nlogax
Established Member
Coming up in late September; Vancouver, through Banff National Park and over to Calgary on the TCH. Expecting some quite excellent scenery.
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Your favourite road trips?
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A broader one from me - any long distance trip very late on a Saturday / early hours of Sunday on the U.K. strategic road network, on a clear night in summer. Radio 1 on loud, window slightly open to get the summer air. No traffic, and the only idiot drivers around are those who think the middle lane (or sometimes the outside lane of a 4 lane motorway!) is the normal place to drive when there’s no traffic, and they are easily dealt with.
Done a few of these over the years, it’s just brilliant. Always best if you are heading home.
Done a few of these over the years, it’s just brilliant. Always best if you are heading home.
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telstarbox
Established Member
The A1 going north from Peterborough is great for that, with the sun setting off to the west 
Going back from Bristol this week, I crossed over to Chepstow and went due North to Wigan via the A466 Tintern Wye Valley Road and the A49 all the way. Longer but more of interesting drive barring the odd people doing 40 or 50 when it is a 60.
Tracked
Established Member
The A82 over Rannoch Moor, also take the B8074 after Bridge of Orchy afterwards
The A83 from Lochgilphead to Arrochar, followed by the A814 round to Heleburgh
Kyle of Lochalsh from Inverness/Fort William, might as well say that all of the routes I've done through the Highlands & Scotlands' west coast have been great
The Stocksbridge Bypass (A616), up over Woodhead (A628), then back through Glossop and over Snake Pass (A57)
A lot of the Peak District, I don't do a particular route round there, took the bike out to some of the old railway lines (Tissington, High Peak, Monsal, Manifold) in the last year or so and gone different ways each time, all of which had some great driving and views
In a similar area, Mortimer Road from Midhopestones to the A57 near Ladybower Reservoir
The B6160, Grassington to Aysgarth
Barnard Castle to Brampton - done this at night with hardly any traffic, very atmospheric, popular with motorcyclists in the day but did this last July (went for an eye test at BC first
decided to extend the journey as I got there earlier than expected) and there's some great views
The A83 from Lochgilphead to Arrochar, followed by the A814 round to Heleburgh
Kyle of Lochalsh from Inverness/Fort William, might as well say that all of the routes I've done through the Highlands & Scotlands' west coast have been great
The Stocksbridge Bypass (A616), up over Woodhead (A628), then back through Glossop and over Snake Pass (A57)
A lot of the Peak District, I don't do a particular route round there, took the bike out to some of the old railway lines (Tissington, High Peak, Monsal, Manifold) in the last year or so and gone different ways each time, all of which had some great driving and views
In a similar area, Mortimer Road from Midhopestones to the A57 near Ladybower Reservoir
The B6160, Grassington to Aysgarth
Barnard Castle to Brampton - done this at night with hardly any traffic, very atmospheric, popular with motorcyclists in the day but did this last July (went for an eye test at BC first
decided to extend the journey as I got there earlier than expected) and there's some great viewsGrassington - Pateley bridge via Greenhow.
Settle/Ingleton -Hawes
Kirkby Stephen - Hawes or Sedbergh.
Penrith-Keswick just for the views of Blencathra
Kirkstone pass. Quite fun on a bus too!
And for me Settle - Leeds. In the early pre-dawn it can be lovely. And coming back, after you leave Bramhope you get the view across Wharfedale to Armscliffe Crag and the Washburn valley.I knew then I was nearly home in t'Dales.
Settle/Ingleton -Hawes
Kirkby Stephen - Hawes or Sedbergh.
Penrith-Keswick just for the views of Blencathra
Kirkstone pass. Quite fun on a bus too!
And for me Settle - Leeds. In the early pre-dawn it can be lovely. And coming back, after you leave Bramhope you get the view across Wharfedale to Armscliffe Crag and the Washburn valley.I knew then I was nearly home in t'Dales.
Iskra
Established Member
Some excellent shouts there!
The Daily Telegraph has run an article on this. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/best-road-trips-uk/ They are:
1. Isle of Arran Coastal Road, Scotland
2. Hardknott Pass, the Lake District
3. The Sussex, Hampshire and Wiltshire circuit
4. Wild and coastal Devon
5. Jurassic Dorset
6. Timeless Norfolk
7. Mellow Cotswolds
8. Northern Ireland’s most beautiful road
9. Wild Snowdonia, Wales
10. The Peak District
1. Isle of Arran Coastal Road, Scotland
2. Hardknott Pass, the Lake District
3. The Sussex, Hampshire and Wiltshire circuit
4. Wild and coastal Devon
5. Jurassic Dorset
6. Timeless Norfolk
7. Mellow Cotswolds
8. Northern Ireland’s most beautiful road
9. Wild Snowdonia, Wales
10. The Peak District
nlogax
Established Member
Canada; can absolutely confirm that the Trans-Canada Highway from Vancouver to the end of the mountains west of Calgary is really quite something. See also the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper, and Rt 95 down the wide valley from Golden to Radium Hot Springs. Awe-inspiring, all of it.
