Scenic driving route not far from Manchester named one of best in UK

A scenic driving route in the Peak District has been named as one of the best among 10 breathtaking roads in the UK, according to National Geographic.

You can’t beat a good road trip. All you need is a vehicle, plenty of tunes, some snacks and the perfect route to give your engine a good run and let the wind blow through your hair — there’s nothing like it.

To mark the return of its TV series ‘Car SOS’, National Geographic has revealed the best driving routes in the country based on a survey of 2,000 motorists. Twists, turns and vast landscapes make these some of the most exciting and exhilarating roads to cruise on. 

The A57 Snake Pass which runs through the national park was ranked as the third best scenic driving route by National Geographic’s Car SOS. Its winding roads with dramatic twists and turns carving through the landscape make it easy to see why it made it so far up the list.

The route takes in the stunning scenery of the Peak District — much easier for passengers to enjoy — while offering motorists a thrilling and challenging drive from Glossop to Sheffield. 

Snake Pass also beat another Peak District route as the Cat and Fiddle (A53 then A54 followed by the A537) was ranked ninth. Cheddar Gorge in Mendip, Somerset, came in at a cool second, while the iconic North Coast in Scotland landed firmly at the top of the list with a well-deserved first place. 

Ranking fourth is the A591 from Kendal to Keswick in the Lake District, while the Llanberis Pass in North Wales landed in the number five spot. A moorland drive over the border in Yorkshire made it to seventh place.

Here are the top 10 best driving routes in the UK, according to National Geographic. (We’ve saved the best ‘til last):

10) The Black Mountain Pass A4069 in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.

9) Cat and Fiddle route (A53 then A54 followed by the A537) in the Peak District.

8) The Cotswolds – Cheltenham to Stratford.

7) Best of the Moors (A169 and A170) in Yorkshire.

6) St Ives to St Just in Cornwall, B3306.

5) Snowdonia’s Llanberis Pass, in Wales – A4086.

4) Kendal to Keswick in the Lake District, A591.

3) Snake Pass (A57) in the Peak District National Park close to Sheffield.

2) Cheddar Gorge through the Mendip Hills B3135.

1) The North Coast 500 route starting from Inverness in Northern Scotland.