Whats your favourite road?

[Daveyonthemove]

Over the weekend I was staying in the Lake District and whilst driving around we quickly realised that there are some brilliant roads around this area.
Well maintained, great views and hardly any speed cameras. Awesome.
One of the roads we wanted to visit was called the Hardknott Pass, and awesome stretch of road that climbs up the side of a mountain with quattro inducing inclines and tight hairpins.
Here are a couple of pics and Drone videos I took whilst I was there.

What are your favourite roads and where are they?

 

[prt57]

In the same sort of area is the road that goes between Haydon bridge and Penrith. A good mix of everything that will test you and the brakes of your car. I normally do it from the Haydon bridge direction if I am going to the lakes from Newcastle. It would be much easier to use the A69 and M6 but no where near as much fun. What I really like is how the interest builds from either end as you start to climb.

I also know the Hardknott and Wrynose passes very well. Some years ago my wife reckoned she could tackle the Wrynose but the car ground to a halt as you need to keep the revs going. Last time I was there was in an R32. In some ways it was too easy as the power gets you out of trouble. In some ways I had more fun going up in an old Nova as you really have to drive and make use of the gears.
The only thing about the lakes roads are they are so busy.
Another good one to tackle is the Kirkstone pass going up from Ullswater. Quite steep with bends but you can get up quite a speed providing no body is coming down! Going up from the Ambleside end the last part is called the struggle. Back when I was a boy my Dad had a Morris minor and he had to scream it going up there and my Mum really used to grip the dashboard in a panic that we would not get to the top. In a modern car, it’s too easy.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

We did the Penrith to Haydon road as we were in that area (Penrith) visiting a castle before we set off down to the pass.
It is another great road, but traffic was busy on that stretch and we were going far slower than I would have liked.

 

[Adomas G]

Not one long road but rather a few short but real nice ones in case you ever visit Fermanagh, N. Ireland
Personal two favourites- B122 Fivemiletown-Fintona and Lough Navar Drive.
First one is high up and curvy, nearly guaranteed to slow down for some lad snapping pics of his freshly washed Bora every time. Very scenic, perfect for car reviews and the likes.
The second one starts low, goes uphill with a multitude of turns and leads to a high viewpoint before a sharp descent. It's in close proximity to my house and in 3ish years I have never encountered a pedestrian (it's a deep forest drive), combine it with the fact it's one-way and about 12 feet wide and is full of turns-you got yourself a safe stretch of 5ish miles to test your skills and have a bit of fun within the law

 

[Daveyonthemove]

They both sound like great roads, I'd love to explore Ireland one day and they could be worth visiting

 

[SteveMcB]

A835, 837, 894 and A838 Ullapool to Thurso, discovered it by chance a few years back when it was very quiet, last time I was up it was a bit busier but I believe now getting increasingly popular as part of the NC500.

Well worth a visit before someone decides it would 'benefit' from average speed cameras.

 

[Integralekid]

In the same sort of area is the road that goes between Haydon bridge and Penrith. A good mix of everything that will test you and the brakes of your car. I normally do it from the Haydon bridge direction if I am going to the lakes from Newcastle. It would be much easier to use the A69 and M6 but no where near as much fun. What I really like is how the interest builds from either end as you start to climb.

I also know the Hardknott and Wrynose passes very well. Some years ago my wife reckoned she could tackle the Wrynose but the car ground to a halt as you need to keep the revs going. Last time I was there was in an R32. In some ways it was too easy as the power gets you out of trouble. In some ways I had more fun going up in an old Nova as you really have to drive and make use of the gears.
The only thing about the lakes roads are they are so busy.
Another good one to tackle is the Kirkstone pass going up from Ullswater. Quite steep with bends but you can get up quite a speed providing no body is coming down! Going up from the Ambleside end the last part is called the struggle. Back when I was a boy my Dad had a Morris minor and he had to scream it going up there and my Mum really used to grip the dashboard in a panic that we would not get to the top. In a modern car, it’s too easy.

Over the weekend I was staying in the Lake District and whilst driving around we quickly realised that there are some brilliant roads around this area.
Well maintained, great views and hardly any speed cameras. Awesome.
One of the roads we wanted to visit was called the Hardknott Pass, and awesome stretch of road that climbs up the side of a mountain with quattro inducing inclines and tight hairpins.
Here are a couple of pics and Drone videos I took whilst I was there.
View attachment 176137
View attachment 176138



What are your favourite roads and where are they?

The A683 Sedbergh to Kirkby Stephen is a fast flowing road, good tarmac and best tackled from Sedbergh as there is always a slight incline. You can also do Penrith, Alston (over Hartside Pass) then double back to Middleton in Teasdale. From there is Barnard Castle or Brough if you made a loop out of it from the 1st road I recommend.

Near to Hardknott there is another road that runs adjacent called Birker Fell, great drive, bribg you out in a little village called Ulpha where there is a nice picnic area next to a bridge. The road either goes south to Great Broughton or north to the bottom of Hardknott, either route has options. From Great Broughton direction you can turn right (west) at the junction with the A595, over the bridge and then next right, that takes you over Cornet Fell, you can make a loop back towards Hardknott area via Gosforth (good pie shop). North from Birker you can go back over Hardknott from the hard side or over Wrynose Pass towards Ambleside or Coniston.

The road between Coniston and Broughton is decent to, bit bumpy and narrow in places but you can join t routes up with it (A593).

All these are good routes I drive when I can, plus you get to see some great scenery along the way.

 

[Audi Bairn]

A82 / A87 Spean Bridge to Portree on the Isle of Skye is one.
100 miles of great road and stunning scenery all the way.