Is the CAMC UK Route Planner fine to use?

[jimmyg352]

If you're not already aware Streetmap allows the 1:50.000 OS maps to be viewed which shows road widths and gradients - as well as other higher and lower scales.

I used to use Streetmaps but now I’ve got full OS maps on my phone & Ipad which I use for off-road cycling routes, both 1:50.000 & 1:25.000.
Still my fault for not checking.

 

[Buckman]

Google Earth also gives you street view so no issue and only one program to use?

 

[RogerL]

Google Earth also gives you street view so no issue and only one program to use?

Google Earth, as opposed to StreetView, doesn't give road widths and are often obscured by trees and sometimes the line of the camera van - AFAIK neither Google Earth or StreetView gives gradients.

StreetMap can identify roads narrower than 4m while Google Earth / StreetView can visually show whether a road is wide enough to have centre line marking - so a combination of all three is a good way to check routes.

 

[Dustydog]

Did Bealach Na Ba last year and thought maybe with the caravan🙀. Some of the hairpins are so acute and rise steeply on the turn it would be madness to try. I can see the caravan bottoming out and damaged. Imagine the difficulties the rescue services would have.
Absolutely a no no.
Yet Sutton Bank years ago was open to caravans. Heavy HGV Artics are allowed so why not caravans?

In the early dawn of cars reverse gear was the lowest. Many reversed up steep hills. Maybe thats a possible 😜😜

 

[RogerL]

Did Bealach Na Ba last year and thought maybe with the caravan🙀. Some of the hairpins are so acute and rise steeply on the turn it would be madness to try. I can see the caravan bottoming out and damaged. Imagine the difficulties the rescue services would have.
Absolutely a no no.
Yet Sutton Bank years ago was open to caravans. Heavy HGV Artics are allowed so why not caravans?

In the early dawn of cars reverse gear was the lowest. Many reversed up steep hills. Maybe thats a possible 😜😜

The Bealach-na-Ba would be physically driveable with a caravan if it were closed to oncoming traffic - in an outfit with plenty of power/torque and a good 4wd system - I wouldn't want to try it in some of my old FWD cars!

Sutton Bank is open to big HGVs but not caravans because the alternative route isn't suitable for HGVs - and many caravan outfits would struggle to restart if/when they come to a stop at the hairpin.

 

[Dustydog]

I’m confident my outfit could restart easily on the 1:4 bend. 😜

 

[Sam Vimes]

Some cyclists can't even manage Bealach-na-Ba and miss the bends and sail off into the yonder.

Haven't been that way for years as like so many other places here it gets rammed with tick box tourists.

 

[RogerL]

I’m confident my outfit could restart easily on the 1:4 bend. 😜

But then you have one of the best towcars there is.

 

[Dustydog]

But then you have one of the best towcars there is.

My two Mk 1 Sorentos had the low ratio 4x4 transfer boxes. Could almost climb a vertical wall 😉

 

[Hutch]

My two Mk 1 Sorentos had the low ratio 4x4 transfer boxes. Could almost climb a vertical wall 😉

One of the problems is with the driver, the car might be capable, but the driver is not capable.
A friend of mine, changed his Audi A6 estate, for a Tuerag, because his tyres were spinning on wet grass, with the TowRag, he then managed to get all 4 wheels spinning on wet grass. Tyres and gentle driving would have been better.

 

[Dustydog]

One of the problems is with the driver, the car might be capable, but the driver is not capable.
A friend of mine, changed his Audi A6 estate, for a Tuerag, because his tyres were spinning on wet grass, with the TowRag, he then managed to get all 4 wheels spinning on wet grass. Tyres and gentle driving would have been better.

Must have lead in his pencil, shoe.😉

 

[Hutch]

Must have lead in his pencil, shoe.😉

He certainly didn't read his handbook for the TowRag, I had to show him how to put it into Sports mode for going down hills using the engine,to slow down , rather than overheating his brakes and this was in Switzerland.

