Leisure Drive

[Mattemotorway]

I've seen signs around Pocklington with 'scenic route' on them... Would that count?

[CrackersA361]

theres definately a 'leisure drive' sign with the english rose logo on the A423 to the north of Banbury, just as its passed over the M40. I'll see if i can get a pic soon..

[kieron]

*Bump*!

I am reawakening this thread with thoughts about putting something on the Wiki. How many more 'tourist routes' or similar are there signposted around the country?

The Flintshire Leisure Drive hasn't vanished from the signs in the last 3 years.

[worcsfan]

Leisure Drives are totally or partially still signposted:

near Tenbury Wells in Worcs. I remember the whole route and the signs were erected c. 1980. This route followed an AA Day Drive and covered the Clee Hills and Bewdley, as well as the Teme Valley.

Two met near Milford Common in Staffs.- one following an AA Day Drive towards Great Haywood and Salt before going back into Stafford; the other over Cannock Chase in some form- passing the German Military Cemetery and the Pye Green Tower at one point.

The signs ceased to be maintained about 20 years ago and are not replaced if signs are damaged.

Dudley MBC has the Dudley Tour- marked by a red rose on a brown sign. It covers most of the borough and confusingly heads out of the borough into Staffs. to pass the Dudley Council owned Himley Hall and Park. These signs appear to be maintained to this day.

[Owain]

My memory is a little bit hazy here, but I think the B4226 through the Forest of Dean was signposted as 'scenic route' during the time I lived there (1980s/90s).

[sgill77]

I did two bits of driving at the weekend, from home in Halesowen down to Stratford-Upon-Avon via Wootton Wawen and Redditch, and from home to Church Stretton via Bridgnorth. At some point on one of these drives, I passed a Guildford-rules brown patch on a green sign for a Leisure Drive... I just can't remember which it was! There's a chance that it was on my way back from Church Stretton, and that it was part of the Tenbury/Clee/Bewdley route mentioned above.

[wrinkly]

I've just returned from a few days in North Wales. South of Abergele I saw a brown sign saying "Leisure Drive" or "Scenic Route" or some such. If I remember correctly it was pointing along the A544 at its junction with the A548.

[worcsfan]

Talking of AA Day Drives being used as Leisure Drives, I have vague memories of such a Drive near or around the Edge Hill-Farnborough area of Warwickshire, especially through the Burton Dassett Country Park.

The signs may have gone in the general re-signing of the area as the M40 opened: which fits in with such Drives not being maintained after c. 1984.

Anyone else remember it?

[wrinkly]

On OS Landranger mapping, adjacent to the A19 a couple of miles south of Thirsk, there's a yellow road labelled "Caravan Route".

[novaecosse]

On OS Landranger mapping, adjacent to the A19 a couple of miles south of Thirsk, there's a yellow road labelled "Caravan Route".

That's because Caravans are banned from Sutton Bank on the A170

[PeterA5145]

There are brown "Tourist Route" signs (with the tourist board 'English rose' logo) on the B184 between Gt Chesterford and Gt Dunmow. A very pleasant alternative to the A11/M11/A120, although it can snag up in Saffron Walden.

This is signed as "Uttlesford Tourist Route". According to this web page, "due to the changing road and transport infrastructure in the Uttlesford area many of the rural tourist based business in the area are likely to suffer from a reduction in passing trade. This project aims to tackle this problem with a range of suitable tourist signs highlighting the attractions and facilities of the area."

Unfortunately this area seems to have recently fallen victim to the dreaded "50 disease", including the whole of the B1383 (former A11) between Stansted Mountfitchet and Great Chesterford, which includes a number of stretches of very good road that shout out "NSL"

[Big Nick]

I saw a brown-sign route near Sedbergh last week, might have been pointing along the Hawes road.

There's definitely a brown route marked around Thirlmere off the A591.

[worcsfan]

Small world department...driving through Burford [the Shrops. one] on the A456 and needing to go through Tenbury into Wales, I noticed a new sign for 'Leisure Drive' pointing onto the A4112 into Tenbury town.

I was last there in May and trust me- it wasn't there then! It then goes down the B4214 for Bromyard- I carried on for Leysters and Leominster and thus lost it.

[jvb]

I'm resurrecting this topic because we have still many 'Leisure Drive' signs in Warwickshire, including some of those mentioned above.
I remember the routes being created in the 1970's, and at the time the local authorities gave out leaflets about them. However they weren't actively promoted for very long, and up until today I thought they had been forgotten about a long time ago. But I've just come across this website: http://www.theopenroad.co.uk/Warwickshi ... ure-Drives - which shows that Shakespeare Country Tourism has resurrected them - there being 4 routes in Warwickshire. They aren't actively publicising them locally though.

[brummie_rob]

I noticed in Cornwall around the Gweek area that the Leisure drive logos had been covered/patched up. I presumed they stopped promoting these as it wasn't eco-friendly or that villagers got sick of people gawping at the houses on them.

I have seen some round the Stoke/Staffs Moorlands recently though.

[multiraider2]

I noticed in Cornwall around the Gweek area that the Leisure drive logos had been covered/patched up. I presumed they stopped promoting these as it wasn't eco-friendly or that villagers got sick of people gawping at the houses on them.

The nationalists in Cornwall erased any sign references to English Heritage with marker pens or unofficial patching some years ago. So I don't know if this is action by locals or by the local authority.

[Potholes ate my car]

VisitScotland actively promote national tourist routes as alternatives to major routes. They're prominently signed in my experience, often from motorways.

[si404]

VisitScotland actively promote national tourist routes as alternatives to major routes. They're prominently signed in my experience, often from motorways.

See also Category:Scottish National Tourist Routes (there's a mistake with the Highland Tourist Route near Aberdeen, and the Deeside Tourist Route (A93) trace isn't working on the map).

[Glen]

There's also the new, separately promoted, North Coast 500 route. I don't know to what extent, if any, it will appear on signs.

[sirwiggum]

Causeway Coastal Route is signed from the M2 foreshore out of Belfast.

And heading towards Newry, the Mourne Coastal Route is signed.