Two day June trip down to the Borders and Yorkshire Moors
Stats
Door to door 760 miles
Av Fuel consumption 54 mpg
Av speed 48 mph
Left Montrose after fuelling up around 0830 on Friday morning.
Did a weather check and could see would get some rain just North of Glasgow, thereafter should be fine for most of the way.
Popped down through Fife keeping in the main to minor roads then across Kincardine Bridge and then Motorway to Hamilton services.
Did get some drizzle but was now dry.
We were here to get our bearing for the back road via Kirkfieldbank Lanark to Biggar.
Then onto Broughton and the A701 down to the un-classified road around Talla Reservoir and upwards to Megget Reservoir.
Here is a wee clip of vid going up the steep section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpuhlGITQS8
At the Megget viewpoint
Took more un-classifieds which took us by Alemoor Reservoir, then popped into Hawick.
Bit of lunch and some fuel. Took the back road B6357 out of Hawick to get us to Kielder Forest.
Then armed with tales about the Kielder forest route went off on the 12 mile run.
Interesting road or lack of!!
Had visions of my road tyres being shredded.
Counter-intuitive but name of the game was get some speed up and front was more stable. Just don’t use the front brake.
Only saw one vehicle a 4x4 Audi.
At the top a small stone marker.
Once you are up you need to come down.
Then down the A68, was relatively quiet so could make good progress.
Plan was to then pick up some back roads, but weather took a serious turn for the worse.
So thought short hop down the A1 to get through it.
Feck that was scary, it hammered down and could hardly see a thing, cars with no lights on, could hardly see the lane lines.
But got off at Melmerby and then onto Thirsk and the A170, bit damp but a fine road onto Kirbymoorside at around 18:30 where we had our stay.
Excellent steaks, bottle of wine and then quaffed some local ales.
Following day was away by 9:30am onto the Yorkshire Moors as you can see was a tad misty first thing. Loads of wee roads that all zig zag and interconnect.
Went to one road called Chimney Bank which is a 1:3, bit of care with the various switch backs.
Here is the start of it.
and it eventually gets to the base which is out of view further down.
Off to Whitby get some fuel then pass the Count’s place. Then used “Fast Bikes” recommended road guide, ended up in Northallerton for fish and chips, in the White Horse Café, gave them 5 stars on Trip Adviser.
Off up to Barnard Castle to get one of my favourites the B6277, you can fly along this very open and great sweeping corners although bit of chippings at start.
This takes you to Alston, then onwards to Penrith.
This is the A686 and one of the meccas for bikers it goes by Hartside Café on the high viewpoint.
From Alston to Melmerby (a different one to the one above) has to be one of the best bike roads in the country (going in either direction).
Highly recommend if you are in the area.
We were fortunate that the road was relatively quiet so could really enjoy it.
The Hartside café bikers, guess 50+ were waving away with me cranked over as I did my fly past.
Dawned on me afterwards they might be warning me the cameras / radar was about. Aye well.
Short haul up the M6 to Gretna and then A7, which at around 6 pm Saturday evening was empty so that was fun.
Carried on up to Edin and Kinross for coffee and then back through Fife and home to Montrose.
Great two days, bike now done 3500 miles since start of April and enjoying every minute of it.
Stats
Door to door 760 miles
Av Fuel consumption 54 mpg
Av speed 48 mph
Left Montrose after fuelling up around 0830 on Friday morning.
Did a weather check and could see would get some rain just North of Glasgow, thereafter should be fine for most of the way.
Popped down through Fife keeping in the main to minor roads then across Kincardine Bridge and then Motorway to Hamilton services.
Did get some drizzle but was now dry.
We were here to get our bearing for the back road via Kirkfieldbank Lanark to Biggar.
Then onto Broughton and the A701 down to the un-classified road around Talla Reservoir and upwards to Megget Reservoir.
Here is a wee clip of vid going up the steep section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpuhlGITQS8
At the Megget viewpoint
Took more un-classifieds which took us by Alemoor Reservoir, then popped into Hawick.
Bit of lunch and some fuel. Took the back road B6357 out of Hawick to get us to Kielder Forest.
Then armed with tales about the Kielder forest route went off on the 12 mile run.
Interesting road or lack of!!
Had visions of my road tyres being shredded.
Counter-intuitive but name of the game was get some speed up and front was more stable. Just don’t use the front brake.
Only saw one vehicle a 4x4 Audi.
At the top a small stone marker.
Once you are up you need to come down.
Then down the A68, was relatively quiet so could make good progress.
Plan was to then pick up some back roads, but weather took a serious turn for the worse.
So thought short hop down the A1 to get through it.
Feck that was scary, it hammered down and could hardly see a thing, cars with no lights on, could hardly see the lane lines.
But got off at Melmerby and then onto Thirsk and the A170, bit damp but a fine road onto Kirbymoorside at around 18:30 where we had our stay.
Excellent steaks, bottle of wine and then quaffed some local ales.
Following day was away by 9:30am onto the Yorkshire Moors as you can see was a tad misty first thing. Loads of wee roads that all zig zag and interconnect.
Went to one road called Chimney Bank which is a 1:3, bit of care with the various switch backs.
Here is the start of it.
and it eventually gets to the base which is out of view further down.
Off to Whitby get some fuel then pass the Count’s place. Then used “Fast Bikes” recommended road guide, ended up in Northallerton for fish and chips, in the White Horse Café, gave them 5 stars on Trip Adviser.
Off up to Barnard Castle to get one of my favourites the B6277, you can fly along this very open and great sweeping corners although bit of chippings at start.
This takes you to Alston, then onwards to Penrith.
This is the A686 and one of the meccas for bikers it goes by Hartside Café on the high viewpoint.
From Alston to Melmerby (a different one to the one above) has to be one of the best bike roads in the country (going in either direction).
Highly recommend if you are in the area.
We were fortunate that the road was relatively quiet so could really enjoy it.
The Hartside café bikers, guess 50+ were waving away with me cranked over as I did my fly past.
Dawned on me afterwards they might be warning me the cameras / radar was about. Aye well.
Short haul up the M6 to Gretna and then A7, which at around 6 pm Saturday evening was empty so that was fun.
Carried on up to Edin and Kinross for coffee and then back through Fife and home to Montrose.
Great two days, bike now done 3500 miles since start of April and enjoying every minute of it.
