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Your favourite road trips?

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Iskra

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I've been watching youtube videos of the Scottish North Coast 500, and was wondering if anyone has done any interesting road trips or is planning any in the future? These can be as grand or as local as you like, providing they have some sort of wider appeal.

My top 3 that I've done would be:

- Vegas-LA, not the longest but probably the 'coolest,' was driving a Chevrolet across the Mojave dessert from Vegas to LA, with stops at Peggy Sues diner. Part of the route takes you alongside a railway line with epic-length US freight trains running along side you. Also interesting as it was probably the first time I've driven through a dessert. One interesting feature was a service station, with a theme park including roller coasters! When we pulled in to Peggy Sues diner, Elvis got out of the car in front :D US driving is pretty relaxed so this was an enjoyable trip.
- Sheffield-Southern Italy. Driving on the toll roads in France was absolute bliss, as they are empty and the speed limit is 85mph. We stopped at Troyes which was a nice little town, Chamonix (3 nights) which I loved and we got really lucky with some warm weather but there being snow on the mountains still. The mountain roads in this area were really fun too. Driving around Milan was a bit chaotic and our next stop was near Florence. The further South you get the more 'interesting' the Italian driving becomes and the roads get worse. We then stopped at Salerno before heading to the South coast.
- Lancaster-Clitheroe. Doing this route on the back roads is really fun and there are a few sights on the way, you can take in the views of Morecambe bay (and beyond) from Jubilee tower, then the roads get narrow but good for a fun drive. You pass waterfalls and eventually end up at a great pub called the Inn at Whitewell which is a fantastic pub in a stunning location. You're then on the Royal Estate before reaching the quaint town of Clitheroe with it's castle. This was one of my go-to trips out when we were bored at uni.
 
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ABB125

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the first time I've driven through a dessert
That would certainly be a novelty! :D

I haven't got enough driving experience to really add anything here. I recently drove to one of the villages in the Cotswolds to the east of Stroud - it was really enjoyable beyond Birdlip (as was tackling Birdlip Hill, to the extent that I did it twice!). But not quite on the same scale as presumably intended in this thread!
 

Bald Rick

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Driving on the toll roads in France was absolute bliss, as they are empty and the speed limit is 85mph.
Mostly 130kph, which is 81mph. Reduced to 110kph if it is raining.

And please be assured at some times of day / year the Autoroutes can be worse for traffic than our Motorways! I’ve been in a 50 mile traffic jam on the A5/A31 from Chaumont to Troyes.

I have two entries:

Picton to Queenstown (NZ) via the west coast and Wanaka: vineyards, gorges, mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, single lane road bridges shared with a railway, no traffic (literally none) on some sections for 50 miles plus. Includes the unpaved Cardrona pass, not for the faint hearted, or hire cars, as I found out after having done it o_O. Spectacular. Allow at least 3-4 days.

Inverness to Torridon (Wester Ross), but before the NC500. Empty Roads. Once past Garve the A832 is amazing, and it s very hard not to exceed the speed limit. Back then the rebuilt section stopped at Glen Docherty, which was always a shock to the system - from driving along something that you could land an airliner on to a twisty, bumpy, single track road with passing places. And when the Torridon giants come into view, it’s almost scary. Nevertheless an absolute joy
 

beermaddavep

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It's a bit of a cliche, but the DN7C Transfăgărășan Highway really is an absolute must drive road. Achingly beautiful from end to end, it's hour upon hour of pure mountain driving heaven, the hairpins and crests rarely offering a chance to reach even 4th gear, the scenery enchanting and varied. Think wild horses, the real Vlad the impaler's fortress, lakes, peaks, forests etc.
Staying in Romania, the DN67C Transalpina is a very close second- perhaps it even wins as a driver's road because it's less crowded with tourists.
The parallel E81 is not recommended though, as it's crowded and heavily used by trucks heading to and from Sibiu.


Staying in the UK, any of the lesser used northern cross Pennine roads offer enjoyable driving (avoid the A66 or A69 though).
For main roads I'd probably choose the A686 Hartside Pass, east to west from Haydon Bridge to Penrith.

