Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

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Osthagen
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Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Osthagen »

Since we have a thread about people's favourite UK roads in the British and Irish Roads Forum, which see, I thought it might be interesting if we shared our favourite foreign roads to drive on.

For me, the obvious choice is the E6. Well, the Norwegian section at any rate. Barring some of the mostly short urban sections, the scenery is more or less outstanding throughout and IMHO, you'll probably find the best scenery north of Stjørdal, but south of there also has some fine scenery, with some particularly interesting mountain passes around Hjerkinn before you hit the main fjords, and some very nice valleys, in particular the Gaula. I can highly recommend this route to anyone who looking to see the fjords of Norway :) There are also some particularly interesting bridges and tunnels along the road too The road also holds personal significance for me, as it passes through Lillehammer, hometown of my grandmother.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by sydneynick »

Sea Cliff Bridge, on the coastal road between Sydney and Wollongong. See https://goo.gl/maps/w372SqrFHp42 and also use Streetview.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by WHBM »

US 1 Miami to Key West
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Osthagen »

WHBM wrote:US 1 Miami to Key West
Good choice :thumbsup: We drove the Overseas Highway as it’s know about two years ago. Fantastic drive and I quickly fell in love with Key Largo, where we stayed before setting off for the first leg of our I-95 roadtrip.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by roadtester »

My favourite non-UK road is the Autobahn A555 between Cologne and Bonn - for both historical/Sabristic reasons and driving reasons.

What is today called the A555 has quite a good claim to be the first ever autobahn. It was built in the early thirties before Hitler came to power and in the manner of the early Italian autostrade, it was originally a single carriageway road but with modern alignments and grade separation. I think it was dualled in the fifties and has been widened again since.

From a driving point of view, it is, or certainly was, one of the few places on the German autobahn network where you can safely max out even a fast car. It's mostly straight with the exception of a single gentle kink about half way along. About twenty years ago, they partly spoiled the fun by putting in a night-time speed limit on one stretch in order to reduce noise levels for local residents.

I haven't driven it for a few years, so I'm not sure what the up-to-date situation is in terms of speed limits, but this old video I found on youtube gives an idea of the possibilities. It's a humble Astra G 1.6 that hits an indicated 200 km/h (or about 125 miles per hour) about three minutes in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M1VfY1D3DI
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by WHBM »

Osthagen wrote:
WHBM wrote:US 1 Miami to Key West
Good choice :thumbsup: We drove the Overseas Highway as it’s know about two years ago. Fantastic drive and I quickly fell in love with Key Largo, where we stayed.
Key Largo has one of my favourite roadside cafes (I've done the trip more than once, always go here)

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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by owen b »

roadtester wrote:My favourite non-UK road is the Autobahn A555 between Cologne and Bonn - for both historical/Sabristic reasons and driving reasons.

What is today called the A555 has quite a good claim to be the first ever autobahn. It was built in the early thirties before Hitler came to power and in the manner of the early Italian autostrade, it was originally a single carriageway road but with modern alignments and grade separation. I think it was dualled in the fifties and has been widened again since.

From a driving point of view, it is, or certainly was, one of the few places on the German autobahn network where you can safely max out even a fast car. It's mostly straight with the exception of a single gentle kink about half way along. About twenty years ago, they partly spoiled the fun by putting in a night-time speed limit on one stretch in order to reduce noise levels for local residents.

I haven't driven it for a few years, so I'm not sure what the up-to-date situation is in terms of speed limits, but this old video I found on youtube gives an idea of the possibilities. It's a humble Astra G 1.6 that hits an indicated 200 km/h (or about 125 miles per hour) about three minutes in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M1VfY1D3DI
I think that stretch of road is the fastest I've ever driven (which isn't particularly fast). I had a friend of mine studying in Bonn in the late 1990s and I remember doing a few km at high speed in a Vectra. I have done a lap of the Nurburgring which was great fun, but as it was in a 1994 1.0 3 cylinder Corsa I wasn't going very quickly :laugh: .

