Driving routes in the lakes...
Discussion
Gents,
Im taking my F430 out for a bit of a run through the lakes in a couple of weeks, and wonderd if anyone has any particularly intersting routes, my Mrs will be in the passenger seat, so they cant be to hairy, but any feed back would be great. Tend to just end up going up and around wales, so thought the lakes would be a nice new venture.
Any help would be appreicated as im quite new to all this!
:0)
Im taking my F430 out for a bit of a run through the lakes in a couple of weeks, and wonderd if anyone has any particularly intersting routes, my Mrs will be in the passenger seat, so they cant be to hairy, but any feed back would be great. Tend to just end up going up and around wales, so thought the lakes would be a nice new venture.
Any help would be appreicated as im quite new to all this!
:0)
Best routes i think are ;
1. Over the Hardknott pass which can get pretty hairy.
2. The route out on Keswick past the Honister slate mine. Car park here may not suit a 430 but they have a decent site tour.
3. A591 from Grasmere to Keswick. Some decent sweeping dual carriageway.
4. M6 via Shap and stop at the services for some home made grub.
You see plenty of EVOs and Imprezas up there and I think the Ford rally team are based near Cockermouth.
1. Over the Hardknott pass which can get pretty hairy.
2. The route out on Keswick past the Honister slate mine. Car park here may not suit a 430 but they have a decent site tour.
3. A591 from Grasmere to Keswick. Some decent sweeping dual carriageway.
4. M6 via Shap and stop at the services for some home made grub.
You see plenty of EVOs and Imprezas up there and I think the Ford rally team are based near Cockermouth.
Depends what you want really, will you stay over night etc and willingness to tackle the numerous passes such as Hardknott, Wrynose, Honister, Kirkstone etc. The latter 2 are easy enough with mostly enough width for 2 cars Hardknott in particular is a bit more tricky. Don't know when your planning this but I'd make it sooner or some of these roads will soon be shut.
You can take in every lake in one day, will be nice and quiet and probbaly tipping it down if you plan to come in the next couple of weeks.
You can take in every lake in one day, will be nice and quiet and probbaly tipping it down if you plan to come in the next couple of weeks.
off M6 at 36, into windermere, down to bowness, walk by the lake, ice cream etc. There was last time I was there a Tapas place that was quite nice ( was in a pub type place)
across teh lake on the ferry, some good photo opportunities
into hawkshead, stop off for a quick wander round depending on your time availability
out of HH heading towards ambleside, take teh Coniston turning and follow the signs for "Tarn Hows". Its a single track one way thing but TBH its teh sort of road you take slow to enjoy the view as its simply awesome. stop for a ciggy/breather/walk round teh lake as time allows
continue and it drops you back on teh Coniston road, follow it to the lake then head north to Ambleside.
Depending on you either head across to keswick or head back to M6 at Penrith.
Some superb roads for a "play", some simply awesome scenery, some your standard touristy type places. a good cross section that you can eithjer make last a couple of hours or a couple of days depending on what you have to play with.
across teh lake on the ferry, some good photo opportunities
into hawkshead, stop off for a quick wander round depending on your time availability
out of HH heading towards ambleside, take teh Coniston turning and follow the signs for "Tarn Hows". Its a single track one way thing but TBH its teh sort of road you take slow to enjoy the view as its simply awesome. stop for a ciggy/breather/walk round teh lake as time allows
continue and it drops you back on teh Coniston road, follow it to the lake then head north to Ambleside.
Depending on you either head across to keswick or head back to M6 at Penrith.
Some superb roads for a "play", some simply awesome scenery, some your standard touristy type places. a good cross section that you can eithjer make last a couple of hours or a couple of days depending on what you have to play with.
The road from bowness south along the shores of lake windermere to newby bridge is a good one, gets a bit narrow some times, but is generally okay. It has a 50mph limit, but in places thats all you want to be doing. plus the views in place are really good. If you stop in bowness, the stag hotel does an excellent aberdeen angus burger, along with other food, and has a nice selection of ales for a swift half. The tapa place is still there, as is a chinese restaurant not far away
Welshbeef said:
PHmember said:
Welshbeef said:
Sure I doubt many people would find an Austin princess the most enthrawling experiance but each to their own
You've obviously never been balls deep in a Princess.Edited by PHmember on Monday 25th October 21:33
Generally the scenery gets better the further north you go, If you get off at Kendal and head to Windermere you can either do Kirkstone pass ending up at Ulswater then looping right back around or head to Coniston the coast road from there is quick and interesting roads then get off as Gosforth and head to Hardknott. A stop over would def allow you to make the most of it.
