Whats your favourite local driving route(s)?

[chris_w666]

Just wondered where the local PH'ers go for runs out to enjoy their motor (most of you being lucky gits with grunt and handling to spare). I know a lot of guys on here go over to Hartside pass, but how do you get there?

My personal favourite is a run up to blakey ridge from castleton to the A170, to pickering and then back towards whiby via sleights, chips in whitby for a little rest then back towards teesside. Through Great Ayton to Stokesley and then a quick blast to Helmesley and back before tea.

[marky911]

Mornin' Chris,
My favorite is, as you've mentioned, Hartside. I go from Cramlington where I live. You can go via Ponteland, etc on the back roads but, they're still not that twisty, so I normally just go A1, A69, pass Hexham then turn off just before Haydon Bridge. My favorite section, bike or car, is from Whitfield village to Hartside via Alston. It's all one road so there's no way you could ever get lost. (That's not why it's my favourite section though. )
All over the lakes is great though, Kendal to Devils Bridge, Middleton Teesdale, etc.

Stick a post up if you're heading up anytime, I'm usually out an' about. Away next 2 weekends though, Dublin then Lemans, Yippee!!!

[pbirkett]

One of my faves is down the military road (B6318) then off the B6321 down to Corbridge, across the Bridge then heading down the B6307 then B6306 down towards Blanchland, then if I want to make a real drive of it, travel up Bale Hill then B6278 towards Stanhope. Carry on up the B6278 all the way back to Barnard Castle. Great fun.

Either that or I always like hitting the A686 and the roads around that area.

Another good route is the A697 all the way until you hit the A68 again in Scotland then back down the A68 / A696. Watch for cameras on the scottish side of the A68 though.

[Gad-Westy]

Seeing as Hartside in all its configurations has been mentioned, I'll plump for the B6278 Edmundbyers to Egglestone. Awesome and entirely deserted stretch of road over the moors.

[marshalla]

shuttupshuttupshuttupshuttup!

We don't want them finding out our secrets!

[SeanyD]

Hartside of course has to be up there at the top, followed by

1. A696 Ponteland through to Otterburn etc (only just re-discovered the road last weekend, fabulous drive.)

2. Military road, Throckley to Corbridge.

3. Not sure what road it is but the very straight 'roman built' road from B6342 (near Cambo) through to Otterburn. The one with the gallows half way along. Very high up, very straight, very fast, stunning views. No twisties, but still a great road.

[designer]

marshalla said:

shuttupshuttupshuttupshuttup!

We don't want them finding out our secrets!

Completely agree, don’t be posting up details of our fav roads. Otherwise we will have everyone driving on them and sometimes beyond their limits, causing congestion and accidents, resulting in more Police.

Keep em quiet

[chris_w666]

Know what you mean about the secrets but most Plod are petrolheads and know where the best roads are anyway.

Bit odd to find that most of you plump for the north and west of the region. I also am a huge fan of pretty much every road that runs into and out of Middleton in Teesdale.

I do feel a bit of charlatan driving something that makes no noise and uses bugger all fuel for hooning though.

[tvrbob]

chris_w666 said:

Know what you mean about the secrets but most Plod are petrolheads and know where the best roads are anyway.

Nobody is suggesting plod is a problem. The point is that NEPHers will learn where our fun roads are. As you can imagine this isn't the first time this question has been asked, we have learned from our mistakes. Keep it quiet and the roads remain fun, shout about it and they become full.

Snake Pass in Derbyshire is a good example, great road but those who enjoy driving now avoid it because it's packed with people.

[ketvrin]

A 320 mile blast thru the scottish borders...

start at Haydon Bridge... over Hartside to Melmerby and back over again as far as Alston, NW to Brampton and Gretna following the Coastal Route to Dumfries and again round the Coast to Castle Douglas for lunch. North past Loch Ken to St Johns Dalry where NE to Thornhill through Moniaive (narrow street thru village sounds great) North Again for a few miles until turn off for Wanlockead to Elvanfoot, SE to Moffat (on old road alongside Motorway)then NE again to Selkirk past St Mary's Loch. South from Selkirk to Hawick then SE to Bonchester bridge and onto the Kielder Road continue South via wark and Chollerford to Hexham and then home...

