Reccomend a Sunday morning drive from North London
Discussion
Hello there, I was wondering if someone could reccomend me some routes to explore on the weekends taking into consideration I am in North London?
Ideally a sort of loop of a couple of hours max (plus time to get there), most importantly free flowing and little traffic!
As a bonus with some good food and scenery.
Cherry on the cake no police either (ok, ok, I know, one can dream...!).
From where abouts in North London? ISH?
Just wondering whether Epping would be the direction for you or out towards Tring
M1 to J8, J8 to Leverstock Green - St Albans - Redbourn - A5 towards Dunstable and turn left for Whipsnade - head towards Ivinghoe - head for Aston Clinton - Aston Clinton to Tring - tring to Aldbury, eat in The Greyhound, Greyhound up the hill to Ashridge, left towards Dear Leap where you turn right for Little Gaddesden all the way down to Nettleden then turn left to meet the Leighton Buzzard Road, head towards Hemel and hop back onto the M1 South enjoying the 270 degree onslip!
Just wondering whether Epping would be the direction for you or out towards Tring
M1 to J8, J8 to Leverstock Green - St Albans - Redbourn - A5 towards Dunstable and turn left for Whipsnade - head towards Ivinghoe - head for Aston Clinton - Aston Clinton to Tring - tring to Aldbury, eat in The Greyhound, Greyhound up the hill to Ashridge, left towards Dear Leap where you turn right for Little Gaddesden all the way down to Nettleden then turn left to meet the Leighton Buzzard Road, head towards Hemel and hop back onto the M1 South enjoying the 270 degree onslip!
Edited by don logan on Wednesday 22 May 19:59
Thanks for the feedback! I am setting off from NW1, so all is good, although I suspect Tring way is more convenient as I can hop on the M1 relatively easily.
So, would this be what you are suggesting:
http://goo.gl/maps/3owb6
So, would this be what you are suggesting:
http://goo.gl/maps/3owb6
RiccardoG said:
So, I actually went on the above drive on Sunday, followed it pretty accurately and even stopped for lunch at the Greyhound pub. Was enjoyable, but next time I'll leave home earlier as there was too much traffic!
Thanks again for the heads up.
Hi RiccThanks again for the heads up.
Did you enjoy it? Any favourite sections?
Hmmm, if you had LUNCH you did leave it a bit late didn't you! :-) (also bank holiday traffic)
I forgot to mention the need for extra care Greyhound to Nettleden because of Deer, especially in the early morning!
don logan said:
From where abouts in North London? ISH?
Just wondering whether Epping would be the direction for you or out towards Tring
M1 to J8, J8 to Leverstock Green - St Albans - Redbourn - A5 towards Dunstable and turn left for Whipsnade - head towards Ivinghoe - head for Aston Clinton - Aston Clinton to Tring - tring to Aldbury, eat in The Greyhound, Greyhound up the hill to Ashridge, left towards Dear Leap where you turn right for Little Gaddesden all the way down to Nettleden then turn left to meet the Leighton Buzzard Road, head towards Hemel and hop back onto the M1 South enjoying the 270 degree onslip!
Just wanted to say I live in Hemel Hempstead. That's a great selection of roads. I use them all when I go for a drive Just wondering whether Epping would be the direction for you or out towards Tring
M1 to J8, J8 to Leverstock Green - St Albans - Redbourn - A5 towards Dunstable and turn left for Whipsnade - head towards Ivinghoe - head for Aston Clinton - Aston Clinton to Tring - tring to Aldbury, eat in The Greyhound, Greyhound up the hill to Ashridge, left towards Dear Leap where you turn right for Little Gaddesden all the way down to Nettleden then turn left to meet the Leighton Buzzard Road, head towards Hemel and hop back onto the M1 South enjoying the 270 degree onslip!
