Carole Nash
Top 10 Biking Roads in Britain & Ireland
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Sunday, 29th August 2010, 9:00 GMTCarole Nash has been scouring the UK, Europe and the world in search of the greatest stretches of tarmac on which you can open the throttle this summer. With the season very much in full swing, the team at Insidebikes has picked narrowed down their selections and come up with forty roads and routes to experience. In future posts we’ll look at roads in Europe, North America and the rest of the world but we’ll start closer to home. Here is the Insidebikes top ten for biking roads in the British Isles. The Cat & Fiddle, Macclesfield - Buxton Our run-down of Britain’s greatest driving roads, unsurprisingly, starts with one of the biking communities most popular trails. Stretching across the western section of the peak district from Burton into Macclesfield, the Cat & Fiddle pass is firmly established as a leading route for bikers across the North, thanks to its challenging bends and stunning scenery. The Cat & Fiddle Inn at the road’s summit also plays a part in attracting bikers to the region. That popularity has earned the road a notorious reputation however. In June 2010, the road was branded the UK’s most dangerous after 34 deaths on the road between 2006 and 2008. As a result, the local police speed patrols maintain a strong presence on the route. View Larger Map Snake Pass, Glossop - Sheffield If you are sampling the Cat & Fiddle road, it’s also possible to enjoy double the thrill by taking in another great road across the Peak District; the A57 Snake Pass. After taking in the Cat & Fiddle, head north to Glossop on the outskirts of Manchester and head eastwards to take in the stunning scenery of the National Trust’s High Peak Estate. The name Snake Pass refers mainly to the section between Glossop and the Ladybower reservoir, although many riders continue their journey into Sheffield. The Snake Pass is a popular calling point along the route. Again, as with the Cat & Fiddle, the road has earned notoriety for accidents in recent years and is particularly treacherous in wet weather. View Larger Map The Lang Whang, Edinburgh - Ayr Translated as “Long Way” in Scottish, the Lang Whang runs more than 74 miles across the breadth of Scotland from Edinburgh to Ayr via Lanark. Much of the road takes you over desolate moorland, ascending to more than 1000 feet above sea level several times over its length. The tricky, intricate parts of the road tend to come in groups on the Lang Whang, with the road mainly known for its stunning scenery and hill climbs along the straights. View Larger Map Cheddar Gorge, B3135 Chewton Mendip - Cheddar If you are hitting the road in search of some fantastic natural beauty as well as a great driving road, then head out to Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. Starting from the village of Axbridge, nestled between junctions 21 and 22 of the M5, head east on the A371 before bearing left at the Cross Road services, onto the B3135 towards Cheddar. After passing through the village, you’ll head out towards a series of challenging bends and turns that take you down into the gorge, voted in a 2005 poll by Radio Times as second greatest natural wonder in Britain. The road continues to take various twists and turns well after you have left the gorge, all the way into the tiny village of Green Ore. Morning runs are recommended on this, meaning that you’ll avoid the tourist traffic. View Larger Map Keswick - Cockermouth, B5289 There are few places in the world than can beat the Lake District for natural beauty and outstanding roads. Some 14million tourists visit the lakes every year, many of whom take to two wheels for their trip. The road that we’re focusing on in Cumbria is the route from Keswick to Cockermouth but instead of taking the direct route across the A66, we’re heading along the edge of Derwent Water, through the village of Seatoller, around the southern tip of Dale Head and along the banks of Lake Buttermere and Crummock Water before heading north to Cockermouth. As you head into the ridge between the rolling hillsides of the Lake District, you’ll really get a sense of what a motorcycle can really do on a genuinely rewarding road. The backdrop simply adds to the thrill of this extremely enjoyable route. View Larger Map Wicklow Mountains National Park, Wicklow, Ireland This route has been part of our “Routes to Ride” section for a while and we’re going to revisit it as Ireland’s representative in our latest run-down of the best driving roads in the British Isles. One of the more varied routes in our top ten, this is a circuit of the area around the Wicklow National Park takes in main roads and some of Ireland’s more challenging and more scenic country roads. Starting in Roundwood, we head south on the R755 before joining the R756 as it twists and turns through the heart