Our Favourite Detours of 2024

As the journey that was 2024 nears an end, we look back on the most memorable road trips of the year.

With more than 50 new routes from all across the globe added to the site there’s a lot to choose from. Click here for every Detour we’ve delivered to date, or if you prefer your in inspiration and information in print form, you might like our new book - Detour 101, which is available now from Amazon.

Photo Rush

We began the year with the help of our friends at Rush and one of the magazine’s favourite routes through the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. “Bowland is one of our favourite stomping grounds because it packs every possible surface and turn into its figure-of-eight loop,” says Rush’s Craig Toone. “And it’s quiet - making it an ideal location to suss the dynamic attributes of a car. It's with good reason TVR chose these challenging roads to develop and improve their famed Blackpool bruisers. That said, the roads within the Forest of Bowland aren't just about speed and adrenaline - they also offer a chance to appreciate the beauty of the natural surroundings. Drivers can take a break from the thrills of the road to stop and admire the views, or even indulge in a spot of hiking or cycling, perhaps tracing the route of the famous Pendle Witches.” Read on here.

Photo Nischal Malla / Unsplash

February took us across the Atlantic to the streets of San Francisco. More specifically to the steep and sinewy Lombard Street. “Known as the world’s most crooked street, its eight tight high-kerbed hairpins wind down a steep hill like a toboggan run, lined with beautiful blooming hydrangeas and with a stunning view of San Francisco Bay straight out ahead,” says Will Gray. Discover more here.

Photo Maserati

It was a Maserati March as Detour founder Nik Berg put his foot down across the Heel of Italy in an all-electric Grecale, noting: “It’s a slow ride, but a breathtaking one, running parallel with the water, waves crashing ashore and spraying the road. The harbour at Santa Maria di Leuca is full of yachts awaiting better weather, but the view from the lighthouse at this pointiest part of Italy’s heel is all the more dramatic. It’s here that the Ionian and Adriatic meet and today, at least, they both seem pretty angry about it.” Find out more here.

Photo Charlie Magee

In April we headed to Ireland to follow the Wicklow Film Trail with Ben Barry, discovering locations from the likes of Braveheart and Reign of Fire. “Hollywood, County Wicklow is clearly not the Hollywood synonymous with movie making, but the Republic of Ireland’s breath-taking scenery – not to mention generous tax incentives – have attracted the international film industry to shoot here,” explains Ben. Discover the movie magic here.

Photo Simon Thompson

Nik Berg reckons he’s found the perfect city car in a scaled-down electric Blower Bentley, using it follow W.O. Bentley’s story across London in May. “Even though it takes a good half-hour to travel the paltry 1.5 miles to Berkeley Square the time passes quickly, as every red traffic light is a chance to chat with fellow road users or have a photo taken. Never have I driven a car that attracts so much attention, and all of it positive,” he reports. Enjoy this urban adventure here.

Photo Nik Berg

Nik spent some of the summer driving his old Lotus Esprit down to the Pyrenees and found the simply superb road to Superbagnieres. “There’s something in the air at Bagnères de Luchon,” says Nik. “A strong smell of sulphur from the thermal baths, a lingering scent from the annual Flower Festival, perhaps an odour of the vin chaude that warms skiers in wintertime, a whiff of sweat from past Tour de France cyclists and, most definitely, an aroma of internal combustion from motorcyclists and car enthusiasts who know the secret of the road to Superbagnères.” Read more about this classic supercar on a super road here.

Photo Shutterstock

July saw Ben Barry tackle New Zealand’s Great Alpine Highway. “Officially known as State Highway 73, the Great Alpine Highway cuts from coast-to-coast through NZ’s sparsely populated and breathtakingly beautiful South Island, packing more into its 140-odd miles than some countries manage within their entire road networks,” he says. Access this Alpine adventure here.

Photo Jamie Hearne

In August Detour welcomed Jamie Hearne, whose on a long-term vanlife adventure from Alaska to Argentina. His first stop (for us at least) was Canada’s Yellowhead Highway. “When fantasising about driving through Canada, I envision wide meandering roads running alongside wild and roaring rivers, framed with pristine pine forests, backdropped with imposing snow-capped mountains. Wildlife in abundance. The Yellowhead Highway made my dreams a reality,” says Jamie. Find out how Jamie’s fantasy became fact here.

Photo Porsche

Catching the last rays of summer was Stephen Dobie, Turbo Charging around Stuttgart in September in a classic Porsche 911 and retracing the legendary car’s history. “Technology that’d made waves in motorsport was now being unleashed on public roads. These are some of those roads.” Turbocharge your reading here.

Photo Open AI

Indi Baines marked Halloween in October with a guide to the most haunted motorway in the UK: the M6. “Eyes peering out of bushes, phantom hitchhikers, and spectral figures who melt into thin air are frequently reported along the entire length of the motorway,” warns Indi. Read more if you dare here.

Photo Nik Berg

In November Nik Berg was back behind the wheel of a Maserati in Italy (it’s a tough job). This time it was the amazing MC20 which Nik took on the most treacherous section of the Mille Miglia route. “Cresting a rise and suddenly the valley below reveals itself, as do a series of glorious sweeping corners. It’s a rare chance to switch the MC20 into Corsa mode and get a little feel for the car’s amazing dynamic ability on this historic road. I can only imagine what it must have been like to take in its twists and turns at a full race pace,” says Nik. Check out Nik’s ‘Mini Miglia’ here.

Photo Toyota

In the final month of 2024 Stephen Dobie offered his unique insight into the world of the road tester as he revealed routes favoured by Ferrari and Toyota in the hills above Seville. “Revisiting old haunts makes a lot of sense for carmakers, both from a logistical point of view and knowing the roads are good enough to fittingly showcase your new product,” explains Stephen. “If they’re as dazzling as this one, journalists usually doesn’t mind the odd return trip either…” Get the inside story here.

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