:
http://www.thelongestdaydownchallenge.co.uk/theCha...
Then we thought, "Why not for cars?"
I'd had a route from Land's End to John O'Groats with no motorways for quite some time, so I turned it round to see how it would work in reverse.
The bikes start at 4:02am and can finish at 5:13am the following day, giving them 25 hours and 11 minutes.
I'd prefer to start in the evening at 22:25 and finish at 21:36, the following evening, giving 23 hours and 11 minutes.
It's two hours shorter but we can change drivers whereas the bikers can't and presents more of a challenge.
It fits better with booking into hotels after the run and doesn't clash with the bikers' run.
It's early days yet but here's the route if you're wondering how it can be achieved.
And yes, I know it is shorter going down the west but there are more built up areas and much more tricky navigation to contend with.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=21030565540...
It's just an idea at the moment....... but you never know.
Jim
Having something stupid, that could have been foreseen, ruining our run was not an option for me.
Also, travelling all that way and not sharing the driving on the run with a mate would have taken away a lot of the fun of the run for me.
Plus, in my rapid advance into senility, I doubt if I could have done it.
David and I do something pointless with cars once a year and this was our "Jolly Boys Outing" for this year.
Next year? Perhaps the Tornado Run from Kings Cross to Waverley Station in Edinburgh in my 1959 Frogeye Sprite or I have a hankering to do John O' Groats to Land's End without using motorways.
The guy we met at Land's End with his motorbike made us aware of this event:
http://www.thelongestdaydownchallenge.co.uk/theCha...
Then we thought, "Why not for cars?"
I'd had a route from Land's End to John O'Groats with no motorways for quite some time, so I turned it round to see how it would work in reverse.
The bikes start at 4:02am and can finish at 5:13am the following day, giving them 25 hours and 11 minutes.
I'd prefer to start in the evening at 22:25 and finish at 21:36, the following evening, giving 23 hours and 11 minutes.
It's two hours shorter but we can change drivers whereas the bikers can't and presents more of a challenge.
It fits better with booking into hotels after the run and doesn't clash with the bikers' run.
It's early days yet but here's the route if you're wondering how it can be achieved.
And yes, I know it is shorter going down the west but there are more built up areas and much more tricky navigation to contend with.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=21030565540...
It's just an idea at the moment....... but you never know.
Jim
Other pointless fun driving events to consider:
- Driving to and through every single one of the 91 mainland counties in England, Scotland and Wales. Could take perhaps 48 to 120 hours. Will need longer if Northern Ireland and other islands, like Scilly, are included. Take a photo in each county;
- Driving to and through 26 villages, towns or cities in alphabetical order. The A to Z of Britain. Aberystwyth, Birmingham, Cambridge, etc. The letter X is the only one that may need a thinking hat or artistic license (e.g. Exmouth).
You have to be careful that you are not deemed to be organising "a motorsport event".
For these, you have to be part of a MSA affiliated club and you require a permit to run the event that gives you the all important blanket insurance cover to protect you, as the organiser, if anything goes wrong.
Otherwise, you could be prosecuted for running an illegal event and if anything did go wrong, your assets could be seized as damages. So, say goodbye to your house.
You should make it perfectly clear when you are posting on a public forum, such as this, that the run you are doing is purely for your own benefit.
Inviting others to join you could be construed as you becoming the organiser of an event and liable for any fallout.
Still, there's nothing to stop people, on their own volition, turning up at Land's End, John O'Groats or wherever with the same idea in mind and all driving to the same destination as long as it is clear that there is no structured organisation relating to the run.
It was still a free country last time I looked.
When we did this run, I was only aware of two motorbikes doing the run from scouring the internet and they were at the opposite end of the country. Contact with them was limited to making them aware of roadworks on the route and nothing else.
We had never had any contact with any of the other crews or riders and that is what prevents this from being an organised event.
Just keep all this in mind next time you're arranging the route and who's going to come along to your club race around the back lanes.
Your missus won't be pleased when she has no home to go back to!
Jim.
For these, you have to be part of a MSA affiliated club and you require a permit to run the event that gives you the all important blanket insurance cover to protect you, as the organiser, if anything goes wrong.
Otherwise, you could be prosecuted for running an illegal event and if anything did go wrong, your assets could be seized as damages. So, say goodbye to your house.
You should make it perfectly clear when you are posting on a public forum, such as this, that the run you are doing is purely for your own benefit.
