Archived First Time in UK (Area of Devon) forthcoming 2016

[Ludger Kieven]

Hello,to all Z-Owners,especially Z3 from UK! I´m member of Germany´s official BMW Z3-Roadster Club (also including QP`s). My Wife and me are planning a Tour-Trip for our Club-Members to GB in Spring 2016 (Easter),about 6-8 cars,12-16 people. We have already booked a house in South-West-England (Devon) and we´ll stay for about 7 days. Is there anyone in this communication, knowing the area around Torquay. We would like to get any information about beautiful roads,sightseeing objects and interesting travel destinations,planning day trips to go over a maximum of 250km around Torquay. Possible and desireable should be a meeting with British Z3-Friends! Next Year, 2015 we will travel first time in the region,to find out whats possible and attractive and making first experiences and preparations. Many thanks in advance for your advices!

 

[hard top]

Hello and welcome to the forum Ludger.
Just this weekend a group of members are on a "West Country Cruise" and I am sure that someone will get back to you after they have got back home after a long weekend of driving, drinking and eating.
Here are some vids of driving in North Devon. (Go to You Tube)

View: http://youtu.be/-a5iWRlkZVA

Used to stop here to eat on the way down to Salcombe in South Devon.
http://www.jackinthegreen.uk.com/Home

Salcombe is worth a visit.
http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/explore-south-devon/salcombe-p238773

View: http://youtu.be/gcUc17xLfyw

 

[GazHyde]

Welcome Ludger,

As Hard top says some of us are cruising that area at the moment! I'll reply in more detail later when I get home.

I'm sure we can organise a local meet up when you are over, as we have plenty of notice

Cheers, Gary

 

[Ludger Kieven]

Thanks Hard Top, thanks Gary for your first impressions and answer! Who if not you could help us find fabulous trips to cruise on!

Greetings from Cologne,
Ludger

 

[bruce&kim]

I live in Torquay be more than happy to give you ideas in this area

 

[Ludger Kieven]

I live in Torquay be more than happy to give you ideas in this area

Hi Bruce&Kim, You should bei our guide!give me advices! Thanks

 

[Zeti]

Hi Ludger,
I'll keep an eye on your trip because it's in my mind too; I'm a little bit scarred about driving on the left side, despite my love for narrows country roads!
And the first video from Hard Top (beautiful!) doesn't help me to be more relaxed.....
I'm very impressed by the "Elite" of Zed you have in the club! Congratulations!

 

[bruce&kim]

To be honest there are so many amazing places to visit you could spend years here...we went on a cruise last weekend at Exmoor which is only an hour and a bit away and found some amazing new places...and we have lived here for 30 years....if you are coming next year sure we can treat you to a good insight...and involve quite a few members of this forum.

 

[Ludger Kieven]

Hello and welcome to the forum Ludger.
Just this weekend a group of members are on a "West Country Cruise" and I am sure that someone will get back to you after they have got back home after a long weekend of driving, drinking and eating.
Here are some vids of driving in North Devon. (Go to You Tube)

View: http://youtu.be/-a5iWRlkZVA

Used to stop here to eat on the way down to Salcombe in South Devon.
http://www.jackinthegreen.uk.com/Home

Salcombe is worth a visit.
http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/explore-south-devon/salcombe-p238773

View: http://youtu.be/gcUc17xLfyw

Hello hard top!
Thank you for first impressions! Amazing! I´m sure that it is the right decision to visit your home area and my wife and me are full of anticipation. Strange for us to see driving on the left side - so we have to watch more those videos!!!

Greetings from Cologne
Ludger

 

[Ludger Kieven]

Hi Ludger,
I'll keep an eye on your trip because it's in my mind too; I'm a little bit scarred about driving on the left side, despite my love for narrows country roads!
And the first video from Hard Top (beautiful!) doesn't help me to be more relaxed.....
I'm very impressed by the "Elite" of Zed you have in the club! Congratulations!

Hi Zeti,
so will I!! It´s strange to watch onboard-videos and mostly i foresee collisions with oncoming cars !! Thanks for the compliment!

