Anything to do between folkestone and Somerset june 22?

[speedmachine]

As per title, I’m visiting the factory later this month and I have a complete extra day and night extra to spend. So we are looking for a good curvy route or something else to spend the day on june 22

Maybe someone has an idea about what route is the most fun to ride. We have the day to drive, do a meeting or trackday, but we don’t know what to do.

We are pretty flexible as we havent booked a hotel yet for saturdaynight. The cartrain takes us back to France sunday at 12.

Any (off course automotive) ideas what we could do? Best between Sometset and Folkestone, but more north or south is ok too as long as we can make it to Folkestone before noon on sunday

[HenryJS]

Here is our list of recommended places to stay and visit:

Places to stay and eat:

Haselbury Mill http://www.haselburymill.co.uk/- a matter of two minutes walk away!
Well cooked ‘pub grub’ and comfortable accommodation (you will receive a preferential rate on your room if you choose to stay here)

Lanes Hotel, Spa, Brasserie, Bar https://www.laneshotel.net/ – 5 Miles from the Factory on the A30 (around 10 minutes drive).
A fairly wide variety on the menu (from fish pie, to steaks and sandwiches, tea and cake in the afternoon). Moderately Priced.

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa https://www.summerlodgehotel.co.uk/?sc_lang=en – 12 miles from the Factory (around 30 minutes drive). In a quiet location, Surrounded by countryside.
Fine Dining using local produce, luxury accommodation – in the high price range.

The Shave Cross Inn http://www.shavecrossinn.co.uk/ – 12 miles from the factory (around 30 minutes drive)
Quintessential 14th Century Building in a very rural location, with cosy rooms and good ‘pub grub’ at reasonable prices.

Wellies Boutique Bed and Breakfast + Tea rooms www.welliessomerset.com – 25 Miles from the factory (around 40 mins drive)
Another very ‘Somerset’ building and location – spacious rooms and a good quality breakfast. Higher price range.

Lord Poulet Arms http://www.lordpoulettarms.com/ - 3 Miles from the Factory (around 10 minutes drive)
Family pub, restaurant and hotel.
‘Gastro-Pub’ style food, quiet village location with ‘olde-worlde’ style furnishings. Pricing at the higher end of ‘pub prices’.



Masons Arms - http://www.masonsarmsodcombe.co.uk/ - 5 miles from the Factory (around 10 mins drive)
Village Location, with simple accommodation available, as well as a camp site! There are two menus, the normal ‘pub grub’ and an A La Carte with more refined dining. Locally sourced produce and warm friendly atmosphere. Pricing is in the moderate-higher range.

The Green Room - http://www.thegreenroominyeovil.co.uk/ - 8 Miles from the Factory (around 20 mins drive)
Located in the centre of Yeovil – perfect if you want to spend the night at the movies… Friendly service and fine dining at reasonable prices – but does get booked up quickly! There is also simple accommodation available at reasonable prices.


Oxbridge Farm - www.oxbridgefarm.co.uk - 12 miles away from the Factory (around 30mins Drive)
A friendly B&B in the heart of the Dorset countryside, about 5 miles away from the coast. For those interested in horses there is a livery/eventing yard here and there is plenty of room for parking trailers although the roads leading to it are quite narrow! The breakfast is excellent and they can provide evening meals to a very high standard on request.


Places to eat:

Dinnington Docks – No Official Website
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restauran ... gland.html

5 miles from the Factory (around 15 min drive)
The last of a dying breed of pubs as they should be - great local atmosphere. No frills pub grub cooked well at reasonable prices. The guys at Ariel North America particularly like this one!

West Bay for fish and chips – no official website. 16 miles from the Factory (around 40mins Drive)
Pick and Choose from between 5-10 kiosks selling fish and chips. If you are there in the evening and the weather is fine, you might find the local bikers down there for their ‘bike night’ On your Ace, or even in your Atom or Nomad, there will be a warm welcome and friendly atmosphere.



The Stable - https://stablepizza.com/locations/the-stable-bridport/ - 14 miles from the Factory (around 30 minutes drive)
The first in a widening chain of friendly eateries. The menu is superb – as long as you like pizza, pie and cider all at reasonable prices – as that’s all they have!

Kasbar - https://www.kazbaryeovil.co.uk/ - a small laid back tapas bar with good food and cocktails at reasonable prices. If you want to sample some local ‘nightlife’ (that isn’t a cosy pub with cold cider) and stay for a few drinks in town – this is for you!

Turquoise Kitchen - http://turquoisekitchen.co.uk/yeovil/ Turkish cuisine at moderate prices. Everything is made fresh and the service is warm and friendly. Authentic charcoal grilled kebabs and rustic bread cooked in a wood fired oven – at the cross roads of the Balkans, Middle East, Caucasus and Mediterranean there’s something on the menu you are sure to enjoy.



Things to do / places to visit:

Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton http://www.fleetairarm.com/
13 miles from the Factory (around 20 minutes drive)
Europe’s Largest Naval Aviation Collection. Recently Refurbished.