Inviting others to join you could be construed as you becoming the organiser of an event and liable for any fallout.
Still, there's nothing to stop people, on their own volition, turning up at Land's End, John O'Groats or wherever with the same idea in mind and all driving to the same destination as long as it is clear that there is no structured organisation relating to the run.
It was still a free country last time I looked.
When we did this run, I was only aware of two motorbikes doing the run from scouring the internet and they were at the opposite end of the country. Contact with them was limited to making them aware of roadworks on the route and nothing else.
We had never had any contact with any of the other crews or riders and that is what prevents this from being an organised event.
Just keep all this in mind next time you're arranging the route and who's going to come along to your club race around the back lanes.
Your missus won't be pleased when she has no home to go back to!
Jim.
chalda said:
We did it, and we did rather well. Parts of the A30 and A303 are amazing at night, and the run towards Lowestoft in dawn after having driven spirited for seven hours through the night is worth remembering. The schedule was very tough though, due to unexpected roadworks. A powerful car was clearly of help. In summary a "must".
I did this run in 2013 in my E46 M3...458 miles...30 secs under 6hrs...beat the sun by 55mins...great fun...looking for something else now...any ideasMartin350 said:
Great stuff!
A mate and I did it in 2013 in my 350Z, three guys in a BMW M3 and a couple of bikers also did it.
We went the A303 route, the M3 guys went the, err, M3 way.
A few pics;
Arriving waaay before sunrise, about two minutes before the M3...
A load of Harley Davidsons arrived, it was their starting point for a charity run to Lands End, visiting Harley dealers on the way.
I'm not saying what time we arrived at Lowestoft as, despite rain for the first two hundred or so miles, the average speed was a bit naughty!!
Sadly, the two bikers arrived about an hour after sunrise just as we were leaving, I guess the weather slowed them down a lot, and maybe other problems.
It was a weekend to remember, it still brings a smile to my face thinking about it!
I'd recommend it to anyone.
Hello old mate....I drove the M3 A mate and I did it in 2013 in my 350Z, three guys in a BMW M3 and a couple of bikers also did it.
We went the A303 route, the M3 guys went the, err, M3 way.
A few pics;
Arriving waaay before sunrise, about two minutes before the M3...
A load of Harley Davidsons arrived, it was their starting point for a charity run to Lands End, visiting Harley dealers on the way.
I'm not saying what time we arrived at Lowestoft as, despite rain for the first two hundred or so miles, the average speed was a bit naughty!!
Sadly, the two bikers arrived about an hour after sunrise just as we were leaving, I guess the weather slowed them down a lot, and maybe other problems.
It was a weekend to remember, it still brings a smile to my face thinking about it!
I'd recommend it to anyone.
WhiteWrap said:
I did this run in 2013 in my E46 M3...458 miles...30 secs under 6hrs...beat the sun by 55mins...great fun...looking for something else now...any ideas
No, you've surely made some mistake.That would mean that your average speed would be over 76 mph on public roads and that would be illegal and could attract unwanted attention in the future.
Even more so since your registration number is clearly visible in the photos.
Probably not the best idea to post times and distances on a public forum when a quick calculation can show that.
Perhaps a quick edit is required?
Jim.
Edited by Jim Sprinzel on Monday 8th September 10:17
Edited by Jim Sprinzel on Monday 8th September 10:18
Jim Sprinzel said:
No, you've surely made some mistake.
That would mean that your average speed would be over 76 mph on public roads and that would be illegal and could attract unwanted attention in the future.
Even more so since your registration number is clearly visible in the photos.
Probably not the best idea to post times and distances on a public forum when a quick calculation can show that.
Perhaps a quick edit is required?
Jim.
An edit is kinda pointless now that it's been quoted umpteen times That would mean that your average speed would be over 76 mph on public roads and that would be illegal and could attract unwanted attention in the future.
Even more so since your registration number is clearly visible in the photos.
Probably not the best idea to post times and distances on a public forum when a quick calculation can show that.
Perhaps a quick edit is required?
Jim.
Edited by Jim Sprinzel on Monday 8th September 10:17
Edited by Jim Sprinzel on Monday 8th September 10:18
Here's a link to the route and stops we used this year.
It worked quite well and we weren't knackered at the finish - that came later when the adrenaline stopped flowing.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=20202385956...
Jim.
It worked quite well and we weren't knackered at the finish - that came later when the adrenaline stopped flowing.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=20202385956...
Jim.
Gassing Station | Events & Meetings | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff