is there anywhere left to enjoy a drive?

[muppets_mate]

thejaywills said:

[SNIPPED] but here in Aus I've learned to combine that with ''suicidal kangaroos everywhere'' which was pretty much how I wrote off my boxster. Ha I guess I never really thought that in 20 odd years in the UK I never saw any wildlife on the roads other than the deer that wrote off our puma many moons ago! [SNIPPED]

Deer are a menace, and I believe their numbers have been increasing in the UK.

In some places it feels like they are as common as rabbits. On a late night drive home the motorway was closed for roadworks, and traffic was diverted off onto some country roads south of Birmingham and reckon I saw 7 or 8 of them in a 10 mile stretch. Most were in the hedgerows and verges, but one was stood in the middle of the road and in no hurry to move as I approached.

I have been unfortunate to hit two, both times doing a significant amount of damage to both deer and cars No personal injuries, apart from the need for new underwear...

Beware if you are going for a drive at night, or dawn and dusk.

[muppets_mate]

Canon_Fodder said:

JagYouAre said:

Somewhere around the Lambourn Triangle could be worth a look?

Yes I agree.

Wantage towards Hungerford A338, turn left to Newbury on the B4000 and back to Wantage on the B4494.

Hills, bends. views, and plenty of overtaking spots (in a Cayman anyway)

These are good suggestions and not far from the South East, depending on where you are based. Likewise there are some good roads around the Cotswolds. The countryside is good and there are some pretty villages too.

[anonymous-user]

Having spent half my life living in North East Hampshire I can confirm what other posters have said about the A272! The A32 is also a decent stretch of road, you can pick that up at the West Meon Hut crossroads- the route north to Alton is usually empty in the evening. Had many excellent blats up it in my old Z4

There is also a great technical bit up from Petersfield through Steep which meets the A32, everyone I know refers to it as Little Switzerland

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 17th November 12:24

[toon10]

gshughes said:

North Wales, Cumbria (North Pennines), Northumberland or North Yorkshire are a few hundred miles from the South East and are my suggestions.

This. Plenty of good roads in Northumberland and being the least populated county in England, there's also less traffic to contend with unless you stray too close to the more populated South Northumberland towns.

There's load in Yorkshire. Check out Blakey Ridge which is one of my favorite routes. You do get a few bikers up there, so you need to be vigilant and there are a few stray sheep wandering in the road but other than that, all good.

The Alston Road between the Tyne Valley (A69) and Penrith is also fantastic. Stop off at what used to be the Hartside cafe and get a great view of the hairpins. You can see for miles so if there are a few vehicles on the road, you can see them and wait for them to pass before attacking it.

[rayny]

basherX said:

I'm in Heathfield so the A272 is something I tried once on a (leisurely) trip to Cornwall but haven't gone back. Will do so in the spring as I've recently got back into having a third car that isn't a dad-mobile. For that return leg, do you really follow the A259 all the way to Seaford etc? My clutch already hates me and I'm not sure it would thank me for heading straight through Worthing, Hove and Brighton. personally i'd be tempted to take a realtively boring short cut to Lewes on the A27 and then take the A26 down to Newhaven (which is fun on the rare occasions you get a clear run) before heading up towards Beachy head

If I'm out for a full day, then I enjoy coming back along the A259 - It gives me many options for a place to stop for a bite to eat. If It's late, or I'm getting tired, for the return journey, then I will use the A27

[gshughes]

Lefty said:

...west of Aberdeen really.

I concur with that - I drove the Fettercairn to Banchory road in my Impreza a few weeks back - epic fun and only encountered 2 or 3 cars coming the other way in about 10 miles!

[brisel]

Where in Wiltshire?

Some great roads across Salisbury Plain like the B390 around Chitterne, Larkhill, Shrewton. Zig Zag Hill south of Shaftesbury & the B3081 to Wimborne Minster from there. Further north, the A338 around Pewsey, the back road to Everleigh & Durrington, A342 Ludgershall to Devizes.

[Steve_H80]

I hear the M25 is very popular

[Mr Tidy]

Not if you want to enjoy your drive!

It was much better before any speed cameras were installed.

[Yahonza]

Another mention for the Borders, lots of good roads, decent surfaces (few potholes), not too much traffic and good scenery.

