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Down to the South coast, Starting Tuesday.
AdrianH - 8/8/16 at 05:26 PM

As the rain appears to be mostly around the North and Scotland this next week. I am heading on a trip down south in the kit, sort of Lands End and around the south coast. Any recommendations for things to see, places to visit, decent driving roads etc.

Adrian

theconrodkid - 8/8/16 at 06:16 PM

Queens square bristol on sunday 14th,mahoosive car meet with plenty expensive / desirable metal

obfripper - 8/8/16 at 07:09 PM

You want to head down the A39 from Bridgewater through Porlock, Lynton and along to Barnstaple, it follows the coast and the top edge of Exmoor with some great roads and views.
If you're going to head across Dartmoor at any point, the B3212 Longdown - Moretonhampstead is a good stretch of road, there are a couple sections near Doccombe which do narrow right down and need a bit of care.
A few more include A396 Tiverton-Minehead, A3072 Crediton-Bickley, B3327 and B3190 Bampton-Taunton, A382 Whiddon Down-Bovey Tracey.
Some of the other coastal roads are good but tend to be congested at this time of year.
Haynes Motor Museum isn't too far from the coast and worth a visit on the way around, there are some good roads in the area as well.

Dave

twybrow - 8/8/16 at 07:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by obfripper
You want to head down the A39 from Bridgewater through Porlock, Lynton and along to Barnstaple, it follows the coast and the top edge of Exmoor with some great roads and views.
If you're going to head across Dartmoor at any point, the B3212 Longdown - Moretonhampstead is a good stretch of road, there are a couple sections near Doccombe which do narrow right down and need a bit of care.
A few more include A396 Tiverton-Minehead, A3072 Crediton-Bickley, B3327 and B3190 Bampton-Taunton, A382 Whiddon Down-Bovey Tracey.
Some of the other coastal roads are good but tend to be congested at this time of year.
Haynes Motor Museum isn't too far from the coast and worth a visit on the way around, there are some good roads in the area as well.

Dave


You have my favourite road on their - tge A3072 Crediton to Tiverton road. Every sort of bend you can imagine in 6 miles of automotive bliss. Despite growing up their, i have never taken my kit. Last time i drove it i went very sideways in an Impreza with my now wife squealing!

I would suggest avoiding most of Dartmoor as it will be busy and full of wandering sheep. Following the north Devon and Cornwall coast is awesome, but personslly i prefer the unspoilt south coast. It is quieter, chepaer to stay and has some spectacular roads and scenery.

joneh - 8/8/16 at 08:01 PM

If you're going past Barnstaple, Hartland Key is worth a visit. It's the cliff area where Hammond and May pushed Clarksons caravan creation off the cliff.

(The pub is nice at the bottom and the hill is used for sprint climbs)

AdrianH - 8/8/16 at 08:39 PM

Thanks for the reply s, not sure if I will do it in one trip down to the Lands End area, I know I could if I did just the motorway, but think I may just break it up have a drive around stopping and camping or B&B around Cheltenham/Bristol, and use that as a base area to do the lands end trip. Then head along the South cost heading towards Dover.

May hop over just to see the war graves for the day and hop back same day. All very much open, dependent on weather and where I can pitch my tent. I am in the Camping and Caravanning club so tend to use their pitches for cost resorting to Premier inns when wet through!

Have camera to stop and take snaps along the way.

Keep the comments coming as I should be able to check in from time to time.

Adrian

nick205 - 9/8/16 at 08:53 AM

I'm in Hampshire and have driven to the West Country for both work and on holiday. The A303 and onwards can be a good drive, but this time of year will be full of holiday makers with caravans - best avoided IMHO. The last time I visited Lands End it appeared to be operated by money grabbing people and was a disappointing day out really. You may not have the time, but the Eden Project is down that way and for me was a good day out.

Either way have a good trip

Dave Bailey - 10/8/16 at 06:29 AM

See if you can get some tickets for the open air Minack Theatre... Somewhere to have a rest at the end of the day and watch an outdoor show. Fantastic views out to sea...

[Edited on 10/8/16 by Dave Bailey]

AdrianH - 22/8/16 at 05:28 PM

Thought I would add a last post to this, must admit I forgot I posted about it, put it down to old age creeping in.

I Drove down on the Tuesday and set up cam near Cheddar, it took ages to get down there with traffic approx 7 hours mainly Motorway with stops for coffee/toilet breaks.

On the Wednesday I set off for lands End, a bit overcast at the time and hoping that as time went on it would brighten, how wrong I was.
I basically went to the end of the M5 and then along the A30, during this drive the heavens decided it was going to rain on me going over the Bodmin moors the road had very long tailbacks for roadworks, and guess who was sat on them in the rain in an open top car! Some stupid person getting wetter and wetter.

At Bodmin decided enough and headed for food at Morrison’s and a bit of a warm. From there went to Looe for a look around a few pictures and then back to the camp-site and pub, by the time I got back was around 8 pm.

Thursday headed further east and stopped south of Horsham, better weather at least, so I drove the coast stopping in places from Bognor to Newhaven on the Friday before heading north again Saturday.

Over 1000 miles not my best of trips so will have to do again with more planning I think some time.

Adrian