Safe Speed Forums

Hi all!

I believe this is my first post on here. Be gentle

Anyway. The missus and I are off to Italy tomorrow, and rather than taking the usual peages and toll roads I've mapped out a route that uses normal autoroutes etc and designated scenic roads through the Vosges, Switzerland, and Austria. We hope to find some great stretches of tarmac!

My point.......

What is your all-time favourite road???? Not type of road, but specific road. There are many in this country I am fond of (Bridgnorth to Craven Arms / A458 Birmingham to Barmouth / A4059 Brecon to Hirwaun / A57 Snake Pass from Castleton to Glossop etc). The killer for me (so far) has been the E35 from Basle to Chiasso in Switz. A motorway through the Alps? With a 19k long tunnel where the outside air temp (inside??) reaches 37 degrees? Chocolate box villages on either side? Deep Joy!

Come on, let's have your suggestions!

Simon

PS

On this trip, we are planning a trip down to Florence via the Futa and Raticosa passes! I suspect that the above fave road may change........

I'll let ya all know in 10 days time!

S
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Safe yet Swift.

Can't resist the opportunity for a shameless plug for the Britain's Best Driving Roads page on my website

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Hi Simon

You didn't mention, but are you travelling down through France?

If you stay off the motorways, as I once did, you'll quickly find that most people have the same idea - the result being endless queues of traffic outside every little village along the route.

I enjoy driving just about anywhere in Switz, so no preferences there.

Enjoy

Peter

oh we like bridgenorth to craven arms. The road from shrewbury to bridgenorth is good too, down harvey bank on a tractor is an extreme sport. What about over the Long Mnyd?

Then down here we have the old A130 Rettendon road. No cameras on that one...

A4059 Hirwaun/Brecon is one of my faves as well, I like it in the car, or on my bike, so if you see a cyclist with white legs and ginger hair, leave lots of room



I also like the Mountian road that goes over the Rhigos Mountain between Treorchy & Hirwaun.

Most of Scotland too

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'Detritus, get yer stoney arse over ere'

My favourite road is the A66. The best bits are between Penrith, Keswick and Cockermouth and also out by Appleby. I'm not too keen on the twisty bits around Bassenthwaite.

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Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.

You are a mashochist or drive at 5am then?

The a470 betwen Brecon and Merthyr at dawn on a sunday morning - either direction - Brill!!!

"A4212 Bala-Trawsfynydd (past the Llyn Celyn reservoir). 60mph limit all the way. Plenty of opportunities for overtaking. "

Can't say i've driven many of the others but this without doubt the best road I have ever been on. Beware though there is a cattle grid at one point, my car didn't like it when i hit it 30+ (idiot).

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The way the roads of North Wales are policed is WRONG and it must stop NOW.

BRUNSTROM OUT

A6 Kendal to Carlisle.

B5289 Borrowdale road from Keswick to Cockermouth.

A591 Ambleside to Keswick and A66 Penrith to Cockermouth - exhilarating blue light runs! (sorry ).

M6 Tebay Gorge - nicest bit of motorway in the country.

Too much of Scotland to list,but I always used to get a thrill going up A82 Loch Lomondside to Crianlarich, then across Rannoch Moor to go skiing at Glencoe. It's such a long time since I've taken that trip, it'll probably be a lot more sanitised now.

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Fixed ideas are like cramp, for instance in the foot, yet the best remedy is to step on them.

Ian

Not really, that's only when driving through Ambleside.

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Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.

Well I was weaned on night rallying, which is all about tight "technical" lanes that keep the average speeds down.

I'm sure I only need to say the words "Jackson Ground" to have Cooperman nodding vigorously. This is a 2.5 mile section of remote rural road just north of Torver, lined with dry stone walls and with barely a 50 yard straight anywhere along its length. Manna!

(Would agree with Ian's selection of the A6 over Shap though...)

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

Bueno sera! Tutte bene?

Just arrived back from Italia via France / Belgium / Lux / Germany / Austria, and we are still buzzing! As always, the lane discipline of the French was immaculate (even when harrassed by a crazy English woman heading back to Calais at 180kph for the ferry - God Bless the missus!), the Belgians were probably the worst drivers ever seen, and the Italians just make us laugh!!! Car-azy, crazy people.

Anyway. As I mentioned, we did travel down to the Futa Pass. Disappointed however as we couldn't find that fabled stretch of road that winds it's way down a cliff face through hundreds of hairpin bends. The road to the Raticosa Pass was pretty good though.

However, my fave road has changed. The E35 is still very near the top of the list, but no more. Don't know the road number, but travel along the motorway from Bregenz at the far end of Lake Constance and head into Austria following the signs for Innsbruck. Go past the exit for Landeck, then take the next exit. This leads to Oetz, Langenfeld, Solden, and towards Obergurgl. Just before Obergurgl, turn left and head ever upwards; and up some more. Eventual height? Well the signs said 2450m. The Italian border was as 2050m. The views are awesome. The road challenging.

There is also one very p***ed off Audi A4 1.9TDi driver living near Bregenz. He saw it fit to sniff my rear bumper at 145kph whilst I was overtaking a wagon. He subsequently realised that at 190kph plus my new Octavia was just playing with him!

Ciao for now!

S

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Safe yet Swift.

I'm rather fond of the B4009 from Newbury towards Aylesbury, it wouldn't qualify for that site because there's a few villages on it, but the NSL sections are nice and seriously challenging.

It was the first time I got to drive my Legacy properly (in the wet too, for added fun) so will always have fond memories, though the fun section ends in a nasty deceptively steep downhill bit that turns into a 30 then traffic lights almost immediately after as it's suddenly turned into a town centre. (yes I did stop in time)

I also quite like the A423?/A426? Banbury -> Rugby route (via Southam) so long as you dont get stuck behind a truck or a 40mph codger.

Edit: Also the A701 M6 -> Edinburgh tourist route is great fun when it's not tourist seqason.