Peak District or North Wales?
Discussion
I have to drive up to Sandbach and a spend a couple of days on site with one of our customers on the Wednesday/Thursday before the Easter weekend. I live in north Kent, where decent driving roads are few and far between, and largely congested. So rather than driving home on the Thursday night, I was thinking of finding a B&B somewhere and taking the opportunity to explore some decent driving roads on the Friday before heading home.
Sandbach is only 30 minutes from the Peak District, so even if I didn't stay, I could just take the long route back through it to the M1 and head south. But then it occurred to me that I could go out further and explore north Wales, including the Evo Triangle - the sort of roads I see in Evo/Chris Harris/Carfection vides and pine for. I know neither of these areas particularly well, apart from getting the impression that both have a lot to offer in terms of roads and scenery, so I thought I'd turn to PH.
Which area would you choose to spend a day driving around? I suspect that Wales would be the obvious choice, but it would require a more significant diversion - also bear in mind, this will be at the start of the Easter weekend, so any experience of traffic would be helpful from those with experience. Any any suggestions for places to head for the overnight stop Thurs-Friday?
Sandbach is only 30 minutes from the Peak District, so even if I didn't stay, I could just take the long route back through it to the M1 and head south. But then it occurred to me that I could go out further and explore north Wales, including the Evo Triangle - the sort of roads I see in Evo/Chris Harris/Carfection vides and pine for. I know neither of these areas particularly well, apart from getting the impression that both have a lot to offer in terms of roads and scenery, so I thought I'd turn to PH.
Which area would you choose to spend a day driving around? I suspect that Wales would be the obvious choice, but it would require a more significant diversion - also bear in mind, this will be at the start of the Easter weekend, so any experience of traffic would be helpful from those with experience. Any any suggestions for places to head for the overnight stop Thurs-Friday?
Thanks for the replies all. North Wales looks to be a favourite choice at the moment. And I have always wanted to visit that area, so I'm leaning toward doing that. I know the Evo Triangle is said to be a bit overrated, but it is still sure to be better than anywhere in the southeast, so I think I would probably at least do a lap of it then explore some of the suggested areas further south
Red Devil said:
Indeed. I guess it depends on how late in the day he wants to get back to Kent...
I've Just booked myself a place not far from the Evo Triangle. My aim is to get up early, explore some of the suggestions on here - the triangle, Horsehsoe Pass, Bala, etc - then plot a basic route heading south before turning back toward England. I've got the whole day really - doesn't matter if I don't get home until the evening 
Taking my camera with me, so I'll update the thread with some poorly taken photographs afterwards if anyone's interested.
Well, that was a cracking day
Up and out at 6AM. The weather was, unfortunately, typically Welsh - grey, overcast and raining lightly for most of the drive. But the roads were still massively enjoyable - one of the best drives I've ever had, definitely.
Here's the route I ended up taking, up to where I joined the M40 for the motorway slog back to Kent: https://goo.gl/maps/18iQnmEQMss
I didn't bother with the Horseshoe Pass, as it would mean going back on myself for a while, and I wasn't sure I'd have the time, so I just headed to the Evo Triangle and on from there. As it happens, I was home by 2.30PM, so I should really have gone there, and done a bit more driving in general, but I don't feel like I've missed out - pretty much every road was fantastic.
Highlights for me? Well, I see what people mean about the Evo Triangle. I had great fun, but I felt it was a bit too open and wide in places for the speeds I'm most comfortable with. It was still fantastic, but I actually had more fun on some of the later roads - perhaps because the scenery is a bit better and more dramatic elsewhere. Although I can see why this is a popular spot for supercar tests and bikers - lots of variety of road conditions, and fantastic visibility meaning you can really open the car up.
One of my favourite sections was probably Capel Curig to Porthmadog (A4086/A498). Scenery was stunning and the road much more technical than the triangle, and more suited to my car. From there, back toward Bala and a quick stop for a bacon sandwich at Caffi Frongoch before heading south again.
One nice surprise was the A470/A458, which I took by mistake when I made a wrong turn at the Cross Foxes Inn, but it turned out to be one of those epic mountain pass style roads you see in the magazines. Cracking road. From there, the B4568/A489 also turned out to be tremendous fun all the way back through the Shropshire Hills - as much fun as the roads in Wales, I must say
Traffic was light. I barely saw another car for the first hour or so, and those I did encounter were easy to pass - it's such a nice feeling to overtake a car then have the road to yourself again. Almost pointless back home, as you're behind another car within minutes. Wales really seems like a driver's paradise - such an abundance of fantastic roads, with very little traffic. Perhaps I was just lucky in my timings, but I had been dreading running into miles of queuing caravans and SUVs adorned with bike racks and roofboxes crawling everywhere. Glad to see it wasn't the case.
Drab weather meant I wasn't keen to stop and do much in the way of photography, and mean't the photos I did take weren't particularly astounding. However, I did take a few shots, so what the hell. Enjoy.
Evo Triangle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
Nant Gwynant Valley
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
(IMG tags don't seem to be working, so just links for now).
Up and out at 6AM. The weather was, unfortunately, typically Welsh - grey, overcast and raining lightly for most of the drive. But the roads were still massively enjoyable - one of the best drives I've ever had, definitely.
Here's the route I ended up taking, up to where I joined the M40 for the motorway slog back to Kent: https://goo.gl/maps/18iQnmEQMss
I didn't bother with the Horseshoe Pass, as it would mean going back on myself for a while, and I wasn't sure I'd have the time, so I just headed to the Evo Triangle and on from there. As it happens, I was home by 2.30PM, so I should really have gone there, and done a bit more driving in general, but I don't feel like I've missed out - pretty much every road was fantastic.
Highlights for me? Well, I see what people mean about the Evo Triangle. I had great fun, but I felt it was a bit too open and wide in places for the speeds I'm most comfortable with. It was still fantastic, but I actually had more fun on some of the later roads - perhaps because the scenery is a bit better and more dramatic elsewhere. Although I can see why this is a popular spot for supercar tests and bikers - lots of variety of road conditions, and fantastic visibility meaning you can really open the car up.
One of my favourite sections was probably Capel Curig to Porthmadog (A4086/A498). Scenery was stunning and the road much more technical than the triangle, and more suited to my car. From there, back toward Bala and a quick stop for a bacon sandwich at Caffi Frongoch before heading south again.
One nice surprise was the A470/A458, which I took by mistake when I made a wrong turn at the Cross Foxes Inn, but it turned out to be one of those epic mountain pass style roads you see in the magazines. Cracking road. From there, the B4568/A489 also turned out to be tremendous fun all the way back through the Shropshire Hills - as much fun as the roads in Wales, I must say
Traffic was light. I barely saw another car for the first hour or so, and those I did encounter were easy to pass - it's such a nice feeling to overtake a car then have the road to yourself again. Almost pointless back home, as you're behind another car within minutes. Wales really seems like a driver's paradise - such an abundance of fantastic roads, with very little traffic. Perhaps I was just lucky in my timings, but I had been dreading running into miles of queuing caravans and SUVs adorned with bike racks and roofboxes crawling everywhere. Glad to see it wasn't the case.
Drab weather meant I wasn't keen to stop and do much in the way of photography, and mean't the photos I did take weren't particularly astounding. However, I did take a few shots, so what the hell. Enjoy.
Evo Triangle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
Nant Gwynant Valley
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/DIB27/GT86/...
(IMG tags don't seem to be working, so just links for now).
Edited by Conscript on Friday 14th April 18:25
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