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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:25 am Post subject: Favourite Road |
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On the One Show last night, Hardeep Singh Kholi (spelling?) asked about favourite roads and cited the A591 in the Lake District as one of his.
The southern section of the A49 in Shropshire and Herefordshire is high on my list.
When we lived in Coventry in the 70s and went to visit my parents in Cheshire for a weekend, we often used to eschew the M6 in favour of the A51 and I've still got a soft spot for it.
I would have nominated the A54 from Chester to Buxton but for the fact that you have to drive right through Congleton on a most obtuse permutation of routes.
The section of the A59 from Harrogate to Clitheroe is another that I like very much. Don't forget to build in a stop at Skipton if you're ever on the route.
But my clear winner is the A686 from Penrith to Hexham. It's got breathtakingly dramatic scenery, the Hartside Pass, a cafe right at the top of the pass and the attractions of the little market town of Alston about halfway along its route.
Your nominations?
Ian. |
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colby
Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 1216
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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I like the M1 Motorway coming out of London when it's very late at night and there's nobody else about. I get home quicker. _________________ (signature and avatar removed, violated forum Rule 2.) |
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Minx
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 4088 Location: France/Spain/Peterborough/Tenerife
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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I'd need to think about my favourite road, but I can say without hesitation which is my least favourite road - the A14 through Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire etc.
If they could bottle that road and serve it up at bedtime, no-one in the world would ever need to look at another sleeping pill. _________________ Minx
To err is human, to forgive - canine. |
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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:05 am Post subject: |
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Meant to add the Northumberland Coastal Route to my list. The section round Warkworth is especially spectacular and a stop at Seahouses for fish and chips is a real treat.
Ian. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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In the Lake District the A 592 through Kirkstone Pass and round Ullswater is preferable to Hardeep's A 591, where you've usually got a bus or large articulated lorry in front, obscuring the view.
I do like the A1 northbound, especially where it turns left and the Angel of the North hoves into view, if only because I know that the next interesting thing I'm likely to see is the bridge over the River Tweed at Coldstream.
He did mention, I think, that it was a list confined to England. There are so many spectacular in Scotland you'd never be able to make up your mind. _________________ Ron |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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RockitRon wrote: | There are so many spectacular roads in Scotland you'd never be able to make up your mind. |
Indeed, and you don't have to venture up to the Highlands. Last month I was reminded how beautiful is the area just north of Moffat on the M74, great hills and not a house to be seen, but plenty sheep
John |
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MadeinSurrey
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 3130 Location: The Beautiful South
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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My favourite road is the A303 as it leads to our finest county - Devonshire! _________________ MiS |
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Lord Evan Elpuss
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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MadeinSurrey wrote: | My favourite road is the A303 as it leads to our finest county - Devonshire! |
That's one of my favourites too as it has Popham airfield by the side of it, so it has been well used over the years!! _________________ Lord Evan Elpuss, Your ideal job is a Lumberjack. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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John W wrote: | RockitRon wrote: | There are so many spectacular roads in Scotland you'd never be able to make up your mind. |
Indeed, and you don't have to venture up to the Highlands. Last month I was reminded how beautiful is the area just north of Moffat on the M74, great hills and not a house to be seen, but plenty sheep
John |
The Scottish Borders area is beautiful, and relatively quiet even in high season. It's some years since I stopped at Moffat but it was a great little town with a lovely wee garden, just about the cleanest public toilets in Scotland, and an excellent toffee shop, where I indulged in some very rich chocolate fudge. For spectacular scenery you can't beat the A701 from Peebles coming down into Moffat through the Devil's Beef Tub, and the A708 from Selkirk, going round St Mary's Loch and passing the Grey Mare's Tail isn't bad either. Plenty of fine scenery and places to visit around Peebles and Melrose as well.
For the driver, the other great thing about the Borders is that they're at least four hours short of the Highlands. _________________ Ron |
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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:55 am Post subject: |
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Agree with all comments re the eastern Borders. The western Borders perhaps aren't quite as spectacular but we had a super holiday in Dumfriesshire some years ago and included trips to the Ayrshire coast and Edinburgh.
Don't forget that my adoptive county of Northumberland has some of the best scenery in England and it's quiet because of under-discovery. See you here on holiday one day, perhaps?
Ian. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:30 am Post subject: |
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Indeed, Ian. We have had a week at Seahouses and explored that corner of Northumbria. It was lovely, even the weather behaved itself
_________________ Ron |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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colby wrote: | I like the M1 Motorway coming out of London when it's very late at night and there's nobody else about. I get home quicker. |
They have made it better around Luton now. Isle Of Wright have some nice roads leading up to the needles. |
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Rachel Guest
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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RockitRon wrote: | Indeed, Ian. We have had a week at Seahouses and explored that corner of Northumbria. It was lovely, even the weather behaved itself
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Cool beans ... Holy Island... |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | colby wrote: | I like the M1 Motorway coming out of London when it's very late at night and there's nobody else about. I get home quicker. |
They have made it better around Luton now. Isle Of Wright have some nice roads leading up to the needles. |
The roads on the Isle of Wight are hairy in summer, since they're narrow and very busy. The A3055 from Chale to Freshwater and The Needles is scenic, and also subject to falling away down the cliff. They spent a lot of money stabilising it, but there is still a traffic light control to close it when weather conditions are bad. I thought I had a photo of it but I haven't, and the only one on the web looks the wrong way, but...
My last holiday on the IOW was a crushing disappointment. It has always been popular, but had been notable for holding on to its quaint, old fashioned atmosphere, but that has largely all gone now. I took this 15 years ago, Shanklin
When we returned ten years later that road, and most around, were choked with traffic.
By the way, this isn't one of yours, mark, is it?
_________________ Ron |
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colby
Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 1216
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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I've been to that pub lots of times. It's not very good, actually (a bit touristy with lots of noisy kids making a mess). There's a very good Italian Restuarant just up around the corner to the left opoosite the car park.
In the lower picture, I used to go to school in a Leyland bus just like the one in the foreground. Upstairs had wide bench seats and a right-side recessed aisle. our buses also had a roof, of course, which is handy when it was raining. _________________ (signature and avatar removed, violated forum Rule 2.) |
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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:01 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for pics.
We've been to Holy Island several times and on one occasion stopped overnight at a B and B. It's like a different world when the tide's in and no one can get on or off the island.
Ian. |
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