Detour

View Original

10 of the best British roads to drive this summer

Malcom Lightbody / Unsplash

It’s the summer of the staycation. So where should driving enthusiasts go to get their road rush? Try these ten for starters.

England

Thomas Tucker / Unsplash

The Peak District is not short of amazing driving roads, but Snake Pass really deserves its reputation. The Human League even wrote a song about it! If you’re going west then Cheddar Gorge in Somerset is worth a trip to cut through a spectacular sheer limestone rock face. It’s not one for speed freaks, as the limit is 30mph. Take a ferry to the Isle of Wight and Military Road has some of the most amazing views over the English Channel, along with enough fast straights and challenging curves to entertain any driver.

Wales

Nik Berg

Wales packs so many incredible roads into a small space. If you start near Swansea you can tackle the car magazine favourite Black Mountain Pass, before carrying on north to the Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia and finally taking in a lap of the Isle of Anglesey. And you could do them all in one day if you’re up for it.

Scotland

Shutterstock

We throughly recommend taking the time to tackle the North Coast 500, which is essentially the best of Scotland in one long hit. But we love Belach na Ba or Applecross Pass for its epic views and caravan-free corners. And the A82 and A9 from Glasgow to Inverness are truly magnificent.

Northern Ireland

Shutterstock

From Antrim’s answer to the Pacific Coast Highway on the Causeway Coast to the magical Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland has some stunning roads. It’s no wonder this is a nation of rally drivers.

And a bonus…

Shutterstock

Sitting out on its own in the Irish Sea, not part of England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales is the Isle of Man. It’s an outlier in many ways, not least because it remains the only place in the UK with no speed limits outside of towns and villages. That’s why a trip to drive the incredible Isle of Man TT Circuit couldn’t be left off this list.