Best driving roads in England

[A.BLAKE]

Just bought my new 2 but London is definitely not MR2 territory! (xxxxing speed bumps) so me and my boxter driving buddy have been debating the best place to go for some good speed bump free fun.. Im saying Wales he,s saying Cornwall which in my experience is only any good if you want to spend your time stuck behind a tractor on a ridiculously narrow road... Any suggestions....

[Ekona]

Best roads I've ever driven in the UK are the Highlands and the IoM, both some way better than anything Wales has to offer which is saying more about the quality of the Scots and Manx roads than the Welsh ones, which are fantastic.

If we're sticking to England only, I'd be heading to the Lakes personally. Some great stuff around there, but then I know of a whole batch of terrific and fun roads in Essex too...

[CecilWard]

Essex has a few nice roads. Unless you're going to the Isle of man or the Wonderland that is the Highlands,there are many fine Welsh roads.

I'm going to confine myself to England and those parts I know extremely well. in England, go for: the Peak District, the quieter parts of the Yorkshire Dales, or the North Pennines and Northumberland. Forget the Lakes as it's always too crowded. Sorry.

Peak District: quieter parts are the lonely Western side - Cheshire and the Staffs Moorlands. tips: All roads into Buxton and into village of Longnor. A515: Lichfield - Ashbourne - Buxton or Ashbourne - Bakewell. Glossop and Longdendale - Holmfirth. Speed cameras on routes towards the Moorlands' town of Leek.

Yorkshire Dales: Far West and North West. Tips: not telling.

North Pennines: all roads into Alston, esp. A686, the stunning Teesdale B road and the A689, England's highest rd. Others I refuse to tell you about. My personal ultimate roads of England are here.

Northumberland: Roads into Hexham, Blanchland, Bellingham, Rothbury, Alnwick, Wooler. The A68.

[Marf]

http://www.drivingroads.co.uk/evo-triangle

[Draven]

http://www.drivingroads.co.uk/evo-triangle

That looks like fun.

[Ekona]

Seriously over rated IMHO, some much better roads within 20 mins drive of there. It works well for Evo shoots as it's practically a closed road, but in terms of excitement it's a bit dull. West leg is much better than the East one, albeit not as scenic.

[aw11rally]

My personal favourite. Perfect for anyone with easy access to the M56.

Head off the A55 at J35, Dobshill. Follow the A5104 from Penyffordd towards Bala (via Llandegla). Continue west (at high speed) onto the A5 for a short time then turn left off the A5 onto the A494 past Bala lake which is followed by 15-20miles of fast wide sweeping (highland style) Tarmac then a tight twisty wooded section before reaching the A470 at Dolgellau.

The tough decision is then whether to turn south on the epic A470 towards Builth Wells or North into Snowdonia.

Personally I'd head north and find the B4391 and B4407 from Ffestiniog over the mountains to Penmachno. A road which closely resembles a Tarmac rally stage and is almost always deserted (just keep an eye out for stray sheep).

[hygt2]

Just bought my new 2 but London is definitely not MR2 territory! (xxxxing speed bumps) so me and my boxter driving buddy have been debating the best place to go for some good speed bump free fun.. Im saying Wales he,s saying Cornwall which in my experience is only any good if you want to spend your time stuck behind a tractor on a ridiculously narrow road... Any suggestions....

Depending on which side of London you are.

Start from Epping Forest then C-roads / Whites to the start of B184, B1057 to Haverhill and back. I live at Canary Wharf and I can get to those good roads in 20 minutes.

If you are west London, you'll need to go a bit further but you get good roads from Marlow / Henley out west, though you need to set off before 8am in the weekend to avoid tourist traffic.

If you fancy a drive, drop me a PM and we can head out on a weekend morning.

