Friday hoon across the North Penines
Discussion
I had to use up the last of my annual leave Friday, so decided to take the car for its first proper drive on my own.
I fancied taking a trip to Alston and the Hartside Pass, as I hadn't been there in about 3 years, and I knew there was another road nearby I'd stumbled across last year that I wanted to hit again. After seeking a bit more inspiration on here, I wrote down a rough route and headed out for the day. I dashed to Sainsburys for some fuel for the car and me, then up the A1 and along the A69 to get to the first bit of interesting road.
I've reproduced it on google maps, for anyone interested:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
I turned off the A69 for Corbridge and Hexham, then pulled over to put some of the route in the satnav, as I wanted to be able to enjoy the drive without worrying about where I needed to turn off. The first fun road was the A686 to Alston, and I discovered the disadvantage of my satnav when you just put in the centre of a town - for Alston that meant up a small, cobbled street. After a turnaround through some very narrow back-streets, I worked out how to get the satnav to skip the next place in the route, once I knew I'd be close enough.
I continued on to Hartside, and had my sandwich in the car par, looking at the rain, and being rocked by the wind. Hmm, whose idea was this?
After virtually no traffic when I was eating my sandwich, a few cars appeared as I manouvered out of the car park. I quickly passed the first, but then found myself behind two cars bunched up behind a third. There were a couple of spots where I had good visibility of the next several corners and could have just driven past the three cars on the right, but the car in front of me was cutting right hand corners, so I thought it prudent not to. I ended up squirting past two of the cars when gaps opened up as they accelerated away from corners, but I arrived at Langworthy and turned off to Temple Sowerby before I could despatch the third. I almost turned round to go back up and do it again, but other roads beckoned.
Oh, I also discovered that the A66 bypass past Temple Sowerby isn't in the my satnav - after it sent me down what is now a private road...
Once back on to the A66, I dashed to Brough, and then started on the best part of the whole trip. I took the B6276 from Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale, then B6277 to Alston. I wish I'd had a video camera, because the scenery was spectacular on top of the moors, sleet was practically falling horizontally, and there was a weird effect on the road with snow/cloud(?) swirling around looking very pretty. There were very few cars, and those that appeared were easily overtaken on the flowing, open roads.
Then I took the A689 to Stanhope, B6278 to Edmundbyers (one car pulled over to let me overtake, and one flashed his lights at me to warn of the police car hidden around the next bend ), then boring roads home.
4hrs 40mins, 181 miles, 24mpg, 39mph average.
I fancied taking a trip to Alston and the Hartside Pass, as I hadn't been there in about 3 years, and I knew there was another road nearby I'd stumbled across last year that I wanted to hit again. After seeking a bit more inspiration on here, I wrote down a rough route and headed out for the day. I dashed to Sainsburys for some fuel for the car and me, then up the A1 and along the A69 to get to the first bit of interesting road.
I've reproduced it on google maps, for anyone interested:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
I turned off the A69 for Corbridge and Hexham, then pulled over to put some of the route in the satnav, as I wanted to be able to enjoy the drive without worrying about where I needed to turn off. The first fun road was the A686 to Alston, and I discovered the disadvantage of my satnav when you just put in the centre of a town - for Alston that meant up a small, cobbled street. After a turnaround through some very narrow back-streets, I worked out how to get the satnav to skip the next place in the route, once I knew I'd be close enough.
I continued on to Hartside, and had my sandwich in the car par, looking at the rain, and being rocked by the wind. Hmm, whose idea was this?
After virtually no traffic when I was eating my sandwich, a few cars appeared as I manouvered out of the car park. I quickly passed the first, but then found myself behind two cars bunched up behind a third. There were a couple of spots where I had good visibility of the next several corners and could have just driven past the three cars on the right, but the car in front of me was cutting right hand corners, so I thought it prudent not to. I ended up squirting past two of the cars when gaps opened up as they accelerated away from corners, but I arrived at Langworthy and turned off to Temple Sowerby before I could despatch the third. I almost turned round to go back up and do it again, but other roads beckoned.
Oh, I also discovered that the A66 bypass past Temple Sowerby isn't in the my satnav - after it sent me down what is now a private road...
Once back on to the A66, I dashed to Brough, and then started on the best part of the whole trip. I took the B6276 from Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale, then B6277 to Alston. I wish I'd had a video camera, because the scenery was spectacular on top of the moors, sleet was practically falling horizontally, and there was a weird effect on the road with snow/cloud(?) swirling around looking very pretty. There were very few cars, and those that appeared were easily overtaken on the flowing, open roads.
Then I took the A689 to Stanhope, B6278 to Edmundbyers (one car pulled over to let me overtake, and one flashed his lights at me to warn of the police car hidden around the next bend ), then boring roads home.
4hrs 40mins, 181 miles, 24mpg, 39mph average.
Edited by nerfherder on Tuesday 31st March 12:44
PBD said:
Nice, interesting roads there, may give it a try when the suns blazing down and try to whack your 39mph average there.. never considered that as a challenge before but...
Heh! I was quite surprised it was that low, but I was sat in some stationary traffic in Hexham for a while, and I keep to 30mph limits religiously. Even on straight sections of the moors I didn't do silly speeds, for fear of a sheep wandering onto the road.To be honest, I probably wouldn't have gone any faster in the dry, as it was mostly visibility that kept my speed down, rather than grip levels. But then I don't think I'm a particularly fast driver, so I'm sure others would easily do it faster.
Edited by nerfherder on Tuesday 31st March 12:52
Edited by nerfherder on Tuesday 31st March 12:53
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