Diversion at Sutton Bank on the way to The Howard
I am thinking of visiting the Howard but am rather confused about whether motorhomes have to use the diversion on the A170 as well as caravans, and which roads the diversion actually uses as it is not stated on either the Motorhome and Caravan Club map or the advised route to the actual site. Any information would be appreciated.
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No ban on Motorhomes up Sutton Bank. We do it on a regular basis. If you haven't been up it, do a bit of research just to raise awareness of how long the climb is, where the steep hairpin is, and which road you want at the top. Try not to follow anything large and slow, and be prepared for other vehicles not progressing well, either because they don't know how to drive up it, or are sight seeing on the way up! Fingers crossed it isn't closed due to an accident as well, had this a couple of times. It's a pussy cat once you get to know it!
Edit: if you are towing a car behind, best use the diversion!
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The diversion goes via Coxwold, is well signed from Thirsk, but.....it is a twisty narrow route, so take care. Will be good practice getting to the Howard, this is a well hidden site, lovely though!
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My most recent trip up Sutton Bank was a simple 3rd Gear and Boot it job. But the previous one involved the police shepherding us going up & coming down to allow the driver & mate of a broken down large multi-seater tourist coach to help the aged passengers to walk to the top, then, carry the luggage up as well. The Tow Truck had not arrived by then but there would have been extended chaos when it eventually arrived !!
P.S. / Edit :-- your arrival at The Howard will be the start of the recovery should you feel any stress at all from the climb
! It's a cracking little site, please enjoy yourselves !!0 -
Just follow caravan directions, you are only in a small MH and will find Sutton Bank no problem whatsoever. I think the Bank is South of Rosedale Abbey anyway.
Edit: Assume using A1, off at Dishforth, head towards Thirsk, stay on A19, head to Helmsley up Sutton Bank, stay on A170 until you reach turn off to Rosedale Abbey, which is before Pickering. You could use A19 down from Stokesley, it’s a fabulously scenic route with no hidden issues, then pick up A170 at Helmsley. No idea where in Scotland you are coming from, so hope this helps. When you get to Rosedale, beware of Chimney Bank if going for a ride out. It is doable if you have enough power in MH and a clear run, but the hairpins are tight!😁
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Leave the A1M. Head east towards Pickering from Thirsk, up Sutton Bank and then follow the club directions as you get towards Pickering.
Posted as TDA added a bit more. Its a straightforward route with the SB climb at the start, but totally unsuitable for caravans.
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Many thanks, TDA & Brue. I'm coming from Selkirk so I can either go A7, M6, A66 to Scotch Corner and then A1(M); or A68 and A1(M). Then A19 and A170 as you both have said and finally as per Club directions.
Thought I'd try Chimney Bank on the bicycle (lol), aka push-bike, mostly push.
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Have a good time Geejay, for anyone going this way there is the Sutton Bank National Park Centre near the top of the hill, usually good for parking, picnics, café and views etc. Worth a visit to learn about the area or just to enjoy a day out and get your bearings.
Sutton Bank LINK
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Ho ho ho😁 you will need to use the bench half way up, and at the top on a push bike. There’s some lovely little pull ins at the top for a picnic with MH. The views are a bit special, even for NY Moors.
Ignore the Sutton Bank diversions for caravans, you will have no issues getting up in MH, as brue says, great visitor centre. If you do choose to go other way, or have a day out in MH, Byland Abbey and Coxwold village are lovely. Abbey has great tea rooms, and church and pub in Coxwold are well worth visiting. You shouldn’t have any issues parking.
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I image that the total ban on caravans on Sutton Bank is a throwback to earlier days ( pre the tendency to have big powerful 4x4s etc ) when "ordinary" lower powered saloon cars regularly became stuck after the hairpin. ( There is also a sign at the bottom which says something like 67 HGV got stuck on Sutton Bank so far this year ! ) The fun really starts if a vehicle breaks down half way up, all the following vehicles then stop to let descending vehicles come through, then some of those who have had to stop find that they can't actually get going again..
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not sure when it was recently closed, or why but was fully open last Monday
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Drove a car transporter up there . 15 years ago ,brakes were burning ,clutch was burning !! I would seriously go for the alternative , Motorhomes clutches on some models are only car ones . Derek
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So if blah blah blah number of HGVs get stuck on Sutton Bank ..... ban HGVs! But they'll never do that as the road haulage lot can shout louder .... same as why they're allowed in lane 3 of 4 on motorways such as the M62 going east towards Saddleworth Moor .... lane 1 doing 55mph, lane 2 doing 55.5mph and lane 3 doing 56mph leaving lane 4 for everyone else
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Yeah, they’re built to cope with daily use, high mileage, stop/start motoring as driven by white van man.
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😱😱😱
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It may surprise many to know that the steepest part of SB is actually the rise on the hump a few hundred yards before the hairpin, the slope after the hairpin is relatively modest.
You haven't seen anything until you've seen a car transporter deposit its load on that short but steep rise - what a mess!
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The last blockage we saw was a HGV carrying steel. The whole road surface had to be relaid! We did see another lorry one Winter that was stuffed into undergrowth going down, he had obviously lost it and didn’t make the hairpin! All good fun....... except for the locals.☹️
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Looks like the Alp de Huez😀
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The CV800 from Alicante to Alcoi is a bit like that. Climbs a thousand feet over a couple of miles. Oops, I forgot. That's 'over there'.
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