Suggestions please

2wheels

2wheels

Community Manager
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Location
Chiang Mai
Bikes
ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC
I'll be riding the UK during August and am seeking advice from those who know on where the good riding roads are.

I haven't been there before and only have a very basic 'plan'.

i.e. get down to Southampton where Tim Gnasher has a bike available for my use.

Ride up to Stonehenge and into Wales.
Exit Wales at a different location than entry.

Up to Liverpool.
('Yes', 2wheels is an olde Beatles fan and wants to visit the Cavan Club)

Across to The Moors area.

Ride on one of the steam trains on the York to Newcastle line.

To Newcastle-on Tyne (ancestral home).

Up to and around Scotland, probably coastal.
Gotta see castles!

(Somehow) across to Northern Ireland then down to Ireland.

(Somehow) across to Wales and back to Southampton.

I am hoping most, if not all, of my riding will be on minor roads.

If anyone has suggestions on where the excellent, scenic, bikers roads and/or sites that must be seen are
I'd appreciate your feedback.

Thank you.
 
All depends on you time scale and if you have a GPS with Gatso camera locations. Know nowt about Southampton to Wales but enter on the M4 to Neath, pick up the A48 to Carmarthen along the mountain route to Aberystwyth then on to A487 to Caernarfon, cut back to Beddelert (stop the night) and then to Betws y coed ( stop at the Ty Gwyn just over the bridge leaving town). on to Llangollen, then out to Chester. Thats Wales done, should see plenty of castles along the route.
 
For the Scotland section you've got to add in the West Highland Way, Milngavie to Fort William. Its only approx. 100 miles but you'll get to see Loch Lomond, Glencoe and Ben Nevis amongst other things. Its more of a walk/hike, but excellent on a bike too.
You've also got to stay at the Drovers Inn, one of the oldest pubs/hotels in Scotland. Its located to the north of Loch Lomond on the West side. Character by the bucket loads and also has Ghosts!

Home - Drovers and Drovers Lodge Traditional Scottish Inn Loch Lomond

35.jpg

Now I can just see myself sitting here with a pint!
the-drovers-inn-inverarnan.jpg

The Route
whwmap.gif

Loch Lomond
loch.jpg

Glen Coe
glencoe_scotland_2785.jpg
GB_glenorchy_glencoe_loch_linnhe_loop__rte_1357123570.jpg

Ben Nevis
4_2_1l.JPG
 
Hi,
Im currently in the UK, living in Southampton (before back to CM in September).... would be happy if u wanted to stop by for a coffee on your way to Stonehenge and I can share some ideas.
Last year I went on a road trip to Scotland, then across to N.Ireland, down through Ireland and back into the Wales, on the Transalp.
I have the GPX file if its any good, and most of the route avoided motorways.
Might even ride the leg to Wales with you, if you are looking for company, as I admit to having relatives there !
Scot&Ireland (46).jpg
Rgds, Russ.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Bob and Johnny. :DD
Excellent info.

Bob, can you please translate those Welsh place names?
Amazing.
Noted.

Those photos sure are alluring Johnny.
All noted.


'Yes' I will have GPS.
I have all of August for the ride.
 
Wow, thanks Russ. :DD
Will do.

Might even ride the leg to Wales with you, if you are looking for company, as I admit to having relatives there !
Click to expand...
Good one!

My rellies are somewhere in Newcastle o-T and in Glasgow.
 
Great selection JS, would find time to get to Oban have a beer in the Oban Inn and get a ferry to Mull on then to Tobermorey for the night and have a night in the Mishnish pub. Lock Lomond is a great ride and over the A815 to Inveraray for the night, wish i was coming now !!!!
 
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is a must, in my book. My kids rated it and Stonehenge as the best in Britain - to which I'd add Beaulieu Motor Museum.... and there's a couple of good motorbike museums

Beaulieu National Motor Museum, House and Garden in the New Forest

The Ring of Kerry in Ireland is good.

... oh, and would you mind calling in to Martin Robey's and picking up some parts I need for my Jensen Interceptor, please?
 
For Scotland I'd go the opposite way to Johnny. From Newcastle,Berwick, Dunbar, skirt Edinburger, then head towards Perth, Pitlochry, Avimore, Inverness, Fort William, Glen Coe, Tyndrum. Personally I think the views coming South from Fort William through Glen Coe are better than heading North. North West of Glasgow is some beautiful riding. Then head South West toward Stranrae and catch the ferry to Northern Island. As you head South from F W, there is a layby on the right with food van in it, occasionally a piper playing and if your lucky and he's still alive a fully antlered Red Stag is known to frequent there as well.

If you stop at the Drovers you could then head towards Glasgow A82 then the A78 to Ayr, A77 to Stranrae.

Going Anti-Clockwise would link up Newcastle to the Ferry quite well, and show you the difference in West and East Scotland. Be careful if riding at the weekends a few years back it wasn't unknown for the Police to have unmarked bikes out and about.

