GR86 Uk driving

Crassas

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Should have mine July Ive been told via email.
I don't know about you lot but driving in England has become stressful especially London. Not sure how many of you have had the pleasure of driving without thinking of average speed and cameras. Plus traffic and how many road users we have (bad road users).
It has taken away my excitement. Those of you living in areas where you can enjoy your car I see your excitement!
 
I live in North East London and after 20+ years of driving around here I've got used to it and quite enjoy the challenge.

Of course I'd prefer a deserted Scottish b road over the Redbridge roundabout but if you wake up early enough at the weekend then there are plenty of great country roads not too far away.
 
Hopefully you can get out of London and enjoy some roads in the car. I'm not going London way so often these days, but in my last job I frequently did and found a few nice roads just outside the m25 on 'cut throughs' to certain sites. South Mims to Hoddesdon was one and I've driven some nice roads over the Chilterns and Surrey Hills. 😁

Although I do count myself lucky living in North Dorset. You might get the odd camera van, speed cameras are few and only really in 30/40 limits and I can't think of any average speed cameras except for Bournemouth? Generally though, I've had some great drives in the countryside around Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset in the GR86 and still feel that I gain alot of enjoyment driving in the UK. And I don't see myself ever wanting to get into some self driving car devoid of any driving enjoyment in my lifetime. 🤣🤣🤣
 
London is awful for driving. Twats everywhere. After a while you get used to the signs of an idiot in a knackered BMW about to cut across 4 lanes to make his exit and find ways to avoid them. I’ve driven there for years and you get used to it and find ways to have less stressful journeys.

If you want to enjoy a drivers car get up early and find some good countryside roads.
 
I bought the car because of my location. I live in Weymouth, Dorset. Dorset's claim to fame is that there are no motorways in the County.

However Dorset Highways are top lads and maintain A and B roads implecably. The GR86 marries to my local road type 👍

Picture for no reason

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Most of my driving is in North Kent, the roads are dreadful, sometimes makes me wonder why I bother having a proper drivers car, but on the rare occasion when I find myself on a nice bit of road, at unsociable hours, I wouldn't want to be in anything else. I will be relocating to North Yorkshire in the not too distant future, here's hoping I will have access to a lot nicer roads to drive on.
 
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Same. That's why I tend to be up early on a Sunday. Some cracking roads around the Kent and Sussex borders but you have to be up early to have them to yourself.
 
Mid and North Wales are my favourite bits to go. Not sure how this will change when the current authoritarian regime get their way of 20mph's everywhere. Even the A40, which is normally a busy road. If you catch it on a quiet morning it's sublime.
 
Most of my driving is in North Kent, the roads are dreadful, sometimes makes me wonder why I bother having a proper drivers car, but on the rare occasion when I find myself on a nice bit of road, at unsociable hours, I wouldn't want to be in anything else. I will be relocating to North Yorkshire in the not too distant future, here's hoping I will have access to a lot nicer roads to drive on.
Lots of lovely roads in North Yorkshire , some cracking roads on the NY Moors , only issue is you will be swapping Tw🎩 s in 🚘 for 🐑 and lots of them 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑, you soon learn which will pull out in front of you though 👍😂😂😂
 
Most of my driving is in North Kent, the roads are dreadful, sometimes makes me wonder why I bother having a proper drivers car, but on the rare occasion when I find myself on a nice bit of road, at unsociable hours, I wouldn't want to be in anything else. I will be relocating to North Yorkshire in the not too distant future, here's hoping I will have access to a lot nicer roads to drive on.
You'll love it. Whereabouts are you moving to ?
 
Same. That's why I tend to be up early on a Sunday. Some cracking roads around the Kent and Sussex borders but you have to be up early to have them to yourself.
Any more specific recommendations? :)
 
Any more specific recommendations? :)
Fairly regular route I like to do is this (I'll be brief but as you live close, hopefully this will make sense):
1. Down into Strood, over the bridge into Rochester, immediate right after the bridge along the Esplanade*. Follow all the way up the hill into Borstal, turn right onto Woudham Road.
2. Carry on through Borstal. Take a left just after you pass under the M20 flyover, onto Burham Road.
3. Follow this all the way down through Burham. Good bit of road.
4. Turn right onto Rochester Road, drop down into Aylesford. Follow Station Road and turn right onto the A20 for a bit.
5. Follow for about 3/4 of a mile then take a left onto New Road down to East Malling.
6. Then follow this general direction: East Malling > Wateringbury > Nettlestead > Yalding >Benover > Collier Street > Horsmonden > Goudhurst > Sissinghurst > Biddenden.
7. At Biddenden, I sometimes turn south and head to Beneden, then loop back around to Sissingshurt, then head back to Biddenden again (because the road from Goudhurt > Sissinghurt > Biddenden is great, so it's no chore to go over it twice, and this little loop picks up some good roads :D)
8. From Biddenden, head north toward Headcorn, but then take the right on Smarden Road.
9. Follow that all the way through Smarden > Pluckley > come out on the A20 at Charing. Take a left, follow the A20 for a short bit, then take a right at the big roundabout up the hill (A252).
10. Top of the hill, take the left, Faversham Road. Follow it all the way to where it joins the A251 (this section here is hands down one of my favourite bits of road).
11. When you get to the A251, take a left, and head north. Then I generally just get back on the M2 and cruise home in time for breakfast :)

