Land's End to Ness Point, Midsummers Evening 2023
Discussion
I'm on for this year, night of the 21st. Fuel prices have (comparatively to last year, not against '21) dropped* significantly and I have a co-driver this year.
My broad plan is to do it one more time, find that eight minutes or whatever it was between me and the fastest petrols and call this itch thoroughly scratched. The car is really getting on now (~292k mi) and the future of the car itself is beginning to come into question.
I've long felt that this Great British Epic (as far as a British road trip can be considered 'epic') has always been about pushing the car and getting it to do what nobody would dream of doing with it.
The suspension's been rebuilt with OE kit on Bilstein B3/B4 shocks, spent a year on Brembo pads (they were awful, poor heat dissipation, poor performance at high loads, poor wear - probably attributable to running them at high temps and loads) and gone back to a full ATE setup on which the car is much happier, another timing belt after only two years (80k in two years isn't bad!) and a power steering pump most recently, while remaining on the Dunlop Sportmaxx RT2 tyres that I've grown to love over the years. This heap of German diesel estate has never been better equipped for this sort of driving.
I'm keen to make this a data-heavy year and want to run full powertrain data-logging. Most of all, I want to do something fun on the road again after a year suffering from high fuel costs on the journeys I simply had to make.
No route plans as yet, I'd like to do the 'traditional' A30/A303/M3/M25 Dartford/A12 route as I did in 2021, but the roadworks data closer to the time will influence my ultimate decision.
I want to get everything just right this time. I know it's a cliched, Formula one-esque statement but somewhere in the back of the mind it's important for justifying the thousands upon thousands I'vewasted invested in this 19-year-old executive diesel estate car.
*at some point in a different thread I will talk about what the last 18 months of fuel costs looked like for both retail and trade users, and just how hard you've all been bent over at the pumps these last six months or so.
My broad plan is to do it one more time, find that eight minutes or whatever it was between me and the fastest petrols and call this itch thoroughly scratched. The car is really getting on now (~292k mi) and the future of the car itself is beginning to come into question.
I've long felt that this Great British Epic (as far as a British road trip can be considered 'epic') has always been about pushing the car and getting it to do what nobody would dream of doing with it.
The suspension's been rebuilt with OE kit on Bilstein B3/B4 shocks, spent a year on Brembo pads (they were awful, poor heat dissipation, poor performance at high loads, poor wear - probably attributable to running them at high temps and loads) and gone back to a full ATE setup on which the car is much happier, another timing belt after only two years (80k in two years isn't bad!) and a power steering pump most recently, while remaining on the Dunlop Sportmaxx RT2 tyres that I've grown to love over the years. This heap of German diesel estate has never been better equipped for this sort of driving.
I'm keen to make this a data-heavy year and want to run full powertrain data-logging. Most of all, I want to do something fun on the road again after a year suffering from high fuel costs on the journeys I simply had to make.
No route plans as yet, I'd like to do the 'traditional' A30/A303/M3/M25 Dartford/A12 route as I did in 2021, but the roadworks data closer to the time will influence my ultimate decision.
I want to get everything just right this time. I know it's a cliched, Formula one-esque statement but somewhere in the back of the mind it's important for justifying the thousands upon thousands I've
*at some point in a different thread I will talk about what the last 18 months of fuel costs looked like for both retail and trade users, and just how hard you've all been bent over at the pumps these last six months or so.
@ChocolateFrog
It's been a thing for over 10 years now (can't rememer exactly when the interest started, want to say around 2009/10). I've done it in 2020* and 2021 and didn't see or have any touble with the law. The reports of law interest in my opinion are overstated. There's rumours on this site and other sites they clock numberplates at the start and end, again in the 2 years I've done it they've not been there. I think you'll be alright.
*Didn't do it on the actual weekend due to lockdown restrictions, Did it early july but to the same sunset/rise times.
It's been a thing for over 10 years now (can't rememer exactly when the interest started, want to say around 2009/10). I've done it in 2020* and 2021 and didn't see or have any touble with the law. The reports of law interest in my opinion are overstated. There's rumours on this site and other sites they clock numberplates at the start and end, again in the 2 years I've done it they've not been there. I think you'll be alright.
*Didn't do it on the actual weekend due to lockdown restrictions, Did it early july but to the same sunset/rise times.
toobusy said:
Fancy doing this, have wanted to for a few years, not sure if at the age of 67 I can stay awake all night!
37, 47, 67, no matter, it's dodgy considering doing it alone.Having a co-driver is a must IMHO.
I'm going to give it (another) go this year, I'm 71.
My co-driver is No1 son, aged 43.
We both feel the strain, come about 08.00hr.
This will be the 4th time we've done it (SLK200, Porche Boxter and now my SL350)
Last year (in the SL) the roads were against us with the M25, A12, M11 and A1 all closed.
Most of us did the A10 / A14 / A143.
We did, but missed the time by 2 minutes, so, this is a retry for us.
If we make it, it will probably the last time for me.
If we miss dawn at Ness Point again, well, we'll see.
WilliamWoollard said:
Does anyone know if it's been done in an EV before? I'm tempted to give it a go in my Model Y, I've had a quick look at the timings and I don't think it's possible with the charging stop(s) required, although it will be fun to try.
Just go for it!!!Even if you don’t make it, it’s great fun!
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