Best driving roads near London

[rob07]

I have just about sorted all the little niggles on my classic lotus and want to take it for a nice drive. I want to do a round trip of about 60 miles for now. The problem is I live in London/Brent cross and something like the Black Mountain Pass - A4069 running north from Brynamman - as used in a multitude of features by Top Gear, and other car programs is not on my doorstep.
Every time I want to go for a drive I have to wade through at least 15 miles each way of congested London crap. Other than relocate to a new area I don't know what to do.
Are there any nice driving roads just on the outskirts of London.

[aeropilot]

rob07 said:

Are there any nice driving roads just on the outskirts of London.

To put it bluntly, no there isn't.
I know your pain from when I lived in outer London, and even a 2 hr Sunday run once a month min involved too much sitting in traffic aggro when coming back inside the M25 boundary on the return home. Not so bad early morning when leaving on a Sat or Sun, but a PITA coming back once past lunchtime and especially into the late afternoon.

You'll need to head out into Bucks/Herts/Beds/Cambs at least to find any decent roads, and even then, you have to venture further afield than that tbh, well up into East Anglia or Lincs from your neck of the woods.

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 17th December 14:08

[okgo]

You now know why most people who live in London either do not drive or do not prioritise motoring as a form of enjoyment, despite very often having the means to do so.

[Dapster]

aeropilot said:

rob07 said:

You'll need to head out into Bucks/Herts/Beds/Cambs at least to find any decent roads, and even then, you have to venture further afield than that tbh, well up into East Anglia or Lincs from your neck of the woods.

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 17th December 14:08

When I lived near Chelmsford I had a Caterham and found loads and loads of great roads around there and plenty of lovely pubs in beautiful villages where you could stop for rest and refreshments. Sunday's were particularly good fun as there would always be a handful of other petrol heads doing the same.

Co-incidentally I'm very near the OP in North London but I'm not sure I could suggest anywhere that close - you'd need to head out on something like the A41 out towards Berkhamstead and Tring and when far enough out, turn off and dive down the B roads.

[aeropilot]

Dapster said:

Co-incidentally I'm very near the OP in North London but I'm not sure I could suggest anywhere that close - you'd need to head out on something like the A41 out towards Berkhamstead and Tring and when far enough out, turn off and dive down the B roads.

Yep, that's where I used to head out back in the late 90's and early 00's when I lived near RAF Northolt and needed to head out for a 2hr hr run out to give the car some exercise (that's over 15 years ago though, and roads and traffic are far, far worse now)

From where OP is, as you say, head out up the A41 and then dive off around the roads between Aylesbury and Buckingham and Bicester and Leighton Buzzard.

Or, head out up the A1 and then off onto the A505 and head into the country roads to the north and south of Royston.

Either option though will involve pain and loathing coming back into London once inside the M25. That can't be avoided.

[SS427 Camaro]

Dapster said:

When I lived near Chelmsford I had a Caterham and found loads and loads of great roads around there and plenty of lovely pubs in beautiful villages where you could stop for rest and refreshments. Sunday's were particularly good fun as there would always be a handful of other petrol heads doing the same.

Co-incidentally I'm very near the OP in North London but I'm not sure I could suggest anywhere that close - you'd need to head out on something like the A41 out towards Berkhamstead and Tring and when far enough out, turn off and dive down the B roads.

Very sadly, Chelmsford has been allowed to be hideously over developed, Essex regiment way and onto Dunmow or past Great Leigh’s used to be fairly clear, but it’s bloody awful now and they are Still building plus putting a ruddy new rail station in. This has bought masses of people and more vehicles heading to and from Chelmsford. The only time it’s possible to put your foot down is late at night / early in the morning.

[mattvanders]

SS427 Camaro said:

Dapster said:

When I lived near Chelmsford I had a Caterham and found loads and loads of great roads around there and plenty of lovely pubs in beautiful villages where you could stop for rest and refreshments. Sunday's were particularly good fun as there would always be a handful of other petrol heads doing the same.

Co-incidentally I'm very near the OP in North London but I'm not sure I could suggest anywhere that close - you'd need to head out on something like the A41 out towards Berkhamstead and Tring and when far enough out, turn off and dive down the B roads.

