Great North Road or A68?

[woodbloke]

SWIMBO and I are going to Edinburgh at the weekend for a few days and am having a stopover with my brother at Newark, so no doubt we'll have a few scoops of ale on Friday night :wink: Looking at the road map this morning over brekky I saw that the A68 branches off the A1 just north of Darlington. It means that if I went up the A68 I wouldn't have to go round Newcastle :shock: and the big loop round the coast through Berwick to Edinburgh... it also looks a more pleasant motor as it goes through the Northumberland National Park and across the Cheviots.
Anyone driven that route...A1 or the A68? - Rob

 

[Boatfixer]

The 68 is a bit of a windy crawl - it will take ages from Darlington to Corbridge. I would head up the A1 to Morpeth then cut across to Coldstream on the 697(?) and then on towards the 68 from there. Otherwise the 696 from Newcastle to Otterburn and onto the 68 is a nice drive.

Graham

(ex truckdriver who did a lot of heading up to Edinburgh...... :wink

 

[shirehorseman]

Hello Rob,

The last time I was up in that area was back in the 60s, but I used to use it a lot when I was on the wagons, not the best of routes for a truck mind(don't know about now) as it was all twists and turns and up and down, which also meant a lot of up and down the box, but in a car it would be a very scenic route, beautiful country. Did also use the Berwick route as well but if memory serves me right there was a narrow arch in the middle of the town going that way. For a nice scenic route I would go the A68 way, but to be fair it is (as I said) some time since I was up there, so things will have improved by now I would have thought.
Good luck and safe motoring.
And as we used to say on the CB:
Keep your tennis shoes on the black and the blue lights off your back,
catch you another day another way, 10 10 we gone.
Kind regards.
Trev

 

[woodbloke]

Thanks for the replies...have just had a 'fone 'conversation' :roll: with SWIMBO who now want to visit Holy Island, so it looks like the A1 after all - Rob

 

[lurker]

Thanks for the replies...have just had a 'fone 'conversation' :roll: with SWIMBO who now want to visit Holy Island, so it looks like the A1 after all - Rob

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Rob, You can't do that [-X

It will mean driving along a causeway - the Landy wheels might get dirty.

Check the tides - DAMHIKT

 

[woodbloke]

Thanks for the replies...have just had a 'fone 'conversation' :roll: with SWIMBO who now want to visit Holy Island, so it looks like the A1 after all - Rob

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Rob, You can't do that [-X

It will mean driving along a causeway - the Landy wheels might get dirty.

Check the tides - DAMHIKT

I know, I know...but it has been scrubbed and polished ready for it's run 'oop North' and I guess the causeway is clear of the ogin at Low Tide (safe crossing times apparently from about 1030 to 1715hrs on Sat) so provided we leave my brothers at 'oh crack sparrow f#rt' (as my old Dad used to say) we should be able to look round Holy Island and then get to Edinburg in plenty of time. That's Plan A anyway 8-[ [-o< - Rob

 

[Woodmagnet]

You will be passing a few of us north easterners, don't forget
to wave as you pass us. :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

You will be passing a few of us north easterners, don't forget
to wave as you pass us. :lol:

What you need is a big UKWorkshop flag (another job for Wizer?) stuck in your front garden so then I'll know where you are :lol: :lol: ...look out for a very slightly polished :roll: maroon Defender though :lol: - Rob

 

[yo_chuci]

now that your going to holy island then your route is done for you. but
for future ref...
A68 from darlington to corbridge is 45min at average road speed.
up to jedburgh is another 1hr 15 ish...
like said before its a very windy road...
never done 697 so that could be a nice drive and you can get to it from holy island and as the A1 is dull from there up might be nice...
"IF YOU DO THE A1 WATCH YOUR SPEED AFTER ALNWICK AND WHEN IT GOES TO SINGLE LANE" as they have been hot up there recently...

the last time i went i actually went over A66 (or 69) up M6 which becomes the A74 and off just after Abington and up the A702 thru Biggar.
only took 3hrs and was a nicer drive.

 

[johnf]

Watch the cameras on the A1 there are lots of them :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[woodbloke]

"IF YOU DO THE A1 WATCH YOUR SPEED AFTER ALNWICK AND WHEN IT GOES TO SINGLE LANE" as they have been hot up there recently...

Yo - the vehicle is a Landrover Defender...they don't do fast :wink: but they do go anywhere - Rob