Want pure Northern England driving heaven? Choose a nice day then drive the minor roads along the spine of the Pennines on the route Kettlewell- Hawes- Buttertubs- Keld- Tan Hill- Barnard Castle-Stanhope- Blanchland- Hexham :)

Over in the Lake District, the Wrynose and Hardknott passes (again, I prefer to travel east to west) offer stunning views and an involving driving experience.

Honorouble mention -If you ever travel to North Devon, the B3227 provides a prettier and 'ahem' faster alternative to the overcrowded A361.
 

thejuggler

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Agree about Torridon. Kyle of Lochalsh to Gairloch via Loch Maree which is stunning, then up to Ullapool and Lochinver.

Closer for me there are some great routes from Pickering to Whitby which aren't the main A road. A favourite being a route which starts at the railway station and goes over the tops via Stape and Egton Bridge. High moors, into valleys, a number of fords.

The back route to Bridlington from Fridaythorpe through Sledmere, Rudston really shows off the largely forgotten Yorkshire Wolds.
 

nlogax

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Agree about Torridon. Kyle of Lochalsh to Gairloch via Loch Maree which is stunning, then up to Ullapool and Lochinver.

This one is always a highlight for me. That and the route from Lochinver to Durness - either turn right onto the A894 at Loch Assynt and head straight up, or do the whole Drumbeg Road loop and emerge near Newton and the Kylesku Bridge. The return leg is best done half an hour before sunset for the full effect.

- Vegas-LA, not the longest but probably the 'coolest,'

I-15 is a good drive in general, certainly heading across Cajon Pass and summit is an Ultra Panavision experience in whichever direction you're headed. At the Vegas end, descending down to the Nevada border and into the town of Primm which is laden with dodgy-looking casinos just over the state line. As you approach it the Ivanpah solar towers suddenly appearing on the left which in the extremes of desert sun look like something out of a sci-fi movie. Will never forget the first time I experienced that several years ago. I had no idea it was there.
 

bspahh

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In the late 80s, I drove from Germany to Monza for the F1 Grand Prix. I had a European road atlas which had a table of Alpine passes. I picked out ones that I heard of from the racing - Gavia and Stevio from the Monte Carlo rally in the 60s, and the Klausen pass from the hill climbs with the Silver Arrow grand prix cars in the 1930s. The Gavia pass was described as "steep, unsurfaced, some steep drops, not always well-guarded".

The Monza circuit was not in the best condition, and at the end of the weekend, the toilets were in a grim state. On the way I stopped at a bank to change some money. I was the only customer in a bank with 4 staff. It took 15 minutes to change the money.

I then crossed the border into Switzerland and stopped at a petrol station. At the till, it said that they changed money. The transaction took seconds. I asked if they had a toilet. It was around the side of the building. When I opened the door, it was pristine, with gleaming white tiles from floor to ceiling. It was overwhelming.
 

Ediswan

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In the late 80s <snip> The Gavia pass was described as "steep, unsurfaced, some steep drops, not always well-guarded".
There are still plenty of Alpine roads with steep drops and no roadside barriers.
 

Iskra

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Mostly 130kph, which is 81mph. Reduced to 110kph if it is raining.

And please be assured at some times of day / year the Autoroutes can be worse for traffic than our Motorways! I’ve been in a 50 mile traffic jam on the A5/A31 from Chaumont to Troyes.

I have two entries:

Picton to Queenstown (NZ) via the west coast and Wanaka: vineyards, gorges, mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, single lane road bridges shared with a railway, no traffic (literally none) on some sections for 50 miles plus. Includes the unpaved Cardrona pass, not for the faint hearted, or hire cars, as I found out after having done it o_O. Spectacular. Allow at least 3-4 days.

Inverness to Torridon (Wester Ross), but before the NC500. Empty Roads. Once past Garve the A832 is amazing, and it s very hard not to exceed the speed limit. Back then the rebuilt section stopped at Glen Docherty, which was always a shock to the system - from driving along something that you could land an airliner on to a twisty, bumpy, single track road with passing places. And when the Torridon giants come into view, it’s almost scary. Nevertheless an absolute joy
Those both sound amazing!

