Discussion
Well after being couped up in an office I went to get some curry sauce for dinner and had a bit of a detour, via swanage!. On the way back I was thinking about a certain "reputation" I have but the only person who understands why is Beachbum, I am not a fast driver, I just know the road REALLY well. I have been belting down this road since I was 17 so I can basically do it in my sleep.
Well I need some competition so here is the knowledge of how to get down the new road to Swanage really quick. Where the cautions are and where you can go quick.
New Road, Corfe Castle to Swanage (B3351)
Turn in and go under the railway bridge. If you are listening to the radio, it will go quiet for about 100 yards as there is no reception. The first bend is an easy (but blind) right leading into a left. Careful on the left, oncoming trafice are ejected out of bend 3 into your path and there is no visability of them.
Between bend 2 and 3 there is a small straight which is often very wet, even in summer. Use caution because if your tyres are wet and you get the line of bend 3 wrong you are in a stoney bank.
Bend 3 is a 90 degree hard and blind bend. I have often found traffic on the wrong side and pedestrians in the road. The road eases round to the left then a long right which is very quick. Careful at the end of this on as there is a turning (rarely used) on the left. There is then a gentle right over the brow of a small hill into a gentle right.
At the end of this right there is a small straight which is the only safe place to overtake. When I say safe, dont bank on it, there is a turning on the left and a small cottage. Good enough to get past a dawdling pensioner. At the end of this there is a 90 degree right. Onoming traffic is relativly slow. This is one of my favourite sets of bends. A left and then right leading into a a hard left. Georgeous to apex but only at night when headlights will let you know about oncoming traffic.
Then a gentle right left right (The last right gets quite tight and is off camber) leading into woods and a steep hill. This is very quick but the hedges are on high banks so dont mess it up. There are also fields on both sided and I have been nastily surprised by farm vehicles pulling out on me.
At the top of the hill through the woods, show lots of caution. On the left there is a small road leading to some houses and opposite this there is a tourist car park.
Down the other side of the hill is the fastest strech. A long sweeping left bend. On the right there is a very large field and too the left a very large hedge which stops the deer from crossing at this point. I once scared the cack out of the owner of a 200sx along this bend. Strangely he never let me drive again!
At the end is the tricky part of the road. For the next half mile be very careful because deer cross here night and day. A steep right bend up hill, at this point you have to shed some speed as the road drops away and you will find yourself airborne. As you land the road turns and dips to the left. It is wet, slipery and loads of wildlife. I have killed bambi and his mum here. Not an experience I wish to repeat. Another dip round to the right with good visability so you can apex.
Anyway, the next drop away is the worst. Literally you will come over the brow of the hill and wonder where the hell the road went. The problem is while you are mid air, it went left. It has taken loads of practice to judge the speed just right so I dont get airborne.
Down this steep hill which goes to the left then a hard right round a very large oak. This is badger teritory. Careful, they are worse than the deer. The road starts back up hill and goes to the right then hard right. There is a farm and a cottage on the left and farm buildings on the right. There is loads of mud on the road and this is the end of the run. At the top of the hill there is an incredible view point and there are always people and cars in the middle of the road. Go slowly, or if you have followed these instructions wait for the rest of the cars to catch up.
From here untill we turn off towards Swanage, there is a golf course on either side of the road and countless deer. This is not a fast strech of road and is very dangerous.
Enjoy, and try to keep up! We will have to start timing it!
Well I need some competition so here is the knowledge of how to get down the new road to Swanage really quick. Where the cautions are and where you can go quick.
New Road, Corfe Castle to Swanage (B3351)
Turn in and go under the railway bridge. If you are listening to the radio, it will go quiet for about 100 yards as there is no reception. The first bend is an easy (but blind) right leading into a left. Careful on the left, oncoming trafice are ejected out of bend 3 into your path and there is no visability of them.
Between bend 2 and 3 there is a small straight which is often very wet, even in summer. Use caution because if your tyres are wet and you get the line of bend 3 wrong you are in a stoney bank.
Bend 3 is a 90 degree hard and blind bend. I have often found traffic on the wrong side and pedestrians in the road. The road eases round to the left then a long right which is very quick. Careful at the end of this on as there is a turning (rarely used) on the left. There is then a gentle right over the brow of a small hill into a gentle right.
At the end of this right there is a small straight which is the only safe place to overtake. When I say safe, dont bank on it, there is a turning on the left and a small cottage. Good enough to get past a dawdling pensioner. At the end of this there is a 90 degree right. Onoming traffic is relativly slow. This is one of my favourite sets of bends. A left and then right leading into a a hard left. Georgeous to apex but only at night when headlights will let you know about oncoming traffic.
Then a gentle right left right (The last right gets quite tight and is off camber) leading into woods and a steep hill. This is very quick but the hedges are on high banks so dont mess it up. There are also fields on both sided and I have been nastily surprised by farm vehicles pulling out on me.
At the top of the hill through the woods, show lots of caution. On the left there is a small road leading to some houses and opposite this there is a tourist car park.
Down the other side of the hill is the fastest strech. A long sweeping left bend. On the right there is a very large field and too the left a very large hedge which stops the deer from crossing at this point. I once scared the cack out of the owner of a 200sx along this bend. Strangely he never let me drive again!
At the end is the tricky part of the road. For the next half mile be very careful because deer cross here night and day. A steep right bend up hill, at this point you have to shed some speed as the road drops away and you will find yourself airborne. As you land the road turns and dips to the left. It is wet, slipery and loads of wildlife. I have killed bambi and his mum here. Not an experience I wish to repeat. Another dip round to the right with good visability so you can apex.
