Road Trip Help - WRC/F1/War input.
Discussion
Title is confusing so let me elaborate.
Me and a group of friends all turned 30 this year… So you can guess how fun that was.
We have all a strong tie to motorsports with most of us doing a bit of racing here and there.
Anyway, we all talked about going into Europe for a bit of a road trip next year (Covid-19 dependant) as a late birthday bucklist kinda thing.
Most have been to the Ring but not everyone so that’s one of the main points, the next is stelvio pass. Other than them 2 points we are fairly open to where we can and will go.
So far the idea consist of a week long road trip;
Getting the ferry to Amsterdam,
Drive to Nurburg do the ring,
Then off to Stuttgart visiting the Porsche museum,
Munich to BMW museum,
Up over the stelvio pass,
Ending up in Monza to visit the old track, then drive back to Amsterdam and ferry home.
There’s going to be a lot of driving, hotel stops haven’t been even though of yet (route plan first!) But what im needing a bit of help or input with is little places that could be a detour to ether visit or drive through that can be added onto the trip.
Being motorsport fans one of the things I was wondering but cant find any info on is possible driving Panzerplatte (famous WRC stage in Germany near/in Baumholder) Im aware it’s a military base but is it an active one and is there access to the roads to the public?
Its little WRC/F1 places like that, the old nurburgring road that is now not used etc that I’m looking to see if anyone has any ideas? Like its looking like a drive back through Switzerland is possible, is there any good roads or places to stop there? Significant war places are also of an interest and I know a lot of history favours the German/France boarder where we are kind of sided to.
Interested to hear your thoughts! Know there is a lot of info for rules and regs for driving in Europe like tax disks for certain country’s etc so not so interested in that, this is mainly for the little places/roads that are good for your average pistonhead!
Me and a group of friends all turned 30 this year… So you can guess how fun that was.
We have all a strong tie to motorsports with most of us doing a bit of racing here and there.
Anyway, we all talked about going into Europe for a bit of a road trip next year (Covid-19 dependant) as a late birthday bucklist kinda thing.
Most have been to the Ring but not everyone so that’s one of the main points, the next is stelvio pass. Other than them 2 points we are fairly open to where we can and will go.
So far the idea consist of a week long road trip;
Getting the ferry to Amsterdam,
Drive to Nurburg do the ring,
Then off to Stuttgart visiting the Porsche museum,
Munich to BMW museum,
Up over the stelvio pass,
Ending up in Monza to visit the old track, then drive back to Amsterdam and ferry home.
There’s going to be a lot of driving, hotel stops haven’t been even though of yet (route plan first!) But what im needing a bit of help or input with is little places that could be a detour to ether visit or drive through that can be added onto the trip.
Being motorsport fans one of the things I was wondering but cant find any info on is possible driving Panzerplatte (famous WRC stage in Germany near/in Baumholder) Im aware it’s a military base but is it an active one and is there access to the roads to the public?
Its little WRC/F1 places like that, the old nurburgring road that is now not used etc that I’m looking to see if anyone has any ideas? Like its looking like a drive back through Switzerland is possible, is there any good roads or places to stop there? Significant war places are also of an interest and I know a lot of history favours the German/France boarder where we are kind of sided to.
Interested to hear your thoughts! Know there is a lot of info for rules and regs for driving in Europe like tax disks for certain country’s etc so not so interested in that, this is mainly for the little places/roads that are good for your average pistonhead!
I would go from Amsterdam -> Spa -> Nurburgring - the roads between Spa and the Nurburgring are very good fun. Also do not miss the Mercedes museum while you're in Stuttgart, this was one of my highlights last year despite being a Porsche diehard. You get discounted entry if you go to both on the same day.
Make sure you go to Italy via Austria, the roads there are absolutely amazing.
I would advise you go from Munich to the Hahntennjoch pass then loop into Northern Italy via the Timmelsjoch. If you have time then definitely detour to the Grossglockner as that is still remains one of the best roads I have driven.
Do not miss out Switzerland but be careful of their speed limits - 80km/h and they are quite strict.
You will probably see this a lot but the Stelvio is not great to drive on (very busy especially in the summer). It is a very nice view from the top and worth ticking off the bucket list.
Passes that you need to visit in Switzerland are
Susten / Furka / Grimsel / Nufenen - easily doable in a few hours in a triangle
Other notable passes are the Klasuen, Majola, Julier and Fluela pass - I did all of these in a day last year (it is doable, but is also quite hectic)
Also I would not rule out the Dolomites - I can't remember the names of the ones I've driven on but traffic is quiet, and lets just say speed limits are lenient.
Most of all enjoy your trip!
Make sure you go to Italy via Austria, the roads there are absolutely amazing.