[dcb]

rayny said:

If you get a good run, one of the most varied roads in the south east is the A272.

I have never understood the love of the A272 in this forum.

I've done it dozens of times and it's pretty dull in my view.
No great altitude changes, no fast bits, pretty busy nearly all of the time.
I wouldn't count Haywards Heath as a tourist destination, either.

I usually end up trundling along at 40 mph behind some badly
driven SUV.

[rayny]

dcb said:

I have never understood the love of the A272 in this forum.

I've done it dozens of times and it's pretty dull in my view.
No great altitude changes, no fast bits, pretty busy nearly all of the time.
I wouldn't count Haywards Heath as a tourist destination, either.

I usually end up trundling along at 40 mph behind some badly
driven SUV.

There are some more interesting roads in the South East [such as the road from Drusillas Zoo to Seaford] but I do not know of one that is long enough for a good day out.

[Lefty]

A tad out of the way but there are some spectacular roads on some of the more remote islands in Shetland, well made, deserted and no police.

If you get lucky with weather it is amazing.

[JagYouAre]

Lefty said:

A tad out of the way but there are some spectacular roads on some of the more remote islands in Shetland, well made, deserted and no police.

If you get lucky with weather it is amazing.

A small understatement there

[gareth h]

Canon_Fodder said:

Yes I agree.

Wantage towards Hungerford A338, turn left to Newbury on the B4000 and back to Wantage on the B4494.

Hills, bends. views, and plenty of overtaking spots (in a Cayman anyway)

Nah! Hungerford to Pewsey to Everleigh to Netheravon to Durrington to Warminster, most of it across Salisbury Plain on really nice (quite quick) roads with good visibility.

[Wollemi]

muppets_mate said:

thejaywills said:

[SNIPPED] but here in Aus I've learned to combine that with ''suicidal kangaroos everywhere'' which was pretty much how I wrote off my boxster. Ha I guess I never really thought that in 20 odd years in the UK I never saw any wildlife on the roads other than the deer that wrote off our puma many moons ago! [SNIPPED]

Deer are a menace, and I believe their numbers have been increasing in the UK.

In some places it feels like they are as common as rabbits. On a late night drive home the motorway was closed for roadworks, and traffic was diverted off onto some country roads south of Birmingham and reckon I saw 7 or 8 of them in a 10 mile stretch. Most were in the hedgerows and verges, but one was stood in the middle of the road and in no hurry to move as I approached.

I have been unfortunate to hit two, both times doing a significant amount of damage to both deer and cars No personal injuries, apart from the need for new underwear...

Beware if you are going for a drive at night, or dawn and dusk.

Try fitting some deer whistles. People who live in NW Scotland swear that they really do work. It they don't, well you've lost £5.99. If they do work you've saved an awful lot more as you have found out the hard way.

https://amzn.eu/d/7ZWp6h1

[c4gts]

dcb said:

I have never understood the love of the A272 in this forum.

I've done it dozens of times and it's pretty dull in my view.
No great altitude changes, no fast bits, pretty busy nearly all of the time.
I wouldn't count Haywards Heath as a tourist destination, either.

I usually end up trundling along at 40 mph behind some badly
driven SUV.

agree planned a whole route westbound on the a272, after an hour of driving behind some numpty gave up and went back home. never again!

[Lefty]

JagYouAre said:

Lefty said:

A tad out of the way but there are some spectacular roads on some of the more remote islands in Shetland, well made, deserted and no police.

If you get lucky with weather it is amazing.

A small understatement there

It’s worth it, if you’re planning a week long road trip say. If you get good weather it can be spectacular. Great beaches, Lovely people too.

[theplayingmantis]

Lotobear said:

Scottish Borders and down into SW Northumberland and N Cumbria (North Pennines). I live in the centre of it and it's driving heaven - easily the best in the UK. Miles of well sighted moorland roads that are well surfaced and camera free

pretty much this, awesome roads, a68 and surrounds as long as you don't go Newcastle side, are epic. be careful around kielder forest for deer though. very nearly destroyed one and my car on a late night run up to auld reekie, good job i had recently had the brake pads done.

deer are an issue at the early riser times in the south though. plague proportions nowadays.

[POIDH]

There's lots of places - you just need to be away from cities, people and motorways.

The further north you go, the better.