Haven't included many specifics but if you look at a map, you should see what I mean....obviously branch off if you feel like exploring. But on a Sunday morning, I find that a generally pretty quiet route with decent flowing A/B roads that are lovely to drive down while not being so small that you worry about oncoming traffic too much. Take sunglasses because you'll spend a lot of the time heading east, so if you're out early you might have the sun in your eyes.


*I'm not sure if the Esplanade is still closed - if it is, then instead, get on the road down through Cuxton, cross the Medway at Peter's Bridge, turn right and then pick up the road again at step 3.
 
Good shout @Conscript that's a nice route, I've driven all those roads although never in one journey.

You'll love it. Whereabouts are you moving to ?
We will be looking around Harrogate, commutable for me, far enough away from the in laws 😅
 
Fairly regular route I like to do is this (I'll be brief but as you live close, hopefully this will make sense):
1. Down into Strood, over the bridge into Rochester, immediate right after the bridge along the Esplanade*. Follow all the way up the hill into Borstal, turn right onto Woudham Road.
2. Carry on through Borstal. Take a left just after you pass under the M20 flyover, onto Burham Road.
3. Follow this all the way down through Burham. Good bit of road.
4. Turn right onto Rochester Road, drop down into Aylesford. Follow Station Road and turn right onto the A20 for a bit.
5. Follow for about 3/4 of a mile then take a left onto New Road down to East Malling.
6. Then follow this general direction: East Malling > Wateringbury > Nettlestead > Yalding >Benover > Collier Street > Horsmonden > Goudhurst > Sissinghurst > Biddenden.
7. At Biddenden, I sometimes turn south and head to Beneden, then loop back around to Sissingshurt, then head back to Biddenden again (because the road from Goudhurt > Sissinghurt > Biddenden is great, so it's no chore to go over it twice, and this little loop picks up some good roads :D)
8. From Biddenden, head north toward Headcorn, but then take the right on Smarden Road.
9. Follow that all the way through Smarden > Pluckley > come out on the A20 at Charing. Take a left, follow the A20 for a short bit, then take a right at the big roundabout up the hill (A252).
10. Top of the hill, take the left, Faversham Road. Follow it all the way to where it joins the A251 (this section here is hands down one of my favourite bits of road).
11. When you get to the A251, take a left, and head north. Then I generally just get back on the M2 and cruise home in time for breakfast :)

Haven't included many specifics but if you look at a map, you should see what I mean....obviously branch off if you feel like exploring. But on a Sunday morning, I find that a generally pretty quiet route with decent flowing A/B roads that are lovely to drive down while not being so small that you worry about oncoming traffic too much. Take sunglasses because you'll spend a lot of the time heading east, so if you're out early you might have the sun in your eyes.


*I'm not sure if the Esplanade is still closed - if it is, then instead, get on the road down through Cuxton, cross the Medway at Peter's Bridge, turn right and then pick up the road again at step 3.
Cheers man, Esplanade is open for a couple of weeks now as I take it often in the mornings :)
 
Hopefully you can get out of London and enjoy some roads in the car. I'm not going London way so often these days, but in my last job I frequently did and found a few nice roads just outside the m25 on 'cut throughs' to certain sites. South Mims to Hoddesdon was one and I've driven some nice roads over the Chilterns and Surrey Hills. 😁

Although I do count myself lucky living in North Dorset. You might get the odd camera van, speed cameras are few and only really in 30/40 limits and I can't think of any average speed cameras except for Bournemouth? Generally though, I've had some great drives in the countryside around Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset in the GR86 and still feel that I gain alot of enjoyment driving in the UK. And I don't see myself ever wanting to get into some self driving car devoid of any driving enjoyment in my lifetime. 🤣🤣🤣
That is true. If I wanted to find the roads they are out there. I live bang in London. I do know some roads but when you go places like Cyprus it's a whole new lever of greatness.
 
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