the great southern run 2006

[Austin-Rover]

Cowley you might get away with saying south but the rest are firmly planted in the midlands. It would make a good run though, up from Oxford towards Evesham and down devils staircase... or is it up? Either way its a good road.

I guess the problem is there are simply so many good roads around to travel on! There is simply loads of the country I want to explore, its finding the time do do it all.

I guess this was the force behind the popular Great North Run. Something similar in the south should be excellent!

[Guest]

I was thinking about an 'around the island' run - £30 each to get the car ferry over, fantastic roads, great views...
Dave

I think there are plenty of roads to travel in the south without spending £30 on the most expensive ferry crossing per mile........... what about the New Forest? Ashdown Forest is another area I'd like to explore a bit more.

What sort of mileage are we looking at? How long is the Great North Run?

[D87SMW]

I think there are plenty of roads to travel in the south without spending £30 on the most expensive ferry crossing per mile........... what about the New Forest? Ashdown Forest is another area I'd like to explore a bit more.

What sort of mileage are we looking at? How long is the Great North Run?

Good point.

North Run is generally around 100 miles, I believe...

[Simon]

There's some lovely scenery in the New Forest (Burley is my favourite spot there). Am I right in thinking there's a blanket 40 MPH speed limit?

Watch out for the ponies!

[Guest]

If i can get the weekend off.Count me in if its towards the oxford/henley on thames area talking of which both places have a lot of sights to see.

[Guest]

There's some lovely scenery in the New Forest (Burley is my favourite spot there). Am I right in thinking there's a blanket 40 MPH speed limit?

There is indeed. Which was clearly ignored by the Top Gear boys driving the Vanwall the other week!

[Miracle maestro]

BL road run?

Ooh! Now that sounds like an excellent drive. Perhaps it could go from Longbridge, through the Cowley area and end at a nice pub in ledbury (or close to)

Or maybe Longbridge to Ledbury, taking an extended route through some of the country?

Theme could be a 'BL road run'
Stopping at Longbridge for Austin, Solihull for Rover, Browns lane (quick before demolition) for Jaguar, Canley for Triumph, Cowley for Morris, Abingdon for MG, and finally Ledbury for well .......Ledbury with a photo shoot at each- for posterity?

[Guest]

The new forest sounds good as its kinda in the middle of the south and very scenic! Only one worry thou is all the ponies, deer etc mind you we should be ok if we only drive during daylight as you can see for further!

Mind you theres lots of places to stay over down there!

[Guest]

Trouble with the New Forest, apart from the ponies cows donkeys etc - it's a fairly small area with very few roads and lots of traffic!

And places to stay are not all that easy, it's difficult to book into the Forests own campsites particularly with a group.

I do know a friendly landlord whose pub is on the edge of the forest but if we got any sort of reasonable turnout, there wouldn't be room for all the cars!

[Guest]

I dont know Bobbi, I was always of the opinion that the Forest's campsites were more of a "turn up and camp" affair, paying on the way out? I could be wrong though.....

Besides, theres a big one at Ocknell, just off the A31, and another largeish one down at Holmsley, which for my money would be the best of both worlds - I can just see the photoshoot now, Maestros and Montegos clogging up the Lyndhurst High Street.....! Not only that, but Holmsley isn't all that far from Highcliffe Castle and beach, another good photo opportunity, and it wouldnt be that far to go down to the deeper parts of Dorset, if one so preferred......

So many ideas.....!

[Guest]

How long since you camped in NF? I haven't done it since the kids were.. well, kids.....

[Guest]

How long since you camped in NF? I haven't done it since the kids were.. well, kids.....

Let me think, I vaguely recollect camping up at Ocknell back in 2000, maybe 2001, and we did also look into it last september, but ended up going a bit further afield instead, and ended up at the Durdle Door campsite - that was quite nice, quite a lot of space there too, and it wasn't all that expensive, and there was an on site bar as well..... Actually, that option looks rather good!:laugh:

[Guest]

As Ben suggested it, he and I were chatting about possibly doing it in his general area - which might not have the coast but has other places of interest - and I know a campsite with an on-site bar - it's a field behind a pub!

[Guest]

All this talk about pubs and the south sounds great!:laugh:

[Guest]

We all need to put our names down who live down south...
I will start i am from buckinghamshire Who is next??