The greatest driving roads

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humbucker
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The greatest driving roads

Post by humbucker »

I'm heading up to North Wales this weekend. I plan to put a 16-valve Mk2 Astra GTE through its paces on the 'Evo Triangle'. When checking the route, I found this website: http://www.greatestdrivingroads.com. It's a handy guide to some quality driving roads in and around the UK, and it got me thinking that it would be a good idea to compile something similar here (especially as my beloved A149 coast road is absent from that website!).

Anyway, share your favourite driving roads, experiences and pictures here. Perhaps we could arrange a club outing or two with a focus on tackling some terrific terrain?!

Weather permitting, this is the road I'll be travelling on Saturday: http://www.greatestdrivingroads.com/gre ... angle.html
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James McGrath
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by James McGrath »

Sounds like an excellent idea for a club meet to me.

The last costal run was great fun, I'd love to do something similar again.
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humbucker
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by humbucker »

Well, there's no reason that we couldn't do another A149 coast run before the summer is out. I've done it three times in the past fortnight, stopping at different places for paddling, food and drink along the way. I'm game if you are, although I don't think I'll be in a Cavalier. The VXR will have to do!
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Interesting site.

I quite like the M6 around Shap and Penrith as it cuts through some great scenery and the A66 - Penrith to Scotch Corner (nr Darlington) for the same reason. The A82 from Glasgow up to Inverness is lovely too - especially round The Trossachs.

Not really any good roads down here, one or two shorter journeys through the New Forest are nice but hardly stunning. Having done the passes in Switzerland, UK rarely puts up anything impressive as an alpine 2,757 m pass!
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by cavalier1990 »

A selection of roads around Scotland I would recommend these roads and trips

Basically anything North and West of Glasgow, A85 to Oban, A82 Glasgow to Fort William and beyond, Skye A87 is a lovely road with stunning scenery. If you are in Skye instead of crossing back over the Skye bridge, go back on the A851 to Armadale and get ferry to Mallaig.

There's also some amazing little single track roads if you head down towards Ardrishaig on the A83. If you're in the Loch Lomond/Glasgow area try and go and do a couple of the military roads near Faslane base.

Even better though if you can get the train from Glasgow to Fort William and then onto to Mallaig that's just one amazing journey on West Highland railway.
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by belmont_dazz »

I know some absolutely fantastic driving roads in wales. all pretty close to the evo triangle. Smoothest tarmac you will ever drive on!
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by James McGrath »

Very tempted to go on a run along the A258. It's relatively close to me and it looks like cracker of a road.
Lots of interesting sights along the way too.
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by humbucker »

I've decided to expand this into a series running in each issue of Performance Vauxhall magazine. I'm borrowing a brand new Maloo R8 LSA (6.2-litre supercharged V8 ute) in a couple of weeks. Now, which road should I tackle first...?! :P
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by Lowrider Dave »

humbucker wrote:I'm borrowing a brand new Maloo R8 LSA
As you do...lucky git! lol.

Where to start for a road trip...hmm, dunno. I'd still be tempted to do Scotland. Never done the Evo triangle, that might be fun. Or if you can travel a bit, the IOM is supposed to be a laugh.
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by humbucker »

Didn't get to do the Evo Triangle in the end. I'll be saving that for another day. I had a lot of fun in the GTE regardless. What a brilliant car. I covered a lot of ground in it, yet it remains an incredibly low mileage example - just 35k on the clock! I'm hoping to run a matching 'road trip/test' series in Japanese Performance magazine. Should make for some interesting motoring. GT-Rtastic!

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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Just remembered one we did years ago in my Dad's Morris Traveller - Llanberis Pass A4086

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/53% ... 4d-4.04581
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by dycie »

She doesn't do many miles to the gallon but she does loads of smiles to the mile.
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by James McGrath »

Well the LS is on 199,963 miles.
What better way to see through the big 200K than a blast down one of these great roads...
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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by humbucker »

So, what did I get up to yesterday? Well, almost three years to the day since our club's North Norfolk A149 coast run, I drove the same route again, but this time I did it in the Vauxhall Heritage Centre's own Mk5 Astra VXR Nurburgring Edition. Inspired by our earlier outing, I expanded the route and the number of 'stop off' points. The trip will be documented in the first of a new series I'm introducing to Performance Vauxhall magazine: Dream Drives. Essentially, I pair some of Britain's best driving roads with some of Vauxhall's best performance models. The 'Burg seemed to me to be ideally suited to the A149's tight corners, S-bends and narrow roads. My intention is to arm owners clubs and those with an interest in enjoying their Vauxhalls as leisure tools with some 'tried and tested' drives outlining meeting points suitable for multiple cars, a suggested route, places to eat, places of interest, expected mileage etc. I hope you like it. The first instalment should bring back fond memories for those that hit the same road in a Cavalier!

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Re: The greatest driving roads

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Great idea for a good series of articles.
Of course you'll have handle the arduous task of testing the route out, plus the misery of driving some nice cars...terrible, but I'm sure you can do it. :D
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