[CecilWard]

@a.Blake, hygt2. - couldn't agree with hygt2 more. Look up Finchingfield, Essex on the map and plot a course from Abridge / Chipping Ongar to there on the minor roads. In fact, starting from Canary Wharf you can make that your goal on a real mission to end up at http://www.theredlioninnfinchingfield.com of fond memory once (although it has changed hands since then, so caveat emptor).

[hygt2]

@a.Blake, hygt2. - couldn't agree with hygt2 more. Look up Finchingfield, Essex on the map and plot a course from Abridge / Chipping Ongar to there on the minor roads. In fact, starting from Canary Wharf you can make that your goal on a real mission to end up at http://www.theredlioninnfinchingfield.com of fond memory once (although it has changed hands since then, so caveat emptor).

Finchingfield is actually my usual stop, though I normally stop at the tea shop rather than the pub.

You'll also pass a Rev 3 in green on your way out as well

[Race Idiot]

Another good road thats up near north london is the B158, goes from near potters bar to hertfordshire. If you want to go even further theres another road that goes from hertford east and you end up near the M11.

An early early morning group drive would be cool

[andya24]

Pickering to whitby road past filingdales
its on my doorstep and is the best 18 mile stetch of road i belive for miles and miles.but only when its quiet.weekends in summer it gets overtaken by tourists going to the coast

[ian`s 2]

Pickering to whitby road past filingdales
its on my doorstep and is the best 18 mile stetch of road i belive for miles and miles.but only when its quiet.weekends in summer it gets overtaken by tourists going to the coast

i might have to try this when the 2 is done andy

[Red Devil]

CLICKY

[ian`s 2]

CLICKY

very nice where is that road?

[hygt2]

Another good road thats up near north london is the B158, goes from near potters bar to hertfordshire. If you want to go even further theres another road that goes from hertford east and you end up near the M11.

An early early morning group drive would be cool

Shall I arrange one then? How should I get around doing it on the forum?

I have got a route from A414 Ongar to Finchingfield and back for the route plotted and available on Garmin (.GPX) and Tom Tom (.ITN), with a total driving time of 2h 30m.

Assuming 9am start, it can be broken into half with a coffee stop at Finchingfield c.10.15 am and back to Ongar at 12 noon.

All we have to do is to pick a Saturday morning and drive it !!

[Turbonoz]

Pickering to whitby road past filingdales
its on my doorstep and is the best 18 mile stetch of road i belive for miles and miles.but only when its quiet.weekends in summer it gets overtaken by tourists going to the coast

I lived in Whitby for more years than I care to remember. When I worked in Sherburn between Uni terms I often came home the long way round to smash the A169 in the early hours.

Sapphire Cosworth 2WD, 350bhp, no traffic and the sun just rising. It gets no better

[andya24]

Pickering to whitby road past filingdales
its on my doorstep and is the best 18 mile stetch of road i belive for miles and miles.but only when its quiet.weekends in summer it gets overtaken by tourists going to the coast

I lived in Whitby for more years than I care to remember. When I worked in Sherburn between Uni terms I often came home the long way round to smash the A169 in the early hours.

Sapphire Cosworth 2WD, 350bhp, no traffic and the sun just rising. It gets no better

Agreed,nothing better than the a169 with no traffic in my eyes

[Red Devil]

CLICKY

very nice where is that road?

Sorry for the delayed response - busy month!

As mentioned by Ekona, where all the best UK roads are - the Highlands.
The A832 Achnasheen-Kinlochewe looking down towards Loch Maree.
If you don't have that pic in your album you're not a true petrolhead.
Taken from the carpark here - CLICKY.

This guy is into his cars and the jammy *** has those roads as his playground.
The landscape is just stunning - http://www.stevecarter.com/latest/latesttorridon.htm

Provided the ******* tanker drivers refrain from going on strike I will be heading up there 3 weeks from today.
Should be at the top of Bealach na Ba that weekend.

[alan wheeldon]

There are far too many to call but just try google maps around a 100 mile radious from where you live, only look for A and B roads though

That would be a good start for you