Route to the 'ring

[Janosh]

Off to watch the VLN endurance race this weekend so please feel free to critique my route plan:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Calais,+France/S...

[Granby]

Looks like the route we normally go

[Janosh]

Cool - the alternative suggestion is to go further South down to Prum and then across to Müllenbach but that looks like a quicker, easier and perhaps less interesting option?

Is the road East of Malmedy as good as some people say?

[ARAF]

I would take the 265 from Losheimergraben, through the forest (very fast roads except at dawn and dusk, but watch out for police) to Schleiden then 258 to Blankenheim.

If you have plenty of time, then take the Waloon Highway (E42) from Dunkerque and come off at Mons, then head for Mauberge, Beaumont, Philipville, and Givet for a lovely coffee on the bank of the Meuse.

Then the roads get interesting. Beauraing, Wellin, Rochfort, Marche en famenne, La Roche en Ardenne, Fraiture, Vielsalm, Trois Ponts, and Stavelot before picking up your route.

The good thing about the ARdennes is there's no such thing as a bad road - only a bad road surface.

[ARAF]

Janosh said:

Is the road East of Malmedy as good as some people say?

Oh yes, but there's a lot more gems around the area too.

Imagine backing off as you're coming into a village, and as you round a bend, there's a Sherman Tank directly ahead of you, on display (La Roche En Ardennes).

I think they're some of the best driving roads in Europe.

[Janosh]

Thanks Ian - I've added a couple of your recommendations and the revised route looks like this:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Eurotunnel+Calai...

I think that's enough driving for one day, should be a good one!

[Trabi601]

That looks good to me - I've done a similar route, although we dropped into Eifel from the Hook of Holland.

It's an amazing part of the world - and the roads are usually very quiet.

[ARAF]

Janosh said:

Thanks Ian - I've added a couple of your recommendations and the revised route looks like this:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Eurotunnel+Calai...

I think that's enough driving for one day, should be a good one!

Not bad, but I would recommend coming back onto the 258 at Blankenheim, and take that right through to Nurburgring. BTW, the Aral garage at Blankenheim (probably still) sells 100 octane fuel. The 258 runs parallel with the long start finish straight at the 'ring (and past the filling station at Dottingen Hohe which also used to sell 100 octane.

[Trabi601]

ARAF said:

Not bad, but I would recommend coming back onto the 258 at Blankenheim, and take that right through to Nurburgring. BTW, the Aral garage at Blankenheim (probably still) sells 100 octane fuel. The 258 runs parallel with the long start finish straight at the 'ring (and past the filling station at Dottingen Hohe which also used to sell 100 octane.

Shell VPower is 100 octane in Germany and Austria, too.

[Janosh]

ARAF said:

Not bad, but I would recommend coming back onto the 258 at Blankenheim, and take that right through to Nurburgring. BTW, the Aral garage at Blankenheim (probably still) sells 100 octane fuel. The 258 runs parallel with the long start finish straight at the 'ring (and past the filling station at Dottingen Hohe which also used to sell 100 octane.

Have you driven that loop up towards Bad Münstereifel? It was a recommended alternative to going straight down the 258 but I'm not sure how narrow and twisty that road might be?

Continuing through Blankenheim on the 258 is a safe bet, but I've heard good things about the roads around Bad Münstereifel...

[Janosh]

What an epic 24h!

Last night we were not sure if we'd go as the R8 threw up ABS and EML faults. A big thanks to James at Elite for helping out with a tech 2 reader and clearing the faults and supplying a new battery.

The route we planned was awesome, thanks to those that advised!

Here's a snap from our lunch stop at Spa:

Edited by Janosh on Friday 2nd September 17:03

[preciousmetal]

Great pic and only 24 hrs after seeing the car in Kingsley

[GibGreen]

I walked under that very sign last weekend!

[ARAF]

A few of us have driver under that sign and out onto the track in VXR8s.