I'm not sure what my favourite road outside the UK I've driven on is. I've not driven beyond France or Benelux or Germany in any of my own cars. I've driven rental cars a couple of times further afield, probably my favourite (for the road, definitely not the car) was driving a small Suzuki, an Alto I think, across the Peloponnese (southern Greece mainland) many years ago.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by KeithW »

Tough choice but it has to be the Great Ocean Road in Australia. In 1998 we planned on driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and the interior road was the shortest and quickest at 720 km and 8 hours. We were strongly advised to take the oceanic route which is 1000 km and took 2 days but boy was it worth it. Spectacular scenery and plenty of friendly small towns made it a highlight of the trip. Every few miles it seemed there was a view you could not miss. We stopped overnight at a motel in Warnambool and ate in a restaurant with spectacular views of the Hopkins River.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Burns »

One of my favourite drives was following the 132 from Modesto to Coulterville, California. The transition from verdant vineyards through grassy plains and eventually into lightly forested mountains was amazing. I just wish I had my dashcam then. The drive from Coulterville to Mariposa was equally as good but the 132 was more memorable.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Alderpoint »

Gawd, so many possibilities...
Highway 1 in British Colombia, Canada, north from Hope and then east to Kamloops. The modern replacement, the Coquihalla highway is pretty impressive too.
Jordan Valley Highway north from the Red Sea port town of Aqaba - the southern part is absolutely featureless through the desert, and then you descend down to and skirt the Dead Sea.
The A40 in France from Bourg to Geneva, so many tunnels, so many bridges.
The A40 in France between Sallanches and Chamonix - both ways as they are such a different experience in each direction.
The Petit St Bernand pass from Bourg-Saint-Maurice in France over to Pre-St-Didier in Italy - especially just before it closes for the winter when you are liable to find snow on the ground, and on the road.
SP510 north of Brescia in Italy alongside the lakes. Incredible tunnels cut through the rock, obviously quite old which makes me marvel at how they were constructed.
The Bernina Pass in Switerland in winter. The highest through road in Switzerland which is kept open all year round. Heading north from the Italian town of Tirano it just seems to go up and up and up and up for ever - and then you realise there is a railway line over it as well.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Burns »

Alderpoint wrote: SP510 north of Brescia in Italy alongside the lakes. Incredible tunnels cut through the rock, obviously quite old which makes me marvel at how they were constructed.
That looks amazing. It's quite similar (although busier) to a lot of the fjord side roads I've driven in Norway. I could fill an entire thread with amazing Norwegian driving experiences but I don't want to bore people.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by SarahJ »

owen b wrote:
roadtester wrote:My favourite non-UK road is the Autobahn A555 between Cologne and Bonn - for both historical/Sabristic reasons and driving reasons.

What is today called the A555 has quite a good claim to be the first ever autobahn. It was built in the early thirties before Hitler came to power and in the manner of the early Italian autostrade, it was originally a single carriageway road but with modern alignments and grade separation. I think it was dualled in the fifties and has been widened again since.

From a driving point of view, it is, or certainly was, one of the few places on the German autobahn network where you can safely max out even a fast car. It's mostly straight with the exception of a single gentle kink about half way along. About twenty years ago, they partly spoiled the fun by putting in a night-time speed limit on one stretch in order to reduce noise levels for local residents.

I haven't driven it for a few years, so I'm not sure what the up-to-date situation is in terms of speed limits, but this old video I found on youtube gives an idea of the possibilities. It's a humble Astra G 1.6 that hits an indicated 200 km/h (or about 125 miles per hour) about three minutes in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M1VfY1D3DI
I think that stretch of road is the fastest I've ever driven (which isn't particularly fast). I had a friend of mine studying in Bonn in the late 1990s and I remember doing a few km at high speed in a Vectra. I have done a lap of the Nurburgring which was great fun, but as it was in a 1994 1.0 3 cylinder Corsa I wasn't going very quickly :laugh: .

I'm not sure what my favourite road outside the UK I've driven on is. I've not driven beyond France or Benelux or Germany in any of my own cars. I've driven rental cars a couple of times further afield, probably my favourite (for the road, definitely not the car) was driving a small Suzuki, an Alto I think, across the Peloponnese (southern Greece mainland) many years ago.
The fastest I've ever gone was on a warm sept evening on the A95 south of Munich. I was doing about 120 when we decided to go for the max, and the car maxed out at it's limited 155. BMW E38 740 4.4 V8 :D

