County Durham route recommendation
Discussion
My wife and I had were staying in in a cottage near Darlington so I used the opportunity to drive roads that are ordinarily a bit of a trek to get to.
As with many routes the 'money shot' often involves a fair bit of averageness to get to, this time the A68 played that role well.
Hamsterley > Wolsingham was enjoyable and I had a well driven Mondeo to follow - hardly a road to nail it but enjoyable able nonetheless.
Stanhope > Staindrop is where the magic happened, A steep initial climb and you're up on to the moors, clear sight lines and spectacular scenery make for a fantastic drive at sensible speeds. Road condition like most of England isn't the best so make sure you have a well dampened chariot.
Shout out to the BMW owners club that I photobombed at one point!
As with many routes the 'money shot' often involves a fair bit of averageness to get to, this time the A68 played that role well.
Hamsterley > Wolsingham was enjoyable and I had a well driven Mondeo to follow - hardly a road to nail it but enjoyable able nonetheless.
Stanhope > Staindrop is where the magic happened, A steep initial climb and you're up on to the moors, clear sight lines and spectacular scenery make for a fantastic drive at sensible speeds. Road condition like most of England isn't the best so make sure you have a well dampened chariot.
Shout out to the BMW owners club that I photobombed at one point!
TheFungle said:
My wife and I had were staying in in a cottage near Darlington so I used the opportunity to drive roads that are ordinarily a bit of a trek to get to.
I am surprised you missed out Crook and Tow Law.Great towns - well worth visiting. I think some of the Ripping Yarns
were filmed in the area. Stunning.
If you go a bit further west, there are many epic roads radiating from Alston, Middleton in Teesdale, Brough, Stanhope.
From Stanhope, there is a nice run north to Edmundbuyers and Blanchard towards Hexham. Turn west past the racecourse then south again to Allendale, Allenheads and back to Stanhope via Rookhope.
From Middleton in Teesdale, take the road to Brough and back, then the B6277 up to Alston. From there you can take the A686 either way towards Hexham or Langwathby (Hartside Pass)
From Stanhope, there is a nice run north to Edmundbuyers and Blanchard towards Hexham. Turn west past the racecourse then south again to Allendale, Allenheads and back to Stanhope via Rookhope.
From Middleton in Teesdale, take the road to Brough and back, then the B6277 up to Alston. From there you can take the A686 either way towards Hexham or Langwathby (Hartside Pass)
Edited by brisel on Saturday 27th August 16:17
For something closer to your cottage, head via Middleton Tyas to Scorton, Yafforth and Northallerton for good shopping. Otherwise from Scorton head along the B1263 to Entercommon and Yarm. Down to Stokesley and the B1257 to Helmsley. Come back north via the Blakey Ridge.
I used to live at Croft on Tees
I used to live at Croft on Tees
brisel said:
For something closer to your cottage, head via Middleton Tyas to Scorton, Yafforth and Northallerton for good shopping. Otherwise from Scorton head along the B1263 to Entercommon and Yarm. Down to Stokesley and the B1257 to Helmsley. Come back north via the Blakey Ridge.
I used to live at Croft on Tees
Actually did Yarm > Middleton Tyas, great stretch of road for sure. I used to live at Croft on Tees
As someone said the Stokesley - Helmsley road is good, but watch for speed cameras and traffic.
I can also recommend a drive up into Northumberland, follow the A68 up to the Carter Bar on the Scottish border, just past there take the left turn, that loops round and back through the Keilder forest. It's a long drive but quite spectacular if you like that kind of thing.
If you want castles and beaches do the Northumberland coast, Lindisfarne, Cragside (National Trust).
It's all good.
I can also recommend a drive up into Northumberland, follow the A68 up to the Carter Bar on the Scottish border, just past there take the left turn, that loops round and back through the Keilder forest. It's a long drive but quite spectacular if you like that kind of thing.
If you want castles and beaches do the Northumberland coast, Lindisfarne, Cragside (National Trust).
It's all good.
These are the roads on my door step. So lucky to have them but don't tell everyone! You can link up so many great routes in the weardale, teesdale, cumbria area. And they're all empty most of the time. A few weeks ago, I took my Lotus out for a blast on a sunday evening, along weardale, through stanhope and turned left at St John's Chapel toward Langdon Beck (another great road) and from there up to Alston (another great road). The only other car I saw in about 20 miles was another Lotus 
Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up.
Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up. Gad-Westy said:
These are the roads on my door step. So lucky to have them but don't tell everyone! You can link up so many great routes in the weardale, teesdale, cumbria area. And they're all empty most of the time. A few weeks ago, I took my Lotus out for a blast on a sunday evening, along weardale, through stanhope and turned left at St John's Chapel toward Langdon Beck (another great road) and from there up to Alston (another great road). The only other car I saw in about 20 miles was another Lotus Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up.
