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| Option | Dates | Cost per car |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 18th - 23rd 2008 Days 1-6 |
£1175 |
| 2 | May 18th - 20th 2008 Days 1-3 |
£725 |
| 3 | May 21st - 23rd 2008 Days 4-6 |
£725 |
| 4 | May 20th - 21st 2008 Days 2-3 |
£225 |
| 5 | May 19th - 23rd 2008 Days 2-6 |
£999 |
| 6 | May 18th - 25th 2008 Days 1-8 |
£1470 |
| 7 | May 24 th - 25th 2008 Days 7-8 |
£485 |
| Click here to see dates and start & finish points of all options | ||
Another new event for 2008, inspired by the success of the 'High Roads Tour' in recent years. The aim is not just to open up more new areas to tour, but as we appreciate many of our customers are based in the south we thought it would be more attractive if we made the journey north part of the tour. This tour is also a real 'multiple choice' event with various optional starting and finishing points which may be of interest to our continental customers who use any of the east coast ports.
We start near Cambridge , conveniently close to the end of the M11 at a hotel where accommodation can be arranged for the previous night if required. As we head north we pass through numerous pretty Fenland villages on our way to the southern shore of The Wash. Here we travel on very minor roads through remote villages, never far from the sea until we turn inland skirting the town of Boston (where the church spire is known as 'The Stump'), on our way to a lunch stop at RAF Coningley, home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
In the afternoon we head north on quiet backroads, passing Cadwell Park racing circuit and keeping to the higher ground of the Lincolnshire Wolds until we reach the shores of the Humber Estuary. Here we will take a little detour to view the magnificent Humber Bridge, before we actually cross the bridge to our hotel for the night.
Today we set off across the Yorkshire Wolds through more picturesque villages on our way to the seaside resort of Scarborough, location for many TV series and films including, "The Royal", and home to the famous Oliver's Mount racing circuit. We can have lunch here and view the sights before heading off into the forests of the North Yorkshire Moors. Our first visit to the Moors is quite brief as we return to the coast to visit the enchanting village of Robin Hood's Bay. It is then only a short run up the coast to Whitby with its atmospheric ruined Abbey overlooking the harbour and often used in Dracula Films. You might like to take tea here before a straightforward main road run over Fylingdales Moor with its sci-fi like 'early warning station', brings us to our hotel for the next two nights, in Malton.
A full day on the moors. We head first toward Helmsley and the dramatic Riveaux Abbey before climbing to the moors proper to take in the picturesque "Bransdale Loop". We then head north across Blakey Ridge with panoramic views over the moors on both sides. This brings us to the Eskdale Valley on the northern edge of the moors on our way to Grosmont, the headquarters of the North Yorkshire moors Railway which is often featured in the TV series 'Heartbeat' and other period films.
Steam 'buffs' may like to spend some time here visiting the engine sheds and works before we move on to the next station down the line, Goathland. This is the location for 'Aidensfield' in Heartbeat and you can have lunch at the Aidensfield Arms and fill up with petrol at 'Scripps Garage'.
From Goathland we head back into the heart of the moors to the pretty village of Rosedale Abbey before we climb the infamous 'Rosedale Chimney' with its 1 in 3 gradient. We then make another stop at the picture postcard village of Hutton le Hole before the return run to Malton.
(End of the three-day Yorkshire Moors Tour)
We leave Malton and skirt the south west corner of the Moors passing the White Horse cliff feature before climbing Sutton Bank where we get a panoramic view over the Vale of York. We then head north along the edge of the forest and moors to the Cleveland Hills before descending to the flat lands of the plain on our way to Scotch Corner and Raby Castle for Lunch. (Entrants starting the tour today from the north may join us here.)
The afternoon route takes us through Hamsterley Forest via the Toll Road and on into the high Pennines at Stanhope. After crossing more moorland roads we come to the picturesque Derwent Reservoir and complete almost a full circle of the 'lake' before heading north again through Slaley Forest and into Northumberland. We then skirt the eastern edge of Kielder Forest on the way to our hotel for the next two nights at Otterburn.