Bovington Tank Museum - http://www.tankmuseum.org/home 33 miles from the Factory (around
1hr 15mins drive)
Nine separate exhibitions.
Static and Moving Displays (dates apply)

Haynes Motor Museum - https://www.haynesmotormuseum.com/ 17 Miles from the Factory
(around 25mins drive)
Various Halls filled with all types of vehicles, ranging from historic scooters to Delorean to Dodge
Viper… A petrol heads heaven!

Ham Hill Country Park - https://www.southsomersetcountryside.com/ham-hill/ 6 miles from the
Factory (around 12 minutes drive)
Country Park suitable for everyone with walks and cycle paths for exploring.
There is also a good pub atop the hill – The Prince of Wales http://
www.princeofwaleshamhill.co.uk/ that serves honest ‘pub grub’ with local ales and ciders.

Thatchers Cider Mill https://www.thatcherscider.co.uk/visit- ... ers-tours/ 53 Miles from the
Factory (around 1hr 10min drive)
Individual Tours (1-15 people)
These take place every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11am.
There are many other cider mills to look round too, listing them all would take forever! Here are 26
of them…
http://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/dbimgs/s ... %20map.pdf

Cheddar Gorge and Caves - https://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/ 40 Miles from the Factory (around
1hr Drive)
Simply take a scenic drive and have lunch in one of the many surrounding village pubs, or explore
the caves and cliffs on foot. Or if you are feeling advent ours – try exploring the underground caves
or climbing the cliffs with a guide - http://www.caveclimb.com/ (other service available, this one is
an example!) You’ll need suitable clothing for this, as it gets wet and muddy down there!
The Jurassic Coast - https://jurassiccoast.org/ distance ranges from the factory, but the nearest is
around 15 miles (around 35 mins drive)

Durdle Door is a popular destination – a natural limestone Arch. 36 Miles from the factory, (around
1hr 10min drive)
Golden Cap is highest peak on the South Coast and the views on a fine summers day are surpassed
by none. 16 miles from the Factory (around 40 Mins drive)

Longleat Safari Park and Longleat House - https://www.longleat.co.uk/ 45 Miles from the Factory
(around 1hr 15mins drive)
From Monkeys up close and personal trying to tear the trim off your pride and Joy (you don’t have to
go into this area if you don’t want to… there is a ‘monkey bypass’) to an Elizabethan Mansion, formal
Gardens and maze. Now home to 52 of the largest and rarest spiders on Earth…



If you want to do a track day 'en route' I would suggest Brands Hatch Indy, Castle Combe or Silverstone.

RE the best Roads to take - If i was taking my time, I personally would stay close to the coast and avoid the motorways.
On the way back, just use the motorways - Crewkerne to Folkestone is doable in 4-5 Hours that way.

[GraemeW]

Speedmachine, there are some great driving roads in the UK, however most of the time they are clogged with traffic. As Henry says stay away from the motorway. The coast is great but usually even busier this time of the year. A good alternative is the A272 midway between London and the south coast, and runs more or less parallel to the south coast. You can pick it up south of gatwick area.

Bits of this road are great when its not too busy, as well as having a couple of interesting places on it, and detours from it. At Midhurst you could take the A286 down towards Chichester to Goodwood motor circuit, and even if you can't get on the circuit, you can watch whatever is on the circuit for a while, whilst you have a meal or coffee at the motorcircuit cafe. Then head up towards Peterfield on the B2141, a great driving road. Continue from Petersfield to Winchester which is an interesting place to stop if you haven't been there before. Any number of good roads from Winchester towards Salisbury where you can continue on A30 to Crewekerne, or head up to the A303. On the A303 not far from Ariel is the Haynes motor museum.

If you do travel along the coast there are a couple of great roads up from there to Crewekerne, like the B3165 up from Lyme Regis, or A3066 from Bridport, if they're not busy. The Bridport roads is usually busier. I don't know the roads out east of London towards Folkestone that well.

[speedmachine]

Speedmachine, there are some great driving roads in the UK, however most of the time they are clogged with traffic. As Henry says stay away from the motorway. The coast is great but usually even busier this time of the year. A good alternative is the A272 midway between London and the south coast, and runs more or less parallel to the south coast. You can pick it up south of gatwick area.

Bits of this road are great when its not too busy, as well as having a couple of interesting places on it, and detours from it. At Midhurst you could take the A286 down towards Chichester to Goodwood motor circuit, and even if you can't get on the circuit, you can watch whatever is on the circuit for a while, whilst you have a meal or coffee at the motorcircuit cafe. Then head up towards Peterfield on the B2141, a great driving road. Continue from Petersfield to Winchester which is an interesting place to stop if you haven't been there before. Any number of good roads from Winchester towards Salisbury where you can continue on A30 to Crewekerne, or head up to the A303. On the A303 not far from Ariel is the Haynes motor museum.

If you do travel along the coast there are a couple of great roads up from there to Crewekerne, like the B3165 up from Lyme Regis, or A3066 from Bridport, if they're not busy. The Bridport roads is usually busier. I don't know the roads out east of London towards Folkestone that well.

thanks for this! We are going to blindfolded trust you and do exactly as you suggest