I have done Glasgow up through Glen Coe to Fort William onto Inverness and down to Perth, and home to Glasgow in a day but it wasn't really touristy scenic speeds we were doing.
 
Thanks BigFella. :DD
Maps noted.

Should be ok if it's a windscreen wiper you need.
 
Thanks Gareth. :DD
All noted; especially re unmarked bikes (and Bob speaks of hidden cameras too).

What a resource this RA is!
 
South of England, Poole Quay is worth a visit on Tuesdays for bike night if the weathers good.

There is some quite good riding through Dorset to Somerset, upto Bristol across the Severn Bride into Welsh Wales at the bottom ride up through there come out at the top near Chester then into Liverpool. The Yorkshire Dales are worth a ride through as you head across the country to Newcastle.

I need to stop now as a bit of homesickness is creeping in thinking about riding round Britain especially if the sun is out.
 
2wheels said:
Thanks Gareth. :DD
All noted; especially re unmarked bikes (and Bob speaks of hidden cameras too).

What a resource this RA is!
Click to expand...

The cameras are supposed to be marked even if its a small sign somewhere before the camera, also watch out for white vans in laybys and flyovers as they will inevitably have cameras in them as well.
 
2wheels said:
Pardon my ignorance Gareth, what's this?



Radar traps sound a bit like South Oz.
Hidden, with signs after passing the trap! :topes
Click to expand...

Welsh Wales kinda hard to explain until you get there, without causing a international diplomatic ruckus. :RE
 
When I visit Wales I dont use the M4 but take the back roads to Swindon then Gloucester, Cirencester , Ross On Wye and then twisty back roads onto Abergavenny then Brecon and through the black mountains.
Once in Wales its great scenery with a lot less traffic but its been 22 years since I last visited north Wales and I cant remember it as well.
As for the other parts of the UK you plan on visiting I have never seen any of them so cant comment.
Good luck with the trip and I hope you strike it lucky with the weather
 
I rode up the west coast to Arran and Skye once, great trip but a long time ago so dont know how good it is now.
Also Newcastle up to Berwick on tweed then west via coldstream and selkirk to Moffat, then the old edinburgh road , is very scenic
 
From David L :DD

"I'll go along with BSACBob, Johhnysneds & GarethW - all those routes I'll recommend. Slash's route to South Wales would be better than M4 I'm sure.

Also recommend North Yorkshire Dales & the Lake District. Neither out of your way with your travel plans."
 
If your heading up the north east side, make time to call at York and also see the old abbey at Whitby and over the moors then head north, ride onto Holy Island, just make sure you get off before the tide comes in :-)
 
Got a day to myself, so I'm researching (in order) some of the place names and routes suggested above.

1. From Bob

Carmarthen (lots of castles there)

Carmarthen-Kidwelly-001.jpg

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth__Wales_by_GYoshi.jpg

Llangollen

Llangollen Wales.jpg
 
5. From Gareth

Pitlochry, Scotland

Pitlochry-and-River-Tummel-Scotfrom-Ben-Vrackie-2.jpg

Castle on River Ness, Inverness

, Scot.jpg

Stranraer (Port Patrick)

Stanraer, Pt Patrick Hbr, ScotJPG.jpg
 
6. More from Gareth (Sth England)

Dorset

Dorset, England.jpg

Somerset

Somerset, Eng.jpg

Yorkshire Dales (Deepdale)

deepdale, Yorkshire Dales-07.jpg
 
7. From Colin

Ross-on-Wye (England)

Ros-on-Wye, England.jpg

Abergavenny, England/Wales border (name featured in a '60s hit song?)

Abergavenny, Wales:Eng border.jpg

Black Mountains, Wales

Black Mountains (Wales) from Mynydd Troed 350.jpg
 
Excellent, thanks Gareth. :DD
It's on the list!

I guess, as many who come to Thailand have a desire to see ancient Temples, I have a current 'thing' about castles.
 
A couple more I will add to the itinerary.

Dunluce Castle, Nth Ire.jpg

Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Nth Ireland.

cliffsofmoher, Ireland5.jpg

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland.


Bring it on! :p
 
Although I usually prefer to 'wing it' when touring, without having particular destinations in mind, all the info above plus a couple
of other destinations in Northern Ireland have added up to what should be a superb ride.

For Northern Ireland I have added

The Sperrin Mountains

Nth Island, Sperrin Mtns.jpg

Fermanagh Lakelands

Nth Ireland, Fermanagh Lakelands.jpeg

Just the Ferry crossings to double check now.

Thanks to all for your advice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
M Visa run help please?? General Discussion 2
P Please kindly proof my plan to Doi Phu Ka Loop. General Discussion 8
TravellingStrom Brisbane Riders. Can You Help Please General Discussion 2
B Chong Mek to Veun Kham Route Suggestions General Discussion 0
Similar threads
Visa run help please??
Please kindly proof my plan to Doi Phu Ka Loop.
Brisbane Riders. Can You Help Please
Chong Mek to Veun Kham Route Suggestions
Back
Top Bottom