Hi everyone,

I'm looking to plan a weekend road trip with a few mates in either may or june this year.

We all live on the outskirts of london around the m25, so don't get to drive our cars on the roads that they were really built for. So, we all watch Top Gear and always say that we should go to either the Isle Of Man or somewhere in Wales where there are some awesome bendy twisty roads in the hills and valleys.


So, if anyone has any previous experience along these lines please could you give us some suggestions of where you went, and if possible post some pictures of the scenery and roads in which you encountered.


Many thanks!

Az.

 

A686 Penrith to Alston and then Hexham in Cumbria/Durham
and then the dales and lakes roads in the pennines

fab roads,

or Scottishland, west coast: A82/83/85/86/87 (as featured in the BMW review in one of the car mags this month - cant remember which one as I lost the mag!) Rannoch Moor, Glencoe etc etc.

 

This place is supposed to be good: Elan Valley, mid-Wales. That's my brother's Elan on tour. I think anywhere in mid-Wales is pretty good.



Here's one of the local totty that he pulled:

 

Not got any pics to hand, but if youre up near Maclesfield (manchester) be sure to check out the 'Cat and Fiddle Pass' (A537). Theres the pass itself and most of the surrounding area thats stuffed full of awsome twisties you can see straight across for some apex-kissing-action.
The pub itself (the cat and fiddle) is well worth checking out too, good food at reasonable prices.
Cop activity increases towards the summer as its notorious for bikers giving it full twist. The surrounding residential B-roads in Maclesfield are full of cops too. (This is how I recently earned myself my first ever 3points on the pink plastic)
Great road, but keep your eyes open... WELL worth a detour.

And if youre really pushing oop north, I hear that ButterTubb Pass
(Cliff Gate Road) off the A684 or B6270 is an excellent drive if youre not un-nerved by 100ft sheer drops and the like

Enjoy it lad!

 

I dont think much of the Buttertub pass - its too short and if you get stuck behind summat there's no way to get past! - but there are so many other roads in that area anyhoo.....

 

Thats funny that the buttertub pass got mentioned actually cos thats another place I was looking at, heard its supposed to be pretty awesome. I have driven through a small part of the dales before and I loved it! but was following someone at the time so didn't get a full experience of it, so wouldn't mind going up there again to be honest. I've heard the Tan Hill Inn is wortha drive to as well, highest pub in the country.

Wales is still a place I wouldn't mind experiencing, but the force of the filth around there puts me off slightly to be honest, not that we're planning to go crazy, but just want to enjoy it and not have to spend more time looking out for old bill than actually looking at where we're going.


Thanks a lot for the suggestions so far! Some real good sounding places mentioned, so keep them coming!

 

Nice classic Elan by the way!

 

Evo Triangle in North wales....and hope the weather is nice for a change! Right old trek, but those roads are REALLY good!

Ns04

 

Az, You have PM from the South Wales Scoobies, road trip rep

 

Nearly forgot. If you want we could meet you have a bit of a combined do, dates permitting. We tried with the another group a few weeks ago but dates clashing blew it up.

Sundays are best, sleepy hollow, you could Travelodge it on the Saturday, say Baaaa to a few bints and run and shot on the Sunday

 

Personally I think the western Highlands of Scotland, A82 etc and the off roads are excellent for the scoob with lots of long straights and deep bends and the added bonus of an outstanding backdrop not found anywhere in the UK (not for the driver so much but excellent for the passengers) I have the privilage of having Inlaws in Glencoe so take full advantage as often as I can.

 

Evo triangle? Never heard of that!

Blue Dragon - Thanks very much for the pm, I've hit you back! good idea about the combined meet! Also date permitting my end as we've yet to arrange a definate weekend yet, but sounds good!

A bloke at work suggested the A82 as well, said it's an amazing road, but it's a 7+ hour drive just to get up there! So not so sure if everyone is gonna want to go out that far as the fuel bills on there own would be something we'd have to start saving for now if we was to treck up there!

 

Europe is the place to go

 

as said befor the cat and fiddle is a great road also round this way is the maccelsfield to whaley bridge/whaley bridge to buxton(long hill) woodhead pass/snake pass they are all excelent for driving like the car is design to but the bikes also love them so in the summer months they are litterd with copper

 

Wrynose and Hardknott passes are good, but a maybe a bit OTT?










M

 

My favourite run is from Otley to Tan Hill Pub, then north over the Tees and Tyne valleys, and then on up into Keilder Forest, and back !

Fabulous and often empty at the right time of the week, NOT Sunday !

dunx

Tan Hill Selection.....

 

2nd that aswome road, tight by Loch Lomond also the A83 road that runs thru Inveraray is spot on aswell

the trouble is the scenery is soooo fantastic you just cant drive fast

 

Now that is what I'm talking about Meridian!!!!

PERFECT!

 

Agreed, the A82 is a great drive BUT beware deer at night, especially this time of year, as you cross Rannoch Moor. Even national limit can give you little time to react if there's a herd in the road.

 

Dunx- Awesome pictures there mate! That's dwfinately the sort of thing I'm after. This is becoming a tough call where to go now!

 

Driving Roads - Driving Roads For Driving Enthusiasts - plenty on there

 

Plenty of good suggestions there. Personally I'd head for the Breacons in south wales, meet up with Blue Dragoon (sorry we missed out on a combined meet that weekend ) and then head up the centre of wales towards the Evo Triangle.
Plenty of pictures/videos on our site if you look for the Welsh trip galleries, and we've also covered Yorkshire quite a bit too
SMACS Image and Members Gallery - South Manchester And Cheshire Subaru's (SMACS)
Subaru Videos - South Manchester And Cheshire Subarus (SMACS)
I've just uploaded loads of our vids to youtube and google video, so you can have a look at them starting with this one from earlier this month on the black mountain road in the Breacons, south wales: YouTube - elan 09 part 6
and last year, in Yorkshire on google video: buckden to gayle

 

+1

Evo Triangle - North Wales - SR - Driving Roads - Driving Roads For

 

Hi AZ thanks go to Sticky the WYIOC photographer at large....

Very Good Indeed !

dunx

 

Scotland, basically all of it, you can't go wrong

 

You're not trying hard enough then!!

 

Based up here i'd say Scotland. Having been to the Isle of Mann i would say it isn't the best for driving. Ok you can give it full chat on The Mountain but the majority of the roads are single track type so not a place you can really blat along.

Wales or if you wanted to make it a bit more of a journey the Lake District around Keswick etc is top drawer.

5t.

 

Ditto - Plenty of room except if you have a "passenger"!

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...eDales048b.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...eDales042b.jpg

 

This is great! Big thanks for everyone who's got involved in this thread! I'm gonna have a look at the posted links tonight when I get home.