Edited by don logan on Wednesday 22 May 19:59
Jazzy Jefferson said:
Just wanted to say I live in Hemel Hempstead. That's a great selection of roads. I use them all when I go for a drive
Great aren`t they, especially since they are actually very close to London too!And as you know, there are a LOT of variations available on that route let alone simply reversing it. (NO, don`t say it)
don logan said:
Hi Ricc
Did you enjoy it? Any favourite sections?
Hmmm, if you had LUNCH you did leave it a bit late didn't you! :-) (also bank holiday traffic)
I forgot to mention the need for extra care Greyhound to Nettleden because of Deer, especially in the early morning!
Yes I did, it was just the sort of roads I was looking for, my only issue being the traffic, but thats my fault for leaving home at 11am on a sunny bank holiday Sunday...Did you enjoy it? Any favourite sections?
Hmmm, if you had LUNCH you did leave it a bit late didn't you! :-) (also bank holiday traffic)
I forgot to mention the need for extra care Greyhound to Nettleden because of Deer, especially in the early morning!
One of the favourite bits was actually visiting the bluebell forest...! Ok, I know, not very "PH" but it was a nice stopover and something different.
In terms of the actual roads I quite liked the one from Whipsnade to Dagham and all the section getting towards Tring. To be honest though, it was a bit of "lets try going this way now" so I don't exactly recall where I actually went, I just know its not quite as per the googlemaps link above. The idea being to return a few times to get things right and suss out the best options.
Do you have any 'musts'?
RiccardoG said:
Yes I did, it was just the sort of roads I was looking for, my only issue being the traffic, but thats my fault for leaving home at 11am on a sunny bank holiday Sunday...
One of the favourite bits was actually visiting the bluebell forest...! Ok, I know, not very "PH" but it was a nice stopover and something different.
In terms of the actual roads I quite liked the one from Whipsnade to Dagham and all the section getting towards Tring. To be honest though, it was a bit of "lets try going this way now" so I don't exactly recall where I actually went, I just know its not quite as per the googlemaps link above. The idea being to return a few times to get things right and suss out the best options.
Do you have any 'musts'?
Really glad that you enjoyed yourself!One of the favourite bits was actually visiting the bluebell forest...! Ok, I know, not very "PH" but it was a nice stopover and something different.
In terms of the actual roads I quite liked the one from Whipsnade to Dagham and all the section getting towards Tring. To be honest though, it was a bit of "lets try going this way now" so I don't exactly recall where I actually went, I just know its not quite as per the googlemaps link above. The idea being to return a few times to get things right and suss out the best options.
Do you have any 'musts'?
No real "musts" but next time you could try driving out the A40 to Beaconsfield, just as you come into Beaconsfield make a right and follow the road until you head downhill on a long straight stretch that will bring you to a small roundabout where you will turn left, at the next roundabout turn right, keep going until you hit Wendover then start heading for RAF Halton, then Aston Clinton or Tring and pick up the roads you now already know!
Errr, I ended up in that bluebell wood on Monday! AMAZING isn't it!
Jazzy Jefferson said:
don logan said:
Errr, I ended up in that bluebell wood on Monday! AMAZING isn't it!
Well now Im curious... The misses will love it from the sounds of it. and I get to drive. Win win Where is this place?One is in Wendover woods, one is by the monument on Ashridge but the most amazing is in the wood on the road that leads from Deer Leep to Ivinghoe Beacon on the right if heading TO Ivinghoe about half a mile from the T junction.
Be QUICK because I think they will very suddenly be gone.
On Monday it looked like something from Avatar!
Edited by don logan on Thursday 30th May 10:06
don logan said:
...the most amazing is in the wood on the road that leads from Deer Leep to Ivinghoe Beacon on the right if heading TO Ivinghoe about half a mile from the T junction.
This is the one I bumped into, I think. We were driving by and slowed for people crossing the road when I saw this strange hue coming from underneath the woods.Looks something like this (better in person as you can capture the whole scale of it).
don logan said:
Hi, there are a few places in the same area and a couple of ways to get there!
