I get a real buzz driving to certain locations, more so when I know that there is a great ride beckoning.

My favorites are the A4066 to Llandovery from home. It goes over the Black Mountain and has great views and a fun drive through the hills and then the Sawdde and Tywi valleys.

Less frequently travelled is the European A40 between Bourg en Bresse and Annemasse. And then the bit from Cluses up to Les Gets. Such a frisson of ever-increasing excitement.

And bizarrely, the drive towards work when I’m cycling part of the way. Who knew that the M4 would be so nice?

Generally, it’s long trips that please me. In terms of actual roads, I enjoy driving the length of the A470 because it’s a long trip through beautiful scenery with small village and towns, it feels like part of a different world to the motorways and cities.

That said, finally passing the last Preston exit on the M6 is always a highlight because you suddenly leave all the traffic behind and you’re now crossing beautiful countryside on quiet roads. That always gives me a huge lift on the way north.

Sea to Sky Highway leaving Vancouver. Though if I’m honest, whilst there are lovely views, I’m most excited about my destination which, invariably, will be Whistler.

probably won’t drive it again, i drove from the yukon to vancouver via the cassiar highway. it felt like a 3 day mountain pass. it was fantastic.

i was thinking how great it would have been in a sports car, until we needed to wade through the flooded roads.

but agree with above, sea to sky is always exciting. even if you don’t go as far as whistler

@LAT

With your post in mind, currently watching this

Driving round europe, especially the Swiss Alps was/is cool.

Home wise:

I love the A4212 from Bala to Traws. Great piece of road. I’m sure at some point the Welsh to government will make it 50mph with average cameras.

Driving up into the Dolomites from Venice or Treviso. We usually stop off for lunch in Alleghe under the mighty Civetta. Then it’s on from there to Corvara.

Back in the day it was the cat and fiddle pass on my motorcycle. I knew every gearchange and braking point.

More recently the a85 Tyndrum to Oban. Nice grippy tarmac. Good sightlines. Not much traffic

Some of the most amazing roads I’ve driven are in this country.

The A697 always makes me smile. I can pootle along it taking in the beautiful views of the cheviots and borders, or take a different approach and admire its amazing curves, long straights and varied textures. It’s got everything.

Likewise the road from Bonchester Bridge to Newcastleton is seemingly a gift from some road planning deity.

I’ve driven or ridden most of the big alpine passes in the Alps. A lot are incredibly dull (Stelvio, take a seat) – like driving into a series of cul-de-sacs, often behind a bin lorry, a parade of camper vans or worse: Harleys.

There are a few that stand out though. The SS301 from San Carlo to Livigno. It has everything: tight to opening radius hairpins, great width and surface, amazing scenery, fast contour-hugging sections with immense sight lines, avalanche shelters, exposed bits with “oh my god I’d not want to stop here” precipitous drops. Then at the top is Livigno with its great bars, restaurants and the prospect of a stunning ride down to Zernez.

There’s a tiny road that goes from Hoch Speyer to Sankt Martin in Rheinland-Pfalz. It’s the automotive equivalent of Berm Baby Berm at GT. You zip along through the trees as if on Endor. It’s lush, green, beautiful and deserted.

In the days before the “NC500” and it’s parade of “One Life, Live It!” -adorned plastic wobble boxes the A836 from Thurso to Dounreay and beyond was stunning. It’s probably ok at 4am on June 21st now.

I guess it all depends on what you’re driving/riding. My current car is a bit of an event in and of itself so just nipping down the shops is an “exciting” drive. You’re not going to get that in the Skoda it replaced. For actual driving enjoyment, the route down from Fife to Sheffield that takes in the A68 Jedburgh with a slight detour through Kielder Forest takes some beating.

On the bike Spean Bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh is particularly beautiful, especially the bits around Loch Loyne and Loch Cluanie.

My current car is a bit of an event in and of itself so just nipping down the shops is an “exciting” drive.

Yep. “Oh dear we need some milk. Just popping to Aldi in the Alfa! Oh we’re out of bread too. BRB”

Not roads, but the esses at Croft and East Fortune circuits are The Best Thing Ever on an RS125; just flat, pinned in top and letting it flow through the turns… ah man, gone are the days.

Portree to Uig, knowing that the next leg of the journey is a ferry over the Minch.

That said, finally passing the last Preston exit on the M6 is always a highlight because you suddenly leave all the traffic behind

Don’t you mean passing the Kendal exit on the M6… I always have a sense of “thank God for that” once I reach that stretch. M6 past Preston and Lancaster is often still super busy.

Unless you mean you’re turning off into the 55 to come to Blackpool!? 👍☀️🏖️🗼😎🎉

Emerging from Sheffield on the A625 and seeing the Burbage valley in front of you

Driving into North Wales along the A4086 after Capel Curig

Rogers Pass in BC, Canada, simply stunning, especially in winter. Closer to home, Tyndrum to Oban, especially if it’s relatively quiet, just a beautiful stretch of road.

