Escape from Donny

[whatapalaver]

Having got in to Donington, with no tickets just an orange suit, I did wonder how easy getting home would be. Having parked in the middle of the infield, I followed the herd back towards Coppice tunnel at the close of play. A fair queue of traffic, but moving. I followed the hi-top transit across the track to be sent cross country, over a field or two before a light controlled exit on to the road round the airport. Clear of the circuit in 15 minutes.

What other escape routes were there? Did they work?

The gateway on the field had been patched up to give some grip, but my little car bottomed out, then spat gravel out the rest of the way home! Maybe the slow and gentle tack worked better than "foot down and go for it".

[Hepatic]

Escape from Donny (isn't that a film?!) is a well rehearsed exercise. There has long since been a traffic management process to avoid all the long queues and angry locals at big meetings. I have to travel west along the A50, so i use the filter to go towards Nottingham and cut back on to the A50 that way. Even on really big meetings like the MotoGP i've only ever had a slight wait just getting a mile or so from site, then i'm flying all the way to the M6...

...unfortuantely i can't say the same for the download music festival, which is pathetic, but thats for another thread.

[Shelagh]

Bill had to pick me up from Race Control so we exited through the Paddock to the main entrance. No queue, no fuss!

At the entrance we turned right to go over the Swarkestone Bridge to the A50 and the only slow traffic was a snatch tractor!

Got back to Stafford within an hour of leaving - the same time as it took us to get to Donington on Saturday morning!

Well done somebody for getting things so organised.

[danccooke]

travelled back to paddock, hitched up caravan had a brew, on the road by 1930, home for midnight no problems there.
not sure about the MG Club looking down onto Starky's Bridge, Us on post 11 pushed a boxter out on Saturday (paid in cookies which was nice), and on sunday Mark and I pushed out a Megane after being accosted by a bloke while taking a pee break, 15 minutes, lots of mud and a man with no idea what a LITTLE bit of clutch meant. He was free. How the rest got out no idea

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by whatapalaver

...then spat gravel out the rest of the way home!

I trust you drove up the grass for the first couple of miles rather than spreading it on the road.

[JonJ]

Queued to get through coppice tunnel, but was constantly moving so out the main entrance in less than 10 minutes and then off to the M1 South at J23A, no problem. Much better than a few years ago.

[whatapalaver]

Originally Posted by Woolley

I trust you drove up the grass for the first couple of miles rather than spreading it on the road.

I took the racing line, and braked hard before every corner. I know the proper way to get rid of gravel.

[adstubbs]

I was on post 14 (macleans) so had parked on the inside, near the coppice tunnel. No problem at all getting out, mainly because the majority of spectators left after the final BTCC race. The path across the field to get back to the main road was a bit iffy though - having already been used by a few hundred cars, it had two pretty deep wheeltracks that would have caused problems for anything low slung. Traffic management was much better organised than last time I tried getting out of a BTCC meeting at Donington in 2003, when I spent best part of an hour just to get to an exit.

[Stone-kicker]

We went via Redgate Lodge, no queues for the bar and no queues to get out after.

[Mike Kelly 1]

Did the same as stone kicker, Went from post 12 via the track to redgate, had a pint of bitter (bloody overpriced at £3 ) then left via the paddock gate. Home in Preston just after 9pm!

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly 1

... Home in Preston just after 9pm!

PRESTON!
Bernie Ecclescake couldn't afford you if you asked for expenses

[diz]

Originally Posted by danccooke

after being accosted by a bloke while taking a pee break, 15 minutes, lots of mud

That was a long pee, but it probably contributed to the 'lots of mud'.

Not what you meant?
Sorry, I'll get me coat

[Hepatic]

Originally Posted by numbersix

PRESTON!
Bernie Ecclescake couldn't afford you if you asked for expenses

Mike's not the only one to make the trip from Preston either...!

[Joyce George]

If you thought Preston was too much for Bernie then have a thought for the other flaggie on Mcleans-he came from Kendal!!! Never bought us any mint cake tho'.

[Mike Kelly 1]

If you think going to Donington from Preston is far, I normally do around 10 days a year at Brands Hatch as well!! (also doing two 2 day meetings at Pembrey, BTCC at Knockhill and the 24 hour race at Nurburgring via BTCC at Thruxton!

[diz]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly 1

If you think going to Donington from Preston is far, I normally do around 10 days a year at Brands Hatch as well!! (also doing two 2 day meetings at Pembrey, BTCC at Knockhill and the 24 hour race at Nurburgring via BTCC at Thruxton!

Hope to see you at your two north west circuits then Mike.

[numbersix]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly 1

If you think going to Donington from Preston is far, I normally do around 10 days a year at Brands Hatch as well!! (also doing two 2 day meetings at Pembrey, BTCC at Knockhill and the 24 hour race at Nurburgring via BTCC at Thruxton!

I suppose we're all barking, really.

Done Pembrey; furtherest is Goodwood. Love to try Nurburgring (speaking the lingo helps) but no chance with four kiddliwinks.

[Mike Kelly 1]

Yes Diz, no worries! Apart from the two days already done at Oulton I am doing a further 13 days at Oulton and a two day meeting at Anglesey. Plus any winter ones that Anglesey wants to arrange!

[danccooke]

goodwood is five miles for me, donny was 180, thats my furthest
towing a caravan as well, makes for a long journey for me