Closer to home; one I forgot to mention is the A68 north from Corbridge to Edinburgh via Jedburgh, something I've recently done purely to cut out the boring corner of the A1. Since realised it's probably the nicest way to cross the border.
Closer to home; one I forgot to mention is the A68 north from Corbridge to Edinburgh via Jedburgh, something I've recently done purely to cut out the boring corner of the A1. Since realised it's probably the nicest way to cross the border.
Chipsetburden
On Moderation
In the UK, traveling up the M6 to go up into Scotland, then using the A1 from Edinburgh to come back to England. 
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
In the UK, traveling up the M6 to go up into Scotland, then using the A1 from Edinburgh to come back to England.
I was going to mention Shap and the Lune Gorge - equally stunning by car or train.
love the Lune Gorge. The rounded Howgill hills and the more jagged lake district geology to the west. Quite a nice incipient corrie about half way down on the west side.
Howgills are lovely to walk on too. Walking in from the Teaby - kirkby Lonsdale Road is good, but also nice to access from Sedbergh. Some day I will bribe the missus to drop me at the north side and pick me up in Sedbergh.
Springs Branch
Established Member
1. In my pre-car owning days around 1980, just over a week spent on a homespun pushbike version of Wainwright's Coast-to-Coast walk. From Heysham to Robin Hood's Bay with an indirect and circuitous route via Forest of Bowland, Yorkshire Dale and North York Moors, staying at YHA hostels along the way.
Good weather throughout, with railway highlights including cycling alongside parts of the S&C between Settle, Ribblehead and Ais Gill*, a night at the erstwhile Garsdale Head youth hostel overlooking the S&C at Mallerstang and just by chance seeing a couple of Deltic-hauled expresses powering along the ECML racing ground as we cycled over the railway at Danby Wiske.
2. Another cycle tour around Kerry and West Cork. Our road trip's progress was interrupted after we arrived in the village of Allihies on the Beara peninsula. It was such a spectacular and beautiful spot, we just spent the rest of the holiday there, lazing around on the white sand of Ballydonegan Bay, swimming in the Gulf Steam (it was a cycling holiday so we hadn't packed swimming trunks), risking life and limb in the Dursey Island cable car (a garden shed converted into a cable car across a rocky inlet of the Atlantic Ocean) and long discussions with local barflys in Jimmy's Bar on the differing attributes of Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish.
3. A more conventional 4-wheeled USA road trip over three weeks with Mrs S.B. down the Californian coast from Mendocino to San Diego. We did include a couple of the usual sights (San Francisco, Big Sur, Hearst Castle), but definitely no Disneyland, Universal Studios or Hollywood "Homes of the Stars" tours. Most of the trip was spent pottering around more low-key attractions such as the Russian River wine region, San Luis Obispo, La Jolla and Del Mar. Highly recommended if anyone has been considering something similar and wants to avoid the big commercial attractions.
4. Another long trip with Mrs S.B. around the south-eastern coast of Australia from Canberra to Adelaide, via Shoalhaven & Sapphire Coast in NSW, Gippsland, Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and the Limestone Coast in South Australia. About 10 days without a dusty, red desert or "Beware of Kangaroos" road sign to be seen.
* We even copped an impressive steam-hauled excursion on the Long Drag. As we plodded up the Settle to Ribblehead road, a dead giveaway that something was happening was suddenly coming across loads of badly parked cars, and their anorak-wearing, camera-wielding multitudes clambering clumsily over dry-stone walls at Selside.
Good weather throughout, with railway highlights including cycling alongside parts of the S&C between Settle, Ribblehead and Ais Gill*, a night at the erstwhile Garsdale Head youth hostel overlooking the S&C at Mallerstang and just by chance seeing a couple of Deltic-hauled expresses powering along the ECML racing ground as we cycled over the railway at Danby Wiske.
2. Another cycle tour around Kerry and West Cork. Our road trip's progress was interrupted after we arrived in the village of Allihies on the Beara peninsula. It was such a spectacular and beautiful spot, we just spent the rest of the holiday there, lazing around on the white sand of Ballydonegan Bay, swimming in the Gulf Steam (it was a cycling holiday so we hadn't packed swimming trunks), risking life and limb in the Dursey Island cable car (a garden shed converted into a cable car across a rocky inlet of the Atlantic Ocean) and long discussions with local barflys in Jimmy's Bar on the differing attributes of Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish.
