Travelling to Spa (Merge)

[Speedblood]

Originally Posted by Charlies

Spa is about 10km from the circuit, which is closer to Francorchamps (about 1 or 2km). I'd imagine there would be public transport between the two, but I can't comment about how it works outside the Grand Prix weekend.

Fantastic circuit, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

The hotels I'm looking at are at Franchorchamps so we don't mind a 1/2km walk.

I hope to enjoy it. One of my fav tracks to drive on games so I can only hope it's great to watch for real!
Cheers

[esper]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Go to the 6hr if you want a bit of fun. Francorchamps is where the circuit actually is. but I doubt if Terry could walk that far

he is still preparing an expedition up eau rouge and organised 20 sherpas so far

[Eddy V]

And here he is.
http://www.tec-wl.be/index.aspx?Page...7686&New=False

Quite easy by bus, go along to Francorchamps and depending which hotel you book, choose the proper busstop. It is line 395.
From the centre of the village to the startline is a short walk (1 mile).
Trains, combined with a bus, are another option, but I have to look into that.

What about a rental car?

If I were you, I'd go a week later for the 6 Hour, you'll see some real men race. The Francorchampagne event is not the best thing, but if you want to go because of Euroboss that is another thing.


Esper, Terry on foot up Eau Rouge: NEVER, not even with 50 sherpas.

[Speedblood]

Originally Posted by Eddy V

And here he is.
http://www.tec-wl.be/index.aspx?Page...7686&New=False

Quite easy by bus, go along to Francorchamps and depending which hotel you book, choose the proper busstop. It is line 395.
From the centre of the village to the startline is a short walk (1 mile).
Trains, combined with a bus, are another option, but I have to look into that.

What about a rental car?

If I were you, I'd go a week later for the 6 Hour, you'll see some real men race. The Francorchampagne event is not the best thing, but if you want to go because of Euroboss that is another thing.


Esper, Terry on foot up Eau Rouge: NEVER, not even with 50 sherpas.

Cheers for that Eddy. I'm mainly going because
1) Have big V10 withdrawal syptoms
2) I did look at the 6 hour event but have family commitments that weekend
3) It's an excuse to go abroad for the first time in ages

I'm not using a car because I've barely been driving a year and don't want to risk anything yet as you can imagine. Plus I'm driving to 2 other race events the 2 weekend before so I think I need a break. And being the only 1 in my group able to drive does not help either.

Cheers again

[MikeHoyer]

It's a pretty easy walk from Francorchamps to the circuit, and you end up in the right part too. The hotel/pub is good as well, great for a meal late at night!

Any reason why you don't want to drive it? It's pretty easy.

[Speedblood]

Originally Posted by MikeHoyer

It's a pretty easy walk from Francorchamps to the circuit, and you end up in the right part too. The hotel/pub is good as well, great for a meal late at night!

Any reason why you don't want to drive it? It's pretty easy.

Sounds good

As I said I haven't been driving for more than a year and I'm very sceptical about driving abroad so thats why I'm using public transport. Maybe next year i may change my mind

[GORDON STREETER]

My better half informs me that the train from Verviers to Spa runs every hour.
It just runs there and back most of the day.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by esper

he is still preparing an expedition up eau rouge and organised 20 sherpas so far

He would certainly need oxygen to get up that hill, He even struggles in the old MGB Hey esper he's probably got a Sherpa engine in it that's why !!

[Peter Mallett]

Depending where you set off from the drive is very straightforward. Some folks go around Brussels but we prefer to steer clear and go round Lille, Liege and Verviers. Towing the trailer it takes about 3.5 hours from Calais.

There are good small hotels in Stavelot, Malmaedy and Francorchamps. The circuit is about 1km outside of Francorchamps.

Whilst I can understand your thoughts on V10s, if you want to get "up close and personal" to the cars, drivers and the circuit, I strongly recommend the 6hrs meeting. Its guaranteed that the grids will have more cars on them than at the previous meeting. Also no matter which hotel you stay in you'll find drivers and their mates.

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Hey esper he's probably got a Sherpa engine in it that's why !!

That'll explain my lap times then.

[terence]

Now belive it or not,for all of you synical gits,I have actually walked the Whole circuit!!.But using the car IS definatly the way to go..Nothing wrong with Sherpas,I race a re-bodied one anyway.



