Raid the Lakes
 

So who is coming then?

Have sen lots of comments in threads suggesting people may be coming but not entirely certain.

Hopefully lots are going to venture up and hopefully those that are have booked for the meal on the saturday night?

I might turn up for a ride out with you peeps - shame you ain't venturing north into Northern Monkey land though..some cracking roads we have.

There are a whole bunch of us coming up from the BHCN and really looking forward to it.

B&B's are booked, days off work arranged. Can't remember how many but it's a good few of us.

Wont be able to make it this year ship docks in Itialy, Saturday I'll be in Florence and Piza, Sunday in Rome, I'll try to make the most of it so spare me a thought:lol::lol::lol:

I'm coming back from France that weekend but may just get up there for Sunday, but unlikely being realistic.:(:(

Got twelve booked into B&B's from BHCN so far, thought their may be a few more from darn sarf ? Any one wanting a varied route up that will not be all Motorway,get on the back of the BHCN party,well'e be taking in some "scenic" roads en-route North on the friday. 4D

You got any timings roughly ,we will be on the road most of the day having fun anyway, we expecting to meet up after work hours or what ? appreciate an escort into Lakeland though. 4D

I'm there Friday night and Saturday night.

Thinking of doing the Cat and Fiddle on the way up then hitting the M6 at Jn 19 Knutsford. M6 until Jn 32 thats going to be around 16 00 pm or before .What's you opinion on using the A6 after that ? 4D

Cat and fiddle has 50 limit (fast enough for some on the bendy bits) and helichoppercoppers.
Considered over rated by many.
Try moving through Buxton and joining A6 to come across pennines

Thanks Alan , been a few times to the CAF the problem we have is getting a route past Manchester either go to the left or the right . Could use the ring road then head for Rawtenstall and Burnley to get to the A682 and A65. with 12 in tow thats not going to be easy on a Friday afternoon:lol: 4D

don;t you get us lost fordie
if we end up in cornwall or scotland you'll be in trouble!!:devil:

Glyn you no me, we never get lost, misplaced maybe but never lost. Now if we were going to Norfolk thats another matter:lol: but then you would'nt need me coss you can do it on your own :lol: 4D

Fordie and co, I'm right by jct 12 on the M65 if youre coming from Rawtenstall or even the M6. Can be your tour guide from here onwards up to the Lakes. A65 is boring and very heavily policed at the moment (even at night!) 2 police Imprezas chasing people 7 days a week. Better A682 to Long Preston then Settle up to Ribblehead. From Ribblehead you can either go across to Ingleton and do the last bit up the A65 or go to Hawes which is a stonking road. From Hawes either to Sedburgh - Kendal or go up to Kirby Stephen - tebay - Shap.

I am taking plenty of time off work for anyone on any of the 3 days that wants to come up to the lakes via some great roads. I love the lakes and cant wait for RTL but the best riding is mostly East of the M6.

Drop us a line if you want to meet up.

Martin

Also traffic not that bad a problem on a Friday afternoon. If youre coming this way the only problem you will have is just after you leave the M65 and get onto the A682 as Barrowford is congested at the best of times. Still only takes 5 or 10 minutes from end of M65 to Blacko where the good road starts. I know a nice little alternate route which misses out Long Preston and takes you right into Settle. From Settle onwards will be quiet up there.

Martin ,thanks for the reply. Im sure that you will be aware its going to be for some of us a 270 mile ride even if we go the shortest route from down here in the South to the lakes. As much as we would like to "hit " some of the good roads its whether the direct route North across your way is the way to go . Il have a look and see what the differance is 4D

I would not suggest the C&F personally, better for some variety would be head up towards derby/matlock/buxton way then take long hill down to whaley bridge, from there you can head through kettleshulme and into macc then over to knutsford and M6 or take silk road, cut over onto a34 then a quick nip round the M60 M61 to preston, not the most scenic part of the trip, but gets the manchester slog out of the way.

I have tried a few routes huddersfield side and always got lost so cant help if you want to go east of Mancland.

Thanks Lily, getting round Manchester is the pits we don't want to venture to far East because of time although it maybe more fun . The M6 is the most direct but :(
Martins route is sounding more interesting . Ill have to put it to the troops ;)

Fordie

my suggestion is to get you across country and round manchester using interesting roads where possible then motorway to get the bulk of the manchester congestion sorted.