It's a bit of a cliche, but the DN7C Transfăgărășan Highway really is an absolute must drive road. Achingly beautiful from end to end, it's hour upon hour of pure mountain driving heaven, the hairpins and crests rarely offering a chance to reach even 4th gear, the scenery enchanting and varied. Think wild horses, the real Vlad the impaler's fortress, lakes, peaks, forests etc.
Staying in Romania, the DN67C Transalpina is a very close second- perhaps it even wins as a driver's road because it's less crowded with tourists.
The parallel E81 is not recommended though, as it's crowded and heavily used by trucks heading to and from Sibiu.


Staying in the UK, any of the lesser used northern cross Pennine roads offer enjoyable driving (avoid the A66 or A69 though).
For main roads I'd probably choose the A686 Hartside Pass, east to west from Haydon Bridge to Penrith.

Want pure Northern England driving heaven? Choose a nice day then drive the minor roads along the spine of the Pennines on the route Kettlewell- Hawes- Buttertubs- Keld- Tan Hill- Barnard Castle-Stanhope- Blanchland- Hexham :)

Over in the Lake District, the Wrynose and Hardknott passes (again, I prefer to travel east to west) offer stunning views and an involving driving experience.

Honorouble mention -If you ever travel to North Devon, the B3227 provides a prettier and 'ahem' faster alternative to the overcrowded A361.
I'm liking the Romanian choices, a bit left of field.

I agree about the Pennine routes you've mentioned they can be great fun.

This one is always a highlight for me. That and the route from Lochinver to Durness - either turn right onto the A894 at Loch Assynt and head straight up, or do the whole Drumbeg Road loop and emerge near Newton and the Kylesku Bridge. The return leg is best done half an hour before sunset for the full effect.



I-15 is a good drive in general, certainly heading across Cajon Pass and summit is an Ultra Panavision experience in whichever direction you're headed. At the Vegas end, descending down to the Nevada border and into the town of Primm which is laden with dodgy-looking casinos just over the state line. As you approach it the Ivanpah solar towers suddenly appearing on the left which in the extremes of desert sun look like something out of a sci-fi movie. Will never forget the first time I experienced that several years ago. I had no idea it was there.
Yes, I will always remember those solar towers too! I'm glad you enjoyed your trip too.

In the late 80s, I drove from Germany to Monza for the F1 Grand Prix. I had a European road atlas which had a table of Alpine passes. I picked out ones that I heard of from the racing - Gavia and Stevio from the Monte Carlo rally in the 60s, and the Klausen pass from the hill climbs with the Silver Arrow grand prix cars in the 1930s. The Gavia pass was described as "steep, unsurfaced, some steep drops, not always well-guarded".

The Monza circuit was not in the best condition, and at the end of the weekend, the toilets were in a grim state. On the way I stopped at a bank to change some money. I was the only customer in a bank with 4 staff. It took 15 minutes to change the money.

I then crossed the border into Switzerland and stopped at a petrol station. At the till, it said that they changed money. The transaction took seconds. I asked if they had a toilet. It was around the side of the building. When I opened the door, it was pristine, with gleaming white tiles from floor to ceiling. It was overwhelming.
Some interesting recollections!

I drive in Southern Italy most years; they have frequent landslides which can easily wash away a cliff road. It's not uncommon for half or a whole minor road to wash away and they often just leave it and expect you to drive around it with minimal signage :D Which reminds me, one time we were driving through roadworks on the A3 and the Italian roadworkers were frantically waving flags at us ...telling us to drive even faster through the roadworks :D ...the total opposite of what we do over here :D
 
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ld0595

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Many parts of the NC500 is great.. provided you're not stuck behind a caravan trundling along at 30mph who refuses to let you past! Special mention to the Bealach na Bà which is stunning whatever the weather. Bit too busy these days but that's part of the challenge I guess!

I quite like parts of the M74 between Lesmahagow and Lockerbie. Nice open roads with rolling hills and not too much traffic.
 

61653 HTAFC

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This won't be as spectacular as some of the above, but as a driver I've always enjoyed the A303 from Ilminster to the M3. When I lived in Taunton it was always my chosen route to London, as the M5/M4 route is pretty boring apart from the bit around Avonmouth.

One I've only experienced as a passenger, but deserves a mention, is the road from Perpignan up the mountains and into Andorra. Some stunning scenery and largely parallel to a railway line as far as Bourg-Madame (albeit a route with fairly infrequent service). Likewise the road from the Bourg-Madame/Puigcerda area down the Spanish side looks as though it would be a great drive, though I can only base that on seeing the road from the adjacent railway.
 

