After reading PUs thread on his bike trip to the Continent and how much he enjoyed it I can say that after 1100 miles in the last week motoring bliss is still alive and kicking in the UK.
An area with no speed cameras, no speed bumps, no potholes, excellent road surfaces with good tarmac, light traffic, the ability to drive how you wish and actually enjoy it, locals who assist you in passing and are appreciative when you do a similar deed, well signposted limits with 300m countdown markers when speed is reducing from NSL to 40 or 30, 20 limits outside school which only come into force at appropriate times.
All still available in the northwest of Scotland and long may it continue, just don?t tell everybody!!
The A3 did 51 mpg over the whole trip too (average speed 42mph according to GPS), another advantage of uncongested roads.
Unlike trips up there a few years ago fuel is the same price as most of the UK ? the only exception was Mull where fuel was about 10p a litre more than the mainland.
Highly recommended.
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300m countdown markers
Yards, not metres.
Sounds like paradise. Shhh!
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Bother! I was keeping quiet.
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I agree.
In the past few years I've tended to alternate bike trips to the continent with bike trips to the Scottish highlands and islands. A trip up through the outer hebrides was most enjoyable; I've never had a bad time in Scotland - despite the weather and midges.
Northern Englnd can be equally delightful.
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Going back to the 1970s when all roads west of Inverness were single track with passing places, NW Scotland has been supremely enjoyable. Since the widening and straightening of roads, it has become a motoring delight. Haven't been there for a few years, but it remains my favourite place for a spring holiday, when good weather is surprisingly common and the midges have yet to emerge. And the mountain scenery in the Lochinver area is just wonderful (v. different from the rest of the Highlands):
www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/arb/gsg/d2387.gif
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All still available in the northwest of Scotland and long may it continue just don?t tell everybody!!
Except Backroomers - who are always welcome.
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I suspect one has to be quite a bit more selective about location and time, but enjoyable motoring is available in the crowded South East, too. You just have to know where (and when) to go.
It irritates me when people say driving isn't enjoyable any more. It can be.
Cheers
DP
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When driving home from the nether regions, I always look forward to the thinning traffic north of Carlisle.
Edited by Old Navy on 24/06/2008 at 15:05
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Agree about NW Scotland and particularly the isles. Spent last week of May on Lewis. Except for the main spine most roads are ultimately dead ends but the drives out to North Tolsta and to Timsgarry were absolute delights. Constantly changing scenery and easy progress along emptyish roads, passing places used correctly throughout.
The hidden gem of a drive is the Pentland Road which cuts across the centre of Lewis from Stornoway to Carloway, terminating in what must be the Hebrides only grade separated junction!! (it goes under the main coast road before climbing up the hill side to a T junction). Older maps suggest it's just a by-way but in fact it is now mettalled throughout with the usual spacing of passing places. Signs do however warn that its not grittted in winter.
Mind you there's still plenty of good driving in southern England. A trip from Northampton to Stow on the Wold took us off the A43 at Croughton then on B roads via Aynho and Deddington almost to Chipping Norton. Back via Banbury and the B4525 to Thorpe Mandeville then Moreton Pinckney, Canons Ashby and Litchborough to the A5.
Sensible speed restrictions and traffic calming in the villages but NSL otherwise and little evidence of cameras (though the vans lie up in hotspots from time to time).
Edited by Bromptonaut on 24/06/2008 at 22:01
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