Thirsk to Pickering

Sutton Bank is banned for caravans but not for motorhomes. The best caravan alternative is the A1 M to York and then the A64.

If you want to know more just type Avoiding Sutton Bank into Google and you will find enough previous questions and answers to keep you going till bedtime, Cheers.

It takes you down some quite narrow roads. Sutton Bank is not bad at all in an MH, even a big one. It’s a steady climb up to the only “interesting” bit, which is a hairpin bend followed by the steepest part of the incline up to the top, and then a sharp right hander at the top. You just need to be ready for that hairpin, and know that it kicks up again. Helps if you get a clear run up with nothing in front suddenly doing something wrong. 

Given the option, and a decent tow car with plenty of torque, the Bank is an easier option towing, but there’s a complete ban for caravans, so it’s the alternative route only. 

I would look at both routes on Google, you know your MH and it’s engine capabilities, then decide. At least in MH you have the option👍

The alternatives are quite lengthy and meandering, if you can manage Sutton Bank it's a much quicker route.

There are You tube videos of driving up Sutton Bank - I watched them and said “Is that it then?”. But then my mind wandered to real hills and real hairpins.

This is the caravan route. We have towed it with a 7.5 m caravan in the opposite direction, and although narrowish in places it is easily doable. It would also depend on the day of the week you intend taking it as one might meet tour buses at a weekend.

"On the A19 South of Thirsk, after about 2 miles take the turn to Coxwold - this may be the second posted turn as the first turn that goes through Balk and Kilburn can be blocked with people parking. Then follow the road to Ampleforth and Helmsley."

We've towed up harder place abroad tbh, thinking of roads in the Alps and Pyrenees for a start, and would attempt this if it wasn't for the restrictions. Depends how well you can manage your clutch, if you have one, and rev counter.

Nellie's route works well though as an alternative.

We frequently drive up and down SB from Thirsk to Slingsby in our MH.As long as your tyres,brakes and clutch are in good order you should have no issues in a diesel powered MH.Low gear and plenty of torque will get you over SB.

I would never attempt to tow a caravan up SB -there are plenty of signs telling you not to!

The Police may take a dim view if ignored and SB is then blocked.Lorries do sometimes get stuck and chaos ensues.

Whenever we head down to Scarborough with the caravan we usually head to York and then up that way it may be longer but the roads are great and we find it more relaxing. Have done Sutton Bank plenty of times solo and it’s a nice drive 

Not having done it, is it any worse than Porlock Hill?

The most recent time I drove my MH up Sutton Bank  there was a l-o-n-g queue of stationary cars which were passed by Blue Lights !!

When a Fuzz-on-foot appeared { laughing like a drain !!} we were sent off a few at a time then we discovered what had happened.  A large coach had broken down about half way up and the delay was because of 1] a full load of PENSIONERS had to be guided to the top

2] then the driver & mate were (slowly) unloading the luggage and carrying that to the top 

3] Then finally there was a longer wait while the tow truck was summoned from the lower side

The Bobbies were definitely displaying great self control ~~  great big grins but none of them actually laughing directly at the fast tiring Driver & mate .

CY :--  not so much worse than Porlock as far as I recall BUT definitely a couple of nasty bends to navigate if losing speed ~~ Porlock I seem to recall after the first bend is steep but straight ?? Long time ago since I got caught out by a saloon car which, having stalled just out of  my eyeline, was freewheeling backwards to the gravel trap, so ABM in his Anglia had to do the whole Bleep Bleep in first gear    !!