3. A more conventional 4-wheeled USA road trip over three weeks with Mrs S.B. down the Californian coast from Mendocino to San Diego. We did include a couple of the usual sights (San Francisco, Big Sur, Hearst Castle), but definitely no Disneyland, Universal Studios or Hollywood "Homes of the Stars" tours. Most of the trip was spent pottering around more low-key attractions such as the Russian River wine region, San Luis Obispo, La Jolla and Del Mar. Highly recommended if anyone has been considering something similar and wants to avoid the big commercial attractions.
4. Another long trip with Mrs S.B. around the south-eastern coast of Australia from Canberra to Adelaide, via Shoalhaven & Sapphire Coast in NSW, Gippsland, Yarra Valley and the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and the Limestone Coast in South Australia. About 10 days without a dusty, red desert or "Beware of Kangaroos" road sign to be seen.
* We even copped an impressive steam-hauled excursion on the Long Drag. As we plodded up the Settle to Ribblehead road, a dead giveaway that something was happening was suddenly coming across loads of badly parked cars, and their anorak-wearing, camera-wielding multitudes clambering clumsily over dry-stone walls at Selside.
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pitdiver
Member
My favourites the A9 from Edinburgh to Thurso then the A82 Inverness to Glasgow
Probably in California: Los Angeles-Sequoia National Park-Yosemite-Lake Tahoe-San Francisco-Monterey-Big Sur-Los Angeles.
A very varied trip (though I had visited some locations a few years previously). Only issue I had was the lack of time we spent (I wasn't driving - in fact I don't drive - so out of my control) at some locations: for example only an hour or two at Yosemite. It was worth well more than that!
We did get to see some of the California back roads including Route 49, which goes through surprisingly Devon-like scenery in parts in former gold country. (It's highly elevated, which might help give it a Devon-like climate at certain times of year). Went through a series of 'back of beyond' towns including one famous for a frog race, of all things. Also went through the only place named Plymouth that I have ever visited (yes, really) a tiny village signposted about 60 miles before we arrived there!
Also trips to and from French holidays. In 1983 we holidayed in the Massif Central and predominantly used the old N-roads to get there: Calais-St Quentin-Reims-Troyes-Auxerre-Nevers-Moulins-Clermont-Ferrand-Aurillac. A great way of seeing quiet French countryside before the days of autoroutes everywhere.
An interesting thing about both trips is the way that one can ascend a significant amount above sea level over a large distance without noticing it (due to almost imperceptible gradients) in countries like France and the USA. We don't have that in the UK to any great extent.
A very varied trip (though I had visited some locations a few years previously). Only issue I had was the lack of time we spent (I wasn't driving - in fact I don't drive - so out of my control) at some locations: for example only an hour or two at Yosemite. It was worth well more than that!
We did get to see some of the California back roads including Route 49, which goes through surprisingly Devon-like scenery in parts in former gold country. (It's highly elevated, which might help give it a Devon-like climate at certain times of year). Went through a series of 'back of beyond' towns including one famous for a frog race, of all things. Also went through the only place named Plymouth that I have ever visited (yes, really) a tiny village signposted about 60 miles before we arrived there!
Also trips to and from French holidays. In 1983 we holidayed in the Massif Central and predominantly used the old N-roads to get there: Calais-St Quentin-Reims-Troyes-Auxerre-Nevers-Moulins-Clermont-Ferrand-Aurillac. A great way of seeing quiet French countryside before the days of autoroutes everywhere.
An interesting thing about both trips is the way that one can ascend a significant amount above sea level over a large distance without noticing it (due to almost imperceptible gradients) in countries like France and the USA. We don't have that in the UK to any great extent.
You win the thread!
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
- 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.
I'm not trying to water your chips here but surely number 3 does not belong in that list?
The Scottish road trip is firmly on my 'getting done this year' list.
Best so far is just a relatively short trek from Durham to Eskdale (Cumbria) via Kirkstone and Hardknott. My car stunk when I stopped over in Ambleside (brakes). It was on its way out so I took it for a final tour.....
Needless to say that it didn't move the whole time I was in Eskdale until the return trip.
trainmania100
Established Member
I dont do many road trips as for me, most long distance journeys will include a bash round the M25, and I tend to find there are delays waiting for me.
However I took a drive around dartmoor a few weeks back, it was nice to see left and right the tors and beautiful landscapes. Went for the Okehampton line reopening. Included stone henge on the way back, so a few decent sights along the way, and no road trip is complete without counting the Eddie stobart lorries.....