Cowley

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This won't be as spectacular as some of the above, but as a driver I've always enjoyed the A303 from Ilminster to the M3. When I lived in Taunton it was always my chosen route to London, as the M5/M4 route is pretty boring apart from the bit around Avonmouth.

One I've only experienced as a passenger, but deserves a mention, is the road from Perpignan up the mountains and into Andorra. Some stunning scenery and largely parallel to a railway line as far as Bourg-Madame (albeit a route with fairly infrequent service). Likewise the road from the Bourg-Madame/Puigcerda area down the Spanish side looks as though it would be a great drive, though I can only base that on seeing the road from the adjacent railway.

I’ve done both of those and I’d have to agree on both counts. :)
 

SteveM70

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In New Zealand, Queenstown to Christchurch via the west coast. At the time (1994ish) bits of the road weren’t even tarmacked, we were in a rent-a-wreck hire car with only one functioning wiper, and it rained heavily for 90% of the time, to the point that a 24 hour stopover in Franz Josef Glacier became 72 hours because the road was impassable.
 

PaulC1309

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Many parts of the NC500 is great.. provided you're not stuck behind a caravan trundling along at 30mph who refuses to let you past! Special mention to the Bealach na Bà which is stunning whatever the weather. Bit too busy these days but that's part of the challenge I guess!

I quite like parts of the M74 between Lesmahagow and Lockerbie. Nice open roads with rolling hills and not too much traffic.
Agreed, anywhere in the North West Highlands is spectacular. Bealach na Bà is amazing on a clear day and the Applecross Inn is worth a visit. I've relatives in Lochcarron as well which is a lovely village. The Lochcarron bistro is very nice! Best time to go is before the midges get bad in the middle of summer. Any road trip up the West coast is brilliant.
 

Bald Rick

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In New Zealand, Queenstown to Christchurch via the west coast. At the time (1994ish) bits of the road weren’t even tarmacked, we were in a rent-a-wreck hire car with only one functioning wiper, and it rained heavily for 90% of the time, to the point that a 24 hour stopover in Franz Josef Glacier became 72 hours because the road was impassable.

See post #3!

Although my stop over at FJ was about an hour.
 

Ediswan

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Not a full trip, but the descent from the Col du Lautaret to Briançon. Just keep an eye on the rear view mirror for passing cyclists.
 

Bletchleyite

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A short one that you'd just pass through, but the M6 over Shap is easily as utterly stunning as the railway is. A real unsung one in my view. Also impressive from the A6, but I actually think the motorway is better.

Another one up that way - Hardknott/Wrynose Passes. Not for the faint-hearted but a great driving challenge and lovely scenery. The middle bit in the valley between the two Passes is also quite cool for an unusual reason - because visibility is perfect you can get the speed right up despite it being a single-track road.

More mundanely, I love a drive over the Pennine M62, Woodhead, Snake or indeed the more obscure Winnats Pass in the Peak, which is allegedly named after local dialect for sheep's doings! :)
 

Iskra

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A short one that you'd just pass through, but the M6 over Shap is easily as utterly stunning as the railway is. A real unsung one in my view.

Another one up that way - Hardknott/Wrynose Passes. Not for the faint-hearted but a great driving challenge and lovely scenery.
Yes, I like this one too. Very impressive through the Lune Gorge too and the slower speed compared to the railway means you can appreciate it more. You can get some nice weather effects in that area also.
 

ian1944

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Want pure Northern England driving heaven? Choose a nice day then drive the minor roads along the spine of the Pennines on the route Kettlewell- Hawes- Buttertubs- Keld- Tan Hill- Barnard Castle-Stanhope- Blanchland- Hexham :)
Brough-Middleton in Teesdale-Stanhope-Edmundbyers makes a good variation
 

busesrusuk

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I can think of three that stick out over the years:

Trip1 - A lads trip to the South of France and Italy in 1990 in a Fiesta XR2i - great little car (despite being a Ford!). Overnight driving to Cannes for a few days then along the coast motorway high up in the hills overlooking Monaco and through numerous tunnels to Rapallo in Northern Italy and then back through Mont Blanc to Lyon and then onto Calais. Great scenery and excellent fast roads.

