A68... Strangely scary road?

[Jev88]

Hi.
Returning from Dundee on business (in car) missed a turning and sat nav pointed me to A68 instead (roughly from Edinburgh down to North of Newcastle).
I have never been on such a long straight road with about 20 blind crests before. Genuinely felt uneasy going over the tops and I consider myself a very experienced driver.
Anyone else been down this route?

 

[Paddywack]

Regularly, its straightness is down to it being an old Roman road.

The hidden crests are well signposted and providing that people drive sensibly they're not a problem.

 

[Lenny HB]

Done it in a car many years ago I don't remember any problems. Loads of French roads like that.

 

[Sandp]

Done it quite a few times in a 40 ton artic loved it in the summertime,used to pull in the car park at the top for the night on the border .what a view.

 

[Ranger]

That's a lot of gear changes in an artic. Used to be a bit of a pain in a bay vw with 48bhp but nice with 200bhp.

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[funflair]

That was our first trip when we bought our Flair

 

[Camdoon]

Watch out for the speed cameras at the bottom of the hills as well.

 

[Mr B]

I did it on a Honda 650 around 25 years ago, coming back from a tour round the top of Scotland....it was quite entertaining to say the least, getting a lot of “Air” on most of the crest’s...... oh,,,, and sore ribs from MrsB. ??

 

[Sandp]

Hi ranger didn’t need to bother about gear changes ! The boss let me have a nice big 600 hp automatic Volvo sleeper cab

 

[Jev88]

Must be my inner ear getting old. Really didn't like the cresting feeling and I have ridden everything at Alton Towers. ?

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[wiljoy]

Love it. I use it every week and the thrill gets better.

 

[Stealaway]

A68 instead (roughly from Edinburgh down to North of Newcastle).

It gets even better south of Newcastle down to the A1 at Darlington.
Brilliant road to Scotland and back

 

[Ranger]

Hi ranger didn’t need to bother about gear changes ! The boss let me have a nice big 600 hp automatic Volvo sleeper cab

Softy, I wonder what it would have been like in a sixties/seventies artic especially the southern section.

 

[pappajohn]

Watch out for the speed cameras at the bottom of the hills as well.

There are lots of accidents at the bottom of hills of course which is supposed to be the reason for a camera...... Or could it be your speed has crept up and put you over the limit....and it's ideal placing for a cash cow!
Cynical....me?

 

[Tea Bag]

Softy, I wonder what it would have been like in a sixties/seventies artic especially the southern section.

Hi.
It was NOT a "Struggle " We knew NO BETTER . I can remember coming back to Hull over there,with a '65 AEC Mandator. Park Royal cab . winter '68/69. Why do i remember ? Our daughter had a thing on at school and i promised to be there,it was... arranged ?( Will a Blue 'un fix it ? ) to get loaded overnight. The bit i CAN remember was "Sledging ..." down a hill near Otterburn on the snow and ice,a chap stuck half way up stood watching as i went silently by........... So. Wonder no more,i was on hire to Ferrymasters Hull.... Ben Bonner ? Boss? Tricky Dicky ? Traffic clerk...Happy days.
On the side. Having trouble loading at one place bloke phoned Tricky D and complained about me,he passed me the phone. " He wants to speak to you..." I say hello to Tricky D and he asked me what the weather was like,so i told him it was raining T-D said. " Tell him to stuff his load up his A***,come up to Kings Lynne and give me another bell." When ships were wood and men were....Steel.
Tea Bag

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[ambulancekidd]

My first time on that road was on a motorcycle, fortunately I was just touring along steadily & enjoying the scenery but, yes its a bit odd til you get used to it.

 

[PeteH]

Paid off, Lieth. And feeling flush, as you do after 10 months, and with a shed load of sea gear, decided to hire a car for the run back to Beverley. Hertz "one way". Slid off that road on ice near Jedborough, in the dark first time I had ever used the road! fortunately just a few scratches, The Hertz Hull branch looked at the impacted mud and wanted to charge me for damage and cleaning, so a thank you for the Damage waiver Fee.! My Mate weren't so lucky same road years later. He took a Crow, flew straight into the radiator grill and spent the night in his car waiting for recovery!. Have used it since, with the first R-V, Stopped at Melrose CC site, but not for years now.

 

[Baileysbus]

Speed camera central so care needed. Nearly got wiped out just over one of those crests years ago. Car crossed from a side road and I had to swerve ...... slight clunk noise so we did contact but mine was a SAAB and no visible damage. His did have some front end damage. Very lucky. Full car with our young kids on board heading for the ferry at hull. Could’ve been a whole lot worse.

 

[Viennese]

I discovered it by accident and loved it and would always use it if I could,

 

[Puddleduck]

We used to do it regularly but now use the A697 as it is about the same distance but less up and down so better fuel consumption.

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[March Hare]

We live very close to where the A68 meets the A69 before heading south to meet the A1 at Darlington, so we know the A68 well.

Both the northerly and southerly sections are OK in fine weather but both sections can be perilous in bad weather and last year there was snow and ice near Tow Law very late in the spring as they’re very high, so best avoided if there’s any risk of wintry conditions.

Btw, there’s a Motorhome and caravan showroom right at the bottom of the A68, just before the A68 meets the A1 near to Darlington (look for the Union Flag ?? on the tall flagpole!) and they have a good accessories shop and nice cafe! ?

 

[Sandp]

Last time I was on the a68 at otterburn was brought to halt by one of the army lads and asked to wait while some armoured vehicles were brought on to the ranges,was joking with him that my wagon was bigger than him and then I could run over him and nobody would know? His laughing reply was a quick whistle and the gas’s verges suddenly came alive with camouflaged sas troops who were on security patrol !!!!?.Turned engine off bloody damn quick I can tell you. Had a great crack for twenty min with them.

 

[Enword]

Mrs D & myself did that road in the car years ago (88ish) I remember looking at each other & both saying at the same time "what a shame we're not on the bike"

 

[nicholsong]

When were on manoeuvres at Otterburn in the TA I was the RSM's driver and had to drive him down to Hexham for a haircut Oh Please! - at least I was able to visit my Aunt while he had it done.

 

[PepnKook]

Used to use that route as a kid before seat belts were law, my dad would speed up going over the crests ("speed up" was relative in a 1.2 Chevette when you're 10) and shout "We're going over the end of the world!!" and your bum would leave the seat and you'd bash your head on the roof. I used to love it! My copy of the Beano summer special and the pack of felt tips would go everywhere! Called it the rollercoaster road. Best time was when my dad let me and my cousin sit in the hatchback. H&S would probably have a coronary now, but hey, it was the 70's! Went to Scotland every holiday for around 15 years (Dad's from Crathie) and have very fond memories of that road.

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