British F3 Brands Hatch

[bella]

it's just off the main motorway to belgium, so turn left out of calais and keep going till you get to grande-synthe. here it is on google maps if you're there within normal french supermarket hours i can highly recommend the wine aisle to pick up a bottle or two!

[strider]

Even more brilliant info. Thanks so much and, yes, I shall be taking a wander down the wine aisle!

You should write a handbook for people planning to drive to race circuits in Europe. It wouldn't need to be long, just the basics to get them started as you've done for me here.

Nurburgring coming up for BF3 this weekend. Hope the weather is better than the WDR meeting had.

[bella]

my blog post (linked to on me profile or to the left of this waffle here) does cover some of the basics but not so much of the specifics like that

ferries in particular seems to be something the british have a mental block on. either they use the same company they used since the 80s and the herald of free enterprise went down, or they resolutely stick to the tunnel completely unaware of the fact they've just thrown a night in a nice hotel down the pan in terms of cost differences.

if you're going to spa, eddy v pointed out in the trackside thread that there's roadworks on the vilvoorde viaduct on the brussels ring road (which is a couple of miles before the turnoffs for the airport). unless you're travelling at an antisocial hour it'll add time to your journey.

if anyone's thinking of going to the nurburgring, norfolkline are currently offering about £30 return for a dover-dunkerque crossing for the weekend. go on, you know you want to

[strider]

Excellent blog entry, I gave it 5 stars. There really is a lot of good information packed into a small space there.

I forgot to say that the link on google maps was great thanks.

I don't like the sound of road works on the Brussels ring road. Will they still be there at the end of July?

I came back a different way last time, just for variety, but I can't remember if it avoided the ring road. It's what I call the WWI route because all the towns you pass by are places where they had massive battles back then. But it might take me away from dunkerque, which is not a good idea.

Thanks again. Totally off topic, but very useful for me and anyone else planning to visit race circuits in Europe.

[bella]

fwiw the roadworks were fine at about 8-9pm on a sunday, though they hadn't been set out when i was heading over on the friday late afternoon and it was the only bit of the ringroad that was moving! they are there for a couple of months at least though. it's probably not the end of the world, but the advocates of the lille route to spa (sounds like the route with the battlefields) will say it's easily avoidable if you choose to go that way instead!

[strider]

Yes, the Lille route is the alternative one I meant. I'll be going out on a Wednesday and it may be approaching rush hour by the time I reach Brussels.

I'll have a look at a map or two (remember them?) and make a decision nearer the time. You're right, I should have gone to the 'ring but I've made other plans now.