Calais 2 Nurburgring. Suggested place to stay mid-journey?

[ktm301p]

Hi all,

I am taking the TVR on a road trip in May and the plan is to drive on the Nurburgring and then visit the Spa Classic on the way back to watch some of the racing. Driving the ring has always been a bit of a dream as it is for many (saying that, there's always a part of you that fears it could quickly turn into a nightmare!)

We are leaving on a Thursday morning and the ring does not open until 17:30 on the Friday for an evening session (and then open all day on the Saturday, we're planning on doing a few laps on the Saturday morning heading off to Spa which is about 1hr30 away).

So I have from Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon to fill with somewhere to stop-off enroute and break up the journey.

We're planning to avoid the motorway / E40 and travel via the D & N roads. On the one hand, this turns it into a longer journey (about 8hr20 from Calais to Nurburgring, vs 5hrs on the E40) but the hope is we're returned with some fairly scenic / enjoyable driving on the way.

Here is the link to the google maps suggested route: https://goo.gl/maps/HmP1S56PNnyCE87H8

I'm looking for suggestions on where to stop off for an afternoon / evening to break up the journey? Given the amount of driving, the ideal place would be somewhere about halfway in the journey that is either in a town with some reasonably decent options for food or perhaps a more rural / village location?

Any thoughts, ideas or your previous similar experiences would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Alex

[RC1807]

It’s a st road.

I’d suggest a stop in/around Spa, say Stavelot or Malmedy. Your backs will thank you for not driving all the way on that road in 1 day.
Alternatively, use the toll free motorways and stop in Namur or Bastogne.

[ecsrobin]

If we have a long day of driving either direction we stay around Mons, some good food and local beer plus a very impressive 100m boat lift that’s worth a stop. Strépy-Thieu Boat Lift
[phone]
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HpbthFXqHoEQp51y5?g_st=ic

Malmedy is lovely and good for access to Spa, Spa itself can be expensive for accommodation but the health spa is good and you can get an evening ticket.

I’d say it’s worth the 20min detour between spa and the ring to visit Monschau a very historic and picturesque looking town.

[gazza5]

Not very helpful - but when we did the ring, we stayed in Liege. Not too far from Spa circuit either.

Roads in belgium are similar to here - motorway wise - we had a de tour through the country when google maps took us off the motorway to avoid the closure - roads were not great in the country in all honesty - saw some pretty epic craters - so again very similar to here.