Good roads to drive. The A1 between Bologna and Florence. If your in the right mood, it's not too busy and your in the right car. But somedays it can be a drag. Austria the Krimil falls toll road, the 165. The 500 through the black forest. But sometimes I've just enjoyed being on the A26 and A4 in France, cruise control on, good music, good company. 85 mph and chill.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Chris Bertram »

The French A26/A5/A31, the route from Calais to Burgundy. Closely followed by the former N74 (now downgraded to D974) between Dijon and Santenay, known as the "Route des vins" for a very good reason.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Bryn666 »

roadtester wrote:My favourite non-UK road is the Autobahn A555 between Cologne and Bonn - for both historical/Sabristic reasons and driving reasons.
Rumour has it that the A555 was well liked by diplomats (and their immunity) for testing their cars out as they headed back to Bonn in the days of the West German republic... https://www.ksta.de/region/a-555-die-di ... 80-5893674
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by CallumParry »

405 San Diego Freeway through western Los Angeles / Orange County. Impressive road enginnering (wide several lanes) and i love passing LAX and seeing planes land and the Sepulveda Pass us epic both heading North you see pretty much all the San Fernando Valley and South you see pretty much all of West LA. And it’s pretty much a dead straight for miles through the San Fernando Valley. Best driven at night when it’s not bumber to bumper with traffic just got to be careful as i have witnessed some vehicle doing crazy speeds easy 100/120mph plus
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by ravenbluemoon »

Bryn666 wrote:
roadtester wrote:My favourite non-UK road is the Autobahn A555 between Cologne and Bonn - for both historical/Sabristic reasons and driving reasons.
Rumour has it that the A555 was well liked by diplomats (and their immunity) for testing their cars out as they headed back to Bonn in the days of the West German republic... https://www.ksta.de/region/a-555-die-di ... 80-5893674
...and apparently inspired a certain masterpiece by Kraftwerk. Though at 22 minutes, they'd have made the 18km journey somewhat more slowly than the diplomats!
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by rileyrob »

I'm just back from New Zealand, and as its the only foreign country I've driven in (other than Ireland), it's my only referenced point. However, there are some stunning roads, and some extremely dull ones.

Some of the 'coastal routes' north of Auckland are great fun, and there is a long section of switchback on SH1. However, head south to find the best roads.

SH43, the Forgotten World Highway is amazing, perhaps not one of the great drivers roads, but the scenery and ambience of the route have to be experienced.

On south island, there are some fun roads, including the Queen Charlotte Drive west out of Picton and some sections of SH6 as it heads out and along the west coast.

The local road from Wanaka through Cardrona to Queenstown has to be experienced, as does SH90 out to the incredible Milford Sound.

However, for a series of amazing views, a hidden gem is the Tourist Summit Road on the Banks Peninsula east of Christchurch. Although it won't mean much to most of you, it reminded both of us very much of St Helena, on a much larger scale.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by Vierwielen »

KeithW wrote:Tough choice but it has to be the Great Ocean Road in Australia. In 1998 we planned on driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and the interior road was the shortest and quickest at 720 km and 8 hours. We were strongly advised to take the oceanic route which is 1000 km and took 2 days but boy was it worth it. Spectacular scenery and plenty of friendly small towns made it a highlight of the trip. Every few miles it seemed there was a view you could not miss. We stopped overnight at a motel in Warnambool and ate in a restaurant with spectacular views of the Hopkins River.
I certainly enjoyed the Great Ocean Drive which my wife and I did in 2013. Another scenic drive is Chapmans Peak, near Cape Town. That particular route is part of the Two Oceans ultra-marathon route (56 km) which is being run on Easter Saturday (sorry, entries are closed).
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by danfw194 »

If you're not in a mad hurry to move on south after departing the Tunnel/Ferry at Calais, the D940 coast road to Boulogne is a fun drive. Really great scenery, some lovely seaside villages and Cap Griz Nez is a good vantage point.
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Re: Favourite non-UK road to drive on?

Post by lefthandedspanner »

The coastbound A1 in Croatia, which starts in the capital, makes a beeline for the Adriatic and ultimately to the ports of Rijeka and Ploče, connecting them to the interior. The most impressive aspects of it are its spectacularly scenic nature, along with its sheer ambition, as it carves its way through the mountains of Gorski Kotar by means of numerous cuttings and tunnels.

It's also notable for being the only place I've ever seen a hairpin bend on the mainline of a motorway!
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