Land's End to Ness Point, Midsummers Evening 2022

Land's End to Ness Point, Midsummers Evening 2022

Author
Discussion

cycysputnik

Original Poster:

76 posts

48 months

Monday 24th January 2022
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Anyone up for doing it this year?

jdmave

135 posts

134 months

Monday 31st January 2022
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Certainly up for it

Writhing

489 posts

108 months

Tuesday 8th February 2022
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18th or 25th?

cycysputnik

Original Poster:

76 posts

48 months

Thursday 10th February 2022
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If you want to do it on a weekend, I'd say 18th. Personally, I'm going to be doing it on the 21st again

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Wednesday 27th April 2022
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cycysputnik said:
If you want to do it on a weekend, I'd say 18th. Personally, I'm going to be doing it on the 21st again
We (No1 son and I) are planning to do it on the 21st as well
We are doing a bit of a looping route on the way down, stopping in Plymouth overnight on the 20th, where we have a hotel booked

The initial plan was to wander down to Plymouth on Monday AM, but, No1 sons work commitments means we have to do it Monday PM

Hopefully be at Lands End on the 21st at about 18.00hr

milesy4

15 posts

236 months

Monday 2nd May 2022
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I’m probably up for this but need to work out exact dates. Who knew it was so confusing - as far as I can tell the solstice is on morning of 21st, so does that mean that the shortest night is 20/21 or is it 21/22. I know they are roughly the same length but I would think the plan would be to go hooning past stonehenge while all the druids are getting ready. When is everyone else planning on leaving Lands End?

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Monday 2nd May 2022
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Johner said:
cycysputnik said:
If you want to do it on a weekend, I'd say 18th. Personally, I'm going to be doing it on the 21st again
We (No1 son and I) are planning to do it on the 21st as well
We are doing a bit of a looping route on the way down, stopping in Plymouth overnight on the 20th, where we have a hotel booked

The initial plan was to wander down to Plymouth on Monday AM, but, No1 sons work commitments means we have to do it Monday PM

Hopefully be at Lands End on the 21st at about 18.00hr
OK.
Having seen the posts here and done my homework properly this time, the solstice is, indeed on the AM of the 21st.

I have amended our hotel bookings and we will now be down at Lands End on Monday evening at about 18.00hr or so, preped and ready to go for arrival at Ness Point, we hope, between 04.00hr and 04.30hr on Tuesday morning.

We will do the A30, A303, M3, M25 north and A12 . . .it worked for us in 2018, so, we will stick with it.

Sunset is 21.20hr on the 20th, so we have about 7hrs and 20 minutes to do the journey

outnumbered

4,067 posts

233 months

Monday 2nd May 2022
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Good luck with it, would be nice to see some pictures/stories afterwards.

I’d always assumed this would require some extended very high speed driving, but just looked it up and Google’s estimate is 7h52, so it seems doable without needing to take too many risks or require Cannonball style preparation.

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2022
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outnumbered said:
Good luck with it, would be nice to see some pictures/stories afterwards.

I’d always assumed this would require some extended very high speed driving, but just looked it up and Google’s estimate is 7h52, so it seems doable without needing to take too many risks or require Cannonball style preparation.
Yep, very doable.
Once we get onto the dualed A30, as long as there are no problems running at less than 80mph will get us there

Writhing

489 posts

108 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
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Myself and a mate managed 6hrs 9 mins. Left LE at 2122, arrived at Ness Point at 0331. We did one fuel/coffee/pee/driver change stop but otherwise “made progress”. Not sure what the average speed is with those times.

Writhing

489 posts

108 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
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I just checked my pictures and it seems I sold myself short. We were still at Lands End at 2133 and, after checking sunset times across England, it appears that sunset at LE is at 2136. So, depart at 2136, arrive at 0331.

cycysputnik

Original Poster:

76 posts

48 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022
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Sadly due to unforseen work, I'm having to delay when I'll be doing this. I'll be doing in June 26th - 27th, but using the same timings as what the 21st would have been. Very annoyed at this, but just means I'll be back next year on the proper date

Stevep4

15 posts

37 months

Friday 13th May 2022
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Definitely no need to be silly with the speed.
I did it in 2021 on the Saturday before midsummer.
Set off at 2135and arrived 0405. 6 hours 30 mins. Just 2 pee stops and one for fuel, but I reckon I can do it without the fuel stop (3.0 diesel with a 550 mile range)

Hope to join the Torque & Talk crews doing it on the 21st, but we will see how work lines up.
Possibly may do Sat the 18th, which would mean driving down Fri/Sat.

wilkyboy

10 posts

37 months

Tuesday 31st May 2022
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In again this year for the night of the 21st into the 22nd. Here's my write-up from last year.

Lots of work done to the car since last year, new Bilstein shocks all round and new Lemförder arms in the front. The 01E gearboxes are known for chocolate bearings, and after 270k these ones were shot, with the box sounding like a jet turbine at 70. A recon box went in last week (at great expense) and the car is ready to go. The brake pads haven't been changed since they were almost new last year but they're beginning to wear thin 40k mi later, so this'll be their last spin before replacement. She does well for an old girl but the PD lumps are really good at soaking up this kind of stuff.

