Nurburgring solo

[Z4MCSL]

So please do let me know if one of the myriad of nurburgring posts on here already addresses this situation but essentially...

I want to tick off spa and the nurburgring from my bucket list.

I have the sum total of about 2 mates who are into cars and can afford trackdays but can convince neither of them to do a nurburgring trip.

My GF is likewise not particularly enthralled by a nurburgring trip.

So the question I have is, are there group trips that you can recommend for a novice solo to get involved with.

I want to drive over, probably in my rs275 trophy, take it pretty easy (no interest I'm trying to go quick and risking a crash and an armco bill) and drive back.

Thanks

[tozerman]

Can't help with the group trip question I'm afraid but if needed I would go on my own in heartbeat.
Admittedly the evenings may be a bit boring, but if its solo or no go then solo wins everytime for me personally....

[RSbandit]

In a similar position have about one mate who is into cars and track driving, he's been with me a few times to the Ring but not every visit so I've done the solo trip 3 times now. It works fine tbh I enjoy it as my main aim is to get plenty of clean laps in...and there's a great vibe in the car park you'll just get chatting to plenty of random like minded people so don't let a solo trip put you off!

[Kswap]

I went on my own about four years ago. First timer. Got to the hotel and a group of 10 lads from a town 20 miles from where I live turned up!! Hung out with them for two days. I looked into going in a tour/group thing but nothing came up. I stayed for 4 tourist days and did a tour of Spa on the way back including two laps with a local instructor in a Megane and a few parade laps in my own car. Just go on your own. You can do what you want when you want.

I do Trackdays on my own also. I’m a right nomates lol.

Edited by Kswap on Friday 21st January 08:49

Edited by Kswap on Friday 21st January 08:49

Edited by Kswap on Friday 21st January 08:49

[paulwirral]

Op , your welcome to tag on with us , we’ll be going sometime mid year for a few nights mid week .
We’ve been going years and non of us are very good drivers so if you come with us keep your expectations low , we also drink to much on an evening!
I’m surprised there’s not been a few answers similar to this to be honest . Come on boys ,help this guy out .

[doogalman]

So many people head over in groups of mates. Normally there are groups travelling out throughout the season. Reach out on forums or indeed here in this group, honestly everyone heads out with one thing in mind…. To have a great weekend.

Or if you are the shy type do it solo. The drive over is not that difficult.

Even if you do it solo, you’ll soon enough hook up with people once there.

[Ryan_T]

I think going solo for your first time sounds perfect, can go at your own pace, no pressure etc. Even if you join a group you’ll spend 95% of the time by yourself anyway in the car driving!

I’d enjoy the solo drive, exploring the view points and forest around the track etc. You’ll probably find a few laps over a weekend more than enough for your first time.

I’ve been a fair few times, just do it - People built it up like it’s this massive thing that needs all this prep and planning. Ultimately it’s just a long, easy motorway cruise control trip with an exciting toll road at the end of it, just do it. We did it leaving after work on a Friday once, and back at my desk Monday morning, 1000 miles later (admittedly a bit tired), easy.

There’s some good YouTube videos out there with gps links in the description for the best viewing spots, so have those saved beforehand and you’re good to go.

And use the Devils Diner as your destination, lots of people end up at the Nurburgring entertainment complex and get confused when they expected the entrance to the nordschleife.

[Gixer968CS]

When I bought my 911 a few years back the first thing I did was drive it to the Nurburgring on my own. The weekend after I got it I was at a loose end and so just went. Stayed in Adenau where it's pretty easy to find someone to have a chat with. It's a busy little town with loads of 'ring goers staying or tootling through. I had been several times before (with others) so knew what I was doing/where I was going but don't be intimidated just go!!

[Kswap]

As mentioned above I’d definitely stay in Adenau if I went again. Especially on my own. Even if you’re the shy type just sit outside a restaurant with a beer and book watching the nice cars go by.

[BobToc]

I go to Spa and the Nurburgring on my own all the time. I quite like having a few hours on my own listening to an audiobook in the car.

[Jamescrs]

I'd also say stay in Adenau, the whole area around there is built up around the ring and people going there, it's a pretty friendly place and I found everyone is basically there to go to the Ring, there's not much there for people who aren't interested in it.

