Good roads around Darlington
Discussion
hiccy18 said:
Lotobear said:
I had a family meeting in Hexham on Sunday so, being a lovely day, and living in Cumbria, I decided to drive down to Brough via A6 and take the road from Brough to Middleton then Alston then on to Hexham in my Lotus.
That route has everything going for it - bumpy and twisty/challenging on the first leg to Middleton, then fast and flowing (but bumpy over the top) to Alston then fast and twisty with some first gear hairpins on to Hexham.
It truly must be the best stretch of road in England and that's before you join it all up with the Dales and then onto the Scottish Borders.
Must admit everytime someone writes about that route I want to say "shutupShutUpSHUTUP!" I rode this route the other day after several recommendations on these very pages. I found the roads littered with sheep and coffin dodgers and with limited overtaking opportunities. I was very disappointed. 3/10 would not recommend.That route has everything going for it - bumpy and twisty/challenging on the first leg to Middleton, then fast and flowing (but bumpy over the top) to Alston then fast and twisty with some first gear hairpins on to Hexham.
It truly must be the best stretch of road in England and that's before you join it all up with the Dales and then onto the Scottish Borders.
Exatly my thoughts when I saw it mentioned, for Christ's sake Lotobear! Keep quiet man!dapper said:
Don't really have anything to tag along on this but thanks for the routes.
As for the pickering to whitby, which way is recommended? Through Newton or Saltergate?
1. Saltergate has too much traffic and also frequent police vans parked on the long straights. Nice surface and can be very quick. Quickest route.As for the pickering to whitby, which way is recommended? Through Newton or Saltergate?
I work at RAF Fylingdales and use this road frequently.
2. Newton / Stape / Egton / Grosmont / Slights is a good drivers route but with some 'bouncy' and narrow roads. Was used on the TVR Cobweb Run.
3. Cropton / Rosedale Abbey / Castleton / Egton / Grosmont / Slights is a great route - not as bouncy/narrow as Stape.
but being an ex rally driver I love narrow and bouncy
LaurasOtherHalf said:
hiccy18 said:
Lotobear said:
I had a family meeting in Hexham on Sunday so, being a lovely day, and living in Cumbria, I decided to drive down to Brough via A6 and take the road from Brough to Middleton then Alston then on to Hexham in my Lotus.
That route has everything going for it - bumpy and twisty/challenging on the first leg to Middleton, then fast and flowing (but bumpy over the top) to Alston then fast and twisty with some first gear hairpins on to Hexham.
It truly must be the best stretch of road in England and that's before you join it all up with the Dales and then onto the Scottish Borders.
Must admit everytime someone writes about that route I want to say "shutupShutUpSHUTUP!" I rode this route the other day after several recommendations on these very pages. I found the roads littered with sheep and coffin dodgers and with limited overtaking opportunities. I was very disappointed. 3/10 would not recommend.That route has everything going for it - bumpy and twisty/challenging on the first leg to Middleton, then fast and flowing (but bumpy over the top) to Alston then fast and twisty with some first gear hairpins on to Hexham.
It truly must be the best stretch of road in England and that's before you join it all up with the Dales and then onto the Scottish Borders.
Exatly my thoughts when I saw it mentioned, for Christ's sake Lotobear! Keep quiet man!Followed by no less than 15 other MX 5s in a Jap kamikaze onslaught!
So I think the word is somewhat out
Pretty sure it was front page on PH a while back too but doesn't make me happy about it. Unlike driving or riding it.
Stanhope to Alston is good too, the run from Wearhead, up and over the summit and down through Nenthead has great scenery and some decent roads. Also enjoyed the Roman Road from Eggleston to Stanhope and the B6282 from Eggleston (-ish) to Toft Hill.
Stanhope to Alston is good too, the run from Wearhead, up and over the summit and down through Nenthead has great scenery and some decent roads. Also enjoyed the Roman Road from Eggleston to Stanhope and the B6282 from Eggleston (-ish) to Toft Hill.
hiccy18 said:
Pretty sure it was front page on PH a while back too but doesn't make me happy about it. Unlike driving or riding it.
