Greater Manchester road named one of UK’s best driving routes by National Geographic

A driving route which connects the outskirts of Greater Manchester with the Peak District has been named one of the best for motorists in the UK.

National Geographic has surveyed 2,000 drivers to mark the 11th anniversary of motoring show Car S.O.S. Those polled put Snake Pass, which starts in the Glossop area and passes through the Peak District National Park towards Sheffield, as the third best route in the UK, after The North Coast 500 route starting from Inverness in Northern Scotland and Cheddar Gorge through the Mendip Hills. The Peak District also puts in another appearance at ninth place for the Cat and Fiddle route.

According to the survey, 2,000 motorists rated that reliability (68 per cent), longevity (24 per cent) and making memories while driving (20 per cent) are top of the list for what drivers love most about their car.

Tim Shaw, presenter of Car S.O.S said: “As a Yorkshire lad myself, Snake Pass will always have a special place in my heart so great to see it’s in the nation’s favourite routes! It’s brilliant to see not only how many people love the car they drive, but also the bond they clearly build with their motors. So many memories happen when behind the wheel and the latest series will explore more of these moments.”

Fuzz Townsend, co-presenter of Car S.O.S, added: “The North Coast 500 certainly feels a suitable winner of best road in the UK with its spectacular scenery and Snake Pass is absolutely a worthy runner up. I can’t believe we’ve had a whole decade of the show, it’s been fantastic reconnecting with some of the people we have previously met and hearing brilliant stories from other classic car owners!”

Their top 10 best driving routes in the UK are:

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

2. Cheddar Gorge through the Mendip Hills B3135

3. Snake Pass in Peak District National Park

4. Kendal to Keswick in the Lake District, A591

5. Snowdonia’s Llanberis Pass, in Wales - A4086

6. St Ives to St Just in Cornwall, B3306

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

8. The Cotswolds – Cheltenham to Stratford

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

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

Celebrity guests & cameos featuring in Series 11 of Car S.O.S. include Manchester’s two-time world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and legendary Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell. It starts on Thursday 9 March at 8 pm on National Geographic.