IOM TT

[weaselonastick]

Wise Gentlemen of the Boxer,
My father and I are traveling from Canada to the 2014 Isle of Man TT. We have arrangements for accommodation on the IOM, but we're looking for suggestions for England. We've rented bikes, and plan on staying overnight in the following locales...
Southhampton
Poole
Hereford and
Liverpool

Looking for suggestions for bike friendly accommodations in these areas. Don't need 5 start accommodations, but aren't interested in hostels.

Also looking for suggestions from you on places to stop between these centers. Anything scenery, motorsports (museums, facilities, tours etc), history related.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[tanneman]

Hi And welcome to the forum. Any town or city in the UK will have a memorial to either the Boer War 1899 - 1902, the Great War of 1914, the 2nd World War or the Korean War. Accidently being a South African I live within a stones throw of the Boer War memorial here in Bedford. Anyway, Liverpool has got more museums and art galleries than London and don't forget the statues on the beach. You would not be too far from Oulton Park so if there is some racing on there it would be worth a visit. That area of the UK (meaning the North) is steeped in Victorian engineering history so do some research of what would be of interest to you. For your info wich means salt. Hereford, a bit of a dump imho. Ever watched the movie Zulu starring Micheal Caine? Then divert to Brecon and visit the Regimental Museum. If you like books then on your way to Brecon you can drop in at Hay-on-Wye, you'll see what I mean. Do you like Shakespeare? Stratford-upon-Avon should be your stop. In Birmingham you can enjoy a proper curry and visit the National Motorcycle Museum. The Great Malvern is a proper tourist trap but worth a visit if you fancy a walk. Glouchester and Cheltenham is not bad for a sleep over. Bristol the same. Not too far from Bath with the Roman baths and architecture and Cheddar Gorge, very twisty roads. London is where most tourists head to. It is set up for the tourist thing. Make use of the big red tour busses to take you between the attractions. Budget 2 days if you can stand it, lots to see there. Between Bournemouth and Southampton is New Forest and the Sammy Miller motorcycle museum. Worth a visit. Anywhere you go in the UK you can make use of the Premier Inn. Some more expensive that the other depending on location but you'll have a decent nights sleep unless some of the trixters on here offer you a stay over. Another good forum for information is ukgser, now I will be prosecuted for saying that.

[popsky]

I think Tannemen has some good info there, something that may be of interest near Poole/Weymouth (West Bay on a Sunday is I bike magnet) is Bovington Tank museum and the New Forest, Swanage via the chain link ferry and Corfe Castle.

But whatever you do enjoy yourselves and the TT will be ace

Edit: Herb beat me to it National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the New Forrest

[Herb]

National motor museum is a good call.

If your staying in Southampton and like history, then it's only a short hop to Portsmouth. HMS Victory (Nelson's flagship), Mary Rose, HMS Warrior and 5 minutes across the harbour you can visit the submarine museum and Explosion, the museum of Naval Firepower.

Takes the bikes to the top of Portsdown hill for some stunning views.

[eyore]

Takes the bikes to the top of Portsdown hill for some stunning views.

....................................and ice cream

Incidentally Weasel on a stick, there are Ladies of the Boxer here too you know.

[GerryB]

Ross on Wye is a pretty little town 20 miles from Gloucester, 10 miles from Hereford.

I'm unable to accommodate you unfortunately but if its well planned we can head out to Brecon & the military museum .

There is a Premier inn .

I think best to pre-book with Premier inn.

A very good castle is Raglan on the way to Brecon .

Let us know dates etc .

[weaselonastick]

Thanks for the feedback tanneman, popsky, Herb, eyore and GerryB. Appreciate all your comments.

We'll be in the UK from May 25 through June 6.

eyore... many sincere apologies for the mistake. As the proud father of Daughter on the Boxer (passenger), I should be smarter with my wording.

[eyore]

eyore... many sincere apologies for the mistake. As the proud father of Daughter on the Boxer (passenger), I should be smarter with my wording.

Forgiven.

[Roy]

Jump on a bit from Hereford on the A49 and stay in Ludlow. It is in the right direction. 20miles away. Stunning town with some fantastic places to eat and visit around.
And if I am home we will do you dinner!

We lived in the IOM for 3 years so can help a bit with life on the island. (I took 3 months off work to learn the TT course....you can imagine the fun conversations with the wife over that choice).

Shrewsbury is another nice town to visit, Darwin has a statue in town and went to the same school as me in shrewsbury (I missed him by a few years).

Roy

[Tapio]

I never book any hotels on my trips. There’s hotels everywhere. Instead, I use an app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ripadvisor

I love it! It knows where you are, and tells you where the hotels nearby are. You can filter the search by nearest/cheapest. It tells you how much they cost, has pictures and reviews.
It’s also connected to google maps. So not only will it show you hotels, but also navigate you to them!
Being from outside the EU, it’ll cost you a roaming fee, but it’ll just take 15 sec to show you a list, and won’t take many MB to do it.

If I were you, I’d look for Bed & Breakfast. You might get to see a genuine english home and experience the difficulty of washing your hands with the hot and cold water tap on each side of the sink!

As for sightseeing: you’ve got to see Stonehenge! It’s just 35-40 km from Southhampton.
Other than that, don’t know. Cornwall is nice. Wales has beautiful scenery, and the English countryside is lovely.

[GerryB]

I never book any hotels on my trips. There’s hotels everywhere. Instead, I use an app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ripadvisor

I love it! It knows where you are, and tells you where the hotels nearby are. You can filter the search by nearest/cheapest. It tells you how much they cost, has pictures and reviews.
It’s also connected to google maps. So not only will it show you hotels, but also navigate you to them!

Premier are far cheaper booked in advance , than walking in off the street .

[bikemad99]

I never book any hotels on my trips. There’s hotels everywhere. Instead, I use an app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ripadvisor

I love it! It knows where you are, and tells you where the hotels nearby are. You can filter the search by nearest/cheapest. It tells you how much they cost, has pictures and reviews.
It’s also connected to google maps. So not only will it show you hotels, but also navigate you to them!

Premier are far cheaper booked in advance , than walking in off the street .

Don`t walk in,always phone from outside and haggle.

[Corvus]

I never book any hotels on my trips. There’s hotels everywhere. Instead, I use an app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ripadvisor

I love it! It knows where you are, and tells you where the hotels nearby are. You can filter the search by nearest/cheapest. It tells you how much they cost, has pictures and reviews.
It’s also connected to google maps. So not only will it show you hotels, but also navigate you to them!

Premier are far cheaper booked in advance , than walking in off the street .

Don`t walk in,always phone from outside and haggle.

Or better still ask to use the phone in the lobby.

[Harry Lime]

Deleted.

[Andy]

If the dates overlap stop off in Prescott and watch the speed hill climb on either the 24th/25th May.
Otherwise, like others have said, avoid Hereford but check out the surrounding area Malvern/Ledbury. Get some lunch at the Westons Cider mill.