Favourite unclassified

[Owain]

What a great topic!

My yardstick would be whether or not it is possible to achieve NSL on the road, and on that basis I have several favourites dating from different phases of my life:

1)

The little white road heading east from the B4228 in St Briavels, and turning abruptly north to Bream about two miles later. It is a wide road, with fast sweeping curves, and NSL is easily possible in several places where there are very good sight lines. After the brutal bend towards Bream it narrows dramatically and you'd be a fool to do much more than 20mph, so it loses its appeal!

2)

The white road beginning next to the Ashton Monument at the highest point in Lancaster and heading towards Quernmore. It dips under the M6 before climbing up onto the moors and passing through the Trough of Bowland. It is a glorious road before it narrows and begins its descent towards Dunsop Bridge. Signposts indicate that it goes to Clitheroe, but you need to TOTSO (if that's possible on an unclassified road!) to get there; I don't actually know where the road finishes, but the section I've described is well worth a drive.

3)

If you live in Frome and want to get to Bristol airport, forget the classified roads that your satnav will recommend! The Old Wells Road and Old Frome Road form a more-or-less continuous route between Nunney and the A37. They look like a B-road, but have no number. They are wide and straight and potentially very, very fast! No need to worry about getting stuck behind tractors or bimblers; traffic is light and because it's dead straight you rarely need to wait to pass. They do cede priority to the various other unclassified roads that cross its path, but it's easy to regard them as forming on coherent unclassified route. Westward, they effectively continue as the B3135 and B3134 to reach the airport.

[Richard_Fairhurst]

Too many to choose from, but the road to the Teifi Pools has to be high on my list: https://cycle.travel/map?from=52.2974,- ... 57,-3.8511

[Johnathan404]

The bumps and dips of Matchams Lane.

[Peter350]

For me, it’s the road from Ladybower to Derwent reservoir in the Peak District. I love how it’s a dead end clearway, not to mention the stunning scenery!

[Euan]

When we visited the Peak District a while back we drove up Winnats Pass:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.34127 ... 312!8i6656

I thought that the road was spectacular - amongst all the roads I have been on in England this one is probably one of my favourites.

[Tony_A470]

The road from Machynlleth to the B4518 just N of Staylittle is stunning, and very quiet too - maybe I've been lucky but I rarely see other cars on it.

[PeterA5145]

Four good ones in Cheshire:

• From the A527 at Dane-in-Shaw just south of Congleton across to the A523 near Rudyard Lake, which effectively forms a main road between Congleton and Leek
• From the A5034 along the western boundary of Tatton Park up to Ashley, including a very long straight
• From the B5356 at Appleton Thorn to the A50 at Sworton Heath, bypassing M6 J20 to the south. This also includes a couple of good straights
• From the B5152 at Overton at the top of Frodsham across to the B5393 at Simmond's Hill, which is surprisingly scenic and has impressive views over the Mersey estuary. Another good straight here

[Ambosc79]

The road from the top of Lake Vyrnwy over to Dinas Mawddwy. Spectacular drive and never anything on it. The descent offers the chance to do the NSL, in neutral

Those roads around the Elan Valley are pretty fun too, and of course round here there is the Burway which gets a surprising amount of traffic on sunny weekends (you haven't done that road properly unless you've had to reverse uphill for something )

[vlad]

For ease of driving, the east-west road through Longnor, here (although there are a few hairy bits, such as the climb out of Crowdecote).

For views, the road over Wincle Minn here, even if it's a gated, unfenced road that doesn't seem to have been resurfaced since before I was born.

Honourable mention: Swainsley Tunnel, here.

...and of course round here there is the Burway which gets a surprising amount of traffic on sunny weekends (you haven't done that road properly unless you've had to reverse uphill for something )

You haven't done that road properly unless you've done it as a passenger in a minibus (with a driver who was scared stiff and who had words with the navigator after we got to the top).

[AndyB]

My favourite is the street where I live

[Norfolktolancashire]

The ex-A30 Sourton Down to Lifton Down

I drove on that road for the first time last October to avoid queues on the D2 A30, what a lovely road with sweeping bends, beautiful countryside and so quiet.

[danfw194]

Marine Drive which circumnavigates the Great Orme in Llandudno. You have to pay to get on it, so not sure if it is technically a private road.

Stragglethorpe Road provides a really useful rat run between the A52 and A46 to the east of Nottingham.

[multiraider2]

One I found at the end of last year: Tidal Road from Aveton Gifford. See here. Being right next to the River Avon (Devon's one) is great and what is even better is the time and distance saving to reach Bigbury-on-Sea versus the alternative A379/B3392. It's a shame my vision isn't what it was or I could have picked out the road on my OS map on the way there as well and saved a lot of hassle. I usually like B roads, but the B3392 was full of traffic; bends; single track sections and some questionable driving standards. Perhaps best avoided when the tide's in though.

[KeithW]

One I found at the end of last year: Tidal Road from Aveton Gifford. See here. Being right next to the River Avon (Devon's one) is great and what is even better is the time and distance saving to reach Bigbury-on-Sea versus the alternative A379/B3392. It's a shame my vision isn't what it was or I could have picked out the road on my OS map on the way there as well and saved a lot of hassle. I usually like B roads, but the B3392 was full of traffic; bends; single track sections and some questionable driving standards. Perhaps best avoided when the tide's in though.

It looks like consulting the tide tables before you go would be a good idea.

[vlad]

One I found at the end of last year: Tidal Road from Aveton Gifford. See here.

This sign interests me. I appreciate that people may walk along the road - but why warn there specifically given that you can only join the road there by wading through the mud?

[multiraider2]

One I found at the end of last year: Tidal Road from Aveton Gifford. See here.

This sign interests me. I appreciate that people may walk along the road - but why warn there specifically given that you can only join the road there by wading through the mud?

Indeed. The sign from the other direction is at the start of the tidal section which makes sense. It's almost an afterthought heading South.

[stu531]

In England, the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes between Little Langdale and Boot are spectacular, but definitely not for the inexperienced driver (or even passenger). The unclassified road along Wastwater has amazing views of the lake and the screes, which both look very menacing in poor weather, and the end of the road at Wasdale Head offers magnificent views of Great Gable.

Couldn't agree more - was going to suggest these until I saw your post!

As alternatives I'll suggest Coverdale Pass (also known as Park Rash Pass), from Kettlewell to Carlton. The roads around Malham Tarn are pretty spectacular too.

Not far from me, Greenhow Hill Road, from Blubberhouses to Greenhow Hill, is a belter of a drive - different in that it's a fast road over the dales (not advocating speeding, of course).

[WeirdKerr]

This road that goes from near Achiltibuie to Lochinver via Inverkirkaig springs to mind [gmap]https://goo.gl/maps/fALfhrWVtcD2[/gmap]

[multiraider2]

Then there's this one across Goonhilly Downs. The Cadgwith to Coverack journey is lengthened because there is no coastal connection of even minor roads. What makes that not a chore, is that the connecting B3294; B3293 and this unclassified one are mostly such great driving roads and even in the school summer holidays are not choked with traffic.