 

[Buckman]

One of the problems is with the driver, the car might be capable, but the driver is not capable.
A friend of mine, changed his Audi A6 estate, for a Tuerag, because his tyres were spinning on wet grass, with the TowRag, he then managed to get all 4 wheels spinning on wet grass. Tyres and gentle driving would have been better.

Probably 90% of people driving a 4x4 have no idea how to use the 4x4 ratios. During my time in the services in the late sixties we had to pass our driving test again using the old LR Defenders off road even though most of us recruits already held a driving licence since turning 16!

 

[RogerL]

Probably 90% of people driving a 4x4 have no idea how to use the 4x4 ratios. During my time in the services in the late sixties we had to pass our driving test again using the old LR Defenders off road even though most of us recruits already held a driving licence since turning 16!

Few cars get a low-ratio facility these days - even the more capable modern 4wd cars just get a torque converter transmission, which multiplies torque by 2.0-2.5, and an ultra-low first gear which is rarely used on-road - plus a load of electronics which act as differential locks giving torque vectoring to individual wheels.

 

[Buckman]

Few cars get a low-ratio facility these days - even the more capable modern 4wd cars just get a torque converter transmission, which multiplies torque by 2.0-2.5, and an ultra-low first gear which is rarely used on-road - plus a load of electronics which act as differential locks giving torque vectoring to individual wheels.

You are probably correct. Our 2018 Jeep had the option for being able to elect low ratio gears, but was electronic. Our previous HiLux are the normal gear lever, a lever for selecting $X$ and another lever for selecting the low ratio.

 

[otherclive]

Probably 90% of people driving a 4x4 have no idea how to use the 4x4 ratios. During my time in the services in the late sixties we had to pass our driving test again using the old LR Defenders off road even though most of us recruits already held a driving licence since turning 16!

We bought a mk1 Sorento and took it over Salisbury Plain with a CSMA 4x4 group. Amazing how good it was. But when my son and I bought a 2.8 td SWB Pajero we both attended Whitecliffe 4x4 off road training school in the Forest of Dean for advanced off road driving and recovery courses. But as Hutch says it’s tyres that make a major effect ( plus ground clearance when off roading). On both an XC70 and Superb AWDs the cars with all seasons failed on two occasions to exit muddy CLs. The Sorento with AT did likewise on wet freshly cut grass. So thank heavens for the motor mover with noseweight the off loaded and moving off backwards.

 

[RogerL]

We bought a mk1 Sorento and took it over Salisbury Plain with a CSMA 4x4 group. Amazing how good it was. But when my son and I bought a 2.8 td SWB Pajero we both attended Whitecliffe 4x4 off road training school in the Forest of Dean for advanced off road driving and recovery courses. But as Hutch says it’s tyres that make a major effect ( plus ground clearance when off roading). On both an XC70 and Superb AWDs the cars with all seasons failed on two occasions to exit muddy CLs. The Sorento with AT did likewise on wet freshly cut grass. So thank heavens for the motor mover with noseweight off loaded.

Since I switched to All-Season tyres, I've yet to find their limits - I'd be concerned about body or transmission damage if I took it on a 4x4 course - those who do take Touaregs on such terrain invariably have engine/transmission guards fitted in place of the standard plastic undershield - but some of their videos are very impressive as not much defeats them.

 

[otherclive]

Since I switched to All-Season tyres, I've yet to find their limits - I'd be concerned about body or transmission damage if I took it on a 4x4 course - those who do take Touaregs on such terrain invariably have engine/transmission guards fitted in place of the standard plastic undershield - but some of their videos are very impressive as not much defeats them.

Salisbury Plain is primarily mud, or just rough open tracks. There are plenty of green lanes in the area but many can present a scratch risk. On our Pajero we fitted Pedders non electronic rear springs with increased lift, and Pedders shocks all round. The front was torsion bar so could only be wound up, with a reduction in articulation. It had full underbody and tank protection plus side rock sliders too. Initially we had standard size AT tyres, but then fitted increased diameter MT which further increased lift. We even became honorary members of the local Land Rover club. Probably because of our recovery skills 😂