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Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:58 pm
by touringsport
As above, wondering what peoples fav roads are for, er, spirited driving??
Mines the a377 in Devon- runs between Exeter and a town called Barnstaple.
Its apparently one of the favourite roads of a lot a motorcylists too, they drive a lot faster than me though. Nutters

Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:01 pm
by MarkT
Oakehampton through to Bude's nice. Lots of long stretches with good visability and some lovely twisty bits in between ;)
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:12 pm
by Bally
Snake Pass Sheffield to Manchester in the summer great if you do not get stuck behind a lorry long winding drive
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:21 pm
by BadDave
For me, it's got to be the Route Napoleon from Grenoble to Cannes in southern France
Doesn't matter if it's on a bike or in the car
It's been voted the best biking road in Europe 2 or 3 times now
Another one is the RN91 from Grenoble to Briancon,again in southern France
Both are very twisty,but also great fun
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:33 pm
by ibriggsy
Agreed I like that bude road it is awesome! My favourite near me though is one that goes from Market Harborough around Leicester to Melton Mowbray, the B6047.
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:36 pm
by stevotheevo
M25

Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:45 pm
by BadDave
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:55 pm
by ShepsEvo3
I like the Usk road from Chepstow, also the B4039 past castle combe and the Codrington road between the A46 and Emmersons Green North Bristol.
There are loads of others, including one up North near Roarha? There is an outdoor kart track I used to race at and the road leading upto it was like being on a roller coaster. My passenger looked like he seen a ghost when I took him down that road... in a 1995 Astra TDS - but then it did have the Isuzu lump in it!

Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:57 pm
by StuBeeDoo
touringsport wrote:Mines the a377 in Devon- runs between Exeter and a town called Barnstaple.
Done that one loads of times - I used to live down there. 6 or 7 years ago 2 bikers got killed when one wiped the other one out - near Umberleigh IIRC.
I used to enjoy the old A373 (now de-classified since they opened the North Devon Link Road and numbered it A361) from Tiverton to Barnstaple too.
My recent favourite has to be the A835 from Contin to Ullapool. Not only is it driving heaven, the views are pretty spectacular too.
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:34 pm
by Daddycoolest
stevotheevo wrote:M25

Lmfao @ M25, he said driving roads not car parks lol.
The sheffield to manchester road is a nice 1 just dont get stuck behind a lorry or a tractor because then it becomes a long winded road lol.
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:14 pm
by georgen
Thurso to Durness is exceptional. Think I'll try it again next weekend just for the crack !!
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:16 pm
by fuzzy
any long straight sections of motorway or duel carriageway. the longer and straighter the better.
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:17 pm
by StuBeeDoo
georgen wrote:Thurso to Durness is exceptional. Think I'll try it again next weekend just for the crack !!
That's on my "to do" list! 
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:22 pm
by Dan320is
The A1101 from Barton Mills to Icklingham (Suffolk) is a very fast twisty road with great camber on some corners. Or the road that you have to take if going to Warrington from Mansfield - twisty with big inclines and descents, probably the best road I have ever driven!

Re:
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:26 pm
by blitz877
a470 from brecon to welshpool is my fave road and the country road on the way back is even better
Re:
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:49 pm
by gazm3
a9 central jock land.
Re:
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:26 pm
by BadDave
gazza325cab wrote:a9 central jock land.
When it's pissing down with rain,i always try and avoid that bit of road.
Although there's some nice bit's to look at,scenery wise, it's a pretty boring road actually
Maybe that's down to it being close to where i live.
I'd be more inclined to go from Braemar to kirkmichael(over Glenshee) then down to Pitlochery, head over through Killin towards Dalmally/Tyndrum then up to Glencoe,Fort William
From there there are a couple of options
Head north to Inverness along the Great Glen(more fun on a bike and more pasing opportunities)
of turn off at Spean Bridge and head over to Aviemore and head home from there(via Grantown,Tomintoul and Dufftown)
Now that's a good way to spend a Sunday
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:29 pm
by georgen
StuBeeDoo wrote:georgen wrote:Thurso to Durness is exceptional. Think I'll try it again next weekend just for the crack !!
That's on my "to do" list! 
Stu, don't for a sec think that you can come up this neck of the woods and NOT give me a shout.