One is in Wendover woods, one is by the monument on Ashridge but the most amazing is in the wood on the road that leads from Deer Leep to Ivinghoe Beacon on the right if heading TO Ivinghoe about half a mile from the T junction.
Be QUICK because I think they will very suddenly be gone.
On Monday it looked like something from Avatar!
Yep, know where you mean. cheers!One is in Wendover woods, one is by the monument on Ashridge but the most amazing is in the wood on the road that leads from Deer Leep to Ivinghoe Beacon on the right if heading TO Ivinghoe about half a mile from the T junction.
Be QUICK because I think they will very suddenly be gone.
On Monday it looked like something from Avatar!
Edited by don logan on Thursday 30th May 10:06
RiccardoG said:
This is the one I bumped into, I think. We were driving by and slowed for people crossing the road when I saw this strange hue coming from underneath the woods.
Looks something like this (better in person as you can capture the whole scale of it).
Aaah well done Ricc, I just tried to upload a pic but it was too big and I couldn't reduce it with my phone!Looks something like this (better in person as you can capture the whole scale of it).
RiccardoG said:
Hello there, I was wondering if someone could reccomend me some routes to explore on the weekends taking into consideration I am in North London?
Ideally a sort of loop of a couple of hours max (plus time to get there), most importantly free flowing and little traffic!
Ah, my specialist subject has arrived!Ideally a sort of loop of a couple of hours max (plus time to get there), most importantly free flowing and little traffic!
Try this: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Potters+Bar,+H...
The eastern half (Essex border and the A507) is arguably better than the western half.
In a nutshell: B158 from Potters Bar to Hertford, B1004 to Bishops Stortford, B1051 to Thaxted, B184 north for a bit, A507 (the good bit is Baldock to Buntingford...) and then down the B656.
This is twisty country roads the whole way. They are wide enough and sufficiently well sighted for enthusiastic driving, but it's more sports car or hot hatch territory than GT. Police are known to keep an eye on the B184 and the A507, but there's a very good reason - these are probably the best roads in Herts. Watching that final section of the A507 on a sunny evening is like standing on the road to the Nurburgring, you'll lose count of interesting cars and bikes.
If you want to see some really great roads then stray a little further in Bucks. There are some cracking roads on this route;
http://goo.gl/maps/5o4I6
http://goo.gl/maps/5o4I6
Chris71 said:
Ah, my specialist subject has arrived!
Try this: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Potters+Bar,+H...
The eastern half (Essex border and the A507) is arguably better than the western half.
In a nutshell: B158 from Potters Bar to Hertford, B1004 to Bishops Stortford, B1051 to Thaxted, B184 north for a bit, A507 (the good bit is Baldock to Buntingford...) and then down the B656.
This is twisty country roads the whole way. They are wide enough and sufficiently well sighted for enthusiastic driving, but it's more sports car or hot hatch territory than GT. Police are known to keep an eye on the B184 and the A507, but there's a very good reason - these are probably the best roads in Herts. Watching that final section of the A507 on a sunny evening is like standing on the road to the Nurburgring, you'll lose count of interesting cars and bikes.
Bit of a thread ressurection but just wanted to thank you for pointing this drive out. I finally had the opportunity to try it and they really are great diving roads!Try this: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Potters+Bar,+H...
The eastern half (Essex border and the A507) is arguably better than the western half.
In a nutshell: B158 from Potters Bar to Hertford, B1004 to Bishops Stortford, B1051 to Thaxted, B184 north for a bit, A507 (the good bit is Baldock to Buntingford...) and then down the B656.
This is twisty country roads the whole way. They are wide enough and sufficiently well sighted for enthusiastic driving, but it's more sports car or hot hatch territory than GT. Police are known to keep an eye on the B184 and the A507, but there's a very good reason - these are probably the best roads in Herts. Watching that final section of the A507 on a sunny evening is like standing on the road to the Nurburgring, you'll lose count of interesting cars and bikes.
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