Trip2 - Needing to kill a day before flying home from Cape Town, I drove along Chapmans Peak Drive from Hout Bay hugging the atlantic coast with fantastic views of the beach at Noordhoek (amongst many) then over the top and down through Simon's Town to Bolders Beach to see the penguins. Then, up around False Bay along the coast through Fischoek and Muzenberg before heading to Cape Town. Absolutely jaw dropping views along Chapmans Peak drive.

Trip3 - I always wanted to drive up to Scotland so when I bought my first new car in 2014, I decided to go to the bus museum at Lathalmond. Following an overnight stop at my sisters in Leeds, I went up to Newcastle via the A1 and then took the A696 through Otterbnurn and the Northumbria national park towards Jedburgh. Over the hill and dropped into Scotland and was greeted by a series of Z bends which were a bit of a challenge. Up to Edinburgh via the A7 to see progress being made on reopening the waverley route. Great drive and a good way to test out a new car! Returned via Glasgow and M6 and agree the drive over Shap has great scenery..
 

CarltonA

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The Ring of Kerry, a 111 mile route on the south west Irish coast. Fantastic views and sunsets. It needs nearly all day to do it properly with stops here and there. Nearby Killarney National Park is worth the effort as well, but be ready to avoid the assertive coach drivers.
 

ac6000cw

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Kyle of Lochalsh to Gairloch via Loch Maree which is stunning, then up to Ullapool and Lochinver.
I agree - years ago we drove/ferried Glasgow - Oban - (ferry) - Mull - (ferry) - Lochaline - Mallaig - (ferry) - Skye - Kyle of Lochalsh - Torridon - Gairloch - Ullapool - Durness - Wick - John o'Groats. Stunning scenery and plenty of fun roads :).

In Western Canada, the 'Icefields Parkway' from Lake Louise to Jasper (through two national parks) is stunning, with endless snow-capped mountains. Or just head west from Banff along the Trans-Canada Highway (highway 1), through Lake Louise, Kicking Horse Pass, Field, Golden, Rogers Pass, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm to Kamloops, following the Canadian Pacific mainline. Then on to Vancouver on highway 99 through the mountains via Lillooet and Whistler, or follow the CP & CN mainlines along the Thompson and Fraser river canyons on highway 1 instead. If you like mountains, lakes and rivers plus decent roads I think it's the best place I've driven.
 

TheSel

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The Ring of Kerry, a 111 mile route on the south west Irish coast. Fantastic views and sunsets. It needs nearly all day to do it properly with stops here and there. Nearby Killarney National Park is worth the effort as well, but be ready to avoid the assertive coach drivers.
Yeah - I'll second that. Although, to be fair, any road trip in a Triumph TR6 is worth doing!
 

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Harold Hill

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So many but Brecon to Hirwaun on the A470 and A4059 is a thrill and the view over the Valleys is the reward at the southern end
 

stuu

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Marrakech to Ouarzazate over the Atlas mountains. Absolutely stunning scenery, coupled with enormous (fatal) drops with little in the way of barriers.

Plenty of lunatic drivers too, but an extraordinary experience. I did it in December when it was t-shirt weather in Marrakech but 4 feet of snow at the top of the pass
 

61653 HTAFC

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A short one that you'd just pass through, but the M6 over Shap is easily as utterly stunning as the railway is. A real unsung one in my view. Also impressive from the A6, but I actually think the motorway is better.

Another one up that way - Hardknott/Wrynose Passes. Not for the faint-hearted but a great driving challenge and lovely scenery. The middle bit in the valley between the two Passes is also quite cool for an unusual reason - because visibility is perfect you can get the speed right up despite it being a single-track road.

More mundanely, I love a drive over the Pennine M62, Woodhead, Snake or indeed the more obscure Winnats Pass in the Peak, which is allegedly named after local dialect for sheep's doings! :)
Winnats Pass is a good drive for sure. Not a million miles away is Holme Moss (A6024) which links Holmfirth with the A628 Woodhead pass- as seen in the 2014 Tour de France "Grand Depart" event.
 

ChiefPlanner

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So many but Brecon to Hirwaun on the A470 and A4059 is a thrill and the view over the Valleys is the reward at the southern end

Add a few more Welsh ones , - Brynamman to Llangadog on the A4067 (even Clarkson thought that was good) , Hirwaun to Maerdy over the top , and one for North Wales - Llanrhaidr ym Mochnant to Bala.

