The most scenic route you've ever taken
Hi everyone,
One of the greatest joys of owning a caravan or motorhome is the freedom to explore the open road and soak in the world's beauty at our own pace. We've all had those breath-taking moments where the journey becomes just as memorable as the destination itself.
So, let's share those memories! What's the most scenic route you've ever taken with your caravan or motorhome? Maybe it was a winding mountain pass with panoramic vistas, a tranquil coastal drive with the ocean at your side, or perhaps a rolling countryside filled with fields of blooming flowers.
Tell us about the route (don't forget to mention where it is), what made it so special, and if you have any tips for other members who might like to take the same journey.
Looking forward to hearing about your scenic adventures.
Comments
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Ours are UK based, we did climb our small MH up onto the top of the Long Mynd in Shropshire not long after we bought her. Single track, few passing places, some challenging first gear inclines, but fabulous views all around from the top. We spent a few hours up there, then came the descent into the Carding Mill Valley. A touch hairy at times, some big drop offs, with no barriers, but we survived.
We have also been over the top of Dartmoor in MH as well, and towed our caravan over a few times. Roads over Moor aren’t too bad, but you have to know how wide your chosen roads are to get on and off. We had around six inches to play with coming off near Ashburton, and granite takes no prisoners!We have also towed caravan all way round to Carradale Club Site, wonderful scenery if you can take your eyes off the road long enough to dodge the deer and Highland cattle on the road🤣 we didn’t bother with the suggested route via Campbeltown, we took the direct route down the East side of Mull of Kintyre came home via coastal route round D&G as well.
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I think our most memorable scenic routes are all north of the Border. There are too many to name them all but the A838 from Dunnet Bay via Altnaharra to Durness and beyond is stunning. Turning a corner and finding yourself looking at the Kyle of Durness is a sight to behold (photo 1).
The Outer Hebrides are littered with spectacular views as you journey along. Seilebost & Luskentyre are scenically outstanding (photo 2) while the trip through Barra is unique (photo 3).The Northern Isles too are memorable although in a slightly different way. The Churchill Barriers of Orkney (photo 4) have historic significance as does the Italian Chapel sited alongside the main route ( photo 5).
I could go on and on….
My apology for the absence of photos. For some reason the Add Photos button doesn’t seem to be working.
Rowena, is there a problem?
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The user and all related content has been Deleted User2
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It’s that long ago, I can’t remember much about going further North in Scotland, but Kilchurn Castle on Loch Ewe does stand out. We have only been up as far as top of Loch Ness, do need to remedy that at some point😁
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A typo there I think, TDA, it’s on Loch Awe and was for sale a while ago.🙂
Yes, the far north is well worth doing. Mind you, we went there long before anyone thought of the NC500 and I believe it’s far busier now.
How odd that David can add photos but the button is dead for me. (iPad running Safari).
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For me it’s the A road south from Durness that runs through some very remote and depending on the weather spectacularly bleak scenery. There’s just something slightly unreal to be driving through rocks over half the age of the earth. Unfortunately a few dash reflections on the photos.
edit also on an iPad running safari TW and working here.
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Yes, I recognise it, Steve. 👍🏻
I've just tried posting a pic in another thread too. Dead as a Do-Do.🙁
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A scenic route that takes in the Dorset coast between Bridport and Weymouth on the B3157. Going east there are coastal views with the best bit just before Abbotsbury, high above the coast on a good day there are views of the Fleet, Chesil Bank and Portland Bill. There are stopping places to take in the views. Going west there is the whole sweep of Lyme Bay, Golden Cap and even glimpses of Torbay where the land extends into Devon and Cornwall. Very beautiful at all times of the year with or without a van. You certainly get a sense of the best of the West!
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At first I thought that was a tough one to answer but after a quick check of some of my notes to jog my memory, >touring Norway< would be the very top of my list. Breath taking scenery and good clean air especially in the Fjords.
Route
Our route from Calais first took us to Arnhem, then Malente near Plon in northern Germany, followed by 6 days in Denmark where we visited eastern Jutland, Legoland and Copenhagen before crossing the Oresunds bridge into Sweden. We made two night stops in Sweden at Mellbystrand and Trollhatten before crossing the border into Norway heading for Halden and our fist stop in Norway, Oslo. After visiting some of the sights of Oslo, instead of following the herd who rush northwards up the E6, we headed for Kongsvinger and the "Wilderness Route" which hugs the Swedish/Norwegian border to Rorus and rejoins the E6 just north of Trondheim. After passing through Steinkjer we took the RV17, the coastal route and its 6 ferries, to Salstraumen before rejoining the E6 at Fauske and heading for the Lofoten Islands via Narvik, the E10 through the Vesteralen Islands and the Melbu-Fiskebol ferry. We spent six nights touring the Lofoten Islands travelling down to A then back to Svolvaer to return to the mainland via the ferry to Skutvik where we rejoined the E6 to make the southwards journey to Trondheim, stopping briefly at Namskoggan on route. We did not linger in Trondheim but took the E39 and the RV65 south to Surnadal before making our way to Andalnes via Sunndalsora and the RV660. At Andalnes we joined the Golden Route, the breathtaking RV63 up the Trollstigen and onwards to Geiranger and the RV15 to Stryn, Olden and the Briksdalen Glacier. From here we retraced our steps back to Stryn to take the 'Stryn Old Road' the RV258, over the mountains to rejoin the RV15 at Grotli to Lom from where we took the Sognefjell road, the RV55, which climbs to a height of 1434 meters before descending to the Sognefjord. After a day trip to the Nigardsbreen Glacier and a night stop in Sogndal we took the RV5 and the ferry across the Sognefjord to Laerdal and then on to Flam via the 'The Laerdalstunnelen' which, at 15 miles long, was the longest tunnel of the many we encountered. From here we took the E16 to Voss and Bergen from where we caught the homeward ferry. This route covered in 64 days totalled just under 4500 miles.Higlights in Norway, there are many but I'll single out the Loftens, the Golden Route to Geiranger, and a ride on the Flam railway as not to be missed. Don't bother with Nord Cap
Something a little closer in France, the Gorges of the Tarn and Verdun. A short sample video of the latter is >here< Beware low tunnels along the Tarn and mind the drops along the Verdun
For a different but scenic route into Italy, the Dolomites, Get off the autoroutes and take the SS51 to Cortina d'Amprezzo and then the SS52 to Tolmezzo or stay on the SS51 down to where it joins the A27. Spectacular scenery if the weather is kind.
While Scotland is nice as are some other parts of the UK they are very different to the above.
peedee
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At last it works!
The photos referred to in my first post.
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I think the 40 mile approach to Mont Blanc from the south along the Val d'Aosta motorway takes some beating.
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Look to the right if you are heading south from Grenoble on the D1075 . It’s Mont Aiguille.
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I always enjoy the A68 crossing into Scotland to one of our favourites sites.
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For me it is the A82 from Tyndrum, over Rannoch Moor and down Glen Coe to Ballachullish, especially the short stretch north from before Bridge of Orchy past Loch Tulla with Beinn An Dothaidh to the right and the Black Mount ahead.
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I think two spring to mind. Firstly driving over Rannoch Moor on the A82, it has an eerie feel about it. The second would be driving over the Brenner Pass from Italy into Austria. In fact anywhere in Austria would also be classed as memorable.
David
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Indeed, spell checker went all sheepish🤣 It’s one of those places where you think it’s a CG image, much like Bamburgh. First time we saw it, there was an advert being filmed for VW’s new hot hatch……the Golf Cabriolet🤣 So that dates it a bit. We had to wade across flooded causeway second time.
Not tempted up there at the moment, far too busy with folks doing that route. We would need a couple of months at least to do that route to take in all we would want to see. 🤔0 -
Living on the coast we really are very spoilt and often early in the morning whilst out and about i wonder why we ever bother going away but this year we have revisited Devon & Cornwall and some of the scenery and food are just something to die for
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You might get to see the real Loch Ewe one day TDA if you get as far as beautiful Wester Ross where there's a view round every corner.
I found a photo to fit my scenic drive but it doesn't have the clear skies needed to see Portland Bill.
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Another UK favourite is the Northumberland coastal route, taking in the castles down from Berwick upon Tweed, then swinging inland to go over the moorlands past Chillingham Castle and down towards Powburn. Not a towing route, but very lovely in a small MH, as there are lots of stop off points for birdwatching and picnics, even some wild swimming if you know the beaches and the tides.
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I'd distinguish between the most scenic route that I've ever taken towing a caravan and one overseas with a rented motorhome. With the caravan I'd concur with Peedee about Norway. It was our first ever caravan holiday, mainly because knowing that Norway is a very expensive country we couldn't afford to tour there staying at hotels with a family of four so we rented a caravan. We enjoyed it so much that we bought our first caravan soon after. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking.
The most scenic route with a rented motorhome was New Zealand. We toured both islands, from Cape Reinga in the far north of North Island down to Dunedin in the south. I'll never forget Ninety Mile Beach, Franz Josef Glacier, Milford Sound, and watching the sun rise over the Pacific at the start of a new day in Gisborne.
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Apples and pears! White or Black?
How can you just pick one particular memorable experience?
We've been travelling ever since we got married in our early twenties and have experienced some wonderful travelling experiences, such as driving down the coast from San Francisco to Monterey rounding Monterey Bay and then making the return into SanFran and viewing the Golden Gate Bridge. Or the first time we travelled down the Gorge du Tarn in France. We stayed at Le Rosier campsite and drove down the winding road each day stopping at a new place and climbing up onto the Causses and looking down on Griffon Vultures. Or anywhere north of Oban along the coast so that you get the majesty of the Mountains, the mystery of the Isles off the coast and the beaches.
One memory which shocked me and made me both happy and sad at the same time was when we were travelling through Spain and the motorway, the A7 I think, passes by Benidorm but situated high up. You approach around a curve and suddenly this beautiful bay opens up in front of you and you can imagine it as it was 60+ years ago when the first travellers "discovered " it. Then you see the way that beauty has been "Botoxed" to ugliness, at least in my eyes. Memorable? Certainly and for both different emotions.
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Our most spectacular tour, rather than a single road, would be up through the centre of Sweden, through a little of Finland, a boat trip to North Cape, as there was no bridge in those days, and then back down part of Norway, over a few Ffiords, and down the Silver Road back into Sweden. Not as an intensive route as Peedee's but great all the same.
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