Very much looking forward to Saturday. Living in Harrogate I am very fortunate, but I was wondering on the feasibility of my plan – I was thinking about driving out to Pool-in-Wharfedale (with kids so no riding) using Leathley Lane (B6161) via Beckwithshaw (I live on that side of Harrogate and I assume it will avoid the worst of any heavy traffic too). Once the peleton have passed I was then going to hot-foot it back to Harrogate, dump the car at home and then walk down (about a 25 minute walk) to the fan park for the finish.

The question/worry is – is it likely to be so rammed and chaotic that I wouldn’t be able to get back in good time? I wouldn’t want to miss the finish so I’d rather give Pool a miss if it would mean us missing it.

Cheers

Given that it’s not happened before, you can only speculate whether or not it’ll be standstill busy

Give Pool a miss. It’s a flat section near the start so they’ll be past in the blink of an eye and you risk spending the rest of the day in the mother of all traffic jams.

Give Pool a miss. It’s a flat section near the start so they’ll be past in the blink of an eye and you risk spending the rest of the day in the mother of all traffic jams.

That. If you were riding I’d say go for it but there’s so much potential for a traffic jam to spoil your day that I wouldn’t bother.

Personally I wouldn’t risk it. Stay away from the car and take it all in from the fan park.
Imagine getting out for the flat section but then getting stuck trying to get back into Harrogate…..

The only reason I am thinking about going is to give the kids (there’s four under 6 year olds) a chance to actually see the bikes go by, but yes, I totally agree, I would be *very* disappointed if it meant our missing the finish.

I’m planning on doing the same thing, but by bike. I’ll give you a wave as a cycle past the traffic.

Yeah, I’m planning on getting on my bike on Sunday and going up to Skipton Road (probably up near Menwith Hill).

(If I get it back together by then, currently in pieces in the garage and running out of time to fit in getting it sorted)….

“I would be *very* disappointed if it meant our missing the finish.”

You know how when there are royal weddings people camp out over night on the Mall just to be sure of a glimpse of the royal couple go past, well….

…there have been more royal weddings than there have been Tour stage finishes in Harrogate.