I went with a group of mates who go every year but i'd go alone for 2-3 days if I didn't have anyone to go with, there's plenty there to keep occupied.

[LennyM1984]

I'd have no issue doing that as a solo trip. With a young family, a few days away driving sounds very appealing (I did similar last year albeit only to do a few UK tracks).

I last went to the ring in 2011 with a mate and it was awesome but the tourist days are pretty mental IMHO (they make even the worst UK track day look disciplined). We stayed over in Brussels the night before but did the return leg (Nurburgring to Oxford) in one go leaving at 9am and getting back by 11pm(ish).

If you are planning to do a track day (with the UK style "no third party liability" deal) rather than a touristenfahrten, I'd be keen to tag along... especially if you fancy doing Spa on the way back. I think we may previously have met at an Abingdon track day but I may be getting confused.

[UTH]

paulwirral said:

Op , your welcome to tag on with us , we’ll be going sometime mid year for a few nights mid week .
We’ve been going years and non of us are very good drivers so if you come with us keep your expectations low , we also drink to much on an evening!
I’m surprised there’s not been a few answers similar to this to be honest . Come on boys ,help this guy out .

Stop it, you're tempting me to crash your party! Sounds like you do it the way I'd do it, although I'd like to think I'm an ok driver, but certainly not interested in pushing to the limit and risking a crash, and I certainly like drinking too much in the evening

[Krikkit]

If you're up North I can highly recommend the P&O from Hull to Rotterdam - it's less than 4h from getting off the ferry to the ring, so you can be there for lunch time quite easily.

Also worth a stop-off is the Schumacher kart centre on the way, has a good restaurant and some decent memorabilia aside from the karts if you don't fancy it, and only 2 minutes off the autobahn.

[ecain63]

I've done the Ring solo a few times. If you ask me, it's usually easier and smoother than relying on your compadres to be on time and in the right place.

[Zarco]

Just do it. It's worth it to scratch that itch and there will be other like minded people out there to meet.

I've been away back packing on my own for 3 months before (many years ago). Obviously quite easy to find company in hostels, I'd happily go away on my motorbike solo for a few days to find some good roads. I planned but sadly never executed a trip to Wales a few years ago (forecast was very wet!!). I'd just take a good book for the evenings.

[simon clark]

I'm heading over on the first weekend it's open - not been for 2 years so I'm going regardless and at present I've only one mate driving out - welcome to join us. We're heading out on the 11th and back on the 13th March.

I spent 10 days out there in 2019 on my own, albeit I had mates join me for a few days here and there but probably spent 4 or 5 nights solo and it was no issue - the place is full of likeminded petrolheads with a common reason for being there. I don't think I had dinner on my own all week, and I'm pretty poor company! It's just the sort of place you meet people and 10 Bitburgers later you're still talking cars!

I'd 100% recommend you go - even if it's on your tod. Just do your research and take care if you've not got support, when things go wrong out there, they tend to go very wrong. Safety in numbers and all that. If you're flying solo, hiring would be my preference so you're assured of a way home.

[breakfan]

I'm also planning a solo trip this year and quite happy to do it alone. Less time spent waiting for others faffing about and you don't have to share the pain if your mate bins it or breaks down.

I do find international travel a bit laborious at the moment so aim to combine it with something else to make the trip more worthwhile - thinking Techno Classica in Essen 24-25 March and then on to the Ring.

[Z4MCSL]

Thanks everyone this has been superhelpful.

I think conclusion is I'll do both!

Definitely not the shy type but equally I run my own business and sometimes it's hard to get some distance from it and be more objective, I've been thinking for along time about just grabbing a few days away on my own to get away from the daily grind and think bigger picture stuff and I don't know why I didn't think about combining the two!

The posts on here make it clear it works well as a solo trip and the idea of a few days away, driving, beers and a bit of big thinking could be great and really refreshing!

Also would be great to just tag along with some other people going so maybe I'll get back on here when plans have progressed a bit further and see who's going/wants to go when.

Lemmy, I've done abingdon a few times so we may well have.

I've always done it in my silver clio 182? What would you have been in?

[speed6fun55]

I would highly recommend to do it as a trackday as the track is much quieter, driving standards tend to be better and you will be able to get a lot more laps than TF which I think is usually only 2hrs in the evening rather than from 9-5.