|
2 members (Saxonian, +8Rich),
358
guests, and
30
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wales
by Joske Vermeule, September 1
|
|
|
|
|
Forums39
Topics49,904
Posts838,088
Members9,635
| |
Most Online1,063
Jun 14th, 2026
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363
Talk Morgan Guru
|
OP
Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363 |
Shamelessly culled from another DG: The “Snake Pass” and the M25 - Britain’s best and worst roads
As Britain’s roads prepare to take the strain of a new school term, ‘The Snake Pass’ has been named as the country’s best driving road in a survey by British sportscar manufacturer, Caterham. The A57 from Sheffield to Glossop topped the poll to find the best - and worst - stretches of the 230,000 miles of tarmac that link the United Kingdom. Unsurprisingly, the clockwise section of the M25 between Junction 5 and 21 was voted the worst. Though traffic figures have risen 14% in the last decade, it isn’t all bad, as the survey of over 1,687 of the most travelled Caterham Seven owners revealed.
Respondents highlighted ten stand-out stretches of driving nirvana hidden away from four-lane tailbacks and service station coffee.
1.
A57 ‘Snake Pass’, Sheffield to Glossop. ‘Over 25 miles of tarmac rollercoaster.’
2.
A537 ‘Cat & Fiddle road’, Macclesfield to Buxton. ‘Addictively technical but takes no prisoners.’
3.
A18 ‘Mountain Section’, Isle of Man. ‘Part of the famous TT course and has no speed limit.’
4.
A4086 “Pass of Llanberis” Caernarfon to Capel Curig. ‘Twisty roads and Snowdonia backdrop make it a must.’
5.
A817 Loch Lomond to Garelochhead ‘A wide, long, smooth curving road which carries you from loch to loch.’
6.
A87 Invergarry to Isle of Skye. ‘As breathtaking as it is challenging.’
7.
B3223 Dulverton to Lynton ‘Narrow road through Exmoor Forest but flowing bends that beg to be driven.’
8.
B4100 Warwick to Banbury ‘A superb alternative to the M40’
9.
A35 Lyndhurst to Christchurch ‘The best way to enjoy the New Forest.’
10.
A686 Penrith to Alston. ‘Mainly open countryside, very challenging but rewarding.’
It’s no surprise the main artery routes dominate the list of the UK’s worst roads. A staggering 66% of the country’s traffic is found on the motorways and ‘A’ Roads, which in turn, only account for 13 per cent of the entire road network. So, with a commanding “win”, the M25 receives the indignity of being named as Britain’s worst road. Rounding out the top three is the entire stretch of the M1 and the M6 as it passes Birmingham.
The highest placed ‘A-Road’ is the A14 between Cambridge and Peterborough. The A303 linking the South East with the West Country rounds off the Top 5. Sales and Marketing Director for Caterham Cars, Andy Noble, said: “Due to the large amount of congestion motorists now face, it is often easy to forget how enjoyable driving can be. But turn off from the beaten track and there are plenty of roads that remind us that driving is still a privilege.’ We drove from Warwick to Banbury yesterday and I had forgotten just how good this road is to drive (we used to live near Banbury, so know the road well  ). Driving on to Oxford and then Henley on the way home was a fitting valedictory drive for Marion's car.  Has anybody on this forum got favourite roads which have not been included above?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,841 Likes: 11
le Asbo du Bling Talk Morgan Addict
|
|
le Asbo du Bling Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,841 Likes: 11 |
The highest placed ‘A-Road’ is the A14 between Cambridge and Peterborough. A well researched document. The A14 stops about 20 miles from Peterborough so they must be either using the latest Caterham 4x4 or the new A1M (Now thats a road)  4 lanes just a few bridges 70mph all the way  The A14 is one of the worse roads in the country which I use on a daily basis. 
Slowly going green
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363
Talk Morgan Guru
|
|
OP
Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363 |
Hi Asbo - are you just in from the pub?  It’s no surprise the main artery routes dominate the list of the [u]UK’s worst roads.[/u] A staggering 66% of the country’s traffic is found on the motorways and ‘A’ Roads, which in turn, only account for 13 per cent of the entire road network.
The highest placed ‘A-Road’ is the A14 between Cambridge and Peterborough. Have I read it wrong or aren't they saying the highest placed "worst road" is the A14 (not a great bit of prose; I agree); if so it sounds remarkably like a comment someone else has just posted. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,321
Talk Morgan Expert
|
|
Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,321 |
The “Snake Pass” and the M25 - Britain’s best and worst roads
As Britain’s roads prepare to take the strain of a new school term, ‘The Snake Pass’ has been named as the country’s best driving road in a survey by British sportscar manufacturer, Caterham. The A57 from Sheffield to Glossop topped the poll to find the best - and worst - stretches of the 230,000 miles of tarmac that link the United Kingdom. Unsurprisingly, the clockwise section of the M25 between Junction 5 and 21 was voted the worst. Though traffic figures have risen 14% in the last decade, it isn’t all bad, as the survey of over 1,687 of the most travelled Caterham Seven owners revealed.
