Anyone ever done a lap of Britain

Anyone ever done a lap of Britain

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Discussion

KevBowler

5 posts

151 months

Thursday 18th October 2018
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Hi Plukjaw,

Nice pictures, I’ve just been planning this trip for next year and inc the isle of white and Skye google tells me it’s 4,013 miles ( plus 170 round trip to my chosen starting point and back) so interesting that you say only 3,000 miles I’d like to see your exact route.

I was planning on 5 weeks or so which might mean having to split it into 2 half’s.

But we may also be able to cut it back to only 3 weeks by stopping to see less, on previous road trips such as Route 66 we only did 2,300 miles but 3,5weeks wasn’t anywhere near enough time to see stuff, but we’ve already seen most of the UK coast so maybe we could get it into the 3 week window.

MAJ1967

1 posts

62 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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Hi plkujaw,

I hope you even get to see this message.

I greatly enjoyed looking at the Instagram photos of your trip...I'm planning similar myself for summer this year. I'd love to see your route if you'd be good enough to send it to me somehow? It appears you don't take PMs? Any ideas please?

KevBowler

5 posts

151 months

Saturday 20th July 2019
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Phase One complete

Er in doors wanted to do this trip so in planning for this I bought her a new MX-5 and we did about 1500 miles getting to know the car and what we could and couldn't fit in before we set off on the 5th July for our start point at Kings Lynn.

Just back today from the first leg which was meant to see us to Runcorn, but 1655 miles later (plus 215 from home to Kings Lynn and Newport to home) and having followed the coast line rigidly (as much as possible) we only got to Newport in South Wales.

We had only 1 day off in Sandown on the Isle of Wight and even then drove the coast to Yarmouth in the morning while waiting for our laundry to be done and to save us having to be up so early the next day.

Its been a great 2 weeks and we've seen loads of stuff and places, and met lots of people, can't count the number of bridges we've been on but we've done 6 ferries, been on some outrageously bad roads (If your planning to do this and your worried about Cornwall, then I'd suggest you take a close look at Sullfolk and Essex)

I guess you could do Kings Lynn to Newport via the coast in less than the 13 days we took but you would struggle to do so sticking to the coast line the only motorway we used was the old M48 severn bridge, we decided that we would cross estuaries by the first inland bridge or ferry, I guess you could argue that the Dartford bridge is really part of the M25 but we were only on it from the last on ramp in Essex to the first off ramp in Kent so only used the A282 section.

Going further than places like Deal Hall in Essex to see the mouth of the river Crouch could be described as a little over the top especially when some hours later your at Courtsend looking at the same river mouth from the other side, but popping down the easy A roads such as the A12 in Suffolk and missing the likes of Slaughden and Orford just mean your not really seeing the whole coast, although that would have been much easier on the MX-5 as well as my sense of humour.

A good understanding of the legalities of road signs is also needed as it surprising just how many none official "private road" "no public access" and "no parking" signs there are. That said we were not challenge once when ignoring such illegal signs other than one stroppy lady in a Land Rover who was upset because she couldn't get through the same gap I'd left for the massive tractor in front of her had just passed through without even slowing.

I think part of the understanding from locals comes form the fact we were in an MX-5 which seems to attract less aggression than other cars such as my Shogun for instance.

We originally expected to do the whole coast in three sections (as I said the first section taking us to Runcorn) but I'm now thinking 5 or 6 sections. We will do Newport to Runcorn the week after next (planning 5 days) and then sit back and look at options for the next few sections.



rjelectriciansltd

1 posts

30 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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As Rob clutch said Club Triumph do a Round Britain Reliability Run every other year, I done it once in a 45 year old triumph herald convertible.
It absolutely tipped it down 90% of the route but it was still great fun, we went through Wales on that trip my distant was 1933 miles in 48hrs 33mins taking it in turn with myself and my dad driving. I remember on the way back to Enfield there was a spitfire on the left of me and a stag on the right as we passed St Albans on the M25. I’d love to do it again but my health won’t allow it at present. But I’d like to take a large camper van around the costal roads of the uk, maybe when we retire.

DodgyGeezer

40,155 posts

189 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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excellent thread resurrection

hairy v

1,167 posts

143 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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I did the east coast over 2 weeks last summer from Edinburgh to Essex, with a bit of the Norfolk Broads too - great holiday, loads to see.

Ianj100

5 posts

22 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2022
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Hi All, For the past 3.5 years My wife and I have been driving sections of the mainland coast road (warts and all, the inlets and squiggly bits).
We are midland based so a few day trips out to Wales and nearby coasts (within 100miles) started us off. So including the dreaded pandemic we are not doing to badly to date. We are undertaking the trips in weekends or holidays away etc.
Last weekend we completed the last section from Exeter to Plymouth so far. Not far you may say but the 170 miles of coast road between the two places brings it into context. Roads were not the best. that has a driving duration total of 10hrs (so not quick) over 2 days.
But now we have (to date) travelled from Brighton (clockwise) around Lands End up and around Wales, Liverpool, Blackpool, around the Lakes into Scotland upto the Stranraer area. On the East coast Newcastle down to Lowestoft completed.
Its taken us 20 days for this distance to date based on 6 hours behind the wheel.
Leaving Lowestoft to Brighton to complete the South which i reckon is 10-14 days.
Also Stranraer over the Top (doing about 350 miles of the North Coast 500) and down to Newcastle which I reckon on 4 weeks duration (2 x 2week trips).
We are using our MG RV8 (Oxford Blue) which we have owned for 4 years and so far its been brilliant.
Best bit to date around The Mumbles in South Wales where we met someone in Delorean (No not Marty or Doc) and the Gower Peninsula for the dramatic scenery.
Its a great journey to do as you visit villages and sites you would never ever see on the main A roads or better roads.
If you need any tips or places to see keep in touch

mat205125

17,790 posts

212 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2022
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DJC said:
Ive looked at doing it. You want 3 weeks, working at about 300miles/day.
This!