If you chose either the m6 or the m61 you can hop onto the M65 as per Martin's suggestion so should break the journey up.

If you are heading from MK way to M60 with stops and detours is prob about 3 hours, then 40 mins up to Martin who can take you the fun way into the lakes

Thanks Lilly I think I can see a Plan forming. 4D

[Edited on 10-5-2006 by Fordie]

Not laid out very well, i can email if you are interested.

Yep we will be there assisting with the hosting and organisation (assuming i can stay upright until then anyway :) )

Time Km Instruction For Toward
Summary: 299.5 kilometres (3 hours, 16 minutes)
09:00 0.0 Depart Northampton on A5123 [Victoria Promenade] (West) 0.4 km
09:00 0.4 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A5123 [St Peters Way] 0.3 km
09:01 0.7 Take Local road(s) (LEFT) onto A45 [Black Lion Hill] 2.0 km
09:03 2.7 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A45 [Weedon Road] 6.1 km
09:06 8.8 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto Ramp 0.7 km M1 / M6 / The North / Coventry / Leicester / Birmingham
09:07 9.5 Merge onto M1 83.5 km
09:50 93.0 At Exit 25, keep LEFT onto Ramp 0.5 km A52 / Nottingham / Derby / Ilkeston
09:51 93.5 At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto Ramp 0.4 km
09:52 93.9 Merge onto A52 10.8 km
09:58 104.6 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A52 [Eastgate] 0.4 km
09:58 105.1 Take Ramp (RIGHT) onto A601 [St Alkmunds Way] 1.3 km
10:00 106.4 At Derby, stay on A601 [Ford Street] (South) 0.1 km
10:00 106.5 Turn RIGHT (West) onto A52 [Friar Gate] 1.4 km
10:02 108.0 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A38 [Queensway] 4.6 km
10:05 112.6 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A38 11.3 km
10:11 123.8 Keep LEFT onto Ramp 0.7 km B6441 / A810 / A8 / Ambergate / Matlock / Ripley
10:12 124.6 At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A610 4.8 km
10:16 129.4 Turn RIGHT (North) onto A6 [Matlock Road] 9.7 km
10:23 139.1 At Matlock Bath, return East on A6 [South Parade] 1.3 km
10:25 140.4 Turn RIGHT (South-West) onto A5012 [Cromwell Hill] 0.2 km
10:25 140.6 Turn RIGHT (North-West) onto A5012 [Water Lane] 1.4 km
10:26 142.0 Turn LEFT (West) onto A5012 [Via Gellia Road] 5.4 km
10:29 147.3 At A5012, Grange Mill, Matlock DE4 4, stay on A5012 (West) 8.5 km
10:34 155.9 Turn RIGHT (North) onto A515 18.1 km
10:48 174.0 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A53 [Station Road] 0.2 km
10:48 174.2 At Buxton, stay on A53 [Station Road] (West) 0.1 km
10:48 174.3 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A53 [St Johns Road] 0.1 km
10:48 174.5 Turn RIGHT (West) onto Local road(s) 50 m
10:49 174.5 Bear RIGHT (North) onto A5004 [Manchester Road] 10.8 km
10:57 185.3 Turn LEFT (West) onto B5470 [Lower Macclesfield Road] 40 m
10:57 185.3 At Lower Macclesfield Rd, Whaley Bridge, High Peak SK23 7, stay on B5470 [Lower Macclesfield Road] (West) 0.2 km
10:57 185.5 Keep STRAIGHT onto B5470 [Macclesfield Road] 7.1 km
11:03 192.6 Bear LEFT (South) onto B5470 [Pike Road] 40 m
11:03 192.7 Bear RIGHT (South) onto B5470 1.5 km
11:04 194.2 Bear LEFT (South) onto B5470 [Church Lane] 0.2 km
11:04 194.3 At Rainow, stay on B5470 [Church Lane] (South-West) 40 m
