North Coast 500 in the South
Discussion
You could try the South downs, beachyhead etc but it can get busy with traffic.
I recommend just going up to Scotland as the roads are on another level. I'm from the south east and took the A1 /A66 up then stopped in Glasgow and to be honest it wasn't a bad drive up as the roads got less busy after Cambridge.
I recommend just going up to Scotland as the roads are on another level. I'm from the south east and took the A1 /A66 up then stopped in Glasgow and to be honest it wasn't a bad drive up as the roads got less busy after Cambridge.
For a cheeky NC500, I've done London to Inverness in a day - Start at 3am, you'll get there for 3pm, which is enough time to languish for a while and get a very early night to make up for the trip. - Ready and set to get into the highlands for the next day!
Down south, I can think of some nicer roads that follow coastal contours, but nothing that holds a candle to the NC. - The biggest problem being the needs to cross through very built up areas. (I.e. 1 - 2 hours of A roads & M ways between brief high spots)
Down south, I can think of some nicer roads that follow coastal contours, but nothing that holds a candle to the NC. - The biggest problem being the needs to cross through very built up areas. (I.e. 1 - 2 hours of A roads & M ways between brief high spots)
Thanks - looks like I am going to have to find a time to venture north of the border based on the feedback!
I have done the drive back from Inverness to Essex about seven years ago - I bought my 911 up there and drove it back - except I left Inverness about 3pm, having flown up there in the morning, and by the time I got to Yorkshire I called it a night and stayed at a Travelodge. I couldn't face a further five hours to get home in the early hours!
In the mean time if anyone else has any South Coast route suggestions I'm all ears!
Cheers
I have done the drive back from Inverness to Essex about seven years ago - I bought my 911 up there and drove it back - except I left Inverness about 3pm, having flown up there in the morning, and by the time I got to Yorkshire I called it a night and stayed at a Travelodge. I couldn't face a further five hours to get home in the early hours!
In the mean time if anyone else has any South Coast route suggestions I'm all ears!
Cheers
Haltamer said:
For a cheeky NC500, I've done London to Inverness in a day - Start at 3am, you'll get there for 3pm, which is enough time to languish for a while and get a very early night to make up for the trip. - Ready and set to get into the highlands for the next day!
London to Basle in Switzerland is a similar distance to London to Inverness. I dunno why London & SE people bother going to North Scotland - the Alps
are just as close and miles better.
Weather, food, beer, driving standards and speed limits better on the Continent and the
standard of English arguably better too.
Maybe fans of the M6 or those that have family in the area or don't fancy carrying their
passport with them would be interested in Northern Scotland.
Back on topic, most of SE England is hopelessly crowded and so no NC500 anywhere nearby.
dcb said:
London to Basle in Switzerland is a similar distance to London to Inverness.
Very true - Though the added cost and lost of spontaneity (having to plan a train / ferry etc) is what put me off in the past:- The other main benefit of the UK is the "known quantity" of policing etc; I've heard some "Cinquante euro" stories from dealings with the French / Swiss police - Though I'm sure it's not _too_ bad :Pdcb said:
London to Basle in Switzerland is a similar distance to London to Inverness.
I dunno why London & SE people bother going to North Scotland - the Alps
are just as close and miles better.
Back on topic, most of SE England is hopelessly crowded and so no NC500 anywhere nearby.
The roads in the Northwest Highlands are different to the Alpine roads.I dunno why London & SE people bother going to North Scotland - the Alps
are just as close and miles better.
Back on topic, most of SE England is hopelessly crowded and so no NC500 anywhere nearby.
They are more remote, faster and, at the right times of year, have less traffic volumes/more overtaking opportunities. Also the scenery is glorious. Well worth the trip.
In fact, if you really do prefer Alpine type roads, then Northern Spain has very similar, with much much less volume of traffic. Accessible in one day from Portsmouth without using more than a gallon of fuel.
I am not knocking some of the Alpine passes, they are beautiful and some (Lukmanier for example) are little used.
Even if you cleared the South of England of traffic/pedestrians/cyclists/every possible hazard, the roads are not a patch on NW Scotland. The highlands are vast, they keep on giving.
dcb said:
I dunno why London & SE people bother going to North Scotland - the Alps
are just as close and miles better.
That's like saying you don't understand why people bother drinking red wine when white wine is so much better.are just as close and miles better.
