Road Trip route planning round North of England

[TinyCappo]

Hi I am planning a trip round the north of England. Im going to do The Peaks, The Yorkshire Dales, The Lakes, Northumberland and The Yorkshire Moors. This trip is a pure driving holiday I want it to take in the best roads that will challenge my driving and the 2003 1.8 MX5's ability.

And Its starting in Guildford, Day one takes me to Harrogate Via the Peak District.

Day One! LONG ARSE DRIVE to Harrogare via the Peaks!
Im going to do the Snake Pass other than the Cat and Fiddle which im not too fussed about doing as its no fun anymore is there any other roads in the peaks to do that are an absolute must?


Day Two! Takes me from Harrogate to Carlisle Via the Dales and the Lakes

Dales is going to be from Settle to Ribblehead, from ribblehead to hawes, hawes to Thwaite (butter tubs - ye har...), thwaite to Nateby, Nateby to Garsdale head, Garsdale head to Hawes, Hawes to Ingleton, and refill with hi-octane at the BP Station in Hawes

Onto the Lakes
Windermere, Broughton on Furness, Eskdale Green, Wrynose & Hardknott Pass, Kirkstone Pass, Keswick, Carlisle

Day Three, Carlisle to Rothbury!
basically From Carlisle to Newcastle and once at Newcastle Do this http://www.drivingroads.co.uk/best-of-the-north-ea... and then head off towards Rothbury

Day Four Rothbury to Scarborough obviously A169 whitby to pickering anywhere else? round the Yorkshire moors?

Take a look at the Route planned Here!

http://tinyurl.com/Tinys-Route

1200 Miles about £250 in fuel and plenty of grins and roof down and quickly put the roof up its about to Hang it down moments!


All thoughts and suggestions welcome


Thanks
Ben

Edited by TinyCappo on Saturday 17th September 23:14

[Mastodon2]

Personally I think the best way to get to Hexham once you reach Alston is the A686 as opposed to the A689. It's tighter and more technical, with some fairly challenging corners and some spectacular views (and big drops...) on the way back down into the Tyne valley. On that road, you will be winding down the hills, through wooded areas and down some pretty good overtaking straights, where you can see oncoming traffic from a good distance. So good infact, that last time I went up to Alston that way, I was overtaking cars two at a time in my 60bhp Fiesta, with a passenger and a picnic!

Still, whatever route you choose, you will love it. We have some spectacular roads in the area, you could not fail to be impressed. Drive safely and look out for scamera vans!

[Mastodon2]

I should add; to round off your journey, once you come off the A171 into Scarborough, head back to the A1 via the A171 to Thirsk, just past there you rejoin the A1. On the A170 there is a great little stretch called Sutton Bank which is one of my favourite little bits of road in the UK.

A friend of mine who is a biker often refers to the Thirsk > Whitby > Scarborough > Thirsk loop as "The Nurburgring of the North". Like the Nurburgring I'm sure, but with more caravans!

[GroundEffect]

Go just that bit further north and find some real roads

[The fatboy]

What I can only say is if you are going through the Carlisle and Newcastle on the B road next to A69, be careful you will hit some deers.

[TinyCappo]

IT was good I had hired a MX5 which was great apart from the non height adjustment seats and the scary plastic Pirelli P6000 Tyres......no fun on wet hairpins


got to do some awesome roads and even got the mrs heel toe downshifting across the moors.

[Mastodon2]

TinyCappo said:

IT was good I had hired a MX5 which was great apart from the non height adjustment seats and the scary plastic Pirelli P6000 Tyres......no fun on wet hairpins


got to do some awesome roads and even got the mrs heel toe downshifting across the moors.

iirc, Pirelli P6000s are pretty stiff tyres and not great for MX-5s, since they apparently take away the smooth and progressive breakway into oversteer and make them snappy at the back. Not the ideal tyre but not something that would ruin a trip.

Any photos from the trek?

[The fatboy]

TinyCappo said:

IT was good I had hired a MX5 which was great apart from the non height adjustment seats and the scary plastic Pirelli P6000 Tyres......no fun on wet hairpins


got to do some awesome roads and even got the mrs heel toe downshifting across the moors.

lol I got them on my civic for nearly 2 years, still working fine under average annual mileage.