Was in the Lakes last week, did a few of the passes.
Typically, the roads over the passes are very narrow, and have severe brows and dips. I would reckon that the low wide F430 with poor visibility over the nose would make the car difficult to place on some of the falling hairpin bends at walking speed. There are places where the odd rock is sticking out at cill level, and it would be easy to just turn onto one.
For those roads the BMW would be more fun, simply because of the vision.
There are not a lot of sweeping roads to let the F430 enjoy itself, but there are some really great views, albeit from tight and twisty roads.
It'll be fun whatever, enjoy yourself!
Typically, the roads over the passes are very narrow, and have severe brows and dips. I would reckon that the low wide F430 with poor visibility over the nose would make the car difficult to place on some of the falling hairpin bends at walking speed. There are places where the odd rock is sticking out at cill level, and it would be easy to just turn onto one.
For those roads the BMW would be more fun, simply because of the vision.
There are not a lot of sweeping roads to let the F430 enjoy itself, but there are some really great views, albeit from tight and twisty roads.
It'll be fun whatever, enjoy yourself!
Paul Drawmer said:
Typically, the roads over the passes are very narrow, and have severe brows and dips. I would reckon that the low wide F430 with poor visibility over the nose would make the car difficult to place on some of the falling hairpin bends at walking speed. There are places where the odd rock is sticking out at cill level, and it would be easy to just turn onto one.
For those roads the BMW would be more fun, simply because of the vision.
There are not a lot of sweeping roads to let the F430 enjoy itself, but there are some really great views, albeit from tight and twisty roads.
It'll be fun whatever, enjoy yourself!
Agree 100% with this. There are some great roads in the lakes but roads like Hardknott and Wrynose pass will be a nightmare in an F430. Still to the flowing roads. Kirkstone pass is great, a bit narrow in places and you'll need to get up early if you want to avoid the caravans but great none the less. The A593 to the west of Lake Coniston is great too. Again narrow in places, but opens up in places. For those roads the BMW would be more fun, simply because of the vision.
There are not a lot of sweeping roads to let the F430 enjoy itself, but there are some really great views, albeit from tight and twisty roads.
It'll be fun whatever, enjoy yourself!
Lastly, if you have the time, head up to Hardside through Melmerby from Penrith. The short uphill section from Melmerby to Hartside Cafe itself is my favourite piece of road anywhere.
I live in the Lakes area and definitely would not contemplate taking a F430 over any of the passes.
If you come off at J36 and head up the A590 and then turn left (still on the A590) at Brettargh Holt this will take you onwards to Newby Bridge.
At Newby Bridge you can take the A591 up passed Windermere which is a nice run out in good weather. I think somebody already mentioned that there are one or two narrow parts but generally fine for wider traffic.
The A591 will take you all the way up to Keswick and the A66.
For the route back down to the south lakes I'd be tempted to head west on the A66 towards Workington and then south on the A595 passed Whitehaven and continue down that route passed Calder Bridge until you join the A5092 and then back to the A590.
Both these routes are quite scenic and wide enough for a car like an F430.
If you come off at J36 and head up the A590 and then turn left (still on the A590) at Brettargh Holt this will take you onwards to Newby Bridge.
At Newby Bridge you can take the A591 up passed Windermere which is a nice run out in good weather. I think somebody already mentioned that there are one or two narrow parts but generally fine for wider traffic.
The A591 will take you all the way up to Keswick and the A66.
For the route back down to the south lakes I'd be tempted to head west on the A66 towards Workington and then south on the A595 passed Whitehaven and continue down that route passed Calder Bridge until you join the A5092 and then back to the A590.
Both these routes are quite scenic and wide enough for a car like an F430.
Gad-Westy said:
There are some great roads in the lakes but roads like Hardknott and Wrynose pass will be a nightmare in an F430.
+1Parts of the Hardknott are a six feet wide tarmac
stripe, with plenty of lumpy bits and low
visibility corners, mostly best taken at
about 5 mph or less.
More Land Rover territory than Eye-Tie Dancing Donkey,
I'd have thought.
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