Superb and you will probably count the number of Muggles you have to pass on the way around in single figures...

apart from Hartside, these are unsung roads and there could be many variations on this route.

enjoy

K

Edited by ketvrin on Wednesday 4th June 18:28

[chris_w666]

tvrbob said:

chris_w666 said:

Know what you mean about the secrets but most Plod are petrolheads and know where the best roads are anyway.

Nobody is suggesting plod is a problem. The point is that NEPHers will learn where our fun roads are. As you can imagine this isn't the first time this question has been asked, we have learned from our mistakes. Keep it quiet and the roads remain fun, shout about it and they become full.

Snake Pass in Derbyshire is a good example, great road but those who enjoy driving now avoid it because it's packed with people.

I can see your point actually Bob, I know im a relatively new and not exactly sports car owning PH'er but I suppose the 'new generation' of corsa with bean can exhaust types that are appearing would ruin these runs with bad driving and probably stupid mistakes.

I know plod isn't truly a problem as on most of the best roads 60+ isn't really sustainable so speed isn't the issue on them. Ill forget this thread and stick to quiet roads like the rest of you.

[bob-in-toon]

Posing thro the toon and oz rd on a saturday night

[RoccoBen]

The ulltimate Beehive road linking seaton sluice to earsdon/whitley bay
one of the best roads ever

[After_Shock]

designer said:

marshalla said:

shuttupshuttupshuttupshuttup!

We don't want them finding out our secrets!

Completely agree, don’t be posting up details of our fav roads. Otherwise we will have everyone driving on them and sometimes beyond their limits, causing congestion and accidents, resulting in more Police.

Keep em quiet

Good point, used to love the helmsley TT, infact dad taught me to drive on it but cant really use it anymore, shed loads of police, nutcase bikers half the time and its always shut in parts everytime try to go along it.

[chris_w666]

I find that weekdays or early mornings are best for the B1257 to Helmsley, Castleton and over to the A170 is generally quiet except for sunday afternoons.

If you fancy a run out give me a shout as you're local.

[pbirkett]

tvrbob said:

chris_w666 said:

Know what you mean about the secrets but most Plod are petrolheads and know where the best roads are anyway.

Nobody is suggesting plod is a problem. The point is that NEPHers will learn where our fun roads are. As you can imagine this isn't the first time this question has been asked, we have learned from our mistakes. Keep it quiet and the roads remain fun, shout about it and they become full.

Snake Pass in Derbyshire is a good example, great road but those who enjoy driving now avoid it because it's packed with people.

To be fair though, I personally didnt learn about any of these roads from pistonheads. I simply picked up a map, found some roads which looked interesting, and tried them out. Anyone can do this, so they dont need us to tell them.

[tvrbob]

pbirkett said:

To be fair though, I personally didnt learn about any of these roads from pistonheads. I simply picked up a map, found some roads which looked interesting, and tried them out. Anyone can do this, so they dont need us to tell them.

That's the way to do it. Look for minor roads that go the same direction as major roads or roads that only service little villages. These roads will generally be free from traffic and full of twisty bits.

[Stu R]

tvrbob said:

pbirkett said:

To be fair though, I personally didnt learn about any of these roads from pistonheads. I simply picked up a map, found some roads which looked interesting, and tried them out. Anyone can do this, so they dont need us to tell them.

That's the way to do it. Look for minor roads that go the same direction as major roads or roads that only service little villages. These roads will generally be free from traffic and full of twisty bits.

without a doubt the best way of doing it, or just take my proven approach and fill the tank and get lost without maps or sat navs in the middle of nowhere, the amount of cracking roads I've found that I never knew existed, particularly in the western outskirts of county durham is amazing