"SwissTony" (SwissTony)
02/19/2014 at 12:10 • Filed to: None
1
4|
"SwissTony" (SwissTony)
02/19/2014 at 12:10 • Filed to: None | 1
| 4 |
I shall say, there are but few things as infuriating as searching for "drivers' roads" in and around London.
This city, famous for congested traffic, parking fines and speed cameras, means that most of drives end up looking a little something like this:
I have therefore decided, to share some of my favourite drives in and around London.
They vary from short cruises to longer journeys, and are best attempted late at night or early morning, to ensure that the roads are nice and empty.
1. Hampstead Heath Run:
This 9 mile lap around Hampstead Heath is absolutely brilliant, and easy to follow.
With elevation changes and great view of Central London, it is the closest "drivers road", but due to the proximity of Central, it only really works late in the evenings or early mornings.
To find it, follow: Hampstead - Highgate - Tuffnel Park - Gospel Oak - Hampstead.
2. Leith Hill
Just South of London, there are 2 hills worth visiting, Boxhill and Leith Hill.
Both offer great little drives, and you cannot really go wrong, as long as you set your satnav to the smallest, narrowest roads around.
The journey pictured above is a nice little detour if you happen to find yourself on the M25 late in the evening, and goes to Leith Hill and back (great view and a place to go for a walk), with a total drive of about 25 miles.
Let me know of your favourite drives around London, and if you let me know, I will keep these features coming.
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> SwissTony
02/19/2014 at 14:40 |
|
How far out do you want to go?
The run from East Grinstead to Lewis on the Lewis road is my run to work and it's great fun. 26.2 miles of mostly 60mph country roads. To be honest, any of the roads out in the country between East Grinstead, Crawley and Haywards Heath are good fun.
Also great are any of the roads through the Ashdown forest are fantastic too. Quite deserted on a weekday, and some stunning scenery. The ones I frequent are around Cowden where I live and Royal Tunbridge Wells.
I rarely venture much towards London in a car to be honest. Furthest North is probably Biggin Hill, unless I'm M25-bound.
|
SwissTony
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
02/19/2014 at 15:49 |
|
Thanks for the great advice.
It's quite far from me, but I visited it last summer, on a quick run to Brighton, that went something like that:
I had a 1989 Porsche 3.2 Cabriolet for a weekend and it seemed like the perfect run for that car.
|
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> SwissTony
02/19/2014 at 16:26 |
|
That run goes past my house :)
Precisely the roads I love near me. The run down to Hastings is a good one as well, although the destination's not quite as good as Brighton.
davedave1111
> SwissTony
02/19/2014 at 19:51 |
|
If you're just driving for fun, can't leave out this bit.
Also, I'd take East Heath Road down, then back up through Hampstead, along Hampstead Lane a second time, down Highgate West Hill, and up the way you came. It's not worth going down through Camden and Kentish Town, or round the bottom of the Heath at all.
Not sure if you can do it these days, but Fitzroy Park used to be open all the way up/down, although it says cul-de-sac at both ends. That means you can take Millfield Lane and FP instead of dealing with the (usually worn down) speed humps on HWH.
I posted this in response to another post a little while ago:
http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/this-ones-fun-…
You could easily work it in on the uphill Hampstead bit.
The single best driving road I know anywhere near London is this:
The map doesn't do it justice, but streetview shows it off. It's a couple of miles of really nice corners - nothing special, but really good for anywhere so near London.