The A39 between Clovelly and Kilkhampton can be a fun old drag along the Atlantic coast of Cornwall. ...

 

Agreed - but beware of livestock on the road just round the blind bends

The A940/939 from Forres to Grantown on Spey.

The A39 between Clovelly and Kilkhampton can be a fun old drag along the Atlantic coast of Cornwall.

The Caravan Highway

Best in winter, imho

Edited 27 March, 201412 yr by snow_muncher

North York Moors have some amazing roads, as do the Pennines. The Hartside Pass (Haydon Bridge - Alston - Penrith) is supposed to be really good too. Need to do some driving through County Durham, Teesdale and Weardale, hoping to find some gems on my doorstep!

I live 10 minutes drive away from Haydon Bridge and the road up to Hartside. In the summer me and a few mates go up there for a blast, its a brilliant road although there are lots of bikers who seem to have a death wish by overtaking on blind corners etc. The cafe at the top does some lush greasy spoon type food. I'd highly recommend the home made mince and potato pie with gravy and chips   

A39 between Hartland and Kilkhampton is a great stretch of road when lightly travelled.

The A940/939 from Forres to Grantown on Spey.

 

Oh yeah!  Crashed off it in the rain in '84 just south of Logie. did it again in the snow in 2000 a few yards before the Jesus Saves grafitti

This was epic this afternoon..

B6276 Brough to Middleton in Teesdale. Spectacular today!

 

 

 

 

Many folk have a fancy to blatt around the Alps.  It is an excellent playground for doing just that.  Downsides are that in the main holiday periods, there a lot of others fulfilling the same fantasy.  Some routes like the Gorge du Verdon have become destinations for tour buses too.

There are boocoo (as the natives might say) alternatives of course, once you have a look on a proper map and are not too fussed about where you get to.

A slightly less busy area is my particular favourite part of France, the Luberon and Comtat. Starting at Carpentras (great market on Fridays and eat at Chez Jules - but get there early ie before 12) take the D4 via Murs down to the Cavalon river. 

You can turn left into Apt.  A great market on Saturdays and an very good restaurant, La Platane just off the main walk way.  Al fresco dining under the shade giving plane trees, if you hadn't guessed.

Turn right you get to Coustellet.  It has a decent wine Coop, if you like a proper red then try the Quercus.  A couple of decent restaurants and a brilliant proper farmers market on Sunday mornings and Wednesdays evenings in summer.

Carry on west for Cavillion and Avignon.

 

From Apt, there is an interesting road, the D943, with an interesting destination at Loumarin.  A bit arty farty but cute.  A very good wine shop in the new square by the main road, and a few interesting wines being produced locally.  Contantin Chevalier being my favourite.

A bit further on, just before Pertuis, is a vineyard worth a visit, Chateau Val Jonis.  The potager is stunning and a destination for gardeners as well as connoisseurs of the grape.  Boring road from Lourmarin though.  You could just head north and meander through the hinterlands for a couple of hours rather than take the main roads.

 

Going back to the D4, as you pass through Murs, there are several roads heading off between east and north which will take you to Sault.  The contrast to the route through the Alps could not be more marked.  I have rarely seen more than a hand full of cars on that particular journey.  The D15 has several markers where members of the local Resistance were murdered by the Fascist Beast.  There is usually a short explaination of the action and the various men and women who died there.

Alternative possible routes would take you through the Gorge du Nesque or the Col du l'Homme Morte or Dead Man's Gultch as we saturday morning matinee goers would have it.

 

Sault itself has a market on a Wednesday and is the centre of the Lavender growing and oil extraction for the perfume industry. 

Its other claim to fame is it is at one end of the road across Mont Ventoux.  The traverse is always worth the effort - if only to watch the sweaty cyclist as they near the summit or doing the decent, looking more like Guy Martin than Wiggo.

In proper French style, there is little in the way of barriers at the top.  Only common sense between you and your contribution to the proof of Darwinism.  The Tommy Simpson Memorial is just below the summit.

 

Malucerne is at the far end and is on the road back to Carpentras.  You may need a refreshment stop.  Malucerne is well provided with cafes and bike hire and repair places.  There are a few very minor roads heading mainly west and even some white roads (unmetalled tracks) which if you are into that sort of thing are a great diversion.   Like I said earlier, get yourself a decent large sale map.

 

The road to Carpentras will take you across a corner of Le Plan Dieu, the huge plain where much of generic Cote du Rhone is made.  Some is excellent, some not so much.  The rising ground surounding does produce some excellent wines though.  Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas being well known, my favourite is Vacqueyras.  My last sortie netted a couple of cases of excellent 2012 for €8/£6.50, the UK price is nearly £20.

 

The summer brings on the season of the wine festival.  Many villages have various fetes to celebrate the work of growing into the joy of drinking wine.  Look out for the various posters and banners, often that is all the indication us tourists get.

 

The Balma Venitia winery between Vaccayras and Baume de Venise is very approachable and more than willing for you to try their wines.