11:04 194.4 Bear LEFT (South) onto B5470 [Pedley Hill] 0.4 km
11:05 194.8 Bear LEFT (South-West) onto B5470 [Hawkins Lane] 0.6 km
11:05 195.3 Bear RIGHT (South-West) onto B5470 0.9 km
11:06 196.2 Keep STRAIGHT onto B5470 [Rainow Road] 1.1 km
11:07 197.3 Bear RIGHT (West) onto B5470 [Hurdsfield Road] 1.3 km
11:09 198.5 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A537 [Hibel Road] 0.1 km
11:09 198.7 At A537, Macclesfield SK10 2, return East on A537 [Hibel Road] 80 m
11:09 198.8 At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A523 [The Silk Road] 3.6 km
11:11 202.4 At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A523 [London Road] 1.4 km
11:12 203.8 At Bonis Hall Lane, Macclesfield SK10 4, turn LEFT (West) onto B5358 [Bonis Hall Lane] 3.0 km
11:14 206.8 Bear LEFT (West) onto B5358 [Wilmslow Road] 1.0 km
11:15 207.7 Bear LEFT (West) onto B5358 [Lees Lane] 1.2 km
11:15 208.9 At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A5102 [Woodford Road] 0.2 km
11:16 209.1 At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A5102 [Adlington Road] 2.1 km
11:18 211.2 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A538 0.9 km
11:19 212.1 At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A34 [Handforth By Pass] 0.1 km
11:20 212.2 At A34, Wilmslow SK9 1, stay on A34 [Handforth By Pass] (North) 10.1 km
11:28 222.3 Turn LEFT (West) onto Local road(s) 60 m
11:28 222.4 At M60, Cheadle SK8 4, return East on Local road(s) 60 m
11:28 222.4 Bear LEFT (North-East) onto A34 [Kingsway] 0.5 km A34 / M'CR City Centre / Didsbury
11:29 222.9 Turn RIGHT (East) onto Kingsway, then immediately turn RIGHT (South) onto A34 [Kingsway] 1.2 km
11:31 224.1 Turn RIGHT (West) onto A560 [Gatley Road], then immediately turn RIGHT (North) onto A34 [Kingsway] 0.5 km
11:32 224.6 Take Ramp (LEFT) onto M60 20.3 km M60 / M62 / M61 / Ring Rd (W) / L'Pool / Bolton
11:42 244.8 Keep LEFT onto M61 [15] 3.5 km M61 / Preston / Wigan / Bolton
11:44 248.4 Keep LEFT onto Ramp 0.3 km A6053 / A666 / Farnworth / Kearsley
11:45 248.7 At roundabout, take the FOURTH exit onto Ramp 0.6 km M62 / A580 / Leeds / Stockport / Birmingham / Manchester
11:46 249.2 Merge onto M61 1.1 km
11:46 250.4 At Exit 2, keep LEFT onto Ramp 1.2 km A580 / Salford / M'CR City Centre
11:47 251.6 At M61, Kearsley, Bolton BL4 8, stay on Ramp (East) 2.3 km
11:49 253.9 Merge onto A580 [East Lancashire Road] 1.5 km
11:50 255.4 Keep RIGHT onto Local road(s) 70 m
11:50 255.5 Turn RIGHT (West) onto A572 [Worsley Road], then immediately bear RIGHT (West) onto A580 [East Lancashire Road] 1.5 km
11:51 257.0 Keep LEFT onto Ramp 3.1 km M61 / Bolton / Preston
11:53 260.0 Take Ramp (LEFT) onto M61 29.6 km M61 / Preston
12:09 289.7 At Exit 9, keep LEFT onto Ramp 0.4 km M65 / Burnley / Blackburn / Preston South
12:09 290.1 At roundabout, take the FOURTH exit onto Ramp 0.8 km M65 / Burnley / Blackburn
12:10 290.9 Merge onto M65 3.4 km
12:12 294.3 At Exit 3, keep LEFT onto Ramp 0.5 km A674 / A675 / Blackburn W / Bolton
12:13 294.8 At roundabout, take the SIXTH exit onto Ramp 0.8 km M65 / Preston / M61 / M6
12:14 295.6 Merge onto M65 3.9 km
12:16 299.5 Arrive M65, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 8

