How to find the best roads for a blat...

[pipnjones]

I have good news! My wife has found a foolproof way to find excellent driving routes. It works across Germany, and I am pretty sure it will work in the UK too. (Apologies in advance if this is obvious, but we had such a blast last week, that I want to share).

Go to a bookshop (or search on-line) for a book on the best motorbike routes in a given area. If it is fun on a bike, it is fun in a Caterham.

Lots of these routes will be no fun in a heavy, wallowing car, but for something light and nimble, it is foolproof.

And for the days between now and the arrival of the book, as a slightly more hit and miss approach, you can also use Apple's new maps on iphone to search for "fastest route", and then let it send you down farm tracks. The only disadvantage is that there is no guarantee that you will be at your destination at the end of the drive.

[Dave J]

no need for all that, a simple google search for best biking roads leads you to lots of interactive maps and websites

http://www.bestbikingroads.com/

[grenpayne]

As well as the biking route planners, I tend to pick out routes on Google Maps that look interesting and then use Streetview to see the detail. Streetview is great as it'll show up 30 and 40mph speed limits you wouldn't know about and also long stretches of no overtaking. In fact I found part one of my best and most favourite blat routes this way

[mrmr96]

I use TomTom and set planning preferences to "shortest route" to stay off the beaten track. Sometimes needs a "travel via" way-point set though, to get you into the country side.

[coppice]

Or you could spend about ten p on a road atlas and work it out for yourself- try it- it's a lot more fun ...

[sjmmarsh]

Ot look for websites like these

Steve

[pipnjones]

Dave J said:

no need for all that, a simple google search for best biking roads leads you to lots of interactive maps and websites

http://www.bestbikingroads.com/

Ooh. Looking very nice -- and nice that it covers multiple countries. We were on a few of these routes in the area southwest of Bonn and the views are truly stunning. I feel a "Hotel booking + long weekend" beckoning before it gets too cold.