Touring UK Trip - August

Discussion in 'Rideouts, Trackdays, Touring & Spotted' started by MattGaydon, Mar 22, 2017.

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  1. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Just been for a test run with her new screen and luggage on...

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  2. David Ward

    David Ward New Member

    May 5, 2017
    8
    3
    west yorkshire
    #62 David Ward, Aug 5, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2017
    Already suggested this is a village called Staithes 10 miles north of Whitby on the north east coast. My daughter owns Dottys vintage tea room and B+B.I will get you a good deal if you want to stay there and we may be able to join you from north of the humber. Its a lovely ride north from there through the yorkshire wolds. If you want to discuss call me have a good trip anyway. Regards Dave
     
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  3. GaryM

    GaryM It's him, you know who. Him from you know ....

    Apr 28, 2016
    862
    500
    Patna , Ayrshire
    Wee suggestion for those posting mobile numbers. Bots trawl the internet looking for that sort of thing.
    If you are passing on mobile numbers do it via pm rather than in a post.
    Just put something along the lines pm me for my mobile number if interest ......
     
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  4. Ken walburn

    Ken walburn Noble Member

    Jun 28, 2017
    888
    300
    Essex
    More than welcome to stay at Maison Ken & Sally for a night foc on the way up from Kent into Essex if you haven't already sorted accommodation. May not fit in with your daily mileage plans but if so let me know. Dartford Bridge free for motorcyclists. As an x teacher I am only too aware of the need to look after the pennies.
     
  5. GaryM

    GaryM It's him, you know who. Him from you know ....

    Apr 28, 2016
    862
    500
    Patna , Ayrshire
    @David Ward @MattGaydon Can I also suggest you two edit your posts to remove the numbers
     
  6. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Thanks for the advice guys have done this now!
     
  7. Wessa

    Wessa Cruising

    Apr 27, 2016
    11,318
    1,000
    North West England
    Awesome looking trip, ride safe and enjoy.
    Wessa
     
  8. curly

    curly Noble Member

    Jul 3, 2016
    758
    443
    Burton Upon Trent
    How's it going Matt?

    Curly
     
  9. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Really well thanks!!

    Had a really wet day Wednesday and a long one Thursday but today was great! The north York moors are stunning!

    Heading off West tomorrow towards Carlisle!
     
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  10. curly

    curly Noble Member

    Jul 3, 2016
    758
    443
    Burton Upon Trent
    Glad to hear you're having a good time.
    I agree those N. Yorks moors are something special.
    I've done the Lyke Wake crossing a couple of times, great way to escape pretty much everything for a full day, or two.
    Take care and hopefully you'll get to enjoy a bit of decent weather as well!
    Curly
     
  11. Tigcraft

    Tigcraft Unheard of Member

    Mar 29, 2014
    2,565
    800
    Holmfirth West Yorkshire
  12. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Yep will be up soon! Been crazy at work since getting back but will hopefully put up a few bits tomorrow!
     
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  13. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Hi all,

    Sorry for the delay, I have been really busy since returning!!!

    So...

    Our trip was great!!! We really enjoyed the whole thing! We rode 2058 miles in two weeks through England, Scotland and Wales. The routes for Adventure Bike Magazine were amazing and I'd def recommend you ride some of them!

    Sorry to Tigcraft for arranging to meet and not managing to...that was our 265 mile day and I underestimated how long that would take and how much it would take it out of us!!! Although riding over the Humber Bridge knowing we only had 7 miles left was a fantastic feeling!

    There were so many highlights but the Lake District and Wales were fantastic! The roads were incredible and the scenery jaw dropping!

    We rode over the Hardknott Pass which was tricky!!! Phoebe found it pretty tough on the way up (1/3 gradients were much harder than I'd imagined!!!) so once at the top a couple of nice GS riders offered to ride her down the next section, and then me back up so I could take her bike down. Once both bikes were down they then offered to ride with us out of the valley just incase we had any more issues! They were great guys and made both myself and Phoebe feel much more comfortable up there! She rode all of the next pass without any issues but it was nice having them there with us!

    In hindsight, I don't think I would have taken us over the pass again. I found it tough so how Phoebe did as well as she did after only three months riding experience I don't know! Although she is now adamant that we have to go back so she can ride the whole thing herself!!!

    After that, her confidence grew and grew and she (we) had no more problems!! We rode the Devil's Staircase in Wales, through Snowdonia and then along the Coast in Exmoor (1/4 gradients in and out of towns). We both forded a river for the first time in the Lake District and rode some amazing little lanes over the moors!!!

    The bikes were fantastic! We had one little issue with the Street Twin...the clutch lever seized up in Brecon!!! But with the help of a friendly car mechanic we took it to pieces to find the bushel in the lever was jammed solid! It took a good ten minutes to free it! So after a VERY good clean we put it back together and it was all better!

    They were more than comfortable for the milage we covered and so many people came up to talk to us about the bikes and then subsequently the trip!

    We unfortunately had very British weather!! We had three TORRENTIAL days of rain...I really mean it didn't stop!!! But it wasn't an issue and the luggage kept everything dry!!! It brightened up towards the end and we rode the last four/five days in the dry!

    The milage was also fine...we found the longest day (265 miles) long but the with an average of 150 miles it was good. We looked forward to setting off each morning and were thoroughly worn out by the evenings!

    I can't recommend a trip like this enough! The UK is a beautiful country which I believe is hugely underrated! The scenery was amazing...as said the Lake District and Wales were stunning. But so was Exmoor, the Jurassic Coast and Kielder Forest. The Forest of Bowland blew us away as did the Lincolnshire Wolds!

    Everyone we met were friendly, welcoming and happy to help if it was needed! We will definitely be heading back to some of the places we visited to explore some more...albeit on the bikes or not!

    We have already started planning the next bike tour for next year...in fact there will be two...New Zealand and the Picos Mountains is the plan!!!

    Whilst away I put up a pic a day on Instagram (@scramblermatt) but if you don't have access to that then here are just a few...

    Thanks chaps...ride safe!

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  14. MattGaydon

    MattGaydon Noble Member

    Jun 11, 2015
    1,081
    443
    Godalming
    Last one...annoyingly I could only upload the first ten of eleven!

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  15. MickEng

    MickEng Noble Member

    Sep 29, 2016
    1,805
    450
    West Yorkshire
    Brilliant Matt and well done to your wife.
    That is a great British trip for the memories, I have been to most of the places you have mentioned over the years, and over Hardknott Pass in several cars and motor bikes, always a challenge, the worst experience being in a Vauxhall Viva HB having to reverse back downhill when the engine and clutch 'gave in' near the top.
    Great pics, and write up, shame about the 'orrible' British weather.
     
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  16. Wessa

    Wessa Cruising

    Apr 27, 2016
    11,318
    1,000
    North West England
    What a trip, sounds like you had a great time with many fantastice memories to cherish..... I agree with you that 150 to 250 miles a day is a pefect balance allowing time to stop often for pictures and sight seeing, but getting you to your destination with time to enjoy what it has to offer. Thanks for sharing, and good luck with your next trip.
    Wessa
     
  17. Tigcraft

    Tigcraft Unheard of Member

    Mar 29, 2014
    2,565
    800
    Holmfirth West Yorkshire
    Well done and although we didn't meet it's an excuse for summat in the future!!
     
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  18. stevethegoolie

    stevethegoolie Elite Member

    Oct 16, 2014
    2,452
    800
    East Riding of Yorkshire
    Well done to both of you and thanks for the pics. Done some long days myself in the past, with SWMBO on the back, the longest being around the 500 miles mark in France. The roads are much quieter over there, so it is easier as a rule.
    Here's to your next one!:party::sun:
     
  19. crispey

    crispey crispey creme de la creme

    Nov 6, 2014
    7,194
    1,000
    Uk
    Great stuff Matt and phoebe, something a lot of people think of doing but never do.
     
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  20. roadrider

    roadrider First Class Member

    Jul 26, 2013
    1,002
    500
    Oxon
    Well done to you both. Some great memories there.
     
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