Drivelines
England · Near Manchester/8 min read

The 10 best driving roads around Manchester.

Manchester’s urban sprawl sits on the doorstep of some of the UK’s finest driving territory. From the sweeping moorland of the Dark Peak to the tight, historic routes of the Pennines, these are the roads that make escaping the city worthwhile.

By Drivelines·Published 06 May 2026
REGION OVERVIEW

Pennine rhythm and Peak District grit

Head east or south from the M60 and the geography changes fast. The Peak District and southern Pennines offer a masterclass in varied topography, mixing high-speed sweeping A-roads with technical, single-track moorland crossings. Grip levels fluctuate with the notoriously changeable weather, and sightlines are often obscured by ancient drystone walls. You don't need a massive power output to enjoy these roads, but you do need mechanical sympathy and a willingness to read the surface.

Routes mapped
10
Total distance
155km
Avg curve idx
5.6/10
Map of all 10 routes in near-manchester
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Ecclesall Road South (A625)
10
A625 · Sheffield Fringe · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Ecclesall Road South (A625)

Acting as the primary artery from Sheffield into the Peak District National Park, the A625 is an easy-going introduction to the region. It sweeps cleanly out of the urban fringe and into the hills with broad, well-sighted corners. It is less about outright driving challenge and more about the anticipation of the moors to come.

Speed limits fluctuate regularly as you pass through the commuter villages; stick rigidly to the signs.

Distance
18.3km
Drive time
0h 29m
Curve idx
4.3/10
Climb
434m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Buxton Road (B5053)
09
B5053 · White Peak · Easy
Dual-trackVaried surface

Buxton Road (B5053)

A gentler journey through the limestone geology of the southern Peak District. The B5053 meanders nicely without throwing any nasty surprises your way, making it perfect for a leisurely drive. The surface varies in places, but the overall flow is relaxed and picturesque.

Limestone walls sit right on the edge of the tarmac in several sections, meaning you need to place the car precisely.

Distance
16.5km
Drive time
0h 20m
Curve idx
4.7/10
Climb
543m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Woodhead Road (A6024)
08
A6024 · Holme Moss · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Woodhead Road (A6024)

Scaling Holme Moss, this is a dramatic, sweeping ascent that provides some of the best vistas in the South Pennines. The curves are relatively open, allowing you to settle into a relaxed, flowing rhythm as you gain altitude. It's a broad, confident road that prioritises sweeping momentum over tight apexes.

The wind across the summit car park is notorious; keep a firm grip on your door when stepping out.

Distance
11.6km
Drive time
0h 16m
Curve idx
5.1/10
Climb
323m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Mortimer Road
07
Mortimer Road · Strines Moor · Expert
Mixed widthVaried surface

Mortimer Road

Mortimer Road is Hans Winthrop Mortimer's 1771 turnpike from Penistone towards Bamford, a commercial failure that left behind a narrow moorland road running around Bradfield Dale at about 310 m. This 9.7-mile section from Midhopestones to the A57 stacks steep drops and climbs, Ewden Bank most of all with 126 m in a kilometre at 12.5% average and two hairpins, and passes the Strines Inn, where a listed take-off stone marks where the extra horse was unhitched. Width and surface vary; it asks for gradient management and sightline reading, not pace.

The right-hand hairpin near the top of Ewden Bank is off-camber and stays damp year-round from a spring under the trees. Locals have petitioned for a 50 limit and more chevrons after repeated crashes at the bends, and the council is looking at average-speed cameras.

Distance
15.6km
Drive time
0h 20m
Curve idx
5.0/10
Climb
505m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Long Hill (A5004)
06
A5004 · High Peak · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Long Hill (A5004)

Connecting Buxton to the Goyt Valley, Long Hill is a beautifully engineered stretch of tarmac. The corners are well-sighted and progressively radius, making it immensely satisfying to stitch together at sensible speeds. It is the kind of road that flatters a well-sorted chassis without ever feeling overly punishing.

Traffic builds quickly on weekend mornings, making an early start essential if you want a clean run.

Distance
12.7km
Drive time
0h 17m
Curve idx
5.6/10
Climb
250m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Buxton Road (A54)
05
A54 · Peak District · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Buxton Road (A54)

From the A523 crossroads at Bosley the A54 climbs 15 miles to the Derbyshire line, topping out at 1,690 ft where it meets the A537, the highest A-road in Cheshire. The lower half is a run of blind crests and dips above the Dane; higher up it settles into open, well-sighted sweepers past Wildboarclough under Shutlingsloe, with adverse cambers where it narrows. EuroRAP rated the Buxton to Congleton stretch medium-to-high risk in 2008, which is another way of saying the crests hide more than they show.