Did chesterfield the other day for some action at clay cross , managed the trip from Seaford in exactly 4 hours each way, the M25 was clear for once.
I'm quite lucky as a full tank in my car gets me a good 500 miles - 450 before the light comes on. Except for food and drink I don't usually need to fill up
However I took a drive around dartmoor a few weeks back, it was nice to see left and right the tors and beautiful landscapes. Went for the Okehampton line reopening. Included stone henge on the way back, so a few decent sights along the way, and no road trip is complete without counting the Eddie stobart lorries.....
Did chesterfield the other day for some action at clay cross , managed the trip from Seaford in exactly 4 hours each way, the M25 was clear for once.
I'm quite lucky as a full tank in my car gets me a good 500 miles - 450 before the light comes on. Except for food and drink I don't usually need to fill up
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Assuming it's not an auto, you do need to use the gears on Hardknott/Wrynose if you want to avoid overheating the brakes.
Brakes were already warped. Like I said, it was an old, hard worked motor..... but it was the descent from Kirkstone into Ambleside where they stunk of burning. Perhaps I was sick of driving (or living) at that point?
Heading over the Wrynose/Hardknott wasn't as much of an issue as I was more relaxed/rested and it was also busier thus requiring many pull ins. I secretly envied the nutjobs cycling over them with massive grins/gurns... That was until the return trip when I passed a bloke pushing his bike between the passes with a face that looked like he'd just seen how it all ends.....
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And if down that way, spotting whatever tanks, or tank-derived vehicles, the Army is moving by road.
telstarbox
Established Member
Had a good dawn run down the A3 from the M25 to Portsmouth today. Good quality road, enough curves to keep it interesting, the Hindhead Tunnel is cool and then a sunrise on approach to the coast.
I also saw a tank on a low loader!
I also saw a tank on a low loader!
Iskra
Established Member
Sounds epic! I’d like to make that journey, but on ‘The Ghan’ instead
No, it genuinely involves some great driving roads and there’s an excellent Inn at the end of itI'm not trying to water your chips here but surely number 3 does not belong in that list?
The Scottish road trip is firmly on my 'getting done this year' list.
Best so far is just a relatively short trek from Durham to Eskdale (Cumbria) via Kirkstone and Hardknott. My car stunk when I stopped over in Ambleside (brakes). It was on its way out so I took it for a final tour.....
Needless to say that it didn't move the whole time I was in Eskdale until the return trip.
Whatever you do, DON’T go on the Ghan. It will take you from Adelaide to Darwin. Much better to take the Indian Pacific which runs between Perth and Sydney!Sounds epic! I’d like to make that journey, but on ‘The Ghan’ instead
No, it genuinely involves some great driving roads and there’s an excellent Inn at the end of it
thejuggler
Member
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Auto makes no difference, you can lock up and use engine braking in the same way as a manual.
On more modern systems you can set the cruise to a low speed, the car will adjust the auto gearbox to maximise engine braking to maintain the speed and only apply brakes when necessary.
Sounds epic! I’d like to make that journey, but on ‘The Ghan’ instead
You wouldnt, indeed couldn’t.
You might want to make that journey on the Indian Pacific though
Best road trip?
Summer 1982. St Johns Newfoundland to Victoria BC - the whole length of the Trans Canada Highway. 5,200 miles in 14 days. Did over 600 miles in a day once. On my own as far as Calgary, picked up a friend who flew into there for the last bit. Using a facility called "Auto Driveaway" (do they still exist?) where they tie up people who want cars moved with drivers. Changed cars in Toronto, had a big pickup from St Johns to Toronto, then (of all things) a Ford Capri, built in Britain, onwards. There was still then one section in Northern Ontario which was unsurfaced for about 30 miles.
Absolutely fascinating drive throughout, through countless forests and across the prairies. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Summer 1982. St Johns Newfoundland to Victoria BC - the whole length of the Trans Canada Highway. 5,200 miles in 14 days. Did over 600 miles in a day once. On my own as far as Calgary, picked up a friend who flew into there for the last bit. Using a facility called "Auto Driveaway" (do they still exist?) where they tie up people who want cars moved with drivers. Changed cars in Toronto, had a big pickup from St Johns to Toronto, then (of all things) a Ford Capri, built in Britain, onwards. There was still then one section in Northern Ontario which was unsurfaced for about 30 miles.
Absolutely fascinating drive throughout, through countless forests and across the prairies. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Iskra
Established Member
That's the oneYou wouldnt, indeed couldn’t.
You might want to make that journey on the Indian Pacific though
The day that I travel such a journey is a long way away. I will of course do the necessary research before travelling to ensure I board the correct train
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