Leisure Drive

[Ruperts Trooper]

I drove the "Snow Roads" tourist route https://www.snowroads.com/ in Scotland last Thursday, disappointing in that very little snow even on the tops, the effect of climate change - however it's a rewarding road to drive when there's little or no other traffic around.

I followed it up on the Saturday by driving from Dunnet Head to Lizard Point, equally rewarding but very different.

[owen b]

I drove the "Snow Roads" tourist route https://www.snowroads.com/ in Scotland last Thursday, disappointing in that very little snow even on the tops, the effect of climate change - however it's a rewarding road to drive when there's little or no other traffic around.

I did the great majority of the "Snow Roads" route last week but spread out over several days, the section from north of Bridge of Cally to Balmoral on Monday 22nd, various meanderings in the Balmoral / Gairnshiel / Ballater / Corgarff area on the Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Corgarff to Grantown on Thursday. On the Monday over Cairnwell it was very dry and several degrees above freezing and there were only snow patches even on the tops at 900-1100m above sea level. However Wednesday night was cold and showery and on the Thursday morning going over the Lecht although the road was completely clear of snow it was sufficiently cold and showery that more care was needed than usual. To my surprise a few minutes later I got caught in a heavy and quite prolonged snow shower coming into Tomintoul, to the point that it looked like a proper snowy winter scene through my windscreen, although it turned to slush quickly and had melted within an hour or two. I did a hill walk up to Cnap Chaochan Aitinn (715m asl) from Tomintoul and the snow level was at about 650m, so just 2-5cm of soft snow at the summit. The view at the top to the snow covered northern Cairngorms was awesome. It was a relatively cold week last week in Scotland as the wind was consistently from a broadly northerly direction, although not at all unusual by any historical climatic standard.

[Owain]

My memory is a little bit hazy here, but I think the B4226 through the Forest of Dean was signposted as 'scenic route' during the time I lived there (1980s/90s).

It's only taken the whole duration of my SABRE membership to check, but I was right!

I can also recall the signage on the A48 from Gloucester to Chepstow having "HR" patches back in the '80s/90s too, and in checking I notice that the route is still designated as such, only with weird little plates separate from the main sign.

The most scenic route of all down there does get tourist signs, but no special designation for the A466 itself. (Those 20 signs weren't there though!)

[jgharston]

There's a good list of these in North Yorkshire here.
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... hire-49742

My leisure route from Whitby to York is exactly that in the article!

[KeithW]

My leisure route from Whitby to York is exactly that in the article!

My favourite route for a sunday drive is

Marton-in-Cleveland to Stokesley
B1257 through Great Broughton to Helmsley
A170 to Keldhome and Hutton-le-Hole
Continue north on Blakey Road to the Black Lion
Lunch at the Black Lion
North and West to Castleton
North to the A171 at Lockwood Beck
West along the A171/A1043 back to Marton-in-Cleveland

The literal highlight of the road is along Blakey Ridge where you have views of Westerdale and Rosedale to either side

My route from Whitby to Scarborough is via Ruswarp and the B1416 (Sneaton Lane) to the A171 at Burniston and then the A165 through Scalby Mills to Peasholm and along the seafront or better yet Castle Road and admire the views.
https://www.google.com/maps/@54.2877888 ... &entry=ttu

Then there is the seaside town that failed - Ravenscar, not a great surprise given the beach is a long and difficult scramble down the cliffs.
https://www.google.com/maps/@54.4065885 ... &entry=ttu

What it does have is a the Raven Hall Hotel and Golf Course.
https://www.google.com/maps/@54.4023898 ... &entry=ttu

And of course the views.
https://geographical.co.uk/culture/disc ... -got-built

[Owain]

My favourite route for a sunday drive is ...

The only problem with going for a Sunday drive is all the Sunday drivers!

Give me a Saturday afternoon, please, when everybody else is either walking around a shopping centre or watching sport...

[KeithW]

My favourite route for a sunday drive is ...

The only problem with going for a Sunday drive is all the Sunday drivers!

Give me a Saturday afternoon, please, when everybody else is either walking around a shopping centre or watching sport...

Cant say I have come across many Sunday drivers on the route, I doubt many people outside North Yorkshire know about it

The busiest bit is Castleton to the A171 at Lockwood Beck which apparently has an AADT of 1.5k, the alternative B1257 carries 2k , damn those commuters

[Owain]

My favourite route for a sunday drive is ...

The only problem with going for a Sunday drive is all the Sunday drivers!

Give me a Saturday afternoon, please, when everybody else is either walking around a shopping centre or watching sport...

Cant say I have come across many Sunday drivers on the route, I doubt many people outside North Yorkshire know about it

The busiest bit is Castleton to the A171 at Lockwood Beck which apparently has an AADT of 1.5k, the alternative B1257 carries 2k , damn those commuters

Funnily enough, I've been thinking of making a few drives up that way to put some miles on our cars, which aren't getting used enough since we pretty much stopped travelling. I've been eyeing some of the roads on your itinerary, so I might factor them in...