Sheep wander onto the top section and the shaded bends stay damp long after the open moor has dried. The average-speed cameras pick up on the last stretch before the Cat and Fiddle junction.

Distance
24.3km
Drive time
0h 29m
Curve idx
5.6/10
Climb
744m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Macclesfield Road (B5470)
04
B5470 · Cheshire East · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Macclesfield Road (B5470)

A 1770 turnpike out of Macclesfield's eastern edge, the B5470 climbs round the south flank of Kerridge Hill, drops through Rainow and then rides the Todd Brook valley past Kettleshulme before a hairpin lifts it to 341 m at Charles Head above Whaley Bridge. The corners follow the contours, so the drive is about reading gradient against sightline; the surface is good and the road wide enough to hold a line without crowding oncoming traffic. Open pasture alternates with walled, tree-lined cuttings, which changes the grip and the view every mile or so.

The embankment between Ginclough and Kettleshulme fell away in January 2025 and the road reopened only after a £1.6m rebuild that started that October; the council has been running periodic checks under temporary lights there since, so a red light on that stretch is likely inspection work rather than a breakdown.

Distance
13.2km
Drive time
0h 22m
Curve idx
6.5/10
Climb
392m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Snake Road (A57)
03
A57 · Dark Peak · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Snake Road (A57)

Macadam's 1821 turnpike over the Pennines, the A57 climbs from Glossop to 510 m where it crosses the Pennine Way, then runs down past the Snake Inn to Ladybower at Ashopton. Curvature is modest for a pass, long, well-surfaced sweepers rather than hairpins, and the difficulty is in the ground under it: four active landslip sites, a single-lane section that has run under lights at Alport, and a surface patched repeatedly since Storm Eunice opened three slumps in a single mile in 2022. It rewards smooth inputs and a long view; the corners are predictable, the road state is not.

Check Derbyshire County Council's Snake Pass page before you go: it is one of the first roads in the county to shut for snow, it closed outright for three weeks in June 2026 for borehole work at Doctor's Gate, and anything over 7.5 tonnes is diverted. The Snake Inn shut in 2019, so do not count on a stop at the top.

Distance
14.9km
Drive time
0h 16m
Curve idx
4.4/10
Climb
356m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Buxton New Road (A537)
02
A537 · Peak District · Expert
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Buxton New Road (A537)

The A537 climbs out of Macclesfield to the Cat and Fiddle Inn at 1,689 ft over 7.5 miles of straights broken by sharp, often blind bends across open moor. The inn was Britain's second-highest pub until it shut in 2015 and is now the Forest Distillery's shop. The stretch carries a 50 limit and rear-facing average-speed cameras that have been in place since 2010, after the road was rated the most dangerous in the UK. What remains is a road that rewards reading the camber and placing the car early; the corners lose nothing at the posted 50.

The camera sites pair up unpredictably along the whole climb, so hold 50 from Macclesfield to the A54 junction. Cheshire East shuts the road in snow. Both the A537 and A54 closed in January 2025, so check before a winter run.

Distance
13.7km
Drive time
0h 16m
Curve idx
7.9/10
Climb
492m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Hebden Bridge Road (A6033)
01
A6033 · Calderdale · Expert
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Hebden Bridge Road (A6033)

From Hebden Bridge the A6033 climbs 329 metres in under seven kilometres to the 433-metre summit at Cock Hill, then runs over Oxenhope Moor and drops into Oxenhope. The steepest pitches are in the town itself, where the road is narrow and busy; above Pecket Well the gradient eases and the bends open out onto the moor. It sits in the Road Safety Foundation's top 50 highest-risk A-roads, which is why the bends were widened and the surface renewed from Bedlam Bends to the Bradford boundary in 2020 to 2021. The tarmac is good and the corners still tighten over crests: a road for smooth, methodical inputs.

It closes more often than most A-roads: weekday closures through 2020 for the safety scheme, and again in summer 2025 while Bradford rebuilt three collapsed Victorian culverts under the moor section. Check before treating it as the way to Haworth.

Distance
14.2km
Drive time
0h 23m
Curve idx
7.1/10
Climb
402m
// KEEP READING
Sibling guide · Scenic
Top 10 scenic drives in Manchester
Parent region · England
Top 10 driving roads in England
Nearby · The east of England
Top 10 driving roads in the east of England
Nearby · London and the Home Counties
Top 10 driving roads in London and the Home Counties
Nearby · The Midlands
Top 10 driving roads in the Midlands
Index · Every region
All Top 10 Field Guides

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