Kielder & Northumberland
Discussion
Off up to Kielder forest and Newcastle on thursday for the weekend. Will be a chance to bond with the e46 m3 i bought and still have not connected with.
Does anyone know of any nice flowing roads between Newcastle and Kielder/the borders? I seem to remember last time i went the only roads i found were lumpy and potholed, so with no spare or jack I don't fancy these on 35 section tyres!
Does anyone know of any nice flowing roads between Newcastle and Kielder/the borders? I seem to remember last time i went the only roads i found were lumpy and potholed, so with no spare or jack I don't fancy these on 35 section tyres!
Trtj said:
Off up to Kielder forest and Newcastle on thursday for the weekend. Will be a chance to bond with the e46 m3 i bought and still have not connected with.
Does anyone know of any nice flowing roads between Newcastle and Kielder/the borders? I seem to remember last time i went the only roads i found were lumpy and potholed, so with no spare or jack I don't fancy these on 35 section tyres!
There aren't many roads up there. A68 abysmal, covered in speed cameras.Does anyone know of any nice flowing roads between Newcastle and Kielder/the borders? I seem to remember last time i went the only roads i found were lumpy and potholed, so with no spare or jack I don't fancy these on 35 section tyres!
A697 ok, but don't get caught behind the 40 mph club.
I tried the dirt road from just south of Byrness, SW to Kielder in my MR2 once.
Your M3 should have no problem !
In my view, it's a long way to travel for not much. Are you sure you've done all
the nice roads in Wales ?
Newcastle to Keilder - the short way
A168/A69 to Heddon-on-the-Wall
B6318 to Humshaugh
B6320 to Bellingham
Unclassified to Falstone and Keilder Water
Thence to junction with the B6357
B6357/A6088 to Bonchester Bridge
B6357/A68 to Jedburgh
Newcastle to Kielder - the l-o-n-g way!
Cross the Tyne to Gateshead
A184/A1/A694 to Shotley Bridge
B6278 to Stanhope and Eggleston
B6282 to Middleton-in-Teesdale
B6277 to Alston
A686/A69/A6079/B6318 to Humshaugh
Then as above
I can recommend the tucker at the Tower Knowe Visitor Centre. The setting overlooking Keilder Water is superb. The last time I was there we arrived just as a heavy squall blew in. Got drenched just running from the car park to the restaurant! Worth it though just to watch the passage of the storm across the reservoir. Within half an hour the clouds and rain had blown through and the sun came out. Pure theatre.
A168/A69 to Heddon-on-the-Wall
B6318 to Humshaugh
B6320 to Bellingham
Unclassified to Falstone and Keilder Water
Thence to junction with the B6357
B6357/A6088 to Bonchester Bridge
B6357/A68 to Jedburgh
Newcastle to Kielder - the l-o-n-g way!
Cross the Tyne to Gateshead
A184/A1/A694 to Shotley Bridge
B6278 to Stanhope and Eggleston
B6282 to Middleton-in-Teesdale
B6277 to Alston
A686/A69/A6079/B6318 to Humshaugh
Then as above
I can recommend the tucker at the Tower Knowe Visitor Centre. The setting overlooking Keilder Water is superb. The last time I was there we arrived just as a heavy squall blew in. Got drenched just running from the car park to the restaurant! Worth it though just to watch the passage of the storm across the reservoir. Within half an hour the clouds and rain had blown through and the sun came out. Pure theatre.
dcb said:
There aren't many roads up there. A68 abysmal, covered in speed cameras.
A697 ok, but don't get caught behind the 40 mph club.
I tried the dirt road from just south of Byrness, SW to Kielder in my MR2 once.
Your M3 should have no problem !
In my view, it's a long way to travel for not much. Are you sure you've done all
the nice roads in Wales ?
The speed cameras on the A68 are only in Scotland, that's the bit north of Northumberland. The A697 is a cracking road, and at this time of year will have very little traffic, but in an M3 you should be able to overtake.A697 ok, but don't get caught behind the 40 mph club.
I tried the dirt road from just south of Byrness, SW to Kielder in my MR2 once.
