Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

Following on from colwyn500's post about non-motorway driving en continent, do you have a favourite route - perhaps on local roads - that you like to traverse in your ancient machine(s)?

RJ
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[Landy Des]

My favourite is the Military Road, Isle of Wight. Starting at Freshwater Bay and along to Niton. Plenty of places to stop off to view the scenery or grab a cup of tea.

It is a bit steep in places and the first time I drove it in the Pilot I was very aware of only having 1950's brakes.

[peter scott]

I've driven up and down this road many times and always enjoy it but I confess not yet in my old car. It's the old road from Granada to Almunecar in Spain. Plenty of twists and precipices.



In Britain I never tire of driving the old car along the single track roads along the south sides of Lochs Tay and Awe.



Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[goneps]

The coastal road north from Kaiaua on the Firth of Thames, thence over the Hunua Range to Kawakawa Bay. Sorry, no pictures, but a narrow, meandering, picturesque route with plenty of twists and turns, quite idyllic on a warm summer's day in a small open car.

I'll always regret not having toured the majestic southern Cape per Morris before leaving South Africa; but in those days it wasn't the reliable, well-sorted little car it is today.

Richard

PS. I'm frequently surprised by remarks in this forum about poor brakes, even on post-war cars. In 30 years the Eight's brakes have never caused the slightest concern, and there's no shortage of steep hills in this corner of the globe. R.

[ka]

The A9 from Perth to Inverness takes some beating for a view, but for twists and turns and accents/descents, Inverness to Wick has some stunning scenery, and Berriedale Braes hairpin is a lock-stop corner both in the Morgan and on the Commando.
The road along the north coast of Scotland is another driving pleasure, and down the west coast from Durness to Ullapool is quiet and challenging.
I suppose the trick up here, is catching the weather!
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KA

Better three than four.

[emmerson]

Agree with Ka re the A9, but in Wales, the coast road from North to South,or the A470 and in England, probably the A68, or the A595,or Hard knott and wrynose, or....................................really, any where driving my Range Rover!

[mikeC]

The A537 over the Cat & Fiddle from Buxton to Macclesfield takes a lot of beating, even if the bikers have spoilt it for everyone else! Great in an Austin Seven, and equally good in a 'hot' Triumph Vitesse
Some of the old old main roads which have now been bypassed by modern motorways are pretty good, too: the old A1 in Nottinghamshire from north of Newark (B1164) and from Retford to Bawtry (A638) provide some lovely swooping stretches which are virtually traffic free at any time; no hills, and wide smooth roads, are ideal for any classic

[Old Wrench]

Where do I start? Not old car but fun, however!

The old A30, heading to Cornwall etc, prior to the 70 MPH limit. Straight as a die (Old Roman road).

A wonderful trip in my newish Jag 4.2 XJS saloon, on the old A1 from Essex to Newcastle in circa 1971. Naughty 100+ most of the way in near silence and comfort. Amazingly rapid trip, though.........

Nowadays, flying through the Fôret de Boulogne, from Boulogne St. Martin heading towards Devres. Straight as an arrow through the wondrous trees and it's a bit of a switchback and at the right time, mainly empty.

Driving around "17 Mile Drive", on the Monterey Peninsular, Calif. in 1984, in a new Buick Park Avenue and stopping off in Carmel (Clint Eastwood was then mayor) for lunch. Seeing Pebble Beach Golf Club and bits of the course and also Spy Glass Hill.

See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17-Mile_Drive

Most frightening?

Being driven from Mexico City to la Aeropuerto in a large GM 6.5 litre, through the rush hour! They are all utterly insane!

Edit and PS.

Thinking about this over dinner............

A30 was in both an A35 and a Lowline MK II Ford Zephyr!

Had some pretty epic drives back in the late 1950s and early 1960s in a Ford 100E Popular: Triumph TR2; and a MK I Sprite. as well as my new Ford Cortina MK I GT and my very first Morris Mini Cooper s 1275.

Sadly, suppose they are all classics now........

Porlock Hill, Devon: One in Four, noted for Austin Sevens going up backwards in reverse! Even tricky in 1964 in the A 35, of 1958 vintage. Tried it a few years later (1968) in a MK II Jag 3.8; easy!

Not as easy in 1970, in a Vauxhall FC VX 490 of 1967 vintage.

Lately, I forget I am now old!


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Well, apart from that, did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln?

[christine lowery]

after a scorch out of newcastle on the A69 turn left at haydon bridge onto the A686 and let the fun begin, ups, downs, hairpins, views, blind bends fast straights and a cafe on the top of hartside pass, stop, and admire the view. then down the otherside if you make it down the otherside cross the bridge at langwatherby and take the first right follow this winding road through lazonby kirkoswald croglin castle carrock and into brampton right then left then cross over the road and head towards lanercost and birdoswald to gilsland then greenhead up the bank onto the military road and its straight road with DIPS and crests and views that are world famous ( its them romans you know) turn right at chollerford and up the bank (say hello to the cross at heavesfield on the left and power on back to newcastle

this drive is DANGEROUS be very very carfull its a cracker about 130 miles
christine
to many places to say stop and look it could take a life time to take in all that is available

[mikeC]

Wow! That looks like a cracking route, Christine
I shall be up that way next April; looks like that's one day's outing sorted

[christine lowery]

the first part is hartside pass from hexham to penrith then throught the quiet eden valley then following the roman wall back to hexham or into newcastle
stunning views the greatest biking road in the uk the eden valley on the edge of the lake district is a fantastic place for rolling along QUIET small roads with littke villages puds and always the pennine views or over to the lakeland fells
brampton to hexham takes in narwall castle (if open home of the Howard family (Castle howard yorkshire fame ) stunning and lanercost priory magnificent then Camalot birdoswald roman fort (yes i know but the old names fit the legend) high on a ridge over the river
then on to gilsland for the spar and onto the roman wall along the military road (built by general wade to get his cannon after the bonnie prince it follows the wall and is spectacular with forts museums and again great views over the tyne and up to heavan fields Oswald christian king of northumbria camped here the night before the big battle with the southern kings and he founded tynemouth priory for the victory

there are so many roads in nothumberland and durham that are just supurd to drive
have fun and leave the traffic behind
christine

[christine lowery]

[img][/img] into the night on harside the eden valley below the clouds and scotland in the distance

[ukdave2002]

[ka]

On one of our trips to Scotland from Nottingham, we rode the A68 and I agree, like a roller coaster ride. I found riding up the hills, eye level dropping to follow the road, then finding the road level had dropped beneath the instrument cluster on the Triumph, so standing on the pegs to see the road. After a couple of these, my bravado receded, and I slowed down, 'just in case'.
One of my sunny day rides was to head east. Nottingham, A52/A46 to Lincoln, then the fun began. A15 North, cut East towards Grimsby, then follow the coast road down to Gibralter point, double back and head for Tattershall, Sleaford then Newark. Find a day around the coastal traffic and a cracking day on the Commando.
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KA

Better three than four.