AK350Z Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 To celebrate the rise of petrol past £1.40 a litre, (or the first decent weather of the year, I forget ), my friend Phil and I decided it was time for another run over to Hartside in the Pennines. His recently acquired Clio V6 needed its first good hoon anyway. Being a weekend, I was decided that the best option would be a shockingly early alarm for a Saturday; 6:15am. 7am we left Egremont bound east, stopping at Keswick for a fill-up of soon to be immolated hydrocarbons! We knew our dawn raid plan had worked soon after we got past Penrith. The roads were dead (8:10am), and only occasional cars going the other way for the saturday morning big shop. Just past Melmerby we pulled over so I could attach the famous ebay camera to the front bumper, this is the start of the good bit! Any shimmies, are of course just the camera moving about, not me trying to be Juha Kankkunen running a tarmac stage. Once we had a run or two in the bag, and we realised the Hartside Cafe wasn't open yet, we went to investigate a tip off for a classic road in the area (thanks Elfman), the B6277, from Alston to Middleton-in-Teesdale. Suffice to say it was pretty epic. Once up on the moors, its desolate! Nothing but scrub and rock as far as you can see. We didn't stop for pics, but google earth lets you see what its like: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.709665,-2.321017&spn=0,0.003484&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=54.709765,-2.3205&panoid=RhHEKLJSYlCmo6AAQHTbkw&cbp=12,79.54,,0,-5.89 At Middleton, we turned onto a couple of b-roads and joined the B6278 and headed north. Spot the Hairpins http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.654719,-2.01436&spn=0,0.111494&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.65617,-2.012566&panoid=2xRzrRggi7stsnzTcKKvuw&cbp=12,244.36,,0,15.66 http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.711879,-2.024746&spn=0,0.111494&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.712425,-2.025619&panoid=m5JfKErlaUYk2exz7N79BA&cbp=12,95.03,,0,12.27 Eventually we reached Stanhope, and the A689, and traffic. Despite the busier road, we still had a couple of good stretches, and made it back through Alston and onward to the Hartside cafe for 10am. Staright into a good full english and plenty of tea! http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.783934,-2.295241&spn=0,0.055747&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=54.783943,-2.295237&panoid=IUqajw-DXrbo07bsTSbySg&cbp=12,253.36,,0,3.26 After breakfast, we had a couple more runs up and down Hartside, initially passing a new purple GTR going the other way! we quickly turned round at the bottom, hoping to catch him at the cafe, only to just find him pulling out of the car park as we got there . We passed him going the other way AGAIN on the way back down! By this time we were giving each other big waves and flashing lights, but we had to call it quits after that and head home. Traffic was in full flow and non of the last runs were close to being clear. Heading back on the A66 towards Blencathera, big smiles not pictured : A fine morning, and back for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter10 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I'm obviously living in the wrong part of the country. Looked like a great morning out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Lovely road. I will be taking the north east lot over there sme time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 I'm obviously living in the wrong part of the country. Looked like a great morning out. This is just one of the many benefits to living in the North! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexx Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Thae Alston to Middleton road is well known by any NE member who has been on any run organised by me when I was events organisor. Both on the RX8OC and here. It is a truly epic road, and one I never, ever, tire of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfman Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 B2677 and the B2678 are two of my fave roads, glad your enjoyed the tip mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xh11rdy Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Hi mate, that was me in the gtr was up there celebrating its run-in service being done on the friday was with my mate in the blue alpina, though he was passenger with me when we passed the 2nd and 3rd times. nice motors and nice write up and pics. watched the video thinking i might see myself come flying round the corner but think that was shot before i got there. went home (scotch corner area) on the middleton teesdale road which as you say is also spectacular. had a great day, pity we missed each other for a chat. glad you had fun too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Hi mate, that was me in the gtr was up there celebrating its run-in service being done on the friday was with my mate in the blue alpina, though he was passenger with me when we passed the 2nd and 3rd times. nice motors and nice write up and pics. watched the video thinking i might see myself come flying round the corner but think that was shot before i got there. went home (scotch corner area) on the middleton teesdale road which as you say is also spectacular. had a great day, pity we missed each other for a chat. glad you had fun too Ha! Well stuff me. Hello there I don't expect you got a clear run from top to bottom did you? The camera run was done at 8am ish, so nice and quiet. We stopped at the bottom for five at the end so I could go to the bakery just in case you appeared again, but no! Incidentally, yours is only the second GTR I've ever seen on the road. Oh, and as I didn't get any of you: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xh11rdy Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 if your wondering how id found you (im not a stalker!) i put a spotted of your cars on pistonheads northeast and someone linked this thread! had a pretty clear run the 1st time got past a van at the bottom just before all the good stuff made pretty light work of any stragglers i found further up too. next two runs were busier but still good fun. only had it about 2 weeks, just driving round with a stupid grin on my face all the time! proof IMG_0179.JPG.zip IMG_0179.JPG.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Eeee, It's a small world eh? Liked the colour, must get one when I win that lottery! I was thinking of going over to the GTROC and putting a spotted up, though the chances of you being on the Pistonheads forums were small. Shows what I know eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 if your wondering how id found you (im not a stalker!) i put a spotted of your cars on pistonheads northeast and someone linked this thread! That will be me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xh11rdy Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 if your wondering how id found you (im not a stalker!) i put a spotted of your cars on pistonheads northeast and someone linked this thread! That will be me what a stalker or who linked me!!!? op-cheers for doing the pic, i was pissing about for ages and still didnt think id done it dont post much on the forums but i am on pistonheads and gtroc. (and now here!) lurker with a login Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 if your wondering how id found you (im not a stalker!) i put a spotted of your cars on pistonheads northeast and someone linked this thread! That will be me what a stalker or who linked me!!!? op-cheers for doing the pic, i was pissing about for ages and still didnt think id done it dont post much on the forums but i am on pistonheads and gtroc. (and now here!) lurker with a login who linked you. Dazwood from pistonheads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xh11rdy Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 cheers lads. sure il be up there more often now! so will keep an eye out for other hooners and wait at the cafe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronzee Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 What fun twisty roads you have to play on. cheers lads. sure il be up there more often now! so will keep an eye out for other hooners and wait at the cafe GTR looks good in that colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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