All great mountain roads , but good weather roads really.
 

Iskra

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I can think of three that stick out over the years:

Trip1 - A lads trip to the South of France and Italy in 1990 in a Fiesta XR2i - great little car (despite being a Ford!). Overnight driving to Cannes for a few days then along the coast motorway high up in the hills overlooking Monaco and through numerous tunnels to Rapallo in Northern Italy and then back through Mont Blanc to Lyon and then onto Calais. Great scenery and excellent fast roads.

Trip2 - Needing to kill a day before flying home from Cape Town, I drove along Chapmans Peak Drive from Hout Bay hugging the atlantic coast with fantastic views of the beach at Noordhoek (amongst many) then over the top and down through Simon's Town to Bolders Beach to see the penguins. Then, up around False Bay along the coast through Fischoek and Muzenberg before heading to Cape Town. Absolutely jaw dropping views along Chapmans Peak drive.

Trip3 - I always wanted to drive up to Scotland so when I bought my first new car in 2014, I decided to go to the bus museum at Lathalmond. Following an overnight stop at my sisters in Leeds, I went up to Newcastle via the A1 and then took the A696 through Otterbnurn and the Northumbria national park towards Jedburgh. Over the hill and dropped into Scotland and was greeted by a series of Z bends which were a bit of a challenge. Up to Edinburgh via the A7 to see progress being made on reopening the waverley route. Great drive and a good way to test out a new car! Returned via Glasgow and M6 and agree the drive over Shap has great scenery..
That's a pretty good trio! South Africa sounds amazing!

The Ring of Kerry, a 111 mile route on the south west Irish coast. Fantastic views and sunsets. It needs nearly all day to do it properly with stops here and there. Nearby Killarney National Park is worth the effort as well, but be ready to avoid the assertive coach drivers.
That sounds interesting! While posting my original post, I forgot that I drove Dublin-Bundoran (North West coast of Republic of Ireland) and that was a nice trip. I found driving over there very civilised. It was interesting crossing the international borders on route on the satnav frequently. The drive was scenic and we found a drive-in beer store which was novel :D Some of the countryside on the Northern sections was beautiful and the coastline up there is stunning. We did a weekend of surfing, it was August but we still got hailstoned upon while in the sea :D

I agree - years ago we drove/ferried Glasgow - Oban - (ferry) - Mull - (ferry) - Lochaline - Mallaig - (ferry) - Skye - Kyle of Lochalsh - Torridon - Gairloch - Ullapool - Durness - Wick - John o'Groats. Stunning scenery and plenty of fun roads :).

In Western Canada, the 'Icefields Parkway' from Lake Louise to Jasper (through two national parks) is stunning, with endless snow-capped mountains. Or just head west from Banff along the Trans-Canada Highway (highway 1), through Lake Louise, Kicking Horse Pass, Field, Golden, Rogers Pass, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm to Kamloops, following the Canadian Pacific mainline. Then on to Vancouver on highway 99 through the mountains via Lillooet and Whistler, or follow the CP & CN mainlines along the Thompson and Fraser river canyons on highway 1 instead. If you like mountains, lakes and rivers plus decent roads I think it's the best place I've driven.
I'm wanting to get up to that area of Scotland in the car later this year if we can't get abroad. I'm thinking of doing Skye. It's a stunning part of the world.

I did some of those routes in Canada while skiing courtesy of the army and I loved that area. Sadly I wasn't driving myself, we just got driven everywhere in mini-vans with military plates which attracted a lot of interest.

Winnats Pass is a good drive for sure. Not a million miles away is Holme Moss (A6024) which links Holmfirth with the A628 Woodhead pass- as seen in the 2014 Tour de France "Grand Depart" event.
I stumbled on Winnats Pass accidentally when going hiking in the Edale area, that's an amazing and fun drive. I like Snake pass too, that's a fun drive. Woodhead is alright but the traffic can be painful at times around Glossop.

Yeah - I'll second that. Although, to be fair, any road trip in a Triumph TR6 is worth doing!
Wow, and that's a nice motor! :)

Amazing! *add to long list of places to visit*
 
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