Back to OP's question, it's possible to plan good driving routes all over the south, but obviously they won't be as majestic as Scotland or Europe and will be much more highly trafficked. I could easily do a week-long driving tour without going further north than the M25 - but then if I had a week I'd much rather go to Scotland, and if a weekend I'd go to Wales.
courty said:
The highlands are vast, they keep on giving.
That's one thing for sure! - It's strange to think how much area you're covering when you tour the highlands - Looking at the map, North of Inverness is about half the size of Switzerland, and there's certainly far, far less people!Last year I visited in November, and there was very little traffic at all - Practically no tourists, and nothing but a magnificent expanse of 10/10 roads to ourselves. There was just enough traffic in the inhabited areas to provide a few overtakes to keep things interesting - Perfect!
There is a 247 page thread on the Highlands in this sub-forum. 
Some of my favourite stretches are not even on the NC500 route.
Some of my favourite stretches are not even on the NC500 route.
Merkinorama said:
In the mean time if anyone else has any South Coast route suggestions I'm all ears!
If you had asked me 45 years ago I might have. Nowadays, forget it. Too many people and too many vehicles.Some of the the best routes are those which don't have a name , and remember that a few Roman roads apart , most named routes-NC500 , Evo Triangle , Yorkshire TT - are both recent and relatively meaningless. . Bucket list seekers wanting a tick in a box by doing something they've read about can miss some of the appeal of finding your own route. An hour with an analogue road atlas and a highlighter can reveal some unexpected joys not trafficked by convoys ,some of whom can p
s off locals and visitors alike .
I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status , but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
s off locals and visitors alike . I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status , but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
coppice said:
Some of the the best routes are those which don't have a name , and remember that a few Roman roads apart , most named routes-NC500 , Evo Triangle , Yorkshire TT - are both recent and relatively meaningless. . Bucket list seekers wanting a tick in a box by doing something they've read about can miss some of the appeal of finding your own route. An hour with an analogue road atlas and a highlighter can reveal some unexpected joys not trafficked by convoys ,some of whom can ps off locals and visitors alike .
I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status, but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
I agree with every word! I've driven several of the well known routes in my Riley and whilst they're enjoyable enough they're often over-policed and over crowded for my liking - even in a 75bhp 57 year old car. Unknown roads don't have those problems and are often more enjoyable to drive on. I have a folder of such routes that I'm not sharing with anyone, sorry, but find your own (Coppice has given some clues...)s off locals and visitors alike . I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status, but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
We've recently driven the 400 miles from west Wales to Lowestoft by B roads and unclassified roads, avoiding A roads almost entirely. Some of the roads were little more than tracks but along we way we discovered B road perfection several times, in some quite surprising locations.
Last year we drove LeJoG the same way, using B roads. Same outcome; there are some great unknown drives if you're prepared to look for them.
plenty said:
That's like saying you don't understand why people bother drinking red wine when white wine is so much better.
No it isn't. I listed six reasons why I thought the Alps were better than Northern Scotland.Even so, I didn't mention the added delights of the West Highland midge.
So make that seven reasons.
30C sitting in shorts and Tshirt at somewhere really nice like Zell am See, Austria,
with a pint of some local fresh beer in my hand, organic local food, local lake, 150 kmh
no problem on the local autobahn, no miles of speed cameras to get there and some of
the best driving standards in Europe.
To say nothing of driving a few miles to Italy for a full on lunch. Brunico in the South Tyrol is nice.
Somehow, 15C at most in winter coat in June in Braemar, with a can of Tennet's Special
and a plate of Glasgow salad, having spent countless hours on speed camera trapped
roads and awful driving standards to get there doesn't really appeal.
Each to their own, but the attractions of Northern Scotland remain elusive to me.
^^
Typical thread derail.
The OP wasn't asking about the merits of GB v Europe. That debate belongs elsewhere.
Interesting you should cite Braemar though. It is known for being a bit chilly.
It shares with Altnaharra the lowest winter reading ever in the UK.
I can play your game by countering with 20°C at Ullapool in April.
In spades.
And my sister lives on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
That said, the Highlands are not just about the drive. It's as much about the scenery AFAIAC.
The sense of scale is completely different up there. A far bigger canvas even than Wales or the Lake District.
This pic by PH member GetCarter illustrates what I'm getting at - http://www.stevecarter.com/latest/LiathachBST.jpg
2020 looks like being the first time in 10 years that I won't be getting my fix.
