Everyone bangs on about the NC500. Fair enough, it’s spectacular. But if you’ve ever driven south of Hadrian’s Wall with an open mind and a full tank, you’ll know the best driving roads in England can absolutely hold their own against anything Scotland throws at the map. I’ve spent the better part of three years hunting them down, and what I’ve found is genuinely brilliant.
The problem isn’t that these roads don’t exist. It’s that the enthusiast community has collectively decided they don’t count. Too many roundabouts. Too many caravans. Too much England. Rubbish. There are stretches of tarmac in the Pennines, the Marches, and the Welsh borders that would make your palms sweat and your grin embarrassingly wide.
Why English B-roads get unfairly written off
Scotland gets the credit because it photographs well. Wide open glens, dramatic skies, zero traffic on a Tuesday in February. But “dramatic photography” and “genuinely involving drive” are two different things. The best driving roads in England tend to be narrower, more technically demanding, and riddled with the kind of unpredictable corners that actually teach you something about your car’s chassis. Blind crests over limestone ridges, cambered bends through ancient hedgerows, long third-gear sweepers that drop away into valleys. It’s proper driving.
Surface quality is where England genuinely struggles, though. Pothole damage is a real and expensive problem on many rural routes, so checking road condition reports before you set off is not optional, it’s survival instinct. That said, several of the routes below have been resurfaced recently and are currently in excellent nick.
The B6255 through Ribblesdale, North Yorkshire
Start here if you want to understand what I mean. The B6255 between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Hawes is one of those roads that rewards commitment. It climbs hard, flattens across moorland, then drops through tight S-bends with dry-stone walls close enough to remind you that concentration matters. Traffic is genuinely light mid-week, surface quality is decent after Highways England work done in late 2025, and there’s a proper café in Hawes for a debrief when you arrive. I’ve done this road in a hot hatch and in a rear-wheel-drive classic, and it rewards both completely differently.
The A4069 Black Mountain Pass, Carmarthenshire
Cross into Wales and the arguments get even stronger. The A4069 over the Black Mountain between Llangadog and Brynaman is one of the most criminally underrated pieces of road in Britain. Tight hairpins climbing through the Brecon Beacons national park, a summit with views that go forever, and a descent that tests your braking discipline hard. Surface is variable near the top, so tyre choice matters. A set of decent performance road tyres makes a genuine difference up here, more so than on smooth motorway tarmac.
Fuel up in Llangadog before you go. There’s nothing at altitude, and you do not want to be coasting down the back side on fumes.
The B4520 through the Epynt Military Ranges, Powys
This one sounds alarming but is completely accessible on weekdays. The B4520 north of Brecon cuts through military range land, and the result is a road with almost zero development alongside it, a surface that’s kept in better condition than most civilian roads, and bends that flow beautifully. On a dry morning this road is as good as anything. The MOD takes maintenance seriously because heavy vehicles use the area regularly. Mad, but true. Check access on the Ministry of Defence website to confirm the route is open before you go.
The A537 Cat and Fiddle Road, Cheshire/Derbyshire border
Yes, it’s well-known in biking circles. But car drivers often skip it because of the biker association. Their loss. The A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton has long fast sweepers, a genuine altitude change, and enough technical sections to keep things interesting from end to end. The Cat and Fiddle pub itself is closed, which means one less distraction and more road to enjoy. Surface condition is good on the Cheshire side; the Derbyshire descent gets more patchy closer to Buxton.
Traffic is heavier on summer weekends and bank holidays. The move is to be there before 8am or after 6pm. I’ve done it at 7am on a Sunday in autumn and barely seen another vehicle for twenty minutes.
The B4368 through Corvedale, Shropshire
Shropshire is genuinely overlooked. The B4368 between Craven Arms and Much Wenlock runs through Corvedale, a quiet valley that feels like it’s been forgotten by modernity in the best possible way. The road is narrow in places, technical throughout, and surrounded by that rolling border-country landscape that nobody seems to put on a driving bucket list. Surface is mostly solid. Traffic is agricultural during the week and almost nothing at weekends. If you want a road that doesn’t feel like a performance because you saw it on Instagram, this is it.
Craven Arms has fuel, a decent butcher, and that’s about it. Which is exactly what you want.
The B3212 across Dartmoor, Devon
England’s wildest peninsula delivers on the southern end. The B3212 across the middle of Dartmoor between Moretonhampstead and Yelverton is raw, exposed, and genuinely challenging in a way that surprises people who write off the South West. Ponies on the road are a genuine hazard. Mist rolls in fast. But on a clear day, the visibility from the high moor is extraordinary, and the road surface on this particular route has been maintained better than most of Dartmoor’s network. Drop into Moretonhampstead for fuel before you head west.
Planning your run: what actually matters
Getting the most from these roads comes down to timing and preparation, and neither of those is complicated. Mid-week mornings are universally better than weekend afternoons. Check the Met Office forecast the night before because a damp road on the Black Mountain Pass or Dartmoor is a very different proposition to a dry one. Check your tyres. I’d argue that understanding the difference between track-day and road tyre performance is actually relevant here, because these are roads that expose tyre behaviour in a way that motorway miles never will.
And if you’re planning a longer enthusiast road trip that strings several of these routes together, the practicalities matter more than you’d think. Fuel planning specifically. These routes are rural and petrol stations are sparse. Run your tank low at your peril.
One more thing: if you’re putting together a list of cars to take on roads like these, a used Japanese performance car under £15,000 would be an absolutely cracking choice. Reliable, capable, and the kind of machine that makes every B-road feel like a gift rather than a commute.
Scotland’s roads are brilliant. Nobody’s arguing otherwise. But if you live south of Edinburgh and you’ve been ignoring what’s on your doorstep, you’ve been leaving serious driving pleasure on the table. Get out there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best driving roads in England for car enthusiasts?
Some of the finest include the B6255 through Ribblesdale, the A537 Cat and Fiddle Road on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border, and the B4368 through Corvedale in Shropshire. Each offers a mix of technical corners, light traffic, and genuinely rewarding surfaces that most enthusiasts overlook in favour of Scottish routes.
Are Welsh driving roads included in English B-road guides?
Wales is a separate nation but geographically accessible from England, and routes like the A4069 Black Mountain Pass and the B4520 through Epynt are within easy reach for English-based drivers. Many enthusiast guides bundle the Welsh borders and Welsh roads together for good reason: they’re exceptional.
When is the best time to drive B-roads in England without traffic?
Early weekday mornings are the gold standard, particularly before 8am on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Summer bank holidays and Sunday afternoons bring recreational traffic, especially on routes near national parks. Autumn weekdays offer some of the cleanest, quietest driving of the year.
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