Hi all, just need a bit of advise on best directions from Tyneside upto Melrose (Gibson Park CC )....route planners recomend A696 and A68.....I looked at the Coldstream rd A697...and wondered which is the most hilliest road ...any advice please thanks
i use the 696 onto 68 all the time think its the best route
the 697 fetches you out above Lauder so you would have to cut back down to Melrose but they are both the same as far as hill climes go.
I'm currently at a site a few miles North of Lauder - came up from Teesside on Friday. I used A1 to Morpeth, and then A697 via Coldstream and Greenlaw. Found it very easy with not a lot of traffic.
As malbar says you'd have to cut back down to Melrose - I reckon its six of one and half a dozen of the other. The 697 avoids Carter Bar which you may prefer?
------------- June - Old Brick Kilns, Fakenham
June - Long Acres, Boston Lincs.
HI Mal...thanks for reply, I just thought it was a bit of a detour coming from storage in ashington and head west to join the 696 &then 68.....but its obviously the quickest ,,,, do u go to the CC site in Melrose ??
cheers Reworht,, going up at spring bank holiday, friday tea time, just thinking of traffic ,,either way I go ,we will encounter bizzy roads..... still.....its always worth it.....
I would go for the A68 I live in the borders 15mls from Melrose an know both roads (towed on both) the A68 does have some long climbs on it but your x trail will cope without any issues I would imagine. The Coldstream, Greenlaw road is Ok but it is not as broad with a few tight bends in places I would recon that once on the A68 you will hit little traffic issues it may be busy but I would think you will be slower than the rest and being a broader road offers more safer passing places for vehicles behind. Melrose if a lovely town but if you need to do a shop nip along to Galashiels (Gala) 5 miles west it has big 24hr tesco and asda, asda also has 24hr petrol for cheaper fuel.
I would go for the A68 I live in the borders 15mls from Melrose an know both roads (towed on both) the A68 does have some long climbs on it but your x trail will cope without any issues I would imagine. The Coldstream, Greenlaw road is Ok but it is not as broad with a few tight bends in places I would recon that once on the A68 you will hit little traffic issues it may be busy but I would think you will be slower than the rest and being a broader road offers more safer passing places for vehicles behind. Melrose if a lovely town but if you need to do a shop nip along to Galashiels (Gala) 5 miles west it has big 24hr tesco and asda, asda also has 24hr petrol for cheaper fuel.
Have a great trip
Andy
Did my HGV training in Gala' with Jim Paxton.
Is he still going? If so, give him a wave cos half the people in Gala and surrounding areas seem to know him!
GMCM2012 Don't know him my self personaly but think he is still going not sure if he is still based down at the back of the collage but will give his wagon for you if I see it
Jerry Tina Oh yes that has to be once of the best butchers I know, freinds of my parents who live in Edinburgh get their butcher meat ordered from their. The stake pie is the best
Thanks for all the info Andy, think we will go A68 route, always seem to head south when we go away for our weekends ,mainly Yorkshire & Cumbria....only 70 miles to Melrose from caravan storage.............Jerry +Tina ...thanks also for the info on the nice pies ,,,,
Just love being away....never been to Nunnykirk, we prefer to use sites with toilet blocks.. have you tried River Breamish ?? visited most sites in Northumberland,lovely walks around Breamish.
We tend to use CLs but thought that Nunnykirk fitted the bill as I have a week off at the end of May . I lived in Longhoughton just outside Alnwick for over 5 years and just love the area. River Breamish site looks good and have pencilled it in for a couple of nights in July as we return from Scotland.
Hi Jerry & Tina. much prefer larger sites than CLs, preferably hard standing .mainly use C/Club sites because of the standard of facilities, if fuel wasn't so expensive we would go further afield for our weekends away. you mentioned you travelling to Scotland,, is it for holidays ?
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: A68 up to Melrose