of the national park. After leaving the park, we bear right at Lockstown Upper onto the R758 before a short burst on the N81 northbound towards Dublin. Around 9km later, take a right onto the R759 and you’re back onto the twisting roads of the Irish countryside. View Larger Map B1257, Stokesley - Helmsley The B1257 cuts straight through the heart of the North Yorks Moors and is another road that has long been a favourite with local riders, earning it the unofficial name of the ‘North Yorks TT’ amongst locals. Some challenging bends take you through the Moors between two picturesque villages but like many popular country roads, the route is known as something of an accident black spot. As a result, locals have reported an increased police presence on the route in recent years, particularly in the summer months. For those looking to extend the route, the A170 into Thirsk is a popular option. View Larger Map B1057, Finchingfield - Great Dumlow The B1057 runs largely parallel to the M11 in Essex, around 14 miles North East of Stansted Airport, but has much more to offer than the three-lane car park that brings people in and out of East London. The route out of Haverhill doesn’t have the intricate hairpins that you might find elsewhere but it is equally challenging, with a series of short fast stretches with very sharp right-angle turns and elevation changes. Pass Finchingfield however and a handful of tricky turns around Duck End certainly make up for it. View Larger Map Sherborne - Shaftesbury There is an easy way from Sherborne to Shatesbury in Dorset; simply take the A30 eastbound and less than half an hour later, you’ll be finished. There is however, a much more inspiring way of doing things and simply by taking a detour along the meandering A357, via Lydlinch Common, towards Blandford Forum, you can enjoy some immensely enjoyable bends along the A350, some fast flowing and some slow and technical. The route does cut through a number of villages so expect speed restrictions but nevertheless, this is certainly a route to enjoy. View Larger Map Pass of Cross, Dinas Mawddwy - Llanuwchllyn The Bwch-y-Groes (Pass of the Cross) has long been popular with motorcycle enthusiasts, with the highest public road in North Wales frequently being used as a test route by a number of manufacturers, including Triumph, as a test route for their hillclimbing machines. Taking you 1,788 feet above sea level, the road from Dinas Mawddwy, via Llanymawddwy, through to Llanuwchllyn and Lake Vyrnwy gets its name from the cross, just below the summit at the junction of the roads from Vyrnwy and from Dinas Mawddwy, commemorating the place of the pass on a pilgrim route from north Wales. Today, the climb is well within the capabilities of modern motorcycles, with the mostly single track road featuring a double hairpin at the foot of the hill. View Larger Map Read article
Voting opens for BGBT
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Wednesday, 25th August 2010, 12:18 GMTThe shortlist for Britain’s Got Biking Talent has now opened, with bikers from across the UK now able to have their say on who they think owns Britain’s most magnificent motorcycles. A celebrity judging panel of biking adventurer Charley Boorman, Red Dwarf star Danny-John Jules and custom bike genius Jon Quantrell has whittled down hundreds of entries to just ten machines in each of the competition’s categories to be put to the public vote. Now you, the biking public, can have your say in the Sports, Classic, Choppers & Customs, Streetfighters, Concours & Restored and Street Modified categories, with the top two in each going on show at Carole Nash Motorcycle Live in November. There they will feature on a special BGBT stand to be admired by tens of thousands of fellow bikers at the UK’s biggest bike show - and learn if they’ve won the ultimate accolade. The overall winner will be announced on Motorcycle Live’s opening day (Saturday 27 November) and will ride off with a VIP package to a European Moto GP of their choice courtesy of Pole Position Travel. This fabulous prize includes not just grandstand seats but flights, accommodation, paddock pass and more. The second placed bike will earn its owner a trip for two to the French Battlefields with MCi Tours (or £500 off a fly-ride package) whilst third prize is an adrenaline fuelled track day at a Club MSV UK circuit. All twelve finalists will also have their bikes professionally photographed and feature in Carole Nash’s calendar, a well established biking treat which hangs on the walls of some 150,000 bikers across the UK and Ireland But first the public has to have its say in Britain’s biggest biking ballot - last year over 20,000 votes were cast before Tony Norton’s JPS liveried Norton NRS finally triumphed. To cast your vote simply visit www.britainsgotbikingtalent.co.uk before the polls close on 29 September. Britain’s Got Biking Talent is now in its fourth year. Sponsored by Carole Nash, the UK and Ireland’s favourite motorcycle insurance specialist, and run in conjunction with MotorCycle News, it celebrates ordinary bikers’ extraordinary bikes. Read article
