Morning dales drive
Discussion
Trying to plan a nice Sunday morning drive out round the dales from Chorley area. So far Iv got Chorley, up the a59 to Gisburn, head north up through Settle to Hawes, up buttertubs pass to Kirkby Stephen, keep heading north up the b6276/6277 to Alston, the start heading back south on the a686 to Penrith, a6 towards tebay/ravenstonedale then the a683 down to Kirby Lonsdale for a bit of breakfast the head back home the way I came via Gisburn.
Anyone have any other roads worth while or ones Iv listed that aren’t to good?
Route below but a bit hard to see properly,
Anyone have any other roads worth while or ones Iv listed that aren’t to good?
Route below but a bit hard to see properly,
A morning?
That's ambitious, even at 2 in the morning and driving like your pants are on fire.
Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
I could virtually drive from Bedale to Sedbergh with my eyes closed, I've done it that many times and even then overtaking opportunities are infrequent enough that I average maybe 5 or 6 overtakes per trip so if it's a weekend the notion of a blast in the car is quickly dispelled.
That's ambitious, even at 2 in the morning and driving like your pants are on fire.
Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
I could virtually drive from Bedale to Sedbergh with my eyes closed, I've done it that many times and even then overtaking opportunities are infrequent enough that I average maybe 5 or 6 overtakes per trip so if it's a weekend the notion of a blast in the car is quickly dispelled.
The roads around Alston are superb but as said above you're getting into a long day if you do that.
I think if you turn around at Kirkby Stephen your plan would be a good morning out. I'd probably bail at Kirby Lonsdale and come back on the M6 from there before all the cyclists start to turn up.
Like this - https://goo.gl/maps/RmfmLbPu25TqG54t7
The road from Ribblehead to Hawes is worth the drive on its own and some of the others have their moments too. The A682 from Barrowford to Long Preston has been called "the most dangerous road in Britain" in the past due it's high accident rate, always a good recommendation lol.
I guess you've already been through the Forest of Bowland?
I think if you turn around at Kirkby Stephen your plan would be a good morning out. I'd probably bail at Kirby Lonsdale and come back on the M6 from there before all the cyclists start to turn up.
Like this - https://goo.gl/maps/RmfmLbPu25TqG54t7
The road from Ribblehead to Hawes is worth the drive on its own and some of the others have their moments too. The A682 from Barrowford to Long Preston has been called "the most dangerous road in Britain" in the past due it's high accident rate, always a good recommendation lol.
I guess you've already been through the Forest of Bowland?
ChocolateFrog said:
A morning?
Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
That’s just not true. It isn’t the A684 - which agreed, is busy. Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
Settle-Ribble-Hawes will have caravans but there are plenty of overtaking spots, especially on the Ribblhead-Hawes section.
OP - if I were you, I’d modify it slightly. My suggestion (to ease time constraints) would be:
Settle - Ribblehead - Hawes - Buttertubs- then east to Reeth, Barnard Castle, Eggleston - Middleton - Stanhope - Killhope Cross - Alston.
Then tootle down to Penrith and catch the M6 back home.
Plenty of spots to grab brekky or a coffee. Shout if you want recs!
That’s a brilliant drive, 7 days a week.
Edited by Royal Jelly on Sunday 27th March 04:47
giveitfish said:
The roads around Alston are superb but as said above you're getting into a long day if you do that.
I think if you turn around at Kirkby Stephen your plan would be a good morning out. I'd probably bail at Kirby Lonsdale and come back on the M6 from there before all the cyclists start to turn up.
Like this - https://goo.gl/maps/RmfmLbPu25TqG54t7
The road from Ribblehead to Hawes is worth the drive on its own and some of the others have their moments too. The A682 from Barrowford to Long Preston has been called "the most dangerous road in Britain" in the past due it's high accident rate, always a good recommendation lol.
I guess you've already been through the Forest of Bowland?
How did you do the multiple waypoints on google maps there? I think if you turn around at Kirkby Stephen your plan would be a good morning out. I'd probably bail at Kirby Lonsdale and come back on the M6 from there before all the cyclists start to turn up.
Like this - https://goo.gl/maps/RmfmLbPu25TqG54t7
The road from Ribblehead to Hawes is worth the drive on its own and some of the others have their moments too. The A682 from Barrowford to Long Preston has been called "the most dangerous road in Britain" in the past due it's high accident rate, always a good recommendation lol.
I guess you've already been through the Forest of Bowland?
The A682 Blacko road used to be my way to Gisburn but it’s average speed cameras now, the bit from there to Long Preston is great though!
Iv only been through Forest of Bowland to get to the mountain bike trails and the roads to that where proper narrow so not really ventured that way for a morning blast is it worth a look?
Royal jelly thanks for that info looks like I can get a few decent routes together for a few weekends out.