Respondents highlighted ten stand-out stretches of driving nirvana hidden away from four-lane tailbacks and service station coffee.
1.
A57 ‘Snake Pass’, Sheffield to Glossop. ‘Over 25 miles of tarmac rollercoaster.’
2.
A537 ‘Cat & Fiddle road’, Macclesfield to Buxton. ‘Addictively technical but takes no prisoners.’
...and I would agree... I quite often uses Snake head pass, the roads are quite narrow, so no trucks, you do come across tourists, but you could easily overtake them, and on some part of the road are so twisty, even 50mph is too fast! Cat & fiddle is of course LEGENDARY
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,841 Likes: 11
le Asbo du Bling Talk Morgan Addict
|
|
le Asbo du Bling Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,841 Likes: 11 |
Aeroman, Hi Asbo - are you just in from the pub?
You've got it Caught out again  The only bit I read was Cambridge to Peterborough, which is probably why its on the worse road list as it dosn't exist.
Last edited by asbojohn; 04/10/08 09:36 AM.
Slowly going green
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,564
NGUNS!! Part of the Furniture
|
|
NGUNS!! Part of the Furniture
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,564 |
Hi Asbo - are you just in from the pub? It’s no surprise the main artery routes dominate the list of the [u]UK’s worst roads.[/u] A staggering 66% of the country’s traffic is found on the motorways and ‘A’ Roads, which in turn, only account for 13 per cent of the entire road network.
The highest placed ‘A-Road’ is the A14 between Cambridge and Peterborough. Have I read it wrong or aren't they saying the highest placed "worst road" is the A14 (not a great bit of prose; I agree); if so it sounds remarkably like a comment someone else has just posted. I too read that as the A14 being the best A road not the highest placed worst A road (eh!!!) as I now read it - and I haven't been to the pub  We've got a great road down to the coast near us (Alton way down towards Fareham) that I can't remember the name of. Trouble is its well known by the Bikers (in their hundreds) and thus the BiB  used to whizz down in my MegaBird occasionally at a fair rate of knots.
Cheers
BtG
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 98
Just Getting Started
|
|
Just Getting Started
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 98 |
I would add the Antrim Coast Road (A2) from Larne to Portrush in Northern Ireland - comparable with the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Stunning scenery, views across to Islay, wonderful villages with beautiful names, Ballygalley, Glenarm, Carnlough, Waterfoot and Cushendall. A stop off at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills Distillery, the world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery, and past Dunluce Castle to Portrush. 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,481 Likes: 42
Talk Morgan Addict
|
|
Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,481 Likes: 42 |
Amen to that - it is a truly wonderful road. Stop off also to visit Rathlin Island and the RSPB station at it's western end.
Robbie
2021 Plus Four -- Helga
211-WX-1433
"Fettlebodge"--A chief of the PaddyMogs
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 98
Just Getting Started
|
|
Just Getting Started
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 98 |
I would add to the list:
The A65 Skipton to Kendal road - good surface, plenty of bends, great views of the limestone country of North Yorkshire, good places to stop. Can sometimes be a bit busy with heavy lorries and farm traffic. Also - well worth taking the diversion down the Lune Valley to Lancaster.
The A66 down the Eden Valley from Penrith to Brough via Appleby-in-Westmorland.
Another very scenic route the A701 which runs north from Moffatt in Dumfrieshire towards Edinburgh. On the way you get a great view of the Devil's Beef Tub once used by Border Reivers to hide stolen cattle (hence the name) and along Tweeddale through Tweedsmuir (John Buchan country). An enjoyable road on a good day.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 141
L - Learner Plates On
|
|
L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 141 |
What a great topic for dark autumn evenings. I was on the A65 yesterday....just because I could. I often go over the Cat and Fiddle instead of using the A50...just because I can. the B somethingorother from Kirby Stephen to Hawes is wonderful, but the one that sticks in my mind, and I haven't driven the road for 25 years is the road through the 'Kyle of Lochalsh', not just for the shape of the tarmac, but the whole experience, view, light, weather etc was awesome. In fact, it is the road to Skye so may be its the already listed A87, if so I concur. Must go back soon with A7 YUM.
rgds
Nick....just waiting for the sunshine...
|
|
|
|
|