All other zoners / E30's are hours away from me FFS !!! I need my E30 fix man....
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:33 pm
by alex-e30
south wales roads are very good brecon, abergavenny etc
A40
A470
A465 AKA The heads of the valleys
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:40 pm
by E30BeemerLad
ShepsEvo3 wrote: one up North near Roarha? There is an outdoor kart track I used to race at and the road leading upto it was like being on a roller coaster. My passenger looked like he seen a ghost when I took him down that road... in a 1995 Astra TDS - but then it did have the Isuzu lump in it!

That'll be Rowrah mate, off the A66 near Cockermouth next to a village called Frizington.
I used to race at Rowrah, probably last raced there in 1991, they've filled in the lake at the end now and extended the track
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:40 pm
by BadDave
georgen wrote:StuBeeDoo wrote:georgen wrote:Thurso to Durness is exceptional. Think I'll try it again next weekend just for the crack !!
That's on my "to do" list! 
Stu, don't for a sec think that you can come up this neck of the woods and NOT give me a shout.

All other zoners / E30's are hours away from me FFS !!! I need my E30 fix man....
Give me a shout with what weekends your free and i'm sure i could have a wee trip "up North"
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:34 am
by nzracer
gazza325cab wrote:a9 central jock land.
A9 north, from Dornoch to Thurso, plenty of intersting bends, straights, hairpins etc..
Know it, unbeaten on it, OWN it

Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:32 am
by munky30
For speed and some nice dual carriageway corners - A38 'devon parkway' from the end of the m5 to plymouth.
Twisty stuff - Gulval to Zennor via New Mill at 3AM. Cornwalls finest C road.
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:26 am
by Dave_M3
In case ye ever take a trip to Ireland, lol
http://e30owners.com/forums/showthread. ... ving+roads
The Sligo-Manorhamilton is the best road I was ever on, and I wasn't even driving at the time!!!
Butye welch lads have it made over there, All we got is a few gems few and far between crappy bumpy roads infested with potholes or nice A-roads but with speed limits half of whats safe to do so...
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:38 am
by jokipea
My favourite route would be Perth to Braemar on the A93, then take the A939 just before Ballater and head for Tomintoul. Brilliant empty roads and no cameras. The best bit of this route, for me, is the stretch of road between the Glenshee Ski Centre downhill to Braemar, 10 miles I've twice been lucky to drive flat-out. First time in a MK1 Golf GTI chasing a guy in 205 GTI. We both must have been mental but he gave me a wave when I stopped in Braemar where I was staying. Doing the whole route for the first time in my Kitcar (Tiger Super Six, couldn't afford a Caterham) was a bit calmer but no less enjoyable. I hope someone else on here has driven this route.
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:01 am
by fastdiablo
BadDave wrote:For me, it's got to be the Route Napoleon from Grenoble to Cannes in southern France
Doesn't matter if it's on a bike or in the car
It's been voted the best biking road in Europe 2 or 3 times now
Awsome piece of road ! . . . 4 of us done this on the bikes flat out about 5 years ago in the pitch dark, didn't realise how dangerous it was. The following morning we were due to turn back for home on another route but decided to go back the same way to have a look at it in the daylight.
The road is carved into the side of the mountains with shear drops one side and rock face the other, absolutely no room for error

. . .
http://www.openroadjourney.com/loadroute.asp?rid=346
Its an absolute MUST if your in the area or have a free 4 days and fancy a road trip

. . .
Re: Favourite Driving Roads
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:39 am
by lance1a
There's a really nice (short but nice) road from Deddington to Chipping Norton in Oxon, if you get the timing right (otherwise it's crap being stuck behind some OAP in a Micra). I usually try to find an excuse to use it...like the milk in Chiipy is better than the stuff up the road.

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:56 am
by johnl320
Dan325iSport wrote:The A1101 from Barton Mills to Icklingham (Suffolk) is a very fast twisty road with great camber on some corners. Or the road that you have to take if going to Warrington from Mansfield - twisty with big inclines and descents, probably the best road I have ever driven!