300 miles per day as an average will still be about 10 hours of driving per day too

Ianj100

5 posts

22 months

Wednesday 4th May 2022
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300 miles per day is possible for 3 weeks if you stick to main road route. It’s not possible if you constantly take the nearest road /lane etc to the shoreline. We tend to assess the route and understand the terrain and road type and plan our stops accordingly. At a reasonable trip distance we tend to plan from 80miles to about 110miles per day.
Each person has a reason / goal in completing it. Ours was to see places that you would normally stick to the main routes and bypass completely. We have found it fascinating finding these tucked away places.
Whichever way you want to do it is a massive undertaking. Each to their own
We have no mod cons apart from a screen mounted sat nav and a map book. Our motor doesn’t have power steering which is tough on lanes an hairpins etc.
Cheers

Ian J

heebeegeetee

28,596 posts

247 months

Wednesday 4th May 2022
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On a slightly different note, there is Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, "one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world" https://www.thewildatlanticway.com/

Elsewhere on 'net I've seen it described as The longest defined coastal route in the world, anyone know which is longer? I would have thought there'd be contenders from South America or Australia which would be way longer, but I guess it depends on what a 'defined coastal route' is. smile

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Wednesday 4th May 2022
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My 75th birthday is in a few years time and we've been looking for a UK drive to commemorate it. A lap of Britain is a trip we've been wondering about but we'd feel we were cheating if we didn't take at least the closest B-road to the coastline; following A-roads just isn't cricket.

We reckon /- 200 miles is a comfortable daily maximum as we'll be in our '63 Riley but I'll need to work out current costs at around 25 mpg. I suspect it's a non-starter unfortunately, a pity as LeJOG in 2019 and West - East in 2020 were both great fun.

Ianj100

5 posts

22 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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Riley Blue said:
My 75th birthday is in a few years time and we've been looking for a UK drive to commemorate it.
.
Perhaps do the Scottish North Coast 500 or Snowdonia 350

Milkyway

9,292 posts

52 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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It would be an interesting tour if it was completed in an EV... scratchchin

EVOTECH3BELL

786 posts

23 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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Milkyway said:
It would be an interesting tour if it was completed in an EV... scratchchin
How tedious

georgeyboy12345

3,482 posts

34 months

Friday 6th May 2022
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Another problem with doing this kind of thing (aside from the enormous distance), is that some parts of the British coast are simply not very nice parts of the country - why the hell would you want to visit places like Runcorn, Birkenhead, Rhyl, Redcar, Grimsby, Hull, Hartlepool, Sunderland, etc

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
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georgeyboy12345 said:
Another problem with doing this kind of thing (aside from the enormous distance), is that some parts of the British coast are simply not very nice parts of the country - why the hell would you want to visit places like Runcorn, Birkenhead, Rhyl, Redcar, Grimsby, Hull, Hartlepool, Sunderland, etc
I'd only be passing through so that wouldn't be a problem. in any case, some of the rural coastlines of Britain can be a bit 'meh'.

ianrb

1,529 posts

139 months

Saturday 7th May 2022
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georgeyboy12345 said:
Another problem with doing this kind of thing (aside from the enormous distance), is that some parts of the British coast are simply not very nice parts of the country - why the hell would you want to visit places like Runcorn, Birkenhead, Rhyl, Redcar, Grimsby, Hull, Hartlepool, Sunderland, etc
Part of the attraction is to see places you wouldn't otherwise see. And although they're not on most people tourist destinations places such as Redcar and Sunderland do have nice beaches and sea fronts. You just need an open mind.

LightningBlue

501 posts

40 months

Thursday 12th May 2022
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georgeyboy12345 said:
Another problem with doing this kind of thing (aside from the enormous distance), is that some parts of the British coast are simply not very nice parts of the country - why the hell would you want to visit places like Runcorn, Birkenhead, Rhyl, Redcar, Grimsby, Hull, Hartlepool, Sunderland, etc
Very old thread this but there’s some great scenic roads near Grimsby, so as bad as that place is all isn’t lost there

Ianj100

5 posts

22 months

Thursday 22nd September 2022
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Hi All
Just successfully completed 3 more days on the coast.
Starting in Lowestoft heading South. Taking in Southwold, Walberswick, Dunwich, Aldeburgh, Woodbridge, and Felixstowe on the first day, all good and very pretty sights to see. Day 2 Felixstowe to Clacton on sea taking in all the inlets etc not to bad for the sights . Day 3 with no dis respect to anyone who lives there the coast roads get worse the closer you get to the London area. South end being ok but as you go up the Thames estuary it’s pretty rough road and scenes to see. All I can say is I won’t be heading back to Essex quickly. Just Kent to do around to Brighton and that will be England and Wales done just Scotland to do.

vikingaero

10,256 posts

168 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
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EVOTECH3BELL said:
Milkyway said:
It would be an interesting tour if it was completed in an EV... scratchchin
How tedious
Teapot One on YouTube has just start a 4 corners of the UK run on an electric motorbike - generally avoiding A-Roads. He is having to charge every 50-60 miles as he only has around 90 miles of range.