Best Yorkshire Dales Roads-Circular route?
Discussion
End of of financial year so I have outstanding holiday with no plans. My M2 comp will have had its running service in a couple of weeks time so wanting to go out and stretch its legs.
I live near Huddersfield so thought would go to the dales for a driving day out. Apart from buttertubs and the road past ribblehead I have not really explored any other dales roads. Any suggestions of good roads and even better if someone has done a nice circular route they can suggest that takes a few of these roads in would be great.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
I live near Huddersfield so thought would go to the dales for a driving day out. Apart from buttertubs and the road past ribblehead I have not really explored any other dales roads. Any suggestions of good roads and even better if someone has done a nice circular route they can suggest that takes a few of these roads in would be great.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Here you go: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Huddersfield/54....
Not sure how far you want to go but there are ample opportunities to head back south when you feel like it. From Settle back to Skipton 90% of the roads are fantastic
Not sure how far you want to go but there are ample opportunities to head back south when you feel like it. From Settle back to Skipton 90% of the roads are fantastic
janesmith1950 said:
Look out very carefully for mobile camera vans (assuming you are driving enthusiastically enough to warrant the attention). North Yorkshire has a large fleet and they like using them on the rural roads!
Mostly fish on wide safe bits still tho (fortunately) cos more money... but agree they occasionally pop up on the good bits. PGPSW is your friend Robin Hood suggested this when I asked this in 2017:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4752640/Great-...
I drove it on a Sunday morning in June. I enjoyed it.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4752640/Great-...
I drove it on a Sunday morning in June. I enjoyed it.
If you want a memorable drive then do set off early. I live between the Moors and Dales and if I want a Dales blat I'm on the road at 6am. The scenery is still lovely later on but it takes very little traffic on many Dales roads to ruin the flow of the drive. Same with the usual suspect roads on the Moors .
If you want to really enjoy something different , and often very quiet , look at the map for the Yorkshire Wolds, head for Malton and head South East - or do the Yorkshire TT(B1257 ) early, then coffee in Helmsley or Hovingham then over through Malton .
Buttertubs and the Blakey Ridge road are fine , but can feel like one trick ponies really (and very obvious ones ).
And where do I go whenever I can ? Not Yorkshire , but North Pennines and Borders - now that is proper driving country
If you want to really enjoy something different , and often very quiet , look at the map for the Yorkshire Wolds, head for Malton and head South East - or do the Yorkshire TT(B1257 ) early, then coffee in Helmsley or Hovingham then over through Malton .
Buttertubs and the Blakey Ridge road are fine , but can feel like one trick ponies really (and very obvious ones ).
And where do I go whenever I can ? Not Yorkshire , but North Pennines and Borders - now that is proper driving country
coppice said:
And where do I go whenever I can ? Not Yorkshire , but North Pennines and Borders - now that is proper driving country
+1By far the best bit on that route map is Middleton-in-Teesdale->Alston->Hexham->Stanhope->Barnard Castle. (or vice versa)
Whenever I head up to Scotland I'll use one side on the outward journey and the other coming back. North of Hexham I go via Keilder.
The Dales are spectacular scenery wise but the roads aren't particularly fast & flowing which is what I'd imagine what you'd want in the M2.
Hawes > Ribblehead > Settle is fun if you get the right conditions but TBH a bit of slog to get there.
Otley > Harrogate > Menwith Hill > Greenhow > Bolton Abbey > Blubberhouses > Otley is an entertaining local loop.
If you choose to go on a Sunday it's worth stopping off in the centre of Harrogate for a coffee and enjoying the procession of supercars.
Hawes > Ribblehead > Settle is fun if you get the right conditions but TBH a bit of slog to get there.
Otley > Harrogate > Menwith Hill > Greenhow > Bolton Abbey > Blubberhouses > Otley is an entertaining local loop.
If you choose to go on a Sunday it's worth stopping off in the centre of Harrogate for a coffee and enjoying the procession of supercars.
Head east from Huddersfield along the M62 until just before Hull when you'll then head north toward Beverley using the B1248 past Cherry Burton, Lund, Bainton, Tibthorpe and on to Wetwang where theres an excellent chippy.
