Favourite British Scenic Drives St Just to St Ives

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The barbed Atlantic winds screamed at me relentlessly, penetrating the bones and drowning the songs of seabirds. Cape Cornwall stood defiantly in the face of the mighty Atlantic Ocean, sculptured over time by driving currents, wind and rain.

Cape Cornwall lies in the far west of county Cornwall, deep in the south-westerly reaches of England. Standing sentry against the intensity of the Atlantic, Cape Cornwall guards the town of St Just from the worst of the elements.

St Just is the last major town in England before the shipping graveyard of Lands End and its treacherous stretch of rugged coastline. A delightful little town, St Just is just minutes from the ancient monument site of Carn Gluze on the Penwith Heritage Coast.

Travelling north from St Just along the B3306, you soon descend a steep gradient before passing through the sleepy little village of Botallack. A little further is the enchanting Pendeen, home to the old Geevor Tin Mines, offering a glimpse of days gone by and unenviable working practises.

Pendeen Watch stands at the head of the shore, embedding you amongst the jagged Cornish coastline at the mercy of the elements and Atlantic Ocean. The South West Coast Path provides opportunity to explore more of the seacoast.

The coastal road continued northeast through Morvah village and the excellent coastal observation post Gurnards Head, before the panorama broadened to incorporate a vast expanse of land slowly descend as it approached the sea.

Vibrant coloured plants and shrubs blanketed the ground as they raced across the decline towards the towering cliff tops, stopping suddenly at the edge to observe the high seas. A fusion of scents emanated from the vast array of flowers swaying in the ocean breeze.

The narrow road continued to twist and turn slowly through the pretty Cornish countryside. The monopoly of fields and shrubs rescinded upon arrival of Zennor. Calm and peaceful, this serene village seemed the perfect antidote to the rigours of modern day city living.

A steep downhill gradient preceded the final approach to St Ives with its tight cobbled streets and busy harbour. The land began to rise again as the town neared. Tantalising glimpses of St Ives Bay and a glut of sailing vessels suddenly emerged between breaks in the houses.

The steep descent through cramped streets became a battle of wills with pedestrians; everybody fought for the same space. A fortunate place in the harbour car park left me gazing into the Atlantic. The wind had now relented; all was calm again.

Favourite British Scenic Drives St Just to St Ives

Fall Foliage Scenic Drive in Rhode Island

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Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union but when it comes to scenic drives it has one of the best. With over 400 miles of coastline and 20 percent of Americas National Historic Landmarks, Rhode Island packs plenty of distractions in this fall foliage coastal drive.

The trip is a one-way 61-mile scenic drive on Route 1A along Block Island Sound until turning North to follow the western shore of Narragansett Bay. Youll eventually hook-up with Route 138 east and shoot over to historic Newport and the scenic 10-mile Ocean Drive.

Along the way are plenty of detours for lighthouses, wildlife refuge trails, beach walking, and quiet village rambles in autumn splendor. And if youve got an extra day, dock yourself at Point Judith and take the ferry across to Block Island and rent a bicycle to tour around and enjoy the stunning fall scenery.

But back to the drive, and lets get going…

Start your scenic drive by heading south on U.S. Highway 1A from Westerly. Look for the sign to Watch Hill Road, which takes you out to Watch Hill, a marvelously preserved Victorian seaside town.

Attractions in Watch Hill include The Flying Horse Carousel, the oldest continuously operating merry-go-round carousel in the U.S., and the Watch Hill Lighthouse, a granite and brick-lined 19th Century masterpiece. The Lighthouse has no parking so youll park in town and stroll out the 15-minutes it takes to get there – but its worth it!

Continue the scenic drive by retracing the road back to US 1A and then heading east. Route 1A merges with Route 1 as you drive towards Charlestown and the Point Judith Area. This part of the drive has numerous beaches, long sand spits, inlets, coves, and turnoffs for salt ponds and wildlife refuges protected by the natural beach barriers on Block Island Sound.

Follow Route 1 until it intersects with Route 108 south and head down to Point Judith and the Junction of Route 1A. Drive the short distance to Point Judith Lighthouse, which was built in 1857. Here youll also get another great view of Block Island and its cliffs on the horizon. The island is just a short ferry ride from Point Judith and a popular daily excursion for many during the fall foliage season.

Take Route 1A North to Narragansett Pier and on to farms and countryside surrounding the Pettaquamscutt River. This area of stonewalls and forests once housed many Rhode Island plantations that gave the state its formal name of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. In the fall foliage season the forests are ablaze with autumn and add a satisfying splash of color to this coastline tour.

Continue the scenic drive north until it meets Route 138 and then head east on Route 138 over Jamestown Bridge to Conanicut Island, and then over the magnificent Newport Bridge into the city of Newport – once the home of the Americas Cup races, and still one of the sailing capitals of the world.

Newport is on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, and the final leg of this fall foliage scenic drive. It is one of my favorite cities in New England – anytime of the year – but especially during autumn. Theres plenty to see and do, as youll discover…

After the Newport Bridge follow the signs to the Transportation Center. Stay on the main road as it winds through the harbor area, and which offers views of the alleys and passageways leading to million dollar yachts berthed at the docks. Eventually the road becomes Memorial Boulevard until it meets Bellevue Avenue on the right.