Royal Jelly said:
ChocolateFrog said:
A morning?
Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
That’s just not true. It isn’t the A684 - which agreed, is busy. Most of those roads you can't average more than about 30 mph even when you're pressing on, maybe 40mph at 0400 in the morning.
Settle-Ribble-Hawes will have caravans but there are plenty of overtaking spots, especially on the Ribblhead-Hawes section.
OP - if I were you, I’d modify it slightly. My suggestion (to ease time constraints) would be:
Settle - Ribblehead - Hawes - Buttertubs- then east to Reeth, Barnard Castle, Eggleston - Middleton - Stanhope - Killhope Cross - Alston.
Then tootle down to Penrith and catch the M6 back home.
Plenty of spots to grab brekky or a coffee. Shout if you want recs!
That’s a brilliant drive, 7 days a week.
Edited by Royal Jelly on Sunday 27th March 04:47
Just not doable even with a helicopter and a TV crew following you.
OP plan a shorter route or make a whole day of it.
Glenn63 said:
How did you do the multiple waypoints on google maps there?
The A682 Blacko road used to be my way to Gisburn but it’s average speed cameras now, the bit from there to Long Preston is great though!
Iv only been through Forest of Bowland to get to the mountain bike trails and the roads to that where proper narrow so not really ventured that way for a morning blast is it worth a look?
Royal jelly thanks for that info looks like I can get a few decent routes together for a few weekends out.
Ahh sorry, I used to live in Colne but hadn't realised the Blacko road is now covered by speed cameras The A682 Blacko road used to be my way to Gisburn but it’s average speed cameras now, the bit from there to Long Preston is great though!
Iv only been through Forest of Bowland to get to the mountain bike trails and the roads to that where proper narrow so not really ventured that way for a morning blast is it worth a look?
Royal jelly thanks for that info looks like I can get a few decent routes together for a few weekends out.
I've not done that road for a long time, but my knowledge of the rest is current as that's where we've done morning runs over the last few years.As for traffic, in my experience if you leave home 5am/6am on Sunday you won't have any problems until about 9am when the tourists and cyclists turn up. It goes downhill rapidly from that point! I've also seen early morning camera vans in the villages, especially Settle where I picked up a speed awareness course a couple of years ago.
On Google maps, put in your destination, click "Directions" and set where you're leaving from. You can then click the "+ Add destination" button to add waypoints and you can drag them up and down to put them in the right order on your route.
ChocolateFrog said:
Still absolutely no chance of averaging over 100kph for 4 hours.
Just not doable even with a helicopter and a TV crew following you.
OP plan a shorter route or make a whole day of it.
I responded by refuting your assertion that 30kgs would be ambitious.Just not doable even with a helicopter and a TV crew following you.
OP plan a shorter route or make a whole day of it.
That said, I average 50-60mph along those routes, day in, day out. If I don’t, it’s because of the road (ie some parts of buttercups or road to reeth), not traffic.
Royal Jelly said:
I responded by refuting your assertion that 30kgs would be ambitious.
That said, I average 50-60mph along those routes, day in, day out. If I don’t, it’s because of the road (ie some parts of buttercups or road to reeth), not traffic.
Dos that include on a sunny March Sunday when the roads are liberally sprinkled with weekend cyclists, walkers, bikers and OAP dawdlers?That said, I average 50-60mph along those routes, day in, day out. If I don’t, it’s because of the road (ie some parts of buttercups or road to reeth), not traffic.
Riley Blue said:
Dos that include on a sunny March Sunday when the roads are liberally sprinkled with weekend cyclists, walkers, bikers and OAP dawdlers?
For the most part, yes. No issues overtaking on that route, save for a couple of short stretches mentioned. By 50-60, I should probably be more accurate, and say ‘normal, not being held-up speeds’.
Just a bit of friendly advice the roads around Alston regularly have speed camera vans, undercover cars and local police using dashcams to prosecute drivers and motorcyclist. Stopped once (overtook an undercover car) and ticketed in the space of 12 months, not for the over take btw. I use the roads frequently.
Went out this morning was almost perfect weather/ super quiet roads.
Hawes to Kirkby Stephen over buttertubs bit to narrow/ bumpy for my liking, barley touching 40 on most of it probably won’t go that way again.
The road from KS down to Kirby Lonsdale through Sedbergh was brilliant though worth doing that again.
Had a quick break at Devils Bridge but was Unfortunately was running out of time a bit so went from there back to the m6 and home.
Hawes to Kirkby Stephen over buttertubs bit to narrow/ bumpy for my liking, barley touching 40 on most of it probably won’t go that way again.
The road from KS down to Kirby Lonsdale through Sedbergh was brilliant though worth doing that again.
Had a quick break at Devils Bridge but was Unfortunately was running out of time a bit so went from there back to the m6 and home.
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