Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Best roads to drive a Morgan sports car

UK or Ireland (for starters), where in your experience have you really enjoyed a good blast or a gentle pootle in your Morgan?

It can be solely for the driving experience or could be for what lies at the end of the road.

I have only had mine a couple of weeks but I have a couple of roads in mind. I was visiting my daughter in England last week and decided to have a look at Saffron Walden on the way up to Cambridge. The B184 Northbound from S W was a smooth and interestingly winding road with good visibility, I made a mental note to return to it with my Mog. It has the added bonus of Saffron Walden Golf Club at one end ("All visitors are most welcome" said the sign at the clubhouse door) it has a lovely terrace with views across the course and a good value menu for a quick lunch or breakfast prior to departure. At the other end of the road is, of course, the beautiful city of Cambridge. Park your Mog behind the Two Trees (Hilton) hotel, and enjoy a cold drink on their lawn overlooking the Cam. Watching the punting can be good fun, we saw 2 fall in on our visit!

The big treat for me, though, will be driving along the North Antrim coast from Larne to Portrush. The Causeway Coast as it is called has spectacular scenery, lots of opportunities for pitstops and detours and fantastic, quiet driving roads. I strongly recommend you get over there, head North from the ferry and earn yourself a pint of Guinness at the harbour bar in Portrush after a drive you will never forget.

So what are your recommendations and experiences?

Last time I did the N. Antrim coast road was somewhere around '69. No, I wasn't driving, but as a child in the rear seats of whatever car Dad had at the time.

I really should get back (but know I will end up visitng relatives for the whole time there... ).

Favourite roads - lots of them - the twistier the better. Mid - North Wales, Scotland, particularly the Highlands... And a lot more still to be found!!

Cheers,

Appledore in Kent (just outside Ashford) to Rye in East Sussex alongside the Royal Military Canal. Long straits and a few sweeping bends. Particularly good if nothing is coming the other way!!!

Head through Appledore from Tenterden, then just as the village ends take the right turn into Military Road.

From Ashford turn left immediately following the right hand bend over the canal bridge (before the village).

Rye is a nice place to while away a couple of hours before making the return trip. Just beware of the canal as you hit those bends!!!!

Regards
Alan
AP08 MOG

Having just returned from France after extending the visit from the Le Mans Classic, I find the French N Roads are generally brilliant. Smooth surfaces - no potholes - ideal morganeering roads. Given that Brittany had much the same weather as the UK last Winter, how come our roads are in such a state and the French roads are bowling greens in comparison?

To moggieplus4, surely Cheshire must have a few good drives (I see that is where you are located) and N.Wales as Graham suggested.

French roads are indeed in good nick. I think they get less wear and tear and they seem to fix them when required. Maybe toll roads relieve some of the financial burden.

But we need names! Road numbers or routes, pubs, restaurants or other points of interest to get our Mogs onto the open road.

Speaking of Cheshire, a very short blast is the road between Woore and Loggerheads (B5026), you get to cover three counties in one short drive (Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire and there are some very enticing hostelries in the vicinity.

Welcome to the forum Flowman . Portrush sounds like another Golf Course destination of note. I have never visited the area but there are also some vintage Road Racing Routes in that area, I believe.

The SatNav took us on a very nice non motorway country route from Reading to Chichester Via Alton & Petersfield (Passed close to Goodwood for 'Revival' visitors). Smooth flowing roads with some interesting curves, hills and dales. Will go that way again in a couple of weeks time.

Hello Frank,

I remember riding my motorbike about 15 years ago along the road you mention, it's a good one.

Portrush is a great golf course but the view of it as you approach it from the Giant's Causeway direction is just awesome, especially on a late summers evening when the shadows are long. The neighbouring beach is also quite special.

The road race you mention is the NW200, fantastic road racing and another good reason to pay the area a visit. Here's a view of a lap from on board: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKc7epht9iQ. This year the fastest speed trap time was about 204 mph!

A4212 Bala to Trawsfynydd (drove it for the first time last week, sadly in the Z3 not the Mog). Don't know about hostelries, didn't stop!

An unclassified road that runs from Abergwesyn (north of Llanwrtyd Wells) to Tregaron - last driven in the early 80s, hope it's still as good.

Gerwyn (GLLHG) knows lots more - I haven't brought the road map in today...

Broadway, south on B4632 to the village of Toddington, turn left at roundabout onto B4077 for Stow on the Wold. The twisty climb up the side of the Cotswold escarpment is great - just beware it can attract slow moving traffic. Hostelry - the Plough at Ford, or turn right before Ford and head to the Half Way House in the village of Kineton.

Cheers,

"The SatNav took us on a very nice non motorway country route from Reading to Chichester Via Alton & Petersfield (Passed close to Goodwood for 'Revival' visitors)."

I enjoy taking this route when ever I can. Sometimes there can be slow traffic which is a bit frustrating when heading for a curry in Liphook. The drive back last at night is a joy in the Morgan.

The Antrim Coast Road is wonderful - best driven northbound for the views. A stop off at Bushmills is recommended.

Why not splash out and take a ferry from Liverpool or Heysham to the Isle of Man and try your Moggie out on the IOM TT course before catching a ferry from Douglas to Belfast? BTW for some reason (ie their web design) you can't book this route on-line with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company but if you give them a call they'll do it for you. Lots to see on the IOM apart from the TT course too.

And try this thread elsewhere on Talk Morgan.

Enjoy!!!!