Bellevue Avenue is home to many of the famous Newport Mansions and when time allows worth a visit to a few on a return trip. For now admire the “summer cottages” as they were once called, from your driving view and work your way towards Ocean Drive.

Ocean Drive is a 10-mile route that starts on Bellevue Avenue and follows Ocean Avenue around a rocky peninsular with fishing coves, swimming beaches, and public parks.

The Ocean Avenue part of the drive is probably the most scenic with magnificent houses on rocky necks amidst the omnipresent Atlantic Ocean. A rest stop at the halfway point on Ocean Drive is Brenton State Park, and is popular for picnics and flying kites – it has tables and B-B-Q pits if you can remember to bring your own charcoal.

As you head out of the park youre heading back to Newport Harbor, and youll pass the Castle Hill Lighthouse, Hammersmith Farm – where former Jackie Kennedy spent childhood years – and Fort Adams Park.

The Fort Adams State Park is on Harrison Avenue and another wonderful destination of its own another day. Turn left at the next intersection, and left again onto Halidon Avenue. Continue right onto Wellington Avenue and youll pass by King Park on your left, which is at the southern end of Newport Harbor, and leads you back into the city center where the tour ends.

Theres a lot of diversity packed into this fall foliage scenic drive and its in one of my favorite areas of New England, and after youve take the ride yourself I suspect it could be one of yours.

Fall Foliage Scenic Drive in Rhode Island

A White Mountains Vacation Most Scenic 100 Miles in New England

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This amazing trip through the White Mountains of New Hampshire includes gorgeous views, a visit to the home of the world wind speed record, and one of most scenic train rides in the east.

The White Mountain National Forest is a 4-hour drive north of Boston, Massachusetts. Deep in New Hampshire, the mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountain system that covers the Eastern United States. Within the forest park is the White Mountains Trail, and its a drive thats arguably the most scenic 100 miles in New England. Heres a selection of my favorite stops along the way – some of them require prior planning and are day trips in themselves.

WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST VISITOR CENTER

Most people begin the drive from the White Mountains Visitor Center in North Woodstock on route 112 and head out on route 3N to the Franconia Notch area.

If youre traveling with kids then youll want to pencil dates back in this area at the Clarks Trading Post, and The Whales Tale attractions — both in Lincoln on route 3N. At Clarks you can see Bears, ride a steam train, climb towers, and generally keep the young ones happy. The Whales Tale is a water park with a wave pool, picnic areas, and live entertainment.

Back on the road head north towards Franconia Notch, and shortly youll see the sign for our first stop – the Flume Gorge.

THE FLUME GORGE

The Flume Gorge was formed over 200 million years ago when the White Mountains were molten rock. As the terrain here cooled quickly, softer material was forced into the fractures that formed. These fractures wore down with natural erosion much quicker that the surrounding granite rock — leaving the gorge. And so now you get to enjoy a geological wonder at the base of beautiful Mount Liberty.

The Gorge has a visitor center where your tour starts and ends, one of the oldest covered bridges on the White Mountains Trail, and some dramatic photo opportunities.

Continue to head north on Route 3 until it joins Route 302 and follow 302 towards Bretton Woods. Here the mountains get taller and taller until eventually you see the grand daddy of them all — Mount Washington at 6,288 feet.

THE ROOF OF THE WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST…

Depending on time available, youve got three options for experiencing Mount Washington: take the Cog Railway train ride to the top, drive the auto road to the summit — the quickest way, or you can hike if youre well prepared. But dont consider hiking to the top unless youre in great condition and with somebody. This mountain claims lives every year – even in the summer – as conditions in this area can deteriorate dramatically within minutes.

And yes, its worth getting to the summit. On a clear day the view is stunning. Visit the museum at the top and learn about the day in 1934 when the highest wind speed ever recorded on earth was taken – 231 MPH. Youll learn why its unique geographic position provides the mountain with the worst weather on earth.

Now get back onto Route 302 and head south to the town of North Conway.

THE CONWAY SCENIC RAILROAD

Schedule at least enough time to take the shorter valley scenic train, which you board in North Conway. The train rides offer wonderful views of the scenic valleys and notches in the surrounding area.

The valley train is a 55-minute roundtrip, and the Notch train is 5 hours. Both have a first-class car if you want to have a different experience. The notch train has a dome car as well, where you get magnificent views of the steep ravines and sheer bluffs. The trains usually run from mid-June until mid-October.

THE KANCAMAGUS HIGHWAY

Lets finish up our White Mountains Trail tour by joining back up with route 112 at Conway and driving back to the White Mountain National Forest Visitor Center.

Route 112, or as its better known the Kancamagus Highway, is the only road that runs directly east and west through the heart of the White Mountain National Forest. This is a dramatic road that shows off the magnificence of one of New Hampshires best-loved scenic spots. From this road your vistas include wilderness and the highest peaks in the presidential range.

During the summer and fall foliage months youre likely to have plenty of company on your drive. But if the weather is clear who cares if the going is a little slow – this isnt a drive to rush anyway. But its a magnificent end to our 100-mile scenic drive.

A White Mountains Vacation Most Scenic 100 Miles in New England