Traveling up to Whitby tomorrow from Manchester. Be passing Leeds around the 2pm mark. Would usually just use the a1m1 link road, but I heard it might get jammed up with the festival traffic.

Any suggestions? Continue on the 62 to Ferrybridge then head north ?

Thanks all.

Any suggestions? Continue on the 62 to Ferrybridge then head north ?

Makes sense

That would sound the best plan to me – and if you fancy a scenic drive, carry on up the A1 and onto the A168 towards Thirsk, up Sutton Bank and drive through the moors…

Of course, you will be going through the Moors whichever way you go (unless airdropped) – I just meant the drive through Thirsk was preferable to any other such as the horrible York bypass, which is stupid busy nowadays.

Yes, definitely avoid the link road.

Nooooooo! Going along the M62 and then up the A1 at Ferrybridge will bring you out where the A1 and M1 join – aka, traffic hell tomorrow!

Go past Ferrybridge and take the A19 north. Takes you around Selby (thankfully) and then hits the A64 just south of York from where you'll be 15 miles east of the V traffic…

DaveyBoyWonder

You'd think so but they won't allow traffic to turn right into the festival from the A64 so everyone comes in from the M1 link

This year has changed – there is no access via the a64 to the festival. They are directing it all onto the a1 where they have a 1 way of some sort, single entrance into the site.

i know this cos it's written on my tickets.

Go over on the A59, then follow the ringroad around York, and out onto thew A64?

follow the ringroad around York

I wouldn't – it is very busy, no moreso than on a bank holiday weekend.

As a former Selby-ite I'd just like to take issue with DaveyBoyWonder's comment…

He did not emphasis quite how grateful you should be at being able to avoid it…

alternate route avoiding the leeds traffic.

go up the M66/A56 to M65, and up to Colne. then follow the A59 via Skipton and keep following that road to Harrogate/Knaresborough and onto the A1(M) well north of any traffic problems nearer Leeds.

Its a nice route over the pennines that. And fairly free flowing, used to take me about an hour to get from Bacup to Ilkley (turning off the A59 to go down the A65 for that) and about 1 1/2 hrs to go from Bacup to Harewood (roughly half way between Harrogate and Leeds) as a comparison its about 1hr 15mins to go Bacup to Harewood via M66/M62/A1(M)
As a comparison

Hmmm the A19 from the 62 sounds promising. Mastiles, I was going to go up sutton bank anyway… lovely route.

Mastiles, I was going to go up sutton bank anyway… lovely route.

Isn't it just – and there is also a great (but illegal, footpath-based) run down the side if you have a bike with you 😉

We did the last STW Northern ride starting in the Car Park at Sutton Bank last month… Was a lovely part of the country. Our Leader, Deejay kept it legal though.

last time we went i went upto thirsk then across to pickering, it's a nice run but takes longer, other times just went york bypass to pickering then to whitby.

I'd agree with Lord Summerisle

The 59 does apeal and I have done it many times, but it is dead easy to get stuck behind something for a long way.

Is the link road really going ot be that bad guys ?

Is the link road really going ot be that bad guys ?

It wasn't last year – but I can't remember if that was the Thursday or the Friday
It was the first day they were letting them in

If I was going the A59 route, I would also be tempted to avoid Harrogate and Knaresborough – instead turn left to Killinghall at the roundabout just before you reach Harrogate (the one with the Traveller's Rest on it) and head towards Ripon and on to Thirsk, thereby bypassing the A1 altogether too (You go over it at one point though). Trying to get through Harrogate/Knaresborough and on to the A1 on the York Road just gives you a different set of problems.

verses – my dads side of the family are Selby-ites. In fact I'm off on Saturday to see my Grandpa so no ring-road for me 🙁

I'd just go M62>A19 to York>York ring road>Sutton Bank. Keeps you WELL away from any chance of hitting festival traffic.

I don't know about last year (I did see them all queuing on the A64 and A58 when out on my road bike) but in previous years the link has been horrendous.

This year has changed – there is no access via the a64 to the festival. They are directing it all onto the a1 where they have a 1 way of some sort, single entrance into the site.

That is wrong, the traffic is for the festival is being brought of the a1/m1 northbound at the A64 which is now one way to the car parks heading along the A64 west, there is NO eastboung traffic on the A64
The southbound traffic is coming off at the Boston Spa junction and the A64 and directed straight into the car parks.

Great fun, considering i live in the Village (thorner) right at the side of the festival site!!

Should ban the thing!!

To get Manchester to Whitby, i would look at going M62 all the way to Howden (first exit after the BIG ouse bridge), then head through Market Weighton,Driffield and then up the coast through Scarborough (this will miss out Leeds all together)

or again, use part of Lord Summerisle's route as far as Colne, then across towards Keighley via Cowling & Crosshills; from Silsden over the top towards Addingham, then onto the A65 to Ilkley.

From Ilkley take the A660 to Otley, then A659 to Pool in Wharfedale, then north onto the A658 & bypassing the south side of Harrogate & Knaresborough…

just back from flamingo land today i went a1 from leeds thirsk sutton bank pickering and i was stuck ages into pickering and beyond was bad too full of traffic

I once tried to get to Dalby. I got stuck at Pickering as well. Never been back

Have just come back from Dalby via the M62 and A19 (Selby). No problems however…
…A64 east and north east near York is fcuked up with some roadworks as you head towards Malton from Mcr.

🙂

Who the hell goes through Pickering to get to Dalby!?

Malton > sneaky shortcut into the ass end of Thornton Dale > cross the main road from Pickering > straight into Dalby 😉

Who the hell goes through Pickering to get to Dalby!?

people from Bratfud who've never been before

@ 2pm in leeds, (before any rush hour stuff) I'd be tempted to head into leeds on the M621, inner ring road (a5(m)), up the a58 towards wetherby then from wetherby up A1, thirsk -> a170 hutton le hole > rosedale > egton > whitby

this avoids entirely the festival area and also a64 york bypass (which is v. unpredictable round the monk's cross roundabout).
great drive across nym too!
if you do this, do it early!