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 299.5 kilometres
Trip duration: 3 hours, 16 minutes
Driving time: 3 hours, 16 minutes
Cost: £24.59

When I'm working down in Hitchin i always come back A1 side, i never use M6, M62 etc usually just A1 up to 66 at Scotch Corner, its the fastest and best route. is there a good A road route parallel to A1?? then get round leeds and pick up either the 59 across to Skipton or Ripon /Hawes roads?? getting round manchester on a friday heading north to Blackpool then Lakes could be fun as Lil says take the M6 cos it'll be easiest:)

M

agreed, if it wasn't for optional requirements of C&F or similar road and then meeting Martin I would probably consider going straight up then across rather than round manchester. Bit dull, but at least its quick. Depends on the desire to get there or have a good ride i guess :)

Fordie, if you have a peep on the map from Settle its the B6479 up to Ribblehead viaduct which is at the junction with the b6255. Turning right takes you to Hawes (the best bit and is pictured most months in Bike magazine as its on one of their test routes) and left to Ingleton (also good). From Hawes its the A684 to Sedburgh and Kendal. I know you have a fair way to come and going via Hawes would add about 60 minutes to your journey time. However as the roads are better and quieter that 60 minutes could be worth it!? Actually from Sedburgh you have 2 choices again, either straight to Kendal (avoiding the centre) or you may notice the b6257 heading north from just west of Sedburgh. It starts a bit narrow but turns into a cracker! turn right on the a685 to Tebay then Orton and the b6261 up to the a6 just south of Shap. Only downside of that is it misses out some great bits of the A6 Kendal to Shap.

Get your maps out and have a think about it. I'm probably going to end up doing about 900 miles myself that weekend as I'm not (as yet) stopping over.

Cheers

Martin

I'm really looking forward to this. Glad to see the planners are hard at it. I shall just follow and go with the flow.

This is going to be a very good crack :roll::roll::roll::D:burn:

The old A1 runs parallel to the new A1 and is a lot more fun!

I'm really looking forward to this, have to say though Fordie - don't envy you trying to pick a route and keep 12 of us together... Still, Manchester will be a different place to get lost...
Martin

the Bike 440 route ain't a bad idea in the northern bit, use the north eastern route coming up then go back down a65/59 cos we'll end at Devils on the Sunday anyway. where's Shaun and his big map book when you need him :) ?

glendridding is probably quickest taking J36 and heading to just before ambleside and north over kirkstone rather than north to j40 and down ullswater, both have got stunning views anyway.

Might not be a bad way to send the southern folks back on the Sunday from Devils to Ingleton, Hawes, Leyburn, Ripon, Harrogate. Then down A1/M1 to wherever they come from?

Mike, never trust my routes, don't forget i'm a courier and charge by the mile...the more miles the better.

I've several little wiggly routes i use for cross country from darn sarf, but would take ages to explain, however ignoring the real darn sarf bits as thats 4D's area, an easy to follow option with an element of fun but not taking an eternity either.

B6047 upto Melton
A6006 towards Kegworth (smile for the camera coming in and out of Kegworth)
A50 boring upto
A515 Ashbourne onto Buxton
A5004 to Whalley Bridge
on A6 bypass to Chapel en le Frith
A624 to Glossop (smile for the cameras in Hayfield)
Turn left in Glossop for Manchester boring bit upto M67 (couple of cameras on this stretch, painted camoflage green)
End of M67 head north on the M60 ring road round Manchester which runs onto the M66 heading north, get to M65 and pick up MartinH's suggested route.

Wouldn't bother with Cat and Piddle.

[Edited on 12-5-2006 by BDG]

B6047 upto Melton
A6006 towards Kegworth
A50 boring upto
A515 Ashbourne onto Buxton
A5004 to Whalley Bridge
on A6 bypass to Chapel en le Frith
A624 to Glossop (smile for the cameras in Hayfield)
Turn left in Glossop for Manchester boring bit upto M67
End of M67 head north on the M60 ring road round Manchester which runs onto the M66 heading north, get to M65 and pick up MartinH's suggested route.

That sounds like a Plan Shaun, better route than on the West side. If I pull this one off I could be a hero if I dont Im dead,those BHCN guys take no prisoners:lol: 4D

make sure they have no idea where they are going and have been, that way they'll need you to get them home :D :D

Heres a taster from Sundays route, i skived off today and went round it.











the full set of pics is @ http://web.mac.com/gizmo999/iWeb/Site/RTL06trial.html

the bikes the star!!

yeah, i've never manged to teach it to take photos of me :D :D

Fordie, i've added a couple of more camera locations so make sure everyone combs their hair and smiles sweetly.

If they can catch your smile they must be forward facing anyway :devil:

Pedant:lol:

Why did I sell my bike at the start of summer ???? :(

Anyone at Ducati UK reading this - any luuurverly sport classic demos not being used that weekend ? ;) ( or 999 - 749 - Monster - ST - MS - I ain't fussy ):bouncy: