Rikki-UK:
Serious advice-
Theres a number of alternatives to Helmsley depending on which area your coming from, Sutton Bank in an older vehicle is always going to be a struggle, hell one of the alternative routes is via Chop Hat I wouldn’t like to attempt that in a classic HGV. If you want to go up Sutton Bank just to say you have, then that’s up to you- but if you want to ensure you get there with the minimum of fuss and annoyance to other road users then via York way and the caravan diversion is a better option- its tight in places but I have been though there with a low loader, with a bit of care it OK- there is also a little known B road from Guiseborough that’s fairly ok if a little narrow in places
To be honnest i am quite happy going up Sutton Bank if it is legal etc etc but equally i dont care if i dont go up it. But with the price of fuel and the lack of time I have on that particular day I am keen to avoid trapsing all the way round to york as it seems to add about 35 miles and 45 minutes to my journey. One of the B road routes that someone has reccomended though sounds like a good option.
Wass bank is weight limited so can’t use that just carry on the caravan route crap rd and narrow in places but I used it many a time when loaded you can get through ok
bamboo2u:
Have been up and down Porlock Hill in a Volvo coach at least 4 times as part of the Valley of The Rocks Tour as a Shearings driver, last time about 2 years ago. Didn’t know we were not supposed to and as far as I know it is still on their itinerary.
Done it too in a coach - back in 1990’s - we used to go up Porlock & down Toll road. I got stuck on toll road because a building supplier 17tonner was going up Toll road when he should’ve gone up Porlock…great for my passengers - photo’s etc but I was ■■■■■■■■ it…queues behind us no way past…chaos. We were both young lads, we stood back had a think & swapped road sides so he could climb the grass verge on my side with his greater ground clearance. I was stationary - he passed, scraping his curtain-body along my coach roof - scary!!! God knows how we’d have passed otherwise - couldn’t reverse/turn round - totally snookered!!! I was thinking…we’re gonna need some kind of serious helicopter to air-lift one of us out the way!!! Then we swapped road sides. Phew!!!
I didn’t know coaches were no longer allowed to climb Porlock Hill??
Loads of 1:3 hills on the back roads o the NorthYork’s Moors around Goathland and Eller Beck etc. Done them all in the car. My favourite has to be Bealach Na Ba though. Love that route especially heading south from Applecross towards Loch Carron. Was there in the motorhome in october. Be back there in a couple of weeks too. Used to enjoy running to Kishorn in the wagon too but that’s another story…
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
eric the judge:
Although any thing bigger than a car is banned Hardknott Pass is a great drive.At times your car is leaning 2 ways at once up or down plus sideways as you go round the steepest bits. At 1 in 3 in places it has a few stopping places but you need a good handbrake
I have to agree there fella.it’s like a bobsleigh track on some of the bends
Great bit of road and know it well, got a video somewhere of me driving it although it doesn’t do it justice. Stayed at the camp site up there (which was nice). Also from the top you can see the remains of an old Roman settlement. Lovely area too.
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
For ease I would go A66 through to Teesside A19 A174 and A172 Stokesley through Chog Gate Helmsley etc.
Your route is more scenic though
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
For ease I would go A66 through to Teesside A19 A174 and A172 Stokesley through Chog Gate Helmsley etc.
Your route is more scenic though
Yea that’s the obvious route but to be honest 90% of the fun of a steam rally for us is the journey there and back and we like to treat the old girl to some proper roads of course the A66 is hardly the M1 but you know what I mean.
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
For ease I would go A66 through to Teesside A19 A174 and A172 Stokesley through Chog Gate Helmsley etc.
Your route is more scenic though
Yea that’s the obvious route but to be honest 90% of the fun of a steam rally for us is the journey there and back and we like to treat the old girl to some proper roads of course the A66 is hardly the M1 but you know what I mean.
You will get altitude sickness going hawes way lol, nice drive though , I take it you will be going leyburn to bedale then Northallerton way
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
For ease I would go A66 through to Teesside A19 A174 and A172 Stokesley through Chog Gate Helmsley etc.
Your route is more scenic though
Yea that’s the obvious route but to be honest 90% of the fun of a steam rally for us is the journey there and back and we like to treat the old girl to some proper roads of course the A66 is hardly the M1 but you know what I mean.
I suspected that, so Hawes, Bedal. Thirsk is weight limited so follow the A684 (?) through to Northallerton, then Thirsk and the well sign posted caravan route.
A few years ago I went up it in our 18 t car transporter and shuttle trailer, lucky I was empty or I think the cars might’ve been at the rear of the truck. . What about the hill leading to Taylor’s of martley? Went up that in an artic with 6plts of wine on and luckily it was all still at the front. .
Go through Coxwold to Byland Abbey and Wass and straight up Wass bank, to rejoin the road from Thirsk.
Anyone any experience of this route?
The caravan route is perfectly adequate for trucks. Through Coxwold and back on the A170 near Helmsley, it is only minutes longer. Just as a matter of interest where are you heading from?
Great thanks. Rule of thumb with us is if an artic can get down it we can (although reversing take up a lot of roon so that’s a no no on narrow lanes).
We’re coming from ■■■■■■■■ Planning on coming through Hawes etc, we’ve been that way with a lowloader before but never past Leyburn.
For ease I would go A66 through to Teesside A19 A174 and A172 Stokesley through Chog Gate Helmsley etc.
Your route is more scenic though
Yea that’s the obvious route but to be honest 90% of the fun of a steam rally for us is the journey there and back and we like to treat the old girl to some proper roads of course the A66 is hardly the M1 but you know what I mean.
You will get altitude sickness going hawes way lol, nice drive though , I take it you will be going leyburn to bedale then Thirsk way
of course the A66 is hardly the M1 but you know what I mean.
