Lancashire to Edinburgh...

M

Maniac

Elite
Right o chaps and chappettes, your thoughts if I may.. I'm planning a surprise trip to Edinburgh with the other half in March, just lining up the castle/manor I want to stay at presently, but Edinburgh ish.

What I'd like your input on is, given I'm going from Manchester/Lancashire to Edinburgh, what routes and roads do you suggest anywhere along the trip? As I'll likely take the old beast (that is the car, not the other half) then I'd like some scenery along the route to make the trip more interesting (some motorway is also good as I don't want to spend my life getting there)...

Any thoughts appreciated...
 
You could go from manchester M66 / Bury towards M65 then go through the ribble valley via Clitheroe ( it even has a castle :) ) , Waddington then head through the Trough of Bowland ( inspired Lord of the Rings http://www.forestofbowland.com/files/uploads/pdfs/leaflets/Tolkien_Trail.pdf ) via Dunsop Bridge which drops you back on the M6 around Lancaster for the drive north ? total approx 60 miles / 90 mins ?
No end of pubs & village cafes for a break :thumbsup: depending what day/time i would happily blaze the trail for a while :wink:
 
A7 from the top of the M6 then up the A68, or find a way onto the A68 near the bottom and take it all the way up - lovely scenery :thumbsup:

You could also try PMing Jaxz4 or Adamski as they have done a couple of runs in the borders...
 
Can't recommend highly enough getting off the M74 quite early on once you get north of the border, my personal favourite route is getting off at jct 15 (Moffat) and following the A701 to Edinburgh. It's a brilliant driving road, loads of variety, usually pretty dead, and I've never seen a speed trap on there once aside from the occasion camera in the odd village. I've also got off at jct 13 for the A702, and jct 12 for the A70. Both less scenic and less invigorating than the A701 but still much more fun than the motorway. In my experience all these A roads are as quick as taking the M74-M8 route.

As far as avoiding some of the M6 goes, I live pretty close to the route mr wilkes suggests which takes you just by Dunsop Bridge on to Wyresdale Tower, it's a stunning road, quite technical though and there are really limited passing places in parts. Still worth a gamble if the sun is out. If not, I'd skirt round the Yorkshire Dales - head up the M66 - M65, get off at M65 junction 13 and follow the signs for A682 Kendal. It brings you out onto the A65 which has lots more passing places (and is patrolled by Police Impreza's just after Settle...) and is still a nice punt on a grotty day and won't add tons of time onto the journey.
 
yellowcar said:
Can't recommend highly enough getting off the M74 quite early on once you get north of the border, my personal favourite route is getting off at jct 15 (Moffat) and following the A701 to Edinburgh. It's a brilliant driving road, loads of variety, usually pretty dead, and I've never seen a speed trap on there once aside from the occasion camera in the odd village. I've also got off at jct 13 for the A702, and jct 12 for the A70. Both less scenic and less invigorating than the A701 but still much more fun than the motorway. In my experience all these A roads are as quick as taking the M74-M8 route.

As far as avoiding some of the M6 goes, I live pretty close to the route mr wilkes suggests which takes you just by Dunsop Bridge on to Wyresdale Tower, it's a stunning road, quite technical though and there are really limited passing places in parts. Still worth a gamble if the sun is out. If not, I'd skirt round the Yorkshire Dales - head up the M66 - M65, get off at M65 junction 13 and follow the signs for A682 Kendal. It brings you out onto the A65 which has lots more passing places (and is patrolled by Police Impreza's just after Settle...) and is still a nice punt on a grotty day and won't add tons of time onto the journey.
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+1 on the 702 :thumbsup:

And by the way, you can't just sneak in here like that, no matter how good your post is... :wink: Intro and pics required in the newbies section, especially as you are driving my favourite colour of e89 :poke: :lol:
 
Have driven Liverpool to Edinburgh many many times. Most of the routes through the Dales are picturesque, but slow and narrow, so plan your route time carefully. Depending how much time you have for the drive up. once north of the border there are several superb driving roads that head to Edinburgh. My personal favourite, is to simply turn of J44 on the M6 and follow the A7. A truly breath-taking and fast road. scorching through the valleys with many well sighted sections to enjoy a little freedom with the right foot, should you feel inclined. Then switching from bank to bank as it follows the Galla Water North, between majestic peaks. Just check the snows clear and watch for speed Cameras at the Edinburgh end.
 
buzyg said:
Have driven Liverpool to Edinburgh many many times. Most of the routes through the Dales are picturesque, but slow and narrow, so plan your route time carefully. Depending how much time you have for the drive up. once north of the border there are several superb driving roads that head to Edinburgh. My personal favourite, is to simply turn of J44 on the M6 and follow the A7. A truly breath-taking and fast road. scorching through the valleys with many well sighted sections to enjoy a little freedom with the right foot, should you feel inclined. Then switching from bank to bank as it follows the Galla Water North, between majestic peaks. Just check the snows clear and watch for speed Cameras at the Edinburgh end.
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Did the A7 coming back from the Braemar run with Wee Bing - fantastic road :thumbsup:
 
When I do Cheshire to Aberdeenshire I like to come off the M6 at the Southend and head through to Windermere onto the kirkstone pass to ulswater and then Penrith - very pleasant .
 
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