I would advise you go from Munich to the Hahntennjoch pass then loop into Northern Italy via the Timmelsjoch. If you have time then definitely detour to the Grossglockner as that is still remains one of the best roads I have driven.
Do not miss out Switzerland but be careful of their speed limits - 80km/h and they are quite strict.
You will probably see this a lot but the Stelvio is not great to drive on (very busy especially in the summer). It is a very nice view from the top and worth ticking off the bucket list.
Passes that you need to visit in Switzerland are
Susten / Furka / Grimsel / Nufenen - easily doable in a few hours in a triangle
Other notable passes are the Klasuen, Majola, Julier and Fluela pass - I did all of these in a day last year (it is doable, but is also quite hectic)
Also I would not rule out the Dolomites - I can't remember the names of the ones I've driven on but traffic is quiet, and lets just say speed limits are lenient.
Most of all enjoy your trip!
How could i forget spa! What like is acess to these places if there is no racing on? id love to have a walk about and see the set up and see la rouge first hand.
Yeh we will be dabbling into Austria, im just plotting some places now but aparently the road up to hitlers hiding house (eagles nest) is also worth driving, and it gets in another war stop history point. Intresting to see the Dolomites kinda would tie into that if we went to the eagles nest.
Good to know about the swiss being tough on speed limits! With the amount of super cars iv seen with swiss plates over the years i would of thought it was natually the oppiosit but i guess the rich can afford fines left right and centre!
Iv eyed up doing the klausen pass and susten pass as they both are on the route for going home.
Thanks for the info
Yeh we will be dabbling into Austria, im just plotting some places now but aparently the road up to hitlers hiding house (eagles nest) is also worth driving, and it gets in another war stop history point. Intresting to see the Dolomites kinda would tie into that if we went to the eagles nest.
Good to know about the swiss being tough on speed limits! With the amount of super cars iv seen with swiss plates over the years i would of thought it was natually the oppiosit but i guess the rich can afford fines left right and centre!
Iv eyed up doing the klausen pass and susten pass as they both are on the route for going home.
Thanks for the info
Don't know if you'll find this any use, but we did a similar kind of bucket list Euro trip a couple of years back.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It was planned and booked quite quickly after a few years of talking about doing it, and there are things I'd have done differently with experience, but it remains the best driving thing I've done. I want to go back.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It was planned and booked quite quickly after a few years of talking about doing it, and there are things I'd have done differently with experience, but it remains the best driving thing I've done. I want to go back.
On Spa - unfortunately you can't access the track (eau rouge) part if it is closed. I did discover that there is an access road up that is open which brings you very close to Les Combes. A small fence separates you from the track there and probably as close as you can get when the track is shut.
Lots of view points for the Nurburgring and they're all easy access.
Susten is probably one of the best of the Swiss passes in my opinion, and if you're in that area the Grimsel and Furka passes are all in the same vicinity. Gotthard pass is worth going through just because it's the most historic of the lot and the old cobblestone part is interesting although a proper workout for your suspension. My only qualm with Switzerland is that the roads are fairly busy in comparison to Italian and Austrian passes with many cyclists about so do slow down when you're there. They are really well paved though and pothole free!
Lots of view points for the Nurburgring and they're all easy access.
Susten is probably one of the best of the Swiss passes in my opinion, and if you're in that area the Grimsel and Furka passes are all in the same vicinity. Gotthard pass is worth going through just because it's the most historic of the lot and the old cobblestone part is interesting although a proper workout for your suspension. My only qualm with Switzerland is that the roads are fairly busy in comparison to Italian and Austrian passes with many cyclists about so do slow down when you're there. They are really well paved though and pothole free!
Edited by Shjc2 on Saturday 5th December 10:43
NeilAndHisMini - Thanks some intresting reading! Sadly the photos wont load but that prob the firewall offshore!
Shjc2 - Ah thats a shame! id love to tie it in with a motorsport event on when we are in europe as well, be that N24,Rally,Rallyx,WTCC,F1 ect ect
Im pretty well sorted with the Nur haven been there 3 times now so know my way about it.
Ah good to know about susten!, im not sure we will rush to the gotthard tho, Cars looking to come are a firm ride at the best of times so shaken to death isnt my idea of fun haha!
Having a bit of an issue trying to plan routes on google maps, Im not sure if its live road data with road closures or what but for example going from Hahntennjoch to Timmelsjoch and then trying to go to Stelvio Pass doesnt work, it stops you basically at the austria side of timmelsjoch and makes you drive back towards Hahntennjoch rather than going in a sorta loop near to the dolomites and then back over towards stelvio..... not sure why, if you try and change the route to include the way you want to go you get an error saying it cant route the road ect !
Shjc2 - Ah thats a shame! id love to tie it in with a motorsport event on when we are in europe as well, be that N24,Rally,Rallyx,WTCC,F1 ect ect
Im pretty well sorted with the Nur haven been there 3 times now so know my way about it.
Ah good to know about susten!, im not sure we will rush to the gotthard tho, Cars looking to come are a firm ride at the best of times so shaken to death isnt my idea of fun haha!
Having a bit of an issue trying to plan routes on google maps, Im not sure if its live road data with road closures or what but for example going from Hahntennjoch to Timmelsjoch and then trying to go to Stelvio Pass doesnt work, it stops you basically at the austria side of timmelsjoch and makes you drive back towards Hahntennjoch rather than going in a sorta loop near to the dolomites and then back over towards stelvio..... not sure why, if you try and change the route to include the way you want to go you get an error saying it cant route the road ect !
Oh, that's a shame that you can't see the photos. One shows how close we got to the track at Les Combes, and I've found another one not in my original post showing how close we were at Eau Rouge i.e. not very.
Google not letting you plot routes via the passes is probably down to winter closures. Stelvio is already under heavy snow.
Google not letting you plot routes via the passes is probably down to winter closures. Stelvio is already under heavy snow.
I'd suggest more time in Italy , because, well, it's just bloody wonderful ; I'd schmooze down to Maranello , have dinner in the Cavallino and then a blast the next day across the Raticosa Pass for a Mille Miglia homage. I last did it in a Fiat Panda , with me in the Stirling Moss role and OH acting up as Denis Jenkinson . Then a meander back via the perfect city -Siena- and some sublime Panforte di Siena from Alessandro Nannini's family shop.
If I'd had more time it'd have been down to Sicily to retrace the full Targa Targa Florio lap
If I'd had more time it'd have been down to Sicily to retrace the full Targa Targa Florio lap
Merc museum - do this instead of porsche if you don't have time - I think the merc one is better, has a bit of history with the war etc as well.
We normally go to othe british GT when its at spa, its free to get in, parking costs 7 euros I think it is. Walk round the whole track, but take food and drink, very little open. There is a chip van for some mayo and chips, other than that its the corporate bit at spa, not worth it imho.
We have done two trips, first one was just to spa for British GT and also to Nurburgring where we hired a car to drive round. Expensive but well worth it, especially with Mischa next to you telling yhou braking points etc, we were there at 8am to do ours and was slowly getting busier and busier even at that time.
Second trip, we stayed in Luxembourg, got a dirt cheap but nice place funnily enough through sun holidays. From there we ventured to Stuttgart for the museums (3 hours drive each way hit a massive storm went from 30 degrees down to 12, then back up again all in the space of 15 minutes.), we also ventured into france a little as well, before we got to luxemborg we stopped off at liege, then next day drove to british gt at spa, then after that carried on to our luxembourg stay where we did museums etc before returning home (went to luxembourg city in the morning of last day parked underneath Amazon head office. Left luxembourg after lunch, got eurotunnel around 8pm after stopping for fuel in luxembourg (102 ron!)
Obviously filling up with plenty of belgian beer, and french wine. Thin kwe bought back 2 crates each, one of warsteiner and Jupiler, and plenty of leffe and cherry beer (ruby leffe is a nice fruity one). They also do a raspberry 8% one which is ok, bit heavy for me though.
We normally go to othe british GT when its at spa, its free to get in, parking costs 7 euros I think it is. Walk round the whole track, but take food and drink, very little open. There is a chip van for some mayo and chips, other than that its the corporate bit at spa, not worth it imho.
We have done two trips, first one was just to spa for British GT and also to Nurburgring where we hired a car to drive round. Expensive but well worth it, especially with Mischa next to you telling yhou braking points etc, we were there at 8am to do ours and was slowly getting busier and busier even at that time.
Second trip, we stayed in Luxembourg, got a dirt cheap but nice place funnily enough through sun holidays. From there we ventured to Stuttgart for the museums (3 hours drive each way hit a massive storm went from 30 degrees down to 12, then back up again all in the space of 15 minutes.), we also ventured into france a little as well, before we got to luxemborg we stopped off at liege, then next day drove to british gt at spa, then after that carried on to our luxembourg stay where we did museums etc before returning home (went to luxembourg city in the morning of last day parked underneath Amazon head office. Left luxembourg after lunch, got eurotunnel around 8pm after stopping for fuel in luxembourg (102 ron!)
Obviously filling up with plenty of belgian beer, and french wine. Thin kwe bought back 2 crates each, one of warsteiner and Jupiler, and plenty of leffe and cherry beer (ruby leffe is a nice fruity one). They also do a raspberry 8% one which is ok, bit heavy for me though.
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