Lumley castle to Edinburgh - info request

[Delpel]

Now then folks. Taking a little road trip to get the wife back into the groove so to speak. (I think I scared her on the Stevlio pass last year)

So we’re having an anniversary trip via Lumley Castle up to to Edinburgh and back down via the Lake District for a few days in June.

I’ve had a look at google maps etc and there appears to be several route options.

Can anyone recommend a good MX5 worthy route. Looking for scenery, some long sweeping bends and just a general enjoyable drive up north.

Many thanks

Derek

[Chillax]

Hi mate. It all depends on which road your coming up to Edinburgh on. The three main ones would be the A1, the A68 or the M74  (turning off onto the A702 to Edinburgh.

If coming via A1, you’ll be passing through the district I am in (East Lothian). There is an amazing coast road that you could pick up around North Berwick or Dunbar. Road goes right along the east coast, mixture of a few straights, some sweeping curves and nice tight corners. You could go all the way through the following coastal towns…North Berwick (beautiful wee town, very olde world), Gullane, Aberlady, Longniddry, Port Seton, Preston pans, Mussleburgh, Portobello. Lots of places to stop off for something to eat too. No speed cameras.This route will take you into Edinburgh on the east side via Seafield and Leith. Lot of the route is right next to the beach/sea so really nice road.

If coming via A68, this is another great road with nice country side scenery, and will take you through a lot of the Scottish Borders towns. Again, nice mix of sweeping bends, some long straights and some demanding Twisties! Lots of elevation changes too. Again, staying on this road will take you into Edinburgh, this time to the more central route in from Dalkeith. There area speed cameras and marked/unmarked police cars on this route sometimes.

Coming in via the A702 (comec off M74 at Abbington services) will give you around 60 miles (if I remember rightly) of similar roads to the above, taking in Scottish borders towns such as Biggar, Carlops, Dolphington etc. AgainA nice twisty roads through the countryside. Route brings you in from more or less the west side of Edinburgh. Again speed cameras and traffic cars parked up with radar on this route sometimes.

All nice roads, but have to say coast take is my favourite for a blast. Actually went for a blast down that very road today in the mini! Went down it last week for a blast in the mx5!

Enjoy your visit!

Hope some of the above helps mate.

[Delpel]

Cheers for that Chillax,

Looking at the maps I think we will go up via the A! and the coast road through North Berwick and come back down via the A702 to the Lakes. If the weather is not spectacular and not worthy of the coastal route we’ll take the A68.

Just as an after thought whats the A697 via Coldstream like?

Thanks again for your help

Derek

[Roadie]

Think Chillax has got things spot on. North Berwick is a stunning and quaint little town. Worth a drive out from Edinburgh even if you go up via a different route.

Had a holiday in the borders a couple of years ago and if you are going cross country Melrose and Kelso are both worthy places for a coffee break and leg stretch browse.

At the risk of upsetting any locals I wouldn’t bother stopping at Coldstream.

Looking a little further down your route the A19 is a lot more relaxing than the A1. Worth considering if you aren’t rushing.

[Chillax]

Lol and Roadie is right…Coldstream isn’t really a stopping point, not a lot there apart from the Coldstream guards museum, which is tiny and you can be found it in 5 mins. There is also a big park down by the river. Other than that, move along please, nothing to see here! The road there is nice though (couple of speed cameras)

Kelso and Melrose are deffo worth a look, both beautiful and bustling wee towns. Again, nice roads down there too. Depending what day your coming up/work etc could maybe meet up if you like? There’s a few members up here who I think would also be interested in a wee run!

[bally3]

only been to edinburgh twice ( to see daughter perform at the fringe festival ) both times up / down a1 ,
but i have been to lumley castle many times ( treat for mrs + me ) and can highly recommend , a meal in the black knight restaurant is a must !
enjoy !!!

[MickAP]

Interesting thread keep the suggestions coming if any more. We are doing the trip to Edinburgh from Derbyshire in May. We don’t necessarily need to get up there quickly so was also thinking of going up the East side, makes sense really. We’ve been that way before but only as far as Berwick on Tweed that as I recall was a nice route, the A68 sounds good too. We move on to the Highlands after a few days in Edinburgh.

[Chillax]

@MickAP

Interesting thread keep the suggestions coming if any more. We are doing the trip to Edinburgh from Derbyshire in May. We don’t necessarily need to get up there quickly so was also thinking of going up the East side, makes sense really. We’ve been that way before but only as far as Berwick on Tweed that as I recall was a nice route, the A68 sounds good too. We move on to the Highlands after a few days in Edinburgh.

East side is my favourite, although I’m probably biased lol. It’s a road I’ve travelled all my life, as kid in the back of my dads various cars (Hillman avengers, Mk1 Escorts, Citroen Visas, mk1 Ford Orion, Citroen AX’s) and then driving myself or the wife driving. Was our main route for going anywhere down south. From here to Berwick-upon-tweed is a superb run, so many places available to stop off at en route, or just drive.

Give us a shout when you’re coming up if you like Mick, should hopefully have Mindy through her MOT then (it’s due start of May!)

[Chillax]

Oh almost forgot! Between Gullane and Aberlady, there’s a car museum! You turn off the main A road onto a B road (can get the iunfo for it if required) and it’s roughly about two miles from the main route. It’s a tiny wee museum, but there is tons crammed into it from cars to memorabilia. Worth a wee look I think. The building itself and the contents seem to be stuck in a wee time warp! Search for Myreton Motor Museum.