Your M3 should have no problem !
In my view, it's a long way to travel for not much. Are you sure you've done all
the nice roads in Wales ?
Well, was a mixed bag!
The best roads, aside from the bad surfaces, were the unclassified ones. Found a great piece of old military road on the a68 which is straight and yumpy, near Ridsdale.
This pic was taken on a very rough road not on the map near Sweethope Lough. I think the wind turbines are pretty new. It was seriously windy!
The best roads, aside from the bad surfaces, were the unclassified ones. Found a great piece of old military road on the a68 which is straight and yumpy, near Ridsdale.
This pic was taken on a very rough road not on the map near Sweethope Lough. I think the wind turbines are pretty new. It was seriously windy!
Red Devil said:
Ahhh, no, I got it wrong! I was actually meaning this bit, its an unclassified just of a696 near knowesgate.http://goo.gl/maps/xkbTi
dcb said:
There aren't many roads up there
Actually laughed when I read that - maybe you need to look in the right place eh?A68 is a good road but yes there are cameras - some of the minor roads around keilder are also good. A697 towards the Scottish Borders is a great road and there's also the Alston / Hartside road which is just epic in places. There are many, many more...
dcb said:
There aren't many roads up there
Actually laughed when I read that - maybe you need to look in the right place eh?A68 is a good road but yes there are cameras - some of the minor roads around keilder are also good. A697 towards the Scottish Borders is a great road and there's also the Alston / Hartside road which is just epic in places. There are many, many more...
peteA said:
A68 is a good road but yes there are cameras - some of the minor roads around keilder are also good.
Maybe I've travelled a bit too much, but in my personal top 100 roads, I can't think of anything in Northumberland that would be on that
top 100.
peteA said:
A697 towards the Scottish Borders is a great road and there's also the Alston / Hartside road which is just epic in places. There are many, many more...
Doh.Alston / Hartside road is south of Hadrian's Wall and so
I rather felt it was outside the remit of the Kielder / Northumberland
original question.
After the Alps, anything in the UK can only be lukewarm interesting
at best, in my view.
dcb said:
Doh.
Alston / Hartside road is south of Hadrian's Wall and so
I rather felt it was outside the remit of the Kielder / Northumberland
original question.
After the Alps, anything in the UK can only be lukewarm interesting
at best, in my view.
Alston and the Hartside Pass are in Cumbria not Northumberland.Alston / Hartside road is south of Hadrian's Wall and so
I rather felt it was outside the remit of the Kielder / Northumberland
original question.
After the Alps, anything in the UK can only be lukewarm interesting
at best, in my view.
I'd vouch that Northumberland has some of the best roads in the country, and easily comparable with Alpine tarmac on its day. The roads from the border to Newcastle and westward offer challenging surfaces, little traffic and sensational driving experiences, especially if you step away from the main routes. The single track road which loops around the back of the Otterburn firing range is a prime example of this with complex camber changes, sharp direction changes and dips and crests galore. From the other end of the county there's the drive from the A7 up to kielder which has one of the most sinuous and rewarding sequences of tarmac in the country.
If you're in the North it's well worth the expedition after some time spent researching with a road atlas and Google Streetview.
If you're in the North it's well worth the expedition after some time spent researching with a road atlas and Google Streetview.
I used to start at Heddon on the wall (B6318) and head west on Military Road. I can't remember exactly what routes I used to take, I just used to go from there and not fail to have a really good drive. That eventually brings you toward Kielder.
And if you have a good few hours to spare, jump on the A686 to Penrith, the couple of times I did that were absolutely brilliant drives on a great road.
I really miss this as the Peak District roads that I use now (which are meant to be some of the best) don't really compare.
And if you have a good few hours to spare, jump on the A686 to Penrith, the couple of times I did that were absolutely brilliant drives on a great road.
I really miss this as the Peak District roads that I use now (which are meant to be some of the best) don't really compare.
plenty said:
At the risk of further derailing the thread - northwest Scotland is IMO more than a match for the best the Alps has to offer, particularly if you enjoy narrower, rally-style roads.
This.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPMoGwMlbSY
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