Very sadly, Chelmsford has been allowed to be hideously over developed, Essex regiment way and onto Dunmow or past Great Leigh’s used to be fairly clear, but it’s bloody awful now and they are Still building plus putting a ruddy new rail station in. This has bought masses of people and more vehicles heading to and from Chelmsford. The only time it’s possible to put your foot down is late at night / early in the morning.

There some nice roads heading to Finching field way or take the back roads from Maldon to Mersea - but yesterday Chelmsford as a whole is getting more congested with any of the main country roads heading to the nearest next town or motorway/duel carriageway getting very bizzy

[benp1]

If that were me, I'd jump on the M1 to around Harpenden, then head north or east on back lanes, ultimately threading my way back between hertford and potters bar to end up back on the A1 for the run back home. Or you could do that in the opposite direction. If you have more time you can head further north towards hitchin and then over to buntingford.

There are some absolutely cracking roads around there, but its needs to be fairly early before they become too busy. I used to head out on my motorbike on many of these roads

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Not near north London but the Surrey hills?

[Gastons_Revenge]

You don't have to go several hours up the country to find fun driving roads. There are plenty in the more rural areas of the home counties, Surrey Hills as mentioned and also North Hampshire, West Sussex etc.

[okgo]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Not near north London but the Surrey hills?

No. Driving like a tit where endless people are cycling and riding horses isn’t a great idea.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

There's driving like a track day and there's just enjoying the road.

I enjoy the roads in that area no way near the speed limit. It's more flow, scenery and skill on the single car length/high banking roads.

[aeropilot]

Gastons_Revenge said:

There are plenty in the more rural areas of the home counties, Surrey Hills as mentioned and also North Hampshire, West Sussex etc.

Hardly helps the OP when he lives in NW London, as it just makes the problem even worse when returning home, as you'd need to do battle with the western stretch of the M25 coming back.......which is what he's trying to avoid
Which is exactly why I never ventured south of the M4 corridor when I lived not far from where the OP does and took an early Sunday run out. This is why he needs to head out along the A41 corridor into Bucks and Ox, or head out on the M1 and turn left into that area and then come back along the A41 corridor, or turn right off M1 and into the Herts/Beds/Cambs area and return via A1/A10.

[braddo]

Yep, you need the most direct route out of London from wherever you are and find roads out in that direction. Anything else just takes too long to get home.

Early weekend mornings are the only times for anywhere in the South East to enjoy driving on quiet roads.

Surrey Hills is OK for slow pottering but I've never found fun driving roads - any combination of too much traffic (incl bicycles), too narrow or not enough visibility. So I stay on the A3/A24 to head a bit further out.

[Ed.Neumann]

I would just head out towards Welham Green train station and go east from there, so go up through Mill Hill over the M25 at S. Mimms, and when you get there go across country, heading towards Little Berkhamstead, then head over towards Broxbourne and down around Epping Green and then keep following the roads around or head back if it is too busy.

Just keep taking the smaller roads and ignoring the Nav. Best way to find some clearer more twisty roads.

[nickpan]

As a side point - I battled with this "issue / first world problem" for many years living in Zone 2, whereby I wanted to be able to periodically run a 60s/70s performance car, and for all the reasons mentioned above - I gave up.

I've landed on a more modern performance car that can deal with London traffic whenever I am able to escape, and a 60s/70s classic in the form of a Fiat 500 (albeit with a slightly hot engine) for my classic fix, and that coincidentally seems to love traffic.

[williamp]

Brands Hatch?

Most of the SE is too busy to enjoy them after from if you are lucky or an early riser. The A20 from Maidstone to Chilham and then onto Canterbury is great fun if empty, but seldom empty for long.

[rob07]

I would like to thank you all for your suggestions, for which I will look them up on a map and try some out. But the problem remains that there seems to be nothing close by, meaning that every time I wish to enjoy the drive it has to be quite lengthy one.

[aeropilot]

rob07 said:

But the problem remains that there seems to be nothing close by, meaning that every time I wish to enjoy the drive it has to be quite lengthy one.

I'm afraid that's the penalty for living inside the M25 boundary, so its put up with it, sell the car, or move out of London.

[thegreenhell]

Plenty of reasonably interesting roads which should be fun in a classic Lotus in the Chilterns. Head up the A40/M40 towards High Wycombe, then head off into the hills from there.

It's not the Brecon Beacons or Scottish Highlands, but you won't find anything like that within hours of London, unless you can find that road in Hertfordshire where Clarkson tested the Ferrari F12...