I know that road very well (went to school in Mildenhall) 'Tis indeed a good road,seen a few fatalities as well ( one was a school mate).
Winchester to Petersfield is a good one just don't get stuck behind a lorry.
john
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:39 am
by georgen
nzracer wrote:gazza325cab wrote:a9 central jock land.
A9 north, from Dornoch to Thurso, plenty of intersting bends, straights, hairpins etc..
Know it, unbeaten on it, OWN it

Challenge !!!!! The Berriedale Braes still do it for me, and I drive them about 10 times a year !!
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:41 am
by BadDave
jokipea wrote:My favourite route would be Perth to Braemar on the A93, then take the A939 just before Ballater and head for Tomintoul. Brilliant empty roads and no cameras. The best bit of this route, for me, is the stretch of road between the Glenshee Ski Centre downhill to Braemar, 10 miles I've twice been lucky to drive flat-out. First time in a MK1 Golf GTI chasing a guy in 205 GTI. We both must have been mental but he gave me a wave when I stopped in Braemar where I was staying. Doing the whole route for the first time in my Kitcar (Tiger Super Six, couldn't afford a Caterham) was a bit calmer but no less enjoyable. I hope someone else on here has driven this route.
I've done that route on a few occasions
Usually try and make a good day of it and head over the west coast aswell,usually from pitlochry towards Killin,Dalmally,Tyndrum,Glencoe,Fort william
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:25 pm
by Gwynleym10
Wales in general...but
A5 snowdonia, in the dark is best
A470 up north - far less traffic than further south
A44 from Aberystwyth
There is a road over the Salisburu plains, going through Stokbridge which is cool!
For some reason I also love driving up Park Lane and Round Marble arch - a few bends and you can reallly let ripe on marble arch for a few seconds.
Abroad
Route 1 from LA to San Fransico
Plenty of roads in France
..and a few roads in Kenya just north of Nakuru are really cool (near where ex president Moi lived so they have super smooth tarmac)
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:59 pm
by tomtomtom
anywhere round buxton, cat and fiddle, the road from chapel en le frith to meltham is mega, too many trucks though and that road in wales round the lakes, think its round llandrindod wells (the one where you think 'bloody hell i wish i had a caterham') aberystwyth to devils bridge is good, and scenic too on a clear day! anywhere thats twisty 40-70mph kinda thing. i went from the a38 near burton to uttoxeter through catholme the other day, its an ok trip but bloody scary, long undulating straights 120mph plus for about 10 miles!!! its one of those where you picture a tractor turning out and let off for a second or two, then forget about it and thrape it some more, then imagine a ball joint going, slow down for a sec, then thrape, then think what if i get a puncture? then thrape and so on! (of course this never happened, i stuck to 60 all the way officer)
i dont actually like roads like that, too fast, much prefer a wide empty twisty lane.
Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:06 pm
by nzracer
georgen wrote:nzracer wrote:gazza325cab wrote:a9 central jock land.
A9 north, from Dornoch to Thurso, plenty of intersting bends, straights, hairpins etc..
Know it, unbeaten on it, OWN it

Challenge !!!!! The Berriedale Braes still do it for me, and I drive them about 10 times a year !!
lol ill let you know when im up next
I had a rover tomcat for most of my time up there, just a shitty 2.0 n/a bendover on 17"MG rims, a pants car really... nothing and i mean nothing was faster then me

even had a cossie try it on between Bora and Helmsdale... not a chance, that guy in the cossie must of felt like a right twat with his mrs next to him, dont get me wrong he was fast and i mean fast on the straights, just as well i had more balls in the bends

oh and officer the road was closed
But I was driving it twice a day, living in Thurso and working in Dornoch

around a 140mile round trip there and back.
Great part of the country, as they say scotland is scotlands best keept secret

Re:
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:12 pm
by tailoutcharlie
anything with 10miles of my house in Abergavenny seems to be good fun
gotta side with munky tho Gulval-Zennor

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