Drivelines
England · Midlands/8 min read

The 10 most scenic drives in the Midlands.

The Midlands hide a spectacular network of driving roads. From the fringes of the Peak District down to the rolling heart of Herefordshire, these routes offer some of the best scenery in the country.

By Drivelines·Published 06 May 2026
REGION OVERVIEW

Beyond the motorways

It is a region that drivers too often endure rather than explore, staring at the bumper in front on the M6 or the M42. But turn off the primary routes and you find a completely different landscape: the Shropshire Hills, the Wye Valley, and the quiet agricultural expanses of Leicestershire. These are roads that follow the contours of the land, rewarding a gentle pace and an appreciation for the topography that shapes them.

Routes mapped
10
Total distance
164km
Avg curve idx
5.2/10
Map of all 10 routes in england-midlands
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Stockton Road (A443)
10
A443 · Worcestershire · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Stockton Road (A443)

An unusually scenic primary route, the A443 offers wide, sweeping bends and a generous width that takes the stress out of the drive. The high-quality surface makes for quiet, refined cruising, allowing you to take in the sprawling valley views. It serves as an ideal warm-up or wind-down to a longer trip.

The wide lanes make progress easy, though the speed limits drop sharply as you enter Abberley Common.

Distance
21.3km
Drive time
0h 24m
Curve idx
4.0/10
Climb
348m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Bromyard Road (B4214)
09
B4214 · Herefordshire · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Bromyard Road (B4214)

This flowing secondary road cuts a steady path through classic cider-apple country. The curves are broad and predictable, making it a joy to pilot a comfortable touring car along its length. It is a road that asks for patience rather than outright performance.

The surface is generally excellent, but look out for gravel washed out from farm tracks after heavy rain.

Distance
17.9km
Drive time
0h 24m
Curve idx
4.3/10
Climb
267m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Merbach Bridge (B4352)
08
B4352 · Herefordshire · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Merbach Bridge (B4352)

A long, sweeping journey near the Golden Valley, this road traces the contours of the Herefordshire landscape. The driving is relaxed and rhythmic, with only gentle inputs required to navigate its winding path. The rich agricultural scenery provides a deeply pastoral backdrop.

Heavy farm machinery uses this route daily; be prepared to pull over in the narrower spots to let them pass.

Distance
23.8km
Drive time
0h 29m
Curve idx
4.4/10
Climb
340m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Ludlow Road (B4364)
07
B4364 · Shropshire · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Ludlow Road (B4364)

Running beneath the imposing silhouette of the Clee Hills, this route blends dramatic topography with a deeply satisfying road layout. It is wide and smooth, allowing you to appreciate the scenery without fighting the steering. The transitions between corners are beautifully judged.

The descent towards Bridgnorth opens up spectacular sightlines, but the crosswinds over the higher sections can be sudden.

Distance
14.8km
Drive time
0h 18m
Curve idx
4.8/10
Climb
255m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Uppingham Road (B664)
06
B664 · Leicestershire · Easy
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Uppingham Road (B664)

The B664 is the direct road between Market Harborough and Uppingham, running the Northamptonshire side of the Welland valley through Sutton Bassett and Weston by Welland before crossing into Leicestershire for Medbourne and climbing past Nevill Holt and Stockerston to the Rutland border. It is a flowing road rather than a technical one: long open stretches, a chicane near Sutton Bassett, sweepers below Nevill Holt, tighter bends at Stockerston and one 180-degree hairpin with a view back across the valley. The main corners have been re-dressed with high-grip surfacing, and the Eyebrook is off to the right near the top.

Two hump-back bridges and a single-file bridge break the run, and the hedges hide dips and corners that tighten more than they first appear; Medbourne has a speeding complaint on record, so hold the limit through the village. On Easter Monday the Hallaton to Medbourne bottle-kicking fills the place.

