robin hoods bay advice needed...
Discussion
hi guys, picking the car up from stockton on tees next week & to celebrate the transmision refresh i've booked a stay down in robin hoods bay with the better half 
so, any ideas on the best route to take down? follow the coast down the A174/A171? is it a good road? or i could take the B1257 through the moors & link up with the a170 & head out that way? i was thinking of taking the coastal road on the way down & then the moors on the way back (i need to get back to cumbria on the way back) but if anyone has any other recommendations i'd be glad of the advice as we've never been down that way before.
any tips on places to get eat of drink would be welcome too,
cheers guys
so, any ideas on the best route to take down? follow the coast down the A174/A171? is it a good road? or i could take the B1257 through the moors & link up with the a170 & head out that way? i was thinking of taking the coastal road on the way down & then the moors on the way back (i need to get back to cumbria on the way back) but if anyone has any other recommendations i'd be glad of the advice as we've never been down that way before.
any tips on places to get eat of drink would be welcome too,
cheers guys
Here’s what I’d do.
Leave Stockton and go down the A19 and turn left onto the A170. Have a cup of tea in Helmsley (you’ll need it) and then leave Helmsley on the B1257 to Stokesley. On the roundabout just to the east of Stokesley take the A173 towards Great Ayton but after ½ mile(ish) you need to turn off towards Easby and Castleton. In Castleton take the Blakey Ridge road south towards Hutton-le-Hole/ Kirkbymoorside. This is one of the epic roads in the UK. If you’re thirsty again stop at the Lion Inn right on the top of the moors. At the end of the road you reach the A170 (again). Turn left towards Scarborough. In Pickering turn left onto the A169 to Whitby. Turn right on the edge of Whitby down towards RHB.
If you're hungry see the F&C thread and go to the Magpie in Whitby.
Leave Stockton and go down the A19 and turn left onto the A170. Have a cup of tea in Helmsley (you’ll need it) and then leave Helmsley on the B1257 to Stokesley. On the roundabout just to the east of Stokesley take the A173 towards Great Ayton but after ½ mile(ish) you need to turn off towards Easby and Castleton. In Castleton take the Blakey Ridge road south towards Hutton-le-Hole/ Kirkbymoorside. This is one of the epic roads in the UK. If you’re thirsty again stop at the Lion Inn right on the top of the moors. At the end of the road you reach the A170 (again). Turn left towards Scarborough. In Pickering turn left onto the A169 to Whitby. Turn right on the edge of Whitby down towards RHB.
If you're hungry see the F&C thread and go to the Magpie in Whitby.
cragswinter said:
This Blakey ridge road-is it fairly well sighted?
Its ACE. If your going North-south though, theres a left turn before you get to the Lion in that takes a slightly different route further east and drops you down to the bottom of Chimney bank, then you can go up chimney bank and then back into the other side of hutton-le-hole. This little section is great too - I usually do a 'loop' out and back to hutton-le-hole this way.
You should probably do some kind of convoluted looped route, just to make sure you take it all in - well worth it, great little section of road. Mind the sheep and pheasants...
cragswinter said:
Brilliant you just can't beat a bit of local knowledge!
This Blakey ridge road-is it fairly well sighted?
I would be interested to see which of the three N/S routes you prefer. The B1257 from Helmsley to Stokesley is known as the Helmsley GP and is much loved by bikers. But it's a bit early for them and you might get a great run uninterupted by the power rangers. Just about every piece of roadside furniture has a speed camera sign on it but there are no fixed cameras at all but the road id regularly patrolled by police cars both marked and unmarked and by police bikes both marked and unmarked. The section from Helsmley to Chop Gate (pronounced Chop Yatt) is much better than the bit after to Stokesley. This Blakey ridge road-is it fairly well sighted?
Then Blakey Ridge: usually avoided by the bikes and as I said earlier one of the great roads in the UK. Do snotrags loop if you have time but if you have time say so and we'll put in even more stages for you.
And finally the A169 from Pickering to Whitby. This absolutely magnificent road is only spoilt by the traffic. If you get a clear run it will undoubtedly earn a place in your top ten roads of all time. But getting a traffic free run at it is like getting four numbers on the lottery: doesn't happen often. In my opinion (and have done on many occasions) worth getting up at sparrow fart (in the summer) and having a blast before the rest of the world gets up.
Also hope you get a clear shot at Sutton Bank: it's always nice to use first gear in attack mode...
it's gonna be a weekday & i'm guessing on leaving stockton at around midday, hopefully the weather will hold out & the bib won't make an appearance-you tend to get noticed in a yellow 911!
many thanks for the image, i'll make sure i print it out (the other half isn't the best navigator
)
many thanks for the image, i'll make sure i print it out (the other half isn't the best navigator
)Blakey ridge is a little bumpy IMO, so I'd personally recommend running the 1257 Stokesly to Helmsley, then down to Malton, Beverley (nice market town), then back through Driffield (bypass) to the A64 at Staxton Hill. Pop into Olivers Mount too, where real men race real motorbikes still! Pop into Scarborough and drive down the front, and take the coast road to get to RHB.
V Power in Guisborough, Kilham (twixt Malton & Beverley with a small detour). Not sure where from Scarborough up though.
V Power in Guisborough, Kilham (twixt Malton & Beverley with a small detour). Not sure where from Scarborough up though.
The section of A170 from Thirsk to Helmsley (particularly from Sutton Bank) is great but is curvy rather than twisty and isn't likely to light your fire unless you are well into illegal speeds (same goes for much of the A169 from Pickering to Whitby).
There is good reason why the Old Bill hang around these roads in unmarked Imprezas and grey Volvos, the roads are very, very tempting. I live in Helmsley and I often see people having 'chats' with BIB at the roadside. The Blakey road is a bit bumpy but I've never seen police up there. It does have it's own weather system up there though.
Having had a quick look at PaulHogan's map I would add that when you get to the Blakey road near Castleton you might want to go left and follow the road to the A171 then double back. If you read EVO or GT Purely Porsche (or indeed any car mag that mentions North York Moors as part of it's test route) you will recognise some of the corners. They are smoother, better maintained than the roads south of the Lion Inn (different council and it shows) and you've got excellent sight-lines.
I personally wouldn't bother diverting Malton-way unless you're going to Mr. Hawkins' Porsche Emporium although he always has something interesting in, despite him looking like a down-and-out. He's a lovely chap but I'm always surprised that when you're up close to him he doesn't smell of drink.
There is good reason why the Old Bill hang around these roads in unmarked Imprezas and grey Volvos, the roads are very, very tempting. I live in Helmsley and I often see people having 'chats' with BIB at the roadside. The Blakey road is a bit bumpy but I've never seen police up there. It does have it's own weather system up there though.
Having had a quick look at PaulHogan's map I would add that when you get to the Blakey road near Castleton you might want to go left and follow the road to the A171 then double back. If you read EVO or GT Purely Porsche (or indeed any car mag that mentions North York Moors as part of it's test route) you will recognise some of the corners. They are smoother, better maintained than the roads south of the Lion Inn (different council and it shows) and you've got excellent sight-lines.
I personally wouldn't bother diverting Malton-way unless you're going to Mr. Hawkins' Porsche Emporium although he always has something interesting in, despite him looking like a down-and-out. He's a lovely chap but I'm always surprised that when you're up close to him he doesn't smell of drink.
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