Greetings from Cologne

 

[hard top]

Hi Zeti,
so will I!! It´s strange to watch onboard-videos and mostly i foresee collisions with oncoming cars !! Thanks for the compliment!

Greetings from Cologne

No, you will be OK Ludger. I have driven many times with my left hand drive cars in the UK (I live in the Netherlands) and its not something that should put you off (all the Z1 owners have to do it)
There is one simple rule, always remember to keep your "drivers door" on the side of the road where the pavement is so you are looking at the road as if you were a passenger back home.
Motorways are easy to drive on but, as on all roads, your right hand wing mirror is very important, don't let your passenger block your view (reading a road map etc)
Having someone in the car with you makes overtaking easier if you are driving behind large vehicles.
When driving on the small roads in Devon, just take your time, don't rush things, as most UK drivers react in a positive and helpful way when they see a foreign number plate.
When you come off the boat or train in the UK, try to park up and get all the cars together and work out who will be driving at the front of your group. Following another car helps a lot.

Well Ludger, I hope this helps you a little bit, any questions, just ask.

PS. Don't forget these for driving at night.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurolite-Drive-Headlight-Converters-Driving/dp/B001P5UVTE

 

[FRANKIE]

Hi Zeti,
so will I!! It´s strange to watch onboard-videos and mostly i foresee collisions with oncoming cars !! Thanks for the compliment!

Greetings from Cologne

Hi Ludger, and welcome to the forum. Happy to see that you came to this forum for advice as there will be plenty available. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you any myself as I am in a more difficult position than you are. Living in New Jersey, I also drive on the same side of the road as you. I watched the same video you just did and had some fearful moments. Perhaps I was too quick in saying I can't give you advice. You see, at the end of July, I will be visiting all the boys over there in the UK for one week. After that week, I can contact you and tell you what it was like. I will be either contacting you from right where I'm sitting now, in front of my computer at home, or from some hospital in the UK.
Now, here's why I'm in "a more difficult position" than you. You see, Hard Top said: "When driving on the small roads in Devon, just take your time, don't rush things, as most UK drivers react in a positive and helpful way when they see a foreign number plate.". Since I'll be renting a car when I get there, I won't have a foreign number plate, which means they'll think I'm a local and won't hesitate to express their anger at what to them will seem like a complete idiot driving down the road. If the other cars don't get me, perhaps the drivers will. Frankie

 

[Ludger Kieven]

T

No, you will be OK Ludger. I have driven many times with my left hand drive cars in the UK (I live in the Netherlands) and its not something that should put you off (all the Z1 owners have to do it)
There is one simple rule, always remember to keep your "drivers door" on the side of the road where the pavement is so you are looking at the road as if you were a passenger back home.
Motorways are easy to drive on but, as on all roads, your right hand wing mirror is very important, don't let your passenger block your view (reading a road map etc)
Having someone in the car with you makes overtaking easier if you are driving behind large vehicles.
When driving on the small roads in Devon, just take your time, don't rush things, as most UK drivers react in a positive and helpful way when they see a foreign number plate.
When you come off the boat or train in the UK, try to park up and get all the cars together and work out who will be driving at the front of your group. Following another car helps a lot.

Well Ludger, I hope this helps you a little bit, any questions, just ask.

PS. Don't forget these for driving at night.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurolite-Drive-Headlight-Converters-Driving/dp/B001P5UVTE

Thanks for your Support!let's stay in Contact. I'm Impressed of the answers and advices of all Forum-member!great!

 

[Ludger Kieven]

Hi Ludger, and welcome to the forum. Happy to see that you came to this forum for advice as there will be plenty available. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you any myself as I am in a more difficult position than you are. Living in New Jersey, I also drive on the same side of the road as you. I watched the same video you just did and had some fearful moments. Perhaps I was too quick in saying I can't give you advice. You see, at the end of July, I will be visiting all the boys over there in the UK for one week. After that week, I can contact you and tell you what it was like. I will be either contacting you from right where I'm sitting now, in front of my computer at home, or from some hospital in the UK.
Now, here's why I'm in "a more difficult position" than you. You see, Hard Top said: "When driving on the small roads in Devon, just take your time, don't rush things, as most UK drivers react in a positive and helpful way when they see a foreign number plate.". Since I'll be renting a car when I get there, I won't have a foreign number plate, which means they'll think I'm a local and won't hesitate to express their anger at what to them will seem like a complete idiot driving down the road. If the other cars don't get me, perhaps the drivers will. Frankie

Hi frankie! No fear!you're gonna make it!I'm sure !let's stay in Contact! Greetings from cologne

 

[hard top]

Frankie, as I said before, make sure you get a rental car with automatic transmission, as this will give you more time to concentrate on the road.