I'll have a co-driver this year, so won't be doing two trips across the UK in a single day with no sleep - that was too much for me last year!

I've analysed the data from last year, determined performance indicators for the night and got everything about as dialled in as can be.

Sorry to hear you won't be joining us this year cycysputnik - I'll have another write-up out for you to vicariously join us through.

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Wednesday 1st June 2022
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wilkyboy said:
In again this year for the night of the 21st into the 22nd. Here's my write-up from last year.

Lots of work done to the car since last year, new Bilstein shocks all round and new Lemförder arms in the front. The 01E gearboxes are known for chocolate bearings, and after 270k these ones were shot, with the box sounding like a jet turbine at 70. A recon box went in last week (at great expense) and the car is ready to go. The brake pads haven't been changed since they were almost new last year but they're beginning to wear thin 40k mi later, so this'll be their last spin before replacement. She does well for an old girl but the PD lumps are really good at soaking up this kind of stuff.

I'll have a co-driver this year, so won't be doing two trips across the UK in a single day with no sleep - that was too much for me last year!

I've analysed the data from last year, determined performance indicators for the night and got everything about as dialled in as can be.

Sorry to hear you won't be joining us this year cycysputnik - I'll have another write-up out for you to vicariously join us through.
Any thoughts as to your route?
We would like to do the A303, M3, M25N but, not sure that stonehenge is going to help us, as we will be passing at about 01.00 hrs.

I think we'll make the decision on the day, as we approach the M5, but I'm not keen on doing the M5/M4

wilkyboy

10 posts

37 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
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Johner said:
Any thoughts as to your route?
We would like to do the A303, M3, M25N but, not sure that stonehenge is going to help us, as we will be passing at about 01.00 hrs.

I think we'll make the decision on the day, as we approach the M5, but I'm not keen on doing the M5/M4
A30/A303/M3/M25(S)/A12 - the exact route run on Top Gear in 2010.

The M4 still has roadworks at the M25 end that are a PITA with average speed cameras. Anything within the M5/M4/M6 and east coast I am familiar with at speed since I travel for work (or did until I started a new job last week) and I would avoid the M4 at all costs!

The cameras on the M25 south side are far more sensitive to 78< than the later generation HADECS on the north side which don't seem to mind 85/90 when derestricted but I've never tried it myself, have managed not to get caught yet and don't intend on starting now.

Last year the M25 was closed at the A1(M) junction which sent the north lot scattered up the A1/A505 and whatever route they picked through Norfolk. Whoever was in the GT-R talked of routes I wouldn't dream of trying to keep speed up on in a diesel, where I broadly want to set the cruise and focus on high average speeds and hypermiling techniques (38mpg last year!). We had roadworks on the south side but they kept a lane open (admittedly at 20 in places with the aggressive cameras)

Here's where my reply takes a turn and my mood turns sour.

one.network supposedly maps all the roadworks in the UK and when they're to take place. You have to make an account to check a particular date or range, and it looks like there'll be a number of lane closures on the A30 & A303, a closure at Amesbury with an easy diversion.

Then we get to the M25 where:
M25 clockwise is closed between J25 and J26 for electrical works, and 27 to 28 for resurfacing. J28 is the A12 exit.
M25 anticlockwise has lane closures on the south side and the west Dartford Tunnel is closed, but east tunnel open, so is the only choice there.

Then the A12 is shut at Colchester between J27 and J31, and again at Ipswich from the A14 up to Martlesham.
Both closures are tricky to get around and I'll need some time to figure out the best way.

I may yet end up on the M5/M40/42/M6/A14 route depending how bad my Colchester diversion is.



Edited by wilkyboy on Friday 3rd June 21:08

CastorTroy777

10 posts

21 months

Tuesday 7th June 2022
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When is the more popular night to do the run? 20th-21st, or 21st-22nd?

Stevep4

15 posts

37 months

Tuesday 7th June 2022
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My route last year was the A390, A30, A303, M3, M25 clockwise, but got off at Junction 21a and skipped across to the A1, then the A505 past Duxford, M11 and A11 to Bury St Edmunds and cross country from there.

J21 to the A1 is “slow” but knocks 6 miles off the journey.

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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The roadworks at Ipswich and Colchester (which I dragged my way through earlier this week) are a concern.
When we did the run in 2018, the A12 was our chosen route.

Having given it some thought, my preferred alternative is, I think, M25N, M11, All around Newmarket, A14 to Bury St Edmunds and then the A143 to Lowestoft.

My only concern is the average speed possible along the A143

Edited by Johner on Wednesday 8th June 10:37

Johner

152 posts

82 months

Wednesday 8th June 2022
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CastorTroy777 said:
When is the more popular night to do the run? 20th-21st, or 21st-22nd?
I'm doing 20th/21st, the difficult night, because of the potential delays at Stonehenge, but, what the heck . . . . . .