United Kingdom, Scotland
The gateway to the Highlands, with the Trossachs an hour away and Glencoe reachable before lunch.
First instinct from Edinburgh: head north west across the Forth.
Scored roads in range
12
Nearest great road
65 mi
Best rated nearby
9.5 / 10
Shortest full loop
4 hr 50 min
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 21 June 2026
60 to 150 km from the centre
Far enough to feel like a proper trip, close enough to be home for dinner.
Roughly 6 hr 33 min of driving if you string the lot together and come back the way you came.
79 mi away · Glen Coe, Scottish Highlands
A sweeping run through Rannoch Moor beneath the brooding Buachaille Etive Mor.
30 km · 18.6 mi · Atlas rating 9.4 / 10
86 mi away · North Pennines, England
A biker's classic with wide open views across the Eden Valley to the Lakeland fells.
13 km · 8.1 mi · Atlas rating 9.1 / 10
65 mi away · Argyll, Scotland
A dramatic zigzag climb through Glen Croe famous for its recurring landslides.
13 km · 8.1 mi · Atlas rating 8.9 / 10
68 mi away · Cairngorms, Scotland
Britain's highest classified road climbs a bleak ski pass above Glenshee.
16 km · 9.9 mi · Atlas rating 8.8 / 10
71 mi away · Northumberland, England
An arrow straight Roman era road that rolls dramatically beside Hadrian's Wall.
32 km · 19.9 mi · Atlas rating 8.3 / 10
150 to 400 km from the centre
Leave early, take the long way back and make a day of it.
Roughly 10 hr 7 min of driving if you string the lot together and come back the way you came.
140 mi away · Applecross, Scottish Highlands
Britain's highest road climbs via hairpins to a wild moonscape pass above Applecross.
18.5 km · 11.5 mi · Atlas rating 9.9 / 10
107 mi away · Lake District, England
England's steepest road gradient, a brutal one in three climb over Roman ruins.
5 km · 3.1 mi · Atlas rating 9.5 / 10
143 mi away · Wester Ross, Scotland
A lochside single track with views straight across to Skye and the Cuillins.
25 km · 15.5 mi · Atlas rating 9.4 / 10
99 mi away · Lake District, England
A steep slate quarry pass squeezed between towering fells above Buttermere.
6.5 km · 4 mi · Atlas rating 9.3 / 10
165 mi away · Isle of Skye, Scotland
A high single track skirting the surreal landslipped pinnacles of the Trotternish ridge.
13 km · 8.1 mi · Atlas rating 9.3 / 10
176 mi away · Sutherland, Scotland
A remote NC500 highlight of sea lochs, switchbacks and empty moorland roads.
45 km · 28 mi · Atlas rating 9.3 / 10
Longer
Plan it
Nearby cities