Road Trip Dales & Lake District

[Sagbrit]

Hi, planning a 4 or 5 day trip in May around the Dales and Lake District. New to the area, any recommendations for great driver roads and accommodation would be hugely appreciated if there's some local knowledge on here. Thanks ever so much, sorry if it's been done to death before :-) We will be arriving from the South.

[Macneil]

Honister pass is a lovley drive and there's plenty of passing places, you can stop at the slate mine for a bite, then if you've a few hours spare you could walk up Dalehead or Haystacks

Hardknott pass is a great drive, but marred by dheads in 4x4's who don't understand the need to give way to vehicles coming uphill.

The struggle and Wrynose pass from Ambleside to Glenridding is nice, tbh even if drive along the A66 from M6 to Keswick you've got Blencathra and Skiddaw on your right and the Helvellyn range to your left.
You really can't go wrong!

[brisel]

There's some good knowledge here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... and here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

If it's empty driving roads you are after, I'd keep east of the M6 into the North Pennines. Almost all the roads radiating out from Alston are magnificent. A686, A689, B6277... it's a long list! Hawes, Thwaite, Bainbridge, Ribblehead, Stanhope, Allenheads, Eggleston, Hexham, Otterburn, Kielder. The Borders has delightful roads like the A701, A702 Elvanfoot to Carronbridge to Moniaive to New Galloway, A712, A713, A714

I've stayed at the Nent Hall Hotel https://nenthall.com/ who looked after a group of us well for a reasonable price last October.

[Tye Green]

The lake district is fantastic for walking but the roads aren't the best for enthusiastic driving. Many are narrow with poor sight lines and clogged with other cars.


As said above, consider somewhere else for driving roads.

[Kenty in Weardale]

brisel said:

There's some good knowledge here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... and here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

If it's empty driving roads you are after, I'd keep east of the M6 into the North Pennines. Almost all the roads radiating out from Alston are magnificent. A686, A689, B6277... it's a long list! Hawes, Thwaite, Bainbridge, Ribblehead, Stanhope, Allenheads, Eggleston, Hexham, Otterburn, Kielder. The Borders has delightful roads like the A701, A702 Elvanfoot to Carronbridge to Moniaive to New Galloway, A712, A713, A714

I've stayed at the Nent Hall Hotel https://nenthall.com/ who looked after a group of us well for a reasonable price last October.

Agree with all of the above (as a local resident)

[Jazoli]

Tye Green said:

The lake district is fantastic for walking but the roads aren't the best for enthusiastic driving. Many are narrow with poor sight lines and clogged with other cars.


As said above, consider somewhere else for driving roads.

And seconded, if you are planning a drive in the Lakes just take in the scenery and keep the spirited driving for the roads posted above, unless you are out very early the roads in the Lakes will be busy and slow going.

[Gad-Westy]

Jazoli said:

Tye Green said:

The lake district is fantastic for walking but the roads aren't the best for enthusiastic driving. Many are narrow with poor sight lines and clogged with other cars.


As said above, consider somewhere else for driving roads.

And seconded, if you are planning a drive in the Lakes just take in the scenery and keep the spirited driving for the roads posted above, unless you are out very early the roads in the Lakes will be busy and slow going.

Yep. Lovely when you get a clear run at some of the lakes roads but those opportunities are few and far between.

The yorkshire dales roads are nice though but as others have said, if good driving is the main aim for the trip, take in the yorkshire dales and then keep heading north into east cumbria and county durham then on into Northumberland. Far quieter and the roads are better with much better visibility.

[magpies]

A group of us did this tour last year

Day 1 : Blackburn to Penrith https://goo.gl/maps/kveWXRTQaPpKPi3SA

Day 2 : Penrith to Lakes Motor Museum https://goo.gl/maps/d4GRPMvgLMtcdndP8
Museum to Penrith https://goo.gl/maps/TmDugcWmWTPftM8e6
As said earlier you could just miss out the day in the lakes.

Day 3 ; Penrith to Duns (Jim Clark Museum) https://goo.gl/maps/34pHHphNwJpRrvEx5
(we ventured up to Livingston but I would start the journey south)

Day 4 ; Duns to Beamish Museum https://goo.gl/maps/1TBpBaMx9LWvKVza9

[Sagbrit]

Hugely appreciated gents. Some great advice here, will certainly post up some pics post trip

[r1ch]

If you're in the Northern part of the Lake District, its worth a drive over the Kirkstone pass. If you pick it up from Ambleside it goes over to Glenridding / Lake Ullswater. Not at all a fast road but more for the scenery. As others have said, the Lakes are a bit slow for driving roads.

If you like Lake Ullswater / Glenridding, the hotel "Inn on the Lake" is really quite a nice option. Get yourself a lake view room and order some room service.