Distance
18.5km
Drive time
0h 22m
Curve idx
4.9/10
Climb
334m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Martley Road (B4197)
05
B4197 · Worcestershire · Easy
Dual-trackVaried surface

Martley Road (B4197)

This is a quintessential English rural drive, linking small settlements with a ribbon of surprisingly varied tarmac. The curvature is gentle enough to let you focus on the landscape, though occasional tightening radii keep you alert. It rewards a relaxed, unhurried approach.

The dappled light through the tree tunnels makes it hard to spot sudden surface changes on bright afternoons.

Distance
11km
Drive time
0h 14m
Curve idx
5.4/10
Climb
263m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to New Road (B4555)
04
B4555 · Shropshire · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

New Road (B4555)

The B4555 leaves Bridgnorth southward along the west side of the Severn valley, through Eardington and Chelmarsh to the old mining village of Highley, shadowing the Severn Valley Railway for most of its ten miles. It is a wide, well-surfaced B-road with open sightlines over farmland and about 260 m of cumulative climbing; the bends are long enough to reward smooth inputs and rarely tighten unexpectedly.

Chelmarsh Reservoir and its sailing club sit just off the road four miles out of Bridgnorth. Shropshire Council closed short stretches for carriageway repairs twice in 2025, so it is worth checking for temporary closures before a Sunday run.

Distance
15.8km
Drive time
0h 20m
Curve idx
5.7/10
Climb
260m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to The Village (B4204)
03
B4204 · Worcestershire · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

The Village (B4204)

West of Worcester the B4204 does something Worcestershire roads rarely do: it drops off the Malvern Line at Martley into the narrow, steep-sided Teme valley, crosses the river on the 17th-century Ham Bridge and climbs about 600 feet straight back out to Clifton upon Teme on the rim. The corners link logically on a well-kept surface, and the gradient either side of the river gives the flow some structure. It rewards smooth inputs and a plan for the climb, not speed.

Ham Bridge is a scheduled monument barely 22 metres long, sitting at the very bottom of the valley with the climb to Clifton starting straight off it, so pick your gear before the bridge, not after.

Distance
20.7km
Drive time
0h 26m
Curve idx
6.3/10
Climb
414m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Stratford Road (B4632)
02
B4632 · Cotswolds Edge · Easy
Dual-trackVaried surface

Stratford Road (B4632)

Skirting the very northern edge of the Cotswolds near Mickleton, this flowing road serves up broad, sweeping vistas across the Warwickshire plains. The surface varies, but the gradients are gentle, making it an exercise in momentum rather than braking. It provides a quiet alternative to the primary tourist routes further south.

The long sightlines northbound let you plan overtakes well in advance, though the agricultural traffic can dictate the pace.

Distance
12.5km
Drive time
0h 16m
Curve idx
4.5/10
Climb
215m
StartEnd
Plan a drive to Oakamoor Road (B5417)
01
B5417 · Staffordshire · Spirited
Dual-trackSmooth surface

Oakamoor Road (B5417)

The B5417 is the 1762 Blythe Marsh to Thorpe turnpike: it drops steeply out of Cheadle into the Churnet Valley at Oakamoor, crosses the river on a narrow four-arch sandstone bridge and climbs straight out again up Star Bank, 213 m in 2.9 km at 7.3% average and 13% at the steepest, towards Cotton. Five miles, one of the highest curve densities in the Midlands set, smooth tarmac and sightlines that close in under the wooded banks: it rewards patience on the descents and a settled line on the climb.

The Churnet bridge at the foot of the drop into Oakamoor is narrow and the climb starts immediately off it, so expect to give way; the road pinches in several more times between there and Cheadle.

Distance
8.1km
Drive time
0h 11m
Curve idx
7.6/10
Climb
166m
// KEEP READING
Sibling guide · Driving
Top 10 driving roads in the Midlands
Parent region · England
Top 10 scenic drives in England
Nearby · The east of England
Top 10 scenic drives in the east of England
Nearby · London and the Home Counties
Top 10 scenic drives in London and the Home Counties
Nearby · The North West
Top 10 scenic drives in the North West
Index · Every region
All Top 10 Field Guides

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