Through Wetwang and its a right turn and a spirited blast down the hill with a great road on to Malton. Once there its then a fairly steady pace on the A169 between here and Pickering and as you head out on to the Whitby road keep a look out for the van which is often lurking on the right hand side - he's not selling ice-cream....
An alternative treat is to be had though, as you head out over the North Yorkshire Moors with some truly fantastic sections particularly Saltergate Bank and the long sweep past Fylingdales before descending into a neat tight left which should warm your brakes and a climb up the bank. From here the world really is your oyster. Any number of left turns will reveal some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country with roads to match, or head for Whitby, or left over the A171, or take the coastal route towards Scarborough......you will not be bored.
Magic. Especially at first light on a Spring Sunday.
Through Wetwang and its a right turn and a spirited blast down the hill with a great road on to Malton. Once there its then a fairly steady pace on the A169 between here and Pickering and as you head out on to the Whitby road keep a look out for the van which is often lurking on the right hand side - he's not selling ice-cream....
An alternative treat is to be had though, as you head out over the North Yorkshire Moors with some truly fantastic sections particularly Saltergate Bank and the long sweep past Fylingdales before descending into a neat tight left which should warm your brakes and a climb up the bank. From here the world really is your oyster. Any number of left turns will reveal some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country with roads to match, or head for Whitby, or left over the A171, or take the coastal route towards Scarborough......you will not be bored.
Magic. Especially at first light on a Spring Sunday.
TheFungle said:
The Dales are spectacular scenery wise but the roads aren't particularly fast & flowing which is what I'd imagine what you'd want in the M2.
Hawes > Ribblehead > Settle is fun if you get the right conditions but TBH a bit of slog to get there.
Otley > Harrogate > Menwith Hill > Greenhow > Bolton Abbey > Blubberhouses > Otley is an entertaining local loop.
If you choose to go on a Sunday it's worth stopping off in the centre of Harrogate for a coffee and enjoying the procession of supercars.
That loop is a good one, that I do often in variations.Hawes > Ribblehead > Settle is fun if you get the right conditions but TBH a bit of slog to get there.
Otley > Harrogate > Menwith Hill > Greenhow > Bolton Abbey > Blubberhouses > Otley is an entertaining local loop.
If you choose to go on a Sunday it's worth stopping off in the centre of Harrogate for a coffee and enjoying the procession of supercars.
There are some good roads up from Ripon and also Kirkby Lonsdale up towards Sedburgh/Kirkby Stephen, but its hard to make into a complete good loop.
If you don't have an overly large car with not too stiff suspension how about from Huddersfield, heading to Hedben Bridge and north to Haworth, then you could pop down into Bingley past my neck of the woods and over Bingley Moor to Otley, or you could take the nice back road over to Colne and up to Barnoldswick, zip along to Settle and then head north to Hawes (always busy).
So I never got the chance to take my car out in my last holidays mainly due to the weather. However, had some more leave and, despite the weather being awful again, decided to finally go for a decent drive.
Just wanted to say a massive thanks for all those suggesting I bypass the dales and go straight to the north Pennines. I did, went straight up the A1M and had the most amazing day on the quietest and best roads I have ever driven on. Every time I joined a new road I could not believe how good it was only to declare it the best road ever for it to then be bettered by the road after! The sheep/lambs up there seem to be on another awareness level moving off the road well before I was coming there way! The car was also exceptional despite the weather conditions. Ideally it would have been dry and warm tarmac but the traction even in these cold/wet conditions was fantastic.
So again big thanks to all those who suggested the north Pennines. Will definitely be returning and will likely become a tradition to take all new cars there to stretch their legs in the future.
Recognised the first pic immediately. Eggleston -> Stanhope -> Edmundbyers is an awesome drive..
I always include it either going to, or returning from, my forays to the Highlands.
Had to work a bit harder to identify the second one. Only done it once, about 10 years ago.
https://goo.gl/maps/CriW8Svg7QSAGgRd8
https://goo.gl/maps/gFi22GGQh7wsNGFPA
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I always include it either going to, or returning from, my forays to the Highlands.
Had to work a bit harder to identify the second one. Only done it once, about 10 years ago.
https://goo.gl/maps/CriW8Svg7QSAGgRd8
https://goo.gl/maps/gFi22GGQh7wsNGFPA
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