Shropshire is one of the most exciting places to drive in the UK, with interesting roads and beautiful views, a website claims today.
Add YOUR favourite Shropshire drive in the comments box below!
The Fun Roads Index, a website dedicated to finding interesting routes around the country, lists roads that are fun and have plenty of enjoyment to give without the need to exceed the speed limit.
It claims the most exciting route in the county is the A488 and A489, from Shrewsbury to Craven Arms.
Site contributor Chris Kay recommended the route because of the excellent scenery and challenging bends, especially up the Hope Valley.
He says: “Shrewsbury to Minsterley, mostly open bends but can be quite busy. After Minsterley, a long straight followed by a left hand bend. After this bend, the climb up the Hope Valley starts.
“Try to wait until the road in front is clear, so your progress won’t be hampered. Most of the bends up the valley are blind and some are very deceptive - a real test.
“At the top of the valley, the road straightens and rises slightly for a mile or more. The road then descends as far as Lydham, junction with A489. This section has plenty of good bends, many of which are blind.
“It’s easy to be going too fast for some, so concentrate on a good line and watch the limit point.
“A489/A49 to Craven Arms, mostly fast open bends with good cross views, but beware the left-hander soon after leaving Lydham.”
Mr Kay said this was an ideal route to practice steering and cornering, and is definitely a route that bikers will enjoy.
But he stressed that the road was plenty of fun to drive without breaking the national speed limit that most of the route is subject to.
He also recommended stopping at “the small cafe at Craven Arms that does fantastic coffee” for a break before heading back home.
For more exciting drives, including a suggestion of an extension to this route, visit www.funroads.co.uk
12 Comments
“After this bend, the climb up the Hope Valley starts.”
careful not to go any further to Bishops Castle though, it is a black hole.
think whoever did this report was under the influence! shrewsbury to minsterley is a nice drive????? not if u get stuck behind the local bus for the local people! then there is the beautiful factory which blends in nicely to the countryside
Dotty and Tom - what on EARTH are you two on about?? I do this drive all the time and it’s a lovely route!
Bishops Castle a black hole? It’s a wonderful town! Are you sure you’re not mixing it up with somewhere else??
And Shrewsbury to Minsterley is a lovely drive! Er, HELLO - you get stuck behind busses and cars on most rural roads! And the factory well you pass it within a nanosecond it hardly spoils the drive.
Some people just have to moan about everything.
What a well researched piece of journalism!
The Fun Roads Index was last updated on 30 September 2007 and has precisely six entries - two in Shropshire and four in Scotland.
Yeah the M54 is a right barrell of monkeys!!
there is no better place in the country to see a large black cat
Salop is blessed with some of my favourite driving roads; and my list of favourite driving roads includes some in Scotland, France, Austria, and Italy.
I’m….errrr….not going to list them, as I want them to be as quiet as possible, as free of traffic as possible, and as devoid of scameras as they currently are
OK.
I’ll give you just one from my Shropshire list: A488 between Minsterley and Knighton. A road designed by a higher power for total driver enjoyment.
i love the road from salop through longden, pulverbatch, over the cothercot, wentnor and to join up with the main road at eaton. with the longmynd and the east onny river on one side and the stiperstone and the west onny on the otherside the scenery is delightful. if you are in a hurry do stay with the main roads!
A nice drive??? this road is a death trap!! Many a time i’ve been driving down this road and seen numerous accidents. The way those young boy racers go down that road is absolutely scandalous. I think they should enforce a 30mph limit the whole way to Minsterley before someone really gets hurt or even worse… dies!
Some of the old boy racers are dangerous too !
You have statistical proof of your claim then I presume, Mr Diggin.
With clear evidence of i) the number of accidents over - say - 5 years ii) the number of accidents where exceeding the posted speed limit was a causative factor (not contributory) iii) the average age of the drivers in these accidents iv) the prevailing road conditions when the accidents occurred v) the roadworthiness of the vehicles involved?
Hi - Funroads is one of my projects so its nice to spot this article! It is lacking some recent updates but I have a big bunch of roads I’m looking to add shortly!
Matthew