£500 of discounts with Carole Nash
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Wednesday, 25th August 2010, 7:50 GMTCarole Nash is helping your motorcycle insurance take you further by offering you up to £500 worth of savings on leading biking brands with your brand new bike insurance policy. Every new or renewed policy taken out between 1 March 2010 and 31 October 2010 will qualify for a free voucher booklet, packed with up to £500 worth of discounts and deals from leading names in the industry, including Acumen, Acutrac, MCi Tours, R&G, Scottoiler and much, much more. Your Carole Nash voucher booklet includes up to 20% off on R&G crash protectors and case covers, 20% off a Scottoiler V-System or E-System, and up to 25% off on a hit-air jacket. You can also keep your motorcycle safe for less, with 25% off on an Acumen cat 1 alarm system and an Acutrac locator. There is also a 25% discount available at Draggin Jeans and some outstanding discounts on a fly-ride holiday with MCi Tours. To claim your free voucher book, call 0800 804 7952 or get a motorcycle insurance quote online at www.carolenash.com today. Terms and Conditions apply. Read article
Win £40 of fuel with Carole Nash
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Wednesday, 18th August 2010, 13:00 GMTCarole Nash is helping your bike insurance take you further by offering you the chance to beat the rising fuel prices and win up to £40 of petrol when you take out a new motorcycle insurance policy on Wednesday 18 August 2010. Take out a new motorcycle insurance policy with Carole Nash on Wednesday 18th August 2010 and you will be entered into a free prize draw to win a £40 fuel voucher, redeemable at any Tesco filling station. To be eligible, simply take out your bike insurance policy by calling Carole Nash on 0800 804 7952 before 8pm on Wednesday 18 August 2010. Terms and Conditions: To be eligible to be entered into the prize draw to win a £40 tank of petrol, you must take out insurance for a Motorbike through Carole Nash. Prize is non-transferable. There is no cash alternative. Any premium over the amount stated above will be settled by the recipient of the insurance policy. Unless otherwise stated, prize is for £40 for a tank of petrol. Valid on UK insurance only terms and conditions apply. This offer is only valid for policies purchased on the 18th August Petrol can only be purchased at Tesco petrol stations Prize draw will be made on the 19th August. Only the winners will be notified by either telephone, e-mail or in writing. In the event of unforeseen circumstances Carole Nash reserves the right to withdraw, change or substitute the prize on offer. The £40 voucher card and balance will expire five years from last card use. Employees of Carole Nash are not entitled to participate in this promotional offer. Nothing in these terms and conditions affects your statutory rights. Read article
FCO warns on bike use abroad
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Wednesday, 18th August 2010, 10:32 GMTThe Foreign Office has warned travellers to check their travel insurance documents before hiring motorcycles, scooters or quad bikes whilst abroad. Research on behalf of the FCO has found that a quarter of travellers, predominantly young people, admit to driving or being the passenger of a moped of quad bike without checking that they are covered under the terms of their insurance. The Foreign Office has also raised concerns over the number of motorcycle and quad accidents involving British tourists, particularly in popular British tourist destinations and parts of South East Asia, where motorcycles are often the primary mode of transport. Many travel insurance policies consider quad biking or motorcycle usage to be an “adventure” activity, meaning that cover for motorcycle use attracts an optional, additional premium which many travellers neglect to take out. Concerns have also been raised that travellers often fail to read the small print of any hire agreements, are often hired vehicles without the necessary licence or training and are unsure what to look for when inspecting a motorcycle. In additional to checking their travel insurance documents, the FCO is advising travellers to ensure that they familiarise themselves with local laws, particularly regarding the wearing of helmets, and to use reputable hire firms. Contact Carole Nash for a travel insurance quote that includes motorcycle usage as standard. Read article
BGBT judges revealed