Echo the above Gad, living in Ireshopeburn my personal favourite is to go St Johns Chapel, Stanhope, Egglestone, Middleton, Alston, Brampton, Haydon Bridge, Alston and home via Killhope Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up. Kenty in Weardale said:
Gad-Westy said:
These are the roads on my door step. So lucky to have them but don't tell everyone! You can link up so many great routes in the weardale, teesdale, cumbria area. And they're all empty most of the time. A few weeks ago, I took my Lotus out for a blast on a sunday evening, along weardale, through stanhope and turned left at St John's Chapel toward Langdon Beck (another great road) and from there up to Alston (another great road). The only other car I saw in about 20 miles was another Lotus Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up.
Echo the above Gad, living in Ireshopeburn my personal favourite is to go St Johns Chapel, Stanhope, Egglestone, Middleton, Alston, Brampton, Haydon Bridge, Alston and home via Killhope Was an absolute dream of an evening with the sun just setting as I was finishing up. Recently drove from Corbridge to Barnard Castle in my new (to me) MX5 Nc2 and took the same route, which was lovely. I usually cut the corner and use the A68 up to see family, but this is even better.
My Meister R suspension was an issue a couple of times, but I learnt to back off a little and it was fine.
The constant queues once I got on to the A1 weren't so good though, I wish there was a better route down to the M11.
My Meister R suspension was an issue a couple of times, but I learnt to back off a little and it was fine.
The constant queues once I got on to the A1 weren't so good though, I wish there was a better route down to the M11.
A nice taster of the North Pennines for you, you will have to head back and revisit! Instead of going down to Egglestone, if you hung a right to Middleton-in-teesdale, thats a great road, then you can extend west over to Alston via Langdon Beck, Hartside pass etc. then back on the top road, east down the Killhope road. Im North of Darlington but if i go for a drive it almost always do this loop, ends up around 120 miles or so.
As others have said, there's St Johns Chapel down to Langdon Beck too, then make sure you hang a right over to Alston
i noticed Henry Catchpole used that road in the Lotus Emira video. There's also a video coming to Pistonheads soon thats based on the top half of the road down from Stanhope down to Egglestone that you took
As others have said, there's St Johns Chapel down to Langdon Beck too, then make sure you hang a right over to Alston
i noticed Henry Catchpole used that road in the Lotus Emira video. There's also a video coming to Pistonheads soon thats based on the top half of the road down from Stanhope down to Egglestone that you took brisel said:
If you go a bit further west, there are many epic roads radiating from Alston, Middleton in Teesdale, Brough, Stanhope.
From Stanhope, there is a nice run north to Edmundbuyers and Blanchard towards Hexham. Turn west past the racecourse then south again to Allendale, Allenheads and back to Stanhope via Rookhope.
From Middleton in Teesdale, take the road to Brough and back, then the B6277 up to Alston. From there you can take the A686 either way towards Hexham or Langwathby (Hartside Pass)
From Stanhope, there is a nice run north to Edmundbuyers and Blanchard towards Hexham. Turn west past the racecourse then south again to Allendale, Allenheads and back to Stanhope via Rookhope.
From Middleton in Teesdale, take the road to Brough and back, then the B6277 up to Alston. From there you can take the A686 either way towards Hexham or Langwathby (Hartside Pass)
- Living in the overcrowded South East I'm jealous.I'll get to play in a couple of week's time though as I'm off to the Highlands at the beginning of October.
Northbound - https://goo.gl/maps/eNdUZ8op4MmLbuMJ9
Southbound - https://goo.gl/maps/Y8xUHXXHRuJduqqY7
hiccy18 said:
You're going to love both of those days then!
For sure. - My preferred routes to/from Scotland. Lunch stops in Alston and Blanchland.I've done them before several times. I usually swap the Northbound/Southbound routes for each trip to add a bit of variety.
The last time I traversed Meadows Edge coming home was during a cloudburst. Torrential rain and gusting wind.
Even with the wipers on their fastest setting I could barely see the verges. It made for an 'interesting' trip over the top of the fells!
The weather had been great until I reached Hadrian's Wall...
hiccy18 said:
What's your day one route after Alston, whereabouts are you heading for?
A & B roads to here - https://goo.gl/maps/Jd7FAXBocYk46BS2AThen Edinburgh Southern Bypass and Queensferry Bridge to an overnight stop in Perth.
Then over the Cairnwell and Lecht passes to Forres for lunch - https://goo.gl/maps/BZEnTdHJJTMhic3G6
A distillery tour in the afternoon (must go easy on the tasting!). Destination, Ullapool - https://goo.gl/maps/27jLcd5EnQ47fErj7
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