Back to the seaside! We set off cross country to the charming market town of Alnwick on our way to the North Sea coast and the pretty harbour village of Craste . Here you can have a coffee break or make the short walk to Dunstanburgh Castle a little way along the coast. Having worked up an appetite it is now only a short run to Seahouses where you can get "the best fish and chips in the country" for lunch! Bamburgh Castle, featured in the TV programme, 'Britain 's Favourite View' is just another couple of miles along the coast.
After all this seaside air we head back to the hills through the Border town of Wooller and on towards The Cheviot Hills. Another small detour takes us into Jedburgh with its magnificent Abbey before we return to the minor fell roads leading us to Carter Bar, the official Border crossing between Scotland and England .
The final run back to Otterburn takes us along the northern edge of Kielder.
Today it is really 'back to the woods!' as we drive right into the heart of the huge Kielder Forest complex. The route takes us along the full length of Kielder Water, the largest man made lake in the largest man made forest (in Europe). Having crossed the whole width of the forest we then turn south to follow the western boundary through Kershope Forest into Cumbria. Our lunch stop today is at the Roman Fort of Birdoswald on Hadrian's Wall. After lunch we continue along the wall for a while before turning south towards the Pennines. We pass through Alston, Britain 's highest market town, before traversing the spectacular Hartside Pass. The climb from Alston is relatively gentle and un-remarkable, but the café at the summit provides an incredible panoramic view over the Eden Valley to the Lake District Hills in the west and the Solway Firth and Galloway Hills in the north. The descent from the summit is equally dramatic with numerous hairpin bends and the ever-unfolding view of the EdenValley below. Once down in the valley more quiet country roads following the famous Settle – Carlisle railway take us to our sumptuous country house hotel in the old market town of Appleby.
(End of Northumberland Tour)
As the name suggests we return to the Pennine Hills this morning. A short run through the Eden Valley brings us abruptly to the climb into the hills above Swaledale (another candidate for Britain's favourite view) before we turn south over the impressive Buttertubs Pass (often used in 'Top Gear' Road Tests). We then descend into beautiful Wensleydale, famous for its cheese, but we soon climb out of the valley again and over the fells back to Swaledale and more spectacular views down the dale. After lunch near the pretty village of Reeth we return once again to Wensleydale and into real 'James Herriot Country'. A small detour takes us via the picturesque lake at Semer Water before we go and sample some of that famous cheese at the Hawes creamery.
The return run home takes us over the remote and ancient 'coal road' with its panoramic views of Garsdale and Dentdale, passing Dent Station, the highest in Britain, as we descend into the valley and a stop for tea in Dent village with its quaint cobblestone streets. Finally we head north again through the dramatic Lune Gorge and over Orton Fell on our way back to Appleby.
Believe it or not, the final day of this epic tour is probably the most spectacular. We head north from Appleby and into the Lake District skirting Greystoke Forest and the flanks of Blencathra on our way to the quiet villages of Heskett Newmarket and Caldbeck. From the summit of Caldbeck Fell we can take in the panoramic view over the Solway Firth to Scotland and as we turn back towards the Lakes we see some of the mountains from a less-known viewpoint. We now descend into the heart of the Lake District and its stunning scenery. We follow the shores of Bassenthwaite before turning off into the remote Newlands Valley and an awesome section of route which takes in the Newlands Pass, Buttermere Lake, and Honister Pass as we head into the Borrowdale Valley for lunch.
After lunch the scenery is no less impressive as we take the 'Cat Bells' road above Derwent Water before we pass through Keswick to Thirlmere and Grasmere before we reach the shores of Windermere. We end on a high note, literally, with a climb over Kirkstone Pass and a run along the entire length of Ullswater before returning to the Eden Valley via Lowther Castle and some final 'hidden' villages.
All that remains is the farewell dinner at the Appleby Manor Hotel.