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Thursday, 5th August 2010, 13:37 GMTWith less than two weeks to get your entries in for Carole Nash Britain’s Got Biking Talent 2010, an expert panel of judges has once again been line up to run the rule over this year’s contenders. This year, the BGBT judging panel will include motorcycle adventurer Charley Boorman, former Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules and custom motorcycle aficionado, Jon Quantrell from Hawg Haven. Charley is a keen bike enthusiast, having been part of the BBC documentaries Long Way Down, Long Way Round and By Any Means. Danny, who played “The Cat” in the sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf is another keen adventurer, having recently undertaken the ‘Iron Butts’ challenge. Jon Quantrell is all too aware of what it takes to build a great custom bike, being a part of the Hawg Haven team that took part in the Carole Nash Construct challenge at the NEC in 2008. The closing date for entry is the 18th August 2010, when the judging panel will select their shortlist of 60 bikes. That’s when you, the biking public, get the chance to vote for your favourite in each of six categories. The owners of the top two from each category will then have their pride and joy displayed at Carole Nash Motorcycle Live at the NEC in November and featured in the 2011 BGBT calendar. The overall winner of BGBT 2010 will then jet off to a European MotoGP round of their choice, courtesy of Pole Position Travel, with flights, accommodation, grandstand tickets and a paddock pass all thrown in. The owner of the second placed entry will ride away with a trip for two to the French Battlefields or £500 off a fly-ride holiday with MCi Tours whilst the owner of the third placed bike will pick up a track day at any MotorSport Vision UK circuit. See the Carole Nash BGBT page for more information or visit www.britainsgotbikingtalent.com Read article
We’ll beat any like for like quote
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Thursday, 5th August 2010, 11:05 GMTCarole Nash, Britain’s favourite bike insurance broker is continuing in its pledge to “beat the market” by vowing to beat any genuine like-for-like motorcycle insurance quote. If you are looking to renew or take out a brand new motorcycle insurance this year, make sure that you get the best possible quote by calling Carole Nash on 0800 804 7952 and quoting CNL4L or by going to www.carolenash.com. As the UK’s biggest bike insurance broker, Carole Nash already provides great service and value for more than 300,000 motorcycles, including classic and custom bikes, offering a range of excellent benefits to make sure that your policy is there for you when you need it most. Every Carole Nash motorcycle insurance policy comes complete with European entitlement, extensive UK and European breakdown cover and to up to £50,000 motorcycle legal protection cover to help recover uninsured losses. All customer services enquiries and claims are handled by trained staff, all based in the UK and Ireland, with options also available for personal accident cover as well as cover for your helmet, leathers and keys. “We’ve always offered the best quality of cover, service and policy benefits and are determined to make sure, when comparing like for like, we’re always best on price,” commented Carole Nash’s head of marketing, Rebecca Donohue. “Carole Nash Like-for-Like is just the latest in a long line of initiatives designed to ensure that Carole Nash always provides the very best value on the market and helped make us the UK’s favourite biking broker.” To challenge Carole Nash to beat your bike insurance quote, visit www.carolenash.com or call 0800 804 7952 and quote CNL4L Read article
National Motorcycle Week: 19-25 July
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Friday, 16th July 2010, 13:30 GMTNational Motorcycle Week takes place next week, from Monday 19 to Friday 25 July, with the motorcycle industry once again coming up with a range of initiatives to show that life is better on two wheels. The event, organised by the MCI, aims to highlight how biking can reduce commuting time, costs and emissions, as well as proving to be a flexible and enjoyable way to move. The centrepiece of the campaign will be National Ride to Work Day, taking place on Wednesday 21 July, encouraging workers to take to two wheels for their commute, even if it is just one day a year. The campaign has, as ever, attracted plenty of celebrity support, with former BBC MotoGP presenter Suzi Perry one of this year’s biggest supporters. Carole Nash, the UK’s biggest motorcycle insurance broker, will also be supporting the event by running a series of initiatives to help staff get involved. The Get On campaign, with provides free taster courses to anybody interested in taking up two wheels, is also offering a range of prizes, including Arai helmets, Pirelli tyres, iPod nanos, iPads and digital cameras for anybody who introduced a friend to the Get On scheme. To find out more about the Get On scheme, visit www.geton.co.uk Read article
Carole Nash Motorcycle Live is Go!