Typical thread derail.
The OP wasn't asking about the merits of GB v Europe. That debate belongs elsewhere.
Interesting you should cite Braemar though. It is known for being a bit chilly.
It shares with Altnaharra the lowest winter reading ever in the UK.
I can play your game by countering with 20°C at Ullapool in April.
coppice said:
Some of the the best routes are those which don't have a name , and remember that a few Roman roads apart , most named routes-NC500 , Evo Triangle , Yorkshire TT - are both recent and relatively meaningless. . Bucket list seekers wanting a tick in a box by doing something they've read about can miss some of the appeal of finding your own route. An hour with an analogue road atlas and a highlighter can reveal some unexpected joys not trafficked by convoys ,some of whom can ps off locals and visitors alike .
I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status , but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
s off locals and visitors alike . I live in N Yorkshire where we have some lovely roads , not including the obvious places like Buttertubs, but my favourite routes relatively locally are empty roads in the Yorkshire Wolds , North Pennines and Borders . That said , another favourite drive is across parts of Lincolnshire , and another is the 20 miles between my farm B and B and Silverstone , across empty back roads in rural N Oxfordshire , S Warwickshire and West Northants (a lot of county boundaries seem to converge in that area) . No name , no status , but fast and bendy and hardly any traffic
In spades.And my sister lives on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
That said, the Highlands are not just about the drive. It's as much about the scenery AFAIAC.
The sense of scale is completely different up there. A far bigger canvas even than Wales or the Lake District.
This pic by PH member GetCarter illustrates what I'm getting at - http://www.stevecarter.com/latest/LiathachBST.jpg
2020 looks like being the first time in 10 years that I won't be getting my fix.
OP - have a look here - https://www.bestbikingroads.com/motorcycle-roads/u... - it is aimed at bikes but applies to cars as well.
I share your pain, too much traffic in most of the south east.
Best idea is get up early on a Sunday and back home for breakfast.
I share your pain, too much traffic in most of the south east.
Best idea is get up early on a Sunday and back home for breakfast.
OP - Lots of reason t and not to do the NC500. I done it because "it needs doing". You're right it is a distance away. I went up from Berkshire on the Tuesday (642 miles), done the NC500 on the Wednesday (519 miles) and then done 1000 miles in under 24 hrs on the Thursday. I really rated the NC500 and will do it, as well as other parts of Scotland again. I was on a bike though. (A bit of a write up - https://www.rapidtraining.co.uk/stories/2020/7/22/... and it's in Bike Magazine this coming copy I believe)
As for other places to head, whilst not a route I use the Cotswolds and Wiltshire quite often for road training, you could head over and do these over a few days as they're only separated by the M4. Attached some maps and anywhere within the black circles are decent and I've highlighted some place names worth visiting/heading towards for good roads
Worth noting I'm a biker not a driver, I drive a Defender and an Iveco van so whilst I know some really good biking roads (some I've put on the website mentioned above), I can only assume what a driver is looking for.
Wiltshire - Use Marlborough as a clock face and head in almost any direction from there. I've circled Hack pen White horse in red. It's all nice around Marlborough, Broad Hinton and Avebury.
Cotswolds - I circled the A44 Fish Hill. Used a lot by bikers and in bike mags etc. B4437 from Charlbury is a great road. Burford and Bibury are nice.
If you want specific roads etc drop me a PM and I'll send some over, but to be honest just driving in the two back circles will give a couple of nice days out.
As for other places to head, whilst not a route I use the Cotswolds and Wiltshire quite often for road training, you could head over and do these over a few days as they're only separated by the M4. Attached some maps and anywhere within the black circles are decent and I've highlighted some place names worth visiting/heading towards for good roads
Worth noting I'm a biker not a driver, I drive a Defender and an Iveco van so whilst I know some really good biking roads (some I've put on the website mentioned above), I can only assume what a driver is looking for.
Wiltshire - Use Marlborough as a clock face and head in almost any direction from there. I've circled Hack pen White horse in red. It's all nice around Marlborough, Broad Hinton and Avebury.
Cotswolds - I circled the A44 Fish Hill. Used a lot by bikers and in bike mags etc. B4437 from Charlbury is a great road. Burford and Bibury are nice.
If you want specific roads etc drop me a PM and I'll send some over, but to be honest just driving in the two back circles will give a couple of nice days out.
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