View: http://youtu.be/UnF9T8mGfMY

View: http://youtu.be/ZeZPtSATFPY

 

[Zeti]

And better to have a huge sticker on the front and rear window: "driving for the first time on the LEFT side of the road!"
and you'll be safe!

 

[La_vida_diver]

Hello,to all Z-Owners,especially Z3 from UK! I´m member of Germany´s official BMW Z3-Roadster Club (also including QP`s). My Wife and me are planning a Tour-Trip for our Club-Members to GB in Spring 2016 (Easter),about 6-8 cars,12-16 people. We have already booked a house in South-West-England (Devon) and we´ll stay for about 7 days. Is there anyone in this communication, knowing the area around Torquay. We would like to get any information about beautiful roads,sightseeing objects and interesting travel destinations,planning day trips to go over a maximum of 250km around Torquay. Possible and desireable should be a meeting with British Z3-Friends! Next Year, 2015 we will travel first time in the region,to find out whats possible and attractive and making first experiences and preparations. Many thanks in advance for your advices!

Ludger if you take a look at the events and write ups you will see that I organise our Westcountry cruise. This year we did a navigational scatter event ( it is like a treasure hunt but the clues are in no particular order) we have not yet planned our 2015 or 2016 so maybe we should combine events, time frames permitting. We did about 200 miles on the Saturday and that was on Dartmoor it would be easy for you to use the sites we did.

I think take a look at the event writeup and see what you think first. I personally like the idea of a combined event.

 

[Ludger Kieven]

Ludger if you take a look at the events and write ups you will see that I organise our Westcountry cruise. This year we did a navigational scatter event ( it is like a treasure hunt but the clues are in no particular order) we have not yet planned our 2015 or 2016 so maybe we should combine events, time frames permitting. We did about 200 miles on the Saturday and that was on Dartmoor it would be easy for you to use the sites we did.

I think take a look at the event writeup and see what you think first. I personally like the idea of a combined event.

Good idea to combine our events. As i wrote before, next year we will plan the 2016-tour, so that there is still time enough to combine a meeting of forum-members and german-club-members in 2016.
If you should organize a tour outside UK, perhaps Germany and maybe you will visit randomly the area "eifel-ardennes/belgium/rhineland", we could give you some complete planned tours incl. hotels,restaurants etc. .If anyone will visit "the green hell", we live only 50 minutes away and our tours lead us mostly to the "Ring", and if it´s only to have a look at tourist-drivers on the track!

 

[GazHyde]

@Ludger Kieven

Just wondering how your plans are progressing for your visit here. I was chatting with @La_vida_diver about you coming over as he asked if we had any update.

Wanted you to know we are still looking forward to trying to meet up when you come over!

 

[Ludger Kieven]

@Ludger Kieven

Just wondering how your plans are progressing for your visit here. I was chatting with @La_vida_diver about you coming over as he asked if we had any update.

Wanted you to know we are still looking forward to trying to meet up when you come over!

Update:
Date of our first UK-Trip hasn't changed yet:Eastern 2015.
The first day will lead us from cologne via calais to Rye, where we want to stay for a night (any ideas to stay? Don't need luxury, but quiet and clean), nearly 60 km from Dover. On the second day we will take
streets on the coast side for 300-350 km. So we're looking for a hotel or "bed and breakfast" like we had the night before ;-). Does anyone have any advices? Our holiday starts at home! Not in Torquay! So we won't hurry! Better enjoying the whole distance. We're not sure if we'll take the trip in our roadster or using the coupe. Both variations have their advantages, so we'll decide in time.

Greetings from cologne