Esper, Terry on foot up Eau Rouge: NEVER, not even with 50 sherpas. [/quote]

[terence]

Originally Posted by Speedblood

Sounds good

As I said I haven't been driving for more than a year and I'm very sceptical about driving abroad so thats why I'm using public transport. Maybe next year i may change my mind

The experience of driving abroad certainly is daunting for your first time,but actually doing it is a lot easier than you think.From Calais,you virtually have two roads to drive before you get there,it really could not be simpler.And if you were to come to the best event of the year,you'll have more fun anyway!
6 hours is the way to go.

[MikeHoyer]

Agree with the above. The driving is a doddle really, and the 6 hours is a great meeting.

[Peter Mallett]

Would I be correct in thinking that a few teams at the six hours could use a hand, in which case the driving might not be an issue?

[terence]

My thoughts exactly Peter.There is usualy a team/truck with room.

[Speedblood]

Cheers guys for all your help/advice

@Peter Mallett- As I said earlier, I did look at the 6 hours and have heard it to be a very good event but due to commitments I cannot re-arrange I can't go. But it's fortunate that I have a good enough (for me!) event for me to go before.

Also aside, is there any law which stipulates that you have to be driving for a certain amount of time before you can drive abroad anyway

Cheers

[bella]

you have to be the legal driving age in that country, but aside from that, not that i'm aware of!

[MikeHoyer]

In France you have to drive to a reduced speed limit (basically the max speed limit in the wet) for the first two years you have you license, apart from that I don't think there's any restrictions.

[champcarman]

You used to be able to camp behind the Hotel De Bruyerre which is about 1 km from the track in Francorchamps but maybe you cannot these days. Worth checking though.

As someone else said you can catch a train from Verviers to Spa and bus from Spa. It is only a 9 km walk but the first part is up a fair hill!

Their is a small airport at Spa and a Heliport at the Hotel Le Roannay in Francorchamps for those able to go this way!

Great part of the world though.

[GORDON STREETER]

Yes you can still camp behind the "knocking shop" hotel on the corner

[Eddy V]

Brought this old thing up as there are many major roadworks planned over the coming months in Belgium. With many races coming up this may help travelling racers, marshals and spectators.

From July till the end of October the Gent intersection will be brought back to 2 lanes each way, (either from Ostend, Antwerp, Brussels or Lille) so prepare for major traffic jams.
There is work planned as well on the Brussels Ring very soon, but of shorter duration.
Antwerp has major motorway work planned as well, work that has already started near the Kennedy Tunnel.

[terence]

We travelled along the E42 monday,there is quite a bit of contra-flow traffic restriction in places but we missed the major Lille jams.
As an aside,I thought there was a Europe wide recession going on?,not according to the road works/construction in France/Germany[Nurburgring!] and Belgium,quite amaizing really.

[GORDON STREETER]

Well they have got to spend all that EUROPEAN UNION money that England pays them on something.
I understand its something like £100.000 per minute !!!!!
http://www.ukipcroydon.co.uk/news/da...st_Britain.pdf

[bella]

Originally Posted by terence bower

As an aside,I thought there was a Europe wide recession going on?,not according to the road works/construction in France/Germany[Nurburgring!] and Belgium,quite amaizing really.

roadworks employ people, and pay subbies. i'd say increasing projects like road building, development of facilities is a pretty good way to try and kickstart industry...

gordon - you're posting a ukip link when you live in spain. your arguement is ironic and quite possibly invalid

[GORDON STREETER]

I do like to start a bit of controversy now and then. Don't worry Bella I was aware what it is and how old it is. The thing that worries me is how much its costing us now !
Ironic it may be, I remember Jeremy Clarkson touring the continent in an E Type insisting he needn't pay the toll charges on the roads as we had paid for them.
I have worked since 1962 and never been out of work or had time off, I have paid everything in and got sod all out. So now I'm trying in my dotage to at least enjoy myself.

[bella]

it's ok, ukip are my pet topic of amusement at the moment as someone who is having trouble extracting what she's entitled to from the country i don't blame you for legging it for at least the cloudy bits of the year

to be fair to belgium's motorways the potholes there are much worse than ours! we keep those to the smaller roads... but the french tolls, those are getting ridiculous