Scenic, very cool drives

Thought I'd post this link for anyone who might be interested.

For Adam's birthday, we went for a drive so he could enjoy our new car. I found this page on a site called 'Drivers Know' and the suggestions were great.

We did the drive down the A39 through Exmoor. Adam was in awe of it. It was a great driving road and the view was spectacular. He said he'd never seen anything like it in England in his life.

We intended to do the A38 on the way home, but it was already too dark. We're definitely going to do it another time, though. We also might check out some of the others when we've got the time to go a bit further out.

If the rest are anything like the one we did, they're well worth it.

Cheers Jen!

I've been wanting to do a few scenic routes more for the driving experience than to actually see the scenery as I do like my Accelerator if you catch my drift!

The bridges that are built for long distances over stretches of water are what I'd love to drive on someday for the experience, I know theres one such 20 mile stretch in the northern part of Holland and my mate always wanted for us to take one of our friends 'faster' cars along it   just never got the chance!

Also the same type of thing which crosses the stretch of water (or is it a lake?) in New Orleans and maybe the same along the Florida Keys. Has to be in a 'propper' car though!

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

I guessed that if nobody else cared about this, you would, Dennis.

I always wanted to do the drive to the Keys, but never got that far South the times I was in Florida. I used to love the interchanges on the newer freeways in SoCal.

The route we did the other day was excellent. The part between Porlock and Leymouth was, as the article said, the best bit. Really steep hills at each end, and then great curves and inclines along the way.

At one point, there was a steep drop to a crevasse on one side of us, and a steep drop to the water on the other. Absolutely stunning and great fun, even as a passenger.

It also had lots of no restriction zones, so we got to see what our car could do. (Of course, now it can't do anything until we get a new battery on Monday...)

My experience in the South of England suggest that just about any drive along an A road is worth making. Gosh, the countryside is beautiful and unspoiled. It's one of the best surprises, getting out from London.

Not that there aren't beautiful drives in the US, but we're way too profligate with billboards and gas stations.

My experience in the South of England suggest that just about any drive along an A road is worth making. Gosh, the countryside is beautiful and unspoiled. It's one of the best surprises, getting out from London.

Not that there aren't beautiful drives in the US, but we're way too profligate with billboards and gas stations.

I 100% agree!!!

My Ed's aunt and uncle took us for a drive through the Yorkshire Dales and well...that was it, if my heart and soul didn't belong to Ed already Yorkshire would have had it that day!! Absolutely breathtaking. Driving down Florida highways are just so depressingly ugly most of the time...and the billboards ugh. Don't get me started!

Also, I have to warn people who want to drive down the Florida Keys with the idea of getting to use their accelerator...no such luck chuck! The road is two lanes (yes, one in either direction) and you often get stuck behind someone going slower than you'd like (ugh, caravans). There are many deaths down that road every year due to impatient people who like to try and pass the cars in front of them by going in the opposite lane...very very bad idea!

There are hidden gems in the U.S. among the roadside clutter. One of the most beautiful drivers I've ever taken was crossing from New Mexico into Arizona at sunrise. Holy cow! I'd been driving for about 30 hours at that point, including a night-time ice storm in the mountains of New Mexico where I spun off the road twice, and I was ready to ditch my car and walk to Los Angeles, but that view...it just made me happy to be behind the wheel of a car. The feeling of most intense joy I've ever had while driving.

An interesting drive not too far out of London is to Arundel head south on the A24 to Findon then turn right and follow the signs. It's not so much the road as when you arrive in Arundel. You turn a corner and there in front of you is this huge castle and a massive Cathedral. there is also a church built in 1380. Its not a big place at all but worth a day. It still impresses me every time i turn that corner.

http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/West_Sussex/Arundel/pictures/1007866

http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/West_Sussex/Arundel/pictures/1002430

Arundel! I loved it! The castle is made of warm-colored stone up on a hill. On sunny days, it's bright and gold and shining up above, and the town below is blue in the shadows. Beautiful.

Lots of fun, junky old antiques stores. The castle is well worth touring, too. Particularly the Queen Victoria bedroom. Wouldn't it be cool if your friends had to build you a special room every time you said you were coming for a visit?

I bought some chocolate covered cherries there...which, I didn't know, weren't solid in the middle, but liquid. Sitting on the platform at the train station, I bit into one and it went right down my shirt. I went into the loo to wash it out and saw my first pull-chain toilet. Like to froze to death in a wet shirt, though.

Thanks for triggering that memory 

I went into the loo to wash it out and saw my first pull-chain toilet.
Thanks for triggering that memory 

yep, lots to see in arundel....

Some scenic drives can just be normal routes.
Just driving from Manchester airport to my home in Yorkshire, my DF was in awe, she loved that, driving over the moors to Whitby again she thought was beautiful. I think somestimes when we live somewhere we just take things for granted.

Some scenic drives can just be normal routes.
Just driving from Manchester airport to my home in Yorkshire, my DF was in awe, she loved that, driving over the moors to Whitby again she thought was beautiful. I think somestimes when we live somewhere we just take things for granted.

You sound just like my hubby, TykeMan!  When I first came to visit and hubby picked me up at the Manchester airport it was the same thing--seeing the beauty of the moors from the motorway on the drive back.  Also my first spring here I was in awe of the daffodills which were in bloom--everywhere!  I couldn't beleive how many daffs on every verge, by the side of all the roads, on roundabouts, people back and front gardens--I'd never seen so many daffodills in my life! My husband says he had taken that for granted up until then. (sorry that was getting a bit off-topic)

You sound just like my hubby, TykeMan!  When I first came to visit and hubby picked me up at the Manchester airport it was the same thing--seeing the beauty of the moors from the motorway on the drive back.  Also my first spring here I was in awe of the daffodills which were in bloom--everywhere!  I couldn't beleive how many daffs on every verge, by the side of all the roads, on roundabouts, people back and front gardens--I'd never seen so many daffodills in my life! My husband says he had taken that for granted up until then. (sorry that was getting a bit off-topic)

You are in Leeds aren't you Andee? We didn't even do the M62, as I'm in South Yorkshire it was Woodhead Pass weaving it's way across. I was in tears driving back across this morning having dropped her at the airport.
She's from just across the river from Philly as well.

You are in Leeds aren't you Andee? We didn't even do the M62, as I'm in South Yorkshire it was Woodhead Pass weaving it's way across. I was in tears driving back across this morning having dropped her at the airport.
She's from just across the river from Philly as well.

Awww    I  hope you guys will be together again very soon...and yes I'm in Leeds.  That's cool your girl is from New Jersey!

Awww    I  hope you guys will be together again very soon...and yes I'm in Leeds.  That's cool your girl is from New Jersey!

Thanks

I'm planning a visit in May.