Stanhope to Alston is good too, the run from Wearhead, up and over the summit and down through Nenthead has great scenery and some decent roads. Also enjoyed the Roman Road from Eggleston to Stanhope and the B6282 from Eggleston (-ish) to Toft Hill.
That bit from Stanhope to Alston frustrates me. Loads of villages and 30 sections. Admittedly the last section is nice. Agree about Eggleston to Stanhope though, that's a corker. Just got to watch out for sheep! Stanhope to Alston is good too, the run from Wearhead, up and over the summit and down through Nenthead has great scenery and some decent roads. Also enjoyed the Roman Road from Eggleston to Stanhope and the B6282 from Eggleston (-ish) to Toft Hill.
Try going north out of Stanhope on the B6278 towards Edmundbyers turn right towards Waskerley (Just as the B road starts going downhill) Then turn left at the Honey Hill water works (Goldhill Lane). Turn right at the T junction towards Castleside, then right again at the next T junction. This next stretch takes in the wonderful Muggleswick hairpins, take the next left and this brings you to the A68 just north of Castleside, go left and there are some great little roads to the west of the 68 up to the Tyne valley. Blanchland, Slayley etc.
coppice said:
Scene of some very high speed japes by Autocar staff when they did the only official road test of the McLaren F1 . Allegedly
During my road rallying days (70's and 80's) we used Blakey numerous times late Saturday/early Sunday - timed at 90 AVERAGE and only dropped a few seconds, in the dark and often in thick fog. 
I thought I’d bump this thread back to life…
I’m organising a little run out for a group and have most of the route sorted. I thought I’d ask the Illuminati of the Durham roads - Which is the best road from the Hexham/Haydon Bridge area down to Stanhope? Stanhope is a must but the northern start point is more flexible though will involve coming off the A686 from Alston heading north.
B6306 via Derwent Water, or B6295 via Allendale, Allenheads & Rookhope?
I will head up there for a look myself very soon. I need to find a venue for up to 20 for a lunch stop in Alston anyway.
I’m organising a little run out for a group and have most of the route sorted. I thought I’d ask the Illuminati of the Durham roads - Which is the best road from the Hexham/Haydon Bridge area down to Stanhope? Stanhope is a must but the northern start point is more flexible though will involve coming off the A686 from Alston heading north.
B6306 via Derwent Water, or B6295 via Allendale, Allenheads & Rookhope?
I will head up there for a look myself very soon. I need to find a venue for up to 20 for a lunch stop in Alston anyway.
I’d do the rookhope option. You miss out a little on some great sections but the other options also have plenty of dull bits too where as the rookhope route is consistently decent.
If you have the time you could head north east from rookhope to blanchland and then come down into Stanhope from the north.
If you have the time you could head north east from rookhope to blanchland and then come down into Stanhope from the north.
Edited by Gad-Westy on Thursday 30th December 08:38
Gad-Westy said:
I’d do the rookhope option. You miss out a little on some great sections but the other options also have plenty of dull bits too where as the rookhope route is consistently decent.
If you have the time you could head north east from rookhope to blanchland and then come down into Stanhope from the north.
Top advice, thank you If you have the time you could head north east from rookhope to blanchland and then come down into Stanhope from the north.
Edited by Gad-Westy on Thursday 30th December 08:38
I drove both today. The Derwent route was actually a bit quicker, despite getting stuck behind some traffic and having few overtaking opportunities. The Rookhope/Allendale road was indeed far better. I’ll try the Rookhope to Blanchard road next time I’m up there, but ran out of daylight on this occasion.
I followed a couple of others who were also out enjoying the roads…
Edited by brisel on Saturday 1st January 11:11
Living at the top of Weardale one of my favourite routes is St Johns Chapel, Langdon Beck, Alston, Cowshill, Allenheads, Rookhope, Blanchland, Stanhope via Crawleyside bank, Eggleston, Middleton, Langdon Beck and back to Chapel. If I must have a homemade pie and chips at the Middleton chippy en route then that's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make
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