In the days before the “NC500” and it’s parade of “One Life, Live It!” -adorned plastic wobble boxes the A836 from Thurso to Dounreay and beyond was stunning. It’s probably ok at 4am on June 21st now.

Yep, did the ‘Round The Top Of Scotland’ (NC500) in about 1978 in a 1600E Cortina. Totally ruined now by campervans, motorhomes & boy racers who just want to break the time record for getting round.

I still get exited with the drive from Callander to Fort William.

The 12 miles of the I70 along the Glenwood Canyon has to be some the most beautiful scenery that any road passes along, which is just as well really as bits of it that goes from Denver to Grand Junction is dull as **** otherwise. Second the Sea to Sky, I’m amazed there aren’t crashes every few miles.

M6 past Preston and Lancaster is often still super busy.

Maybe it’s the time of day – if I set off from down here on a weekday morning it’s usually lunchtime, it’s always been quiet for me. Of course it’s better still the further North you go 🙂

North of Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County, along PCH and then up the road past Muirwoods National Park – so nice I did it twice.

Chamonix to Simplon in Switzerland through the Vallais, looking across to Mt Blanc, Matterhorn etc – ideally a clear day in spring.

The road north of Ullapool past Stac Pollaidh through Inverkirkaig to Lochinver – not on the NC500

Having not done it for years, i recently had occasion to drive from Fort William back to Stilring. Everything from FW to Callander, through Glencoe and Rannoch Moor etc, is absolutely incredible. What a drive, glorious!

Llanidloes to Machynlleth.
Champagnole to Vallorbe in the Jura on the way to Italy for skiing.
Hirwaun to Treherbert
Ashbourne to Buxton back in the day but neutered with traffic these days.
Pretty much all the D roads on the Brittany Normandy boarder- amazing sweeping corners on smooth surfaces.

@hot_fiat drove the SS301 in a borrowed 22 YO Transporter on a Sunday morning last month and it was far from fun. Basically a racetrack on a Sunday morning and I saw a couple of things which could have been fatal. Once you get into Livigno it was nice however.

The drive home from work every day is pretty exciting. No work for the evening and get to go home.

Military road on the Iow.

Also the road between Welshpool and Dolgellau, as long as you’re not stuck behind a shed dragger doing 28mph.

Ashbourne to Buxton

Many years ago I used to do lots of early morning drives going south on business. Buxton to Ashbourne at the crack of sparrow fart with no traffic was brilliant.

Any time I head north to the Highlands

The A702 from the M74 to Thornhill – marvellous 🙂

Moffat to Peebles or Innerleithen. One road is fairly fast and flowy, the other lumpy and technical for the first half, then opens up some. Both beautiful, both great fun, even in a heavily loaded estate car – and with the promise of some cracking riding at the end of it.

A83/82 from Glasgow to Campbeltown and vice versa. Once the 40 mph’ers are out the way it’s superb.

There’s also a stretch of road between Maybole and Newton Stewart, the B7045. Love a trip to Kirroughtree since finding it.

@haggis1978 whenever I go to Stranraer I hate using the A75 – too many trucks with dubiously set limiters. The A712 is much more fun. Beautiful scenery too.

Leaving Sheffield the changes are as dramatic as they are abrupt. Motorcycling Snake Pass is pretty memorable.

mrb123
Free Member
Driving up into the Dolomites from Venice or Treviso. We usually stop off for lunch in Alleghe under the mighty Civetta. Then it’s on from there to Corvara.

I’ll be doing a similar route in a week, going from Molveno down to Venice, then back from Venice to Calais a week later, I’ll be looking forward to that, the missus not so much!

The A4059 from the storey arms past Penderyn.

I miss my 550hp 335i touring sometimes. Ecologically shameful, but few better ways to lug two bikes and a dog in the boot.

Less frequently travelled is the European A40 between Bourg en Bresse and Annemasse

I don’t feel like I’m on holiday until I’ve seen the massive cock.

Sea To Sky Highway again, but for me it’s from Lions Bay to West Vancouver as the bends in the road work much better that way! The 80Kph speed limit is laughable but to be fair the road is full of drivers who people who never drive on the road and have questionable driving skillz in the first place. So many accidents…

Also Icefields Parkway from Jasper and across to Drumheller in Alberta. You can be standing on a glacier and in a desert only a few hours apart.

I don’t feel like I’m on holiday until I’ve seen the massive cock.

me @spin….

Leave Innsbruck along the A12, then turn left at Ötztal Bahnhof.
That road, up the hills towards Obergurgl. It’s not the prettiest route, but by gosh it’s get the heart going. One day I’ll ride my bike up there too.

There are some great roads in the N. Pennines – often quiet, with long views, long sweeping bends and the occasional hairpin. A personal favourite because I use it often is the B6278 from Stanhope to Eggleston. You just have to keep an eye out for sheep!

I put a post up a while back and mentioned the dreaded “spirited driving”. Got absolutely slated for being an irresponsible oik suggesting enjoying a fun drive was outrageous antisocial behaviour. Good to know STW aren’t completely against driving enjoyment, just accepting it under another slightly less obvious narrative.