Scenic Drives

Where Great Britain’s glory can be seen from the road

WITH A LANDSCAPE THAT CHANGES every 50 miles or so and thousands of miles of coastline, it’s hard to travel far in Britain without finding yourself on a truly scenic drive. If you want to go looking for natural beauty, though, here are some great places to find it.

1 CHESIL BEACH, DORSET

From Weymouth and Portland Harbour, follow Chesil Beach to the west on the coast road, the B3157. This is known as the Jurassic Coast for its rich treasury of fossils. Stick to the coast from Bridport to beautiful Lyme Regis and carry on Sidmouth.

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CHESIL BEACH[/caption]

2 THE WEST HIGHLAND ROAD, HIGHLANDS

We followed the route with Jim Hargan (January 2011, p. 28) along the northwest coast of Scotland from the Kyle of Lochalsh to Thurso and John O’Groats. It’s unquestionably one of the great scenic drives in the world, but for this one you’d better plan on three days at least.

3 CAT & FIDDLE, THE PEAKS

The Derbyshire Peak District is veritably awash in gorgeous scenery. For a quick dose of Peak landscape, though, take the 12-mile drive over Cat and Fiddle on the A537 from Macclesfield to the beautiful spa town of Buxton.

4 SNOWDONIA, NORTH WALES

There is no shortage of beautiful routes through the slate mountains of North Wales. Take the A470 from Conwy through Betws-y-Coed and on to Porthmadog, or turn west at Betws-y-Coed for the drive through Llanbaris Path under the shadow of Mount Snowdon.

5 RHINEFIELD ORNAMENTAL DRIVE, THE NEW FOREST

This is a brief jaunt through one of the prettiest forest settings you’ll ever see. Both the Rhinefield and Bolderwood Ornamental Drives from Brockenhurst through the New Forest are exceptional any time of year. In spring, though, the rhododendron—often towering over 40 feet—are breathtaking.

6 YORKSHIRE DALES, NORTH YORKSHIRE

You can’t go wrong getting lost anywhere in the Yorkshire Dales. A classic route leads from Ripon through Masham (famous for beer) and Middleham (famous for Richard III) and across Wensleydale on the A684 to Hawes. Route back through Thirso for a visit to James Herriot’s veterinary practice and home.

7 WINDERMERE TO COCKERMOUTH, THE LAKE DISTRICT

Pick a route through Cumbria’s incandescent Lake District and there’s a gorgeous vista around every corner. The B5289 through Buttermere is a classic, but you can certainly catch the Waters in all their glory on the A591 from Windermere to Keswick and the A66 on to Cockermouth.

8 BRECON BEACONS, SOUTH WALES

Most people don’t think of South Wales in terms of scenic beauty, but the Black Mountains and tors of Brecon Beacon National Park are spectacular. Drive up to Brecon from the Top of the Valleys Road—the A470 from Merthyr Tydfil or the A40 from Abergavenny.

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YORKSHIRE DALES[/caption]

9 COASTAL TRAIL, ABERDEENSHIRE

Start in Inverness or Elgin and pick up the trail west along the northern coast of Banffshire and Aberdeenshire to Fraserburgh, then turn south roughly following the A90 to Aberdeen and through Stonehaven to Arbroath. Take two or three days to give the coastline justice and go exploring along the way.

10 NORTHUMBRIAN COAST, NORTHUMBRIA

Here’s a short coastal route you’ll never forget. Turn south from Berwick on the A1, then, hug the coast past Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands, Bamborough Castle and quaint Seahouses. End up in the great castle town of Alnwick. Check the tides ahead of time to make the wonderful detour out to Holy Island.