Anyway, the next drop away is the worst. Literally you will come over the brow of the hill and wonder where the hell the road went. The problem is while you are mid air, it went left. It has taken loads of practice to judge the speed just right so I dont get airborne.
Down this steep hill which goes to the left then a hard right round a very large oak. This is badger teritory. Careful, they are worse than the deer. The road starts back up hill and goes to the right then hard right. There is a farm and a cottage on the left and farm buildings on the right. There is loads of mud on the road and this is the end of the run. At the top of the hill there is an incredible view point and there are always people and cars in the middle of the road. Go slowly, or if you have followed these instructions wait for the rest of the cars to catch up.
From here untill we turn off towards Swanage, there is a golf course on either side of the road and countless deer. This is not a fast strech of road and is very dangerous.
Enjoy, and try to keep up! We will have to start timing it!
gooby said:
Anyway, the next drop away is the worst. Literally you will come over the brow of the hill and wonder where the hell the road went. The problem is while you are mid air, it went left. It has taken loads of practice to judge the speed just right so I dont get airborne.
it was at this very point, as the road disappeared and we became weightless, that my girlfriend screamed she was about to be sick
ha ha I've only done this road once whilst driving and just followed Gooby's tail lights - a good hard attack on a dry evening was great fun. We thought Just1 had broken down though...
Don't believe a word of "i'm not a fast driver" - agreed, you do know the road well, but you seem to know every road well if that is your excuse!
Knowing what the car will do is half the battle and as always, high speed cannot be condoned on the public road
If there's timing involved, i'll have to have a word with Chris about the Exige as the current taxi won't put up enough of a challenge.
Don't believe a word of "i'm not a fast driver" - agreed, you do know the road well, but you seem to know every road well if that is your excuse!
Knowing what the car will do is half the battle and as always, high speed cannot be condoned on the public road
If there's timing involved, i'll have to have a word with Chris about the Exige as the current taxi won't put up enough of a challenge.
Andrewm said:
I've only done this road once whilst driving and just followed Gooby's tail lights - a good hard attack on a dry evening was great fun. We thought Just1 had broken down though...
Don't believe a word of "i'm not a fast driver" - agreed, you do know the road well, but you seem to know every road well if that is your excuse!
Knowing what the car will do is half the battle and as always, high speed cannot be condoned on the public road
If there's timing involved, i'll have to have a word with Chris about the Exige as the current taxi won't put up enough of a challenge.
I dont believe that, there is nothing faster on any road than a taxi driver.
Gooby - speed aside, from my observations, you are a very GOOD driver. You seem to have an intuitive appreciation of road hazards and where it is safe to go quickly. You are just a lot better at that than I am.
As for Just1 - don't count the man out - with his more aero hairdo and the larini he ain't what I would call slow....
As for Just1 - don't count the man out - with his more aero hairdo and the larini he ain't what I would call slow....
That is a very very cool road by far my favorite I have come across in the local area.
I have never ever had a genuine reason to use it for getting anywhere, however I have 'used it' many times!
I always think that anyone who didn't know the road belting it in the dark would have a fairly good chance of flying off when the road dips away and to the right just before the major drop off! It is certainly quite easy to loose a high percentage of your grip when doing what appear to be a moderate speed.
Nice post Gooby, hopefully we won't see any Lotus parked in the adjacent fields if people take these instructions and a decent co-driver!
>> Edited by ChristianM on Saturday 5th November 22:55
I have never ever had a genuine reason to use it for getting anywhere, however I have 'used it' many times!
I always think that anyone who didn't know the road belting it in the dark would have a fairly good chance of flying off when the road dips away and to the right just before the major drop off! It is certainly quite easy to loose a high percentage of your grip when doing what appear to be a moderate speed.
Nice post Gooby, hopefully we won't see any Lotus parked in the adjacent fields if people take these instructions and a decent co-driver!
>> Edited by ChristianM on Saturday 5th November 22:55
shangani said:
Gooby - speed aside, from my observations, you are a very GOOD driver. You seem to have an intuitive appreciation of road hazards and where it is safe to go quickly. You are just a lot better at that than I am.
As for Just1 - don't count the man out - with his more aero hairdo and the larini he ain't what I would call slow....
Because I am a hot head and I tend to use my accelerator more regularly than I should, every 6 weeks or so I go see my aunty who is an ex police instructor. She put a little reality and sensibility back into my driving.
She is also lovely and any excuse to see her!
She has really taught me hazard perception and thecnically how to drive on the road. I pay close attention to her teaching when in a busy built up area but on a run I do my best to ignore it!
Seriously, if anyone wants to learn how to drive properly, tell me. She is a great instructor!
gooby said:
Gooby - speed aside, from my observations, you are a very GOOD driver. You seem to have an intuitive appreciation of road hazards and where it is safe to go quickly. You are just a lot better at that than I am.
As for Just1 - don't count the man out - with his more aero hairdo and the larini he ain't what I would call slow....
Because I am a hot head and I tend to use my accelerator more regularly than I should, every 6 weeks or so I go see my aunty who is an ex police instructor. She put a little reality and sensibility back into my driving.
She is also lovely and any excuse to see her!
She has really taught me hazard perception and thecnically how to drive on the road. I pay close attention to her teaching when in a busy built up area but on a run I do my best to ignore it!
Seriously, if anyone wants to learn how to drive properly, tell me. She is a great instructor!
ME ! ! !
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff