A 7-Day Trip Through the South’s Most Challenging Routes

A 7-Day Trip Through the South’s Most Challenging Routes

England, europe

Length

N/A

Elevation

N/A

Difficulty

extreme

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: ditching London and heading west on the B4632. Forget the soul-crushing motorways—this old A-road between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon is a proper driving experience. Think smooth turns and views for days as you cruise the Cotswold Hills. Day two? Get lost in the cute, but super-narrow, stone-walled lanes. Seriously, know your car's width!

Next up: Devon and Cornwall! Time for the A39 Atlantic Highway. The star of the show? Porlock Hill, with a crazy 25% gradient. Yep, the steepest A-road in England, and a true test for your brakes and engine. Careful on the way down to Lynmouth—engine braking is your friend! Day four is all about the ridiculously tight lanes of North Devon. We're talking hedgerows taller than your car and reversing skills that will make you a legend.

Island time! Hop over to the Isle of Wight and hit the A3055 Military Road. This is where you race against nature. It's perched right on the edge of the cliffs, fighting a losing battle against the sea. Epic coastal views with the English Channel on one side, green hills on the other. Heads up: it closes sometimes when the road decides to take a swim.

Back on the mainland, aim for the A285 between Petworth and Chichester. This one's a bit spicy. It's got sneaky bends and hidden dips that have earned it a reputation. Stay focused—it throws you from fast straights into tricky, tree-lined curves without warning!

Last day! Skip the M25 and take the backroads through the North Downs toward London. Box Hill has some fun climbs, and the Surrey Hills are packed with narrow, steep roads to keep you entertained until you hit the city. Oh, and definitely give your car a good once-over after all that hard braking and gear-shifting!

This trip isn't about tea rooms and castles, it's about tackling England's gnarly roads. From the insane gradients of Exmoor to the crumbling cliffs of the Isle of Wight, you'll get a new appreciation for the country's wild side. Get prepped, check the weather, and respect those hills!

Where is it?

A 7-Day Trip Through the South’s Most Challenging Routes is located in England (europe). Coordinates: 52.9197, -3.0711

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Road Details

Country
England
Continent
europe
Difficulty
extreme
Coordinates
52.9197, -3.0711

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