[MickAP]

@Chillax

Oh almost forgot! Between Gullane and Aberlady, there’s a car museum! You turn off the main A road onto a B road (can get the iunfo for it if required) and it’s roughly about two miles from the main route. It’s a tiny wee museum, but there is tons crammed into it from cars to memorabilia. Worth a wee look I think. The building itself and the contents seem to be stuck in a wee time warp! Search for Myreton Motor Museum.

 

Stopping at Edinburgh park (airport) for 6 days from 5th May, I’m sure we can make a journey over to the car museum during that time if not on the day we travel up.

Varying our tour this time so up the East side rather than M6 from Derbys and once further on from Edinburgh we head up to Tain after an overnight stop at Pitlochry. From there we take on the NC500 again coming down the West coast ending that at Lochcarron. Then it’s stops at Glencoe, Stirling and from there home. Loads of places to pull in/visit on our tour and I keep adding to the list.

Thanks for the tips

 

 

[Chillax]

That sounds like an epic road trip mate!! Now I’m jealous! lol The NC500 is perfect territory for the mx5, you’ll deffo have lots of fun!

[marpar]

If you can fit it in, the signed route "Coastal Route"from the A1 north of Newcastle, you will see Holy Island, fishing villages, castles and the best beaches in the UK, it would be a shame to miss them.

[Roadie]

While in Edinburgh the Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile is well worth a visit. Whatever age you are there will be toys that you remember from your childhood. Free admission too.

Would also highly recommend the Witchery Ghost Tour. There are plenty of other ghost tour companies in Edinburgh but we have done the Witchery one twice over the years and it is great fun.

[RichardFX]

@marpar

If you can fit it in, the signed route "Coastal Route"from the A1 north of Newcastle, you will see Holy Island, fishing villages, castles and the best beaches in the UK, it would be a shame to miss them.

Agreed. Stunning scenery.

We saw this for the first time during a long weekend up there a few years ago with the West London section.

[Chillax]

Since the sun was out on Saturday, we took Mindy for a run down the coast road all the way to Dunbar. On the way down, we popped into that little motor museum I mentioned earlier (Myreton) to see if it was open and it is. Entry is £7 each which I think is pretty reasonable, so as e hadn’t been in for a while we went in for a look. Took a load of photos mate so you can see if you think it might be worth a wee trip into when you’re up. Will upload them later as they’re on my phone and need to be on my PC to upload to this site. 

[Chillax]

So, the Photos from our wee trip to Myreton Motor museum (apologies for all the writing, just copied and pasted from my own forum to here). This is a tiny wee museum based in East Lothian just outside Aberlady. The building(s) are basically in the middle of nowhere, but it is sign posted well!  Lots of classic cars in various states of repair, some wearing original patina, some restored or part restored. Also lots and lots of interesting stuff including a history on Jim Clark. Also motorbikes, memorobilia and anything car related. Great wee place and well worth a look. Entry is just £7 for adults so quite reasonable, and you can be in there as long as you like.

Excuse the photos, just took them with my phone!

 

Customized 1980’s Fiat X/19. The paintwork on this is amazing, multicoloured metal flake!

 

Old Citroen is in beautiful condition.

 

As was this wee beauty! Only done 1800 miles if I remember rightly!

 

Always been a sucker for old Fords! Love this, so cool!

 

And this wee pair were in stunning condition! Amazing how small both of these are compared to their modern counterparts.

 

My favourite Rolls Royce, the Silver Shadow (series 2 I think?)

 

Mini Innocenti replica

 

Jowett Bradford van. I knew Jowett made the Jupiter and Javellin, but never knew they made a van. Unusual and very nice condition.

 

Sunbeam Rapier. I used to love the shape of these when I was little, my uncle had one in metallic turquoise. Was a stunning car back then!

 

Got a thing for old Humbers like this too…look so much like a 57 Chevy or 57 Plymouth

 

Volvo 340, used to be such a common sight on our roads. This ones a nice 1 owner low miler.

 

Then on to upstairs! Lots of memorabellia, bicycles, pedal cars, toys, petrol ration books and so much more!

 

Bugatti pedal car!!  Would  have loved this when I was a kid!  Although I did have a Mini pedal car which was really cool!

And Mindy, sitting relaxing in the sun before the second part of our run.

 

Hope you find the above useful mate. As I said earlier in topic, depending on the day your coming up could possibly meet up and take you to the museum (although it is sign posted from the main road) It’s only about 10-15 mins drive from my house.

[Roadie]

Museum looks great. I had forgotten all about the Sunbeam Rapier. Love the roof line, side windows and black rear pillar.

[Chillax]

@Roadie

Museum looks great. I had forgotten all about the Sunbeam Rapier. Love the roof line, side windows and black rear pillar.

It is a stunning design even today isn’t it. My uncles one had slightly dished wheels on it (think they were possibly slotmags) and looked the absolute dogs danglies! His also had a black vinyl roof too, so along with the black pillar/turquoise paint it looked amazing. You never really see them at classic car shows either nowadays, can’t remember the last time I saw one until we were at the museum.

 

If I remember rightly, it had frameless doors, so when the front and rear windows were down, it was like a pillarless coupe?

[MickAP]

Thanks for the pictures, certainly on the list of must visits, I love any motor museum.
Around three years ago come March we spent part of a three day birthday treat away (my OH) to visit the Morgan factory in Malvern, she loved every minute of it so I’m sure this one will go down well with her too.