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Monday, 28th June 2010, 15:38 GMTMCI Exhibitions Ltd has announced a new name for the annual motorcycle showcase at Birmingham’s NEC. From this year the all-new event will be known as Carole Nash Motorcycle Live. With the new name comes a new logo featuring event title sponsor Carole Nash, the motorcycle insurance specialist who has committed support for the new event for 2010, its third consecutive year of involvement. A new website will also be launched to reflect the event’s renewed energy and dynamism which can be viewed at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk. Carole Nash Motorcycle Live will be a shorter event than its predecessor1, yet pack even more into its revised nine-day format - from 27th November to 5th December 2010 - filling five halls at the NEC in Birmingham. After some notable absentees at last year’s event, all the major motorcycle manufacturers have committed their support for Carole Nash Motorcycle Live, ensuring that visitors will get full access to the very latest motorcycles, scooters, clothing and accessories. There is also a major commitment to new riders, with a large area dedicated to the industry’s Get On campaign, replicating the test rides organised throughout the UK to prove that life really is better on two wheels. Finlay McAllan, Managing Director of Carole Nash Motorcycle Live, is thrilled with the event’s new format and identity, saying: “We undertook a great deal of research after last year’s event and spent a very long time with manufacturers and other exhibitors to design an entirely new experience for visitors. “We have a lot of exciting initiatives and features that will be announced over the months leading up to the event,” he added. “But I can promise all motorcyclists, whether they’re old, new or something in between, that Carole Nash Motorcycle Live will have something specific and really exciting for them to come back for.” Read article
Last chance to win Show tickets
Source: Insidebikes | Carole Nash » Bike News - Friday, 18th June 2010, 8:45 GMTToday is your last chance to put your name in the hat to win one of five pairs of tickets to Motorcycle Muster, the newest bike show from the National Motoring Museum, Beaulieu, on Sunday June 27. Carole Nash, Britain’s favourite motorcycle insurance broker, has teamed up with the National Motoring Museum, Beaulieu in Hampshire to give you the chance to win one of five pairs of tickets to the newest event on their calendar and all that you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is join the Insidebikes Insiders Club by 5:00pm on Friday 18 June. Following the cancellation of the Motorcycle World event in 2009, Motorcycle Muster will take place Sunday 27 June 2010 as the newest event on the Beaulieu calendar. Visitors to the event will enjoy a range of displays as well as stunts from major acts, including Steve ‘Showtime’ Colley and Extreme Globe Riders. In addition, bargain hunters will be able to browse the many trade stands selling a range of biking clothing, accessories and memorabilia. The tickets will also give you access to the Motorcycle Muster showground as well as all of the other attractions that Beaulieu has to offer, including the Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey ruins and The National Motoring Museum with its collection of over 250 vehicles, World of Top Gear, the James Bond and Secret Army exhibitions. Anybody who signs up after the closing date will not be included in the draw but they will be eligible for future promotions. Anybody who has already signed up to the Insiders Club is already eligible for the draw To make sure that you don’t miss out, become a member of the Insidebikes Insiders Club before 5:00pm on Friday 18th June. Read article
