Three kids, one day skiving off school in Chicago, and a (fake) Ferrari made Ferris Bueller’s Day off one of the biggest movies of 1986, and, my personal favourite film of all time.

Maybe it’s because I saw it while on holiday in America, or maybe it’s just that no teenage boy could ever disagree with Cameron when he declares “Ferris Bueller, You’re My Hero.”

That just so happens to be the title of a new book by über fan Jason Klamm, who interviewed literally hundreds of people involved in the filming, from stars Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck to set designers, producers, hair and makeup and even the extras at Shermer High School. It’s a great read for Ferris fans and reveals all manner of insights from John Hughes’ improv-heavy direction to the film’s key locations 

The Bueller House, where Ferris puts on “One of the worst performance of my career,” to convince his parents that he’s too sick for school, was actually in California, but the school and surroundings of Shermer were shot in Northbrook, Illinois.

It was here that Hughes grew up, and where he also set The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles,Pretty In Pink and more. The town was previously known as Shermerville, so there are no prizes for guessing where Hughes got his inspiration.

Shermer High’s exterior is Glenbrook North High School on 2300 Shermer Road, and seeing as it’s where Ferris picks up Sloane it seems like an appropriate place to start. Nearby, at 1201 Cedar Lane there’s a tribute to the filmmaker that put Northbrook on the map, with a John Hughes Memorial Bench. Look northwest and you’ll see the water tower (sadly no longer daubed with Save Ferris) 

Ferris’s mom’s office can be found in Chestnut Court, Winnetka, a short drive east. It’s here where she first speaks to school principal Ed Rooney who tells her Ferris has been absent “Nine times!”. It’s also in the Winnetka area that many of the yards Ferris races through on his mad dash home can be found.

At 370 Beech Street, Highland Park is Cameron’s house. “The place is like a museum. It's very beautiful and very cold, and you're not allowed to touch anything,” says Ferris. Hughes and the film crew came across the home, real name The Ben Rose House, quite by chance, having originally scripted that Cameron would send his father’s Porsche into the depths of Lake Michigan. When Hughes saw the Rose House and its amazing glass and steel Pavillion, housing its owner’s collection of classic Ferraris, the movie’s most memorable scene was re-written.

In the film’s timeline, that comes later, after the trio has driven into Chicago and left the car with the “Professional what?” at A-1 EZ OK Park – in reality Washington Madison Wells Self Park, at 172 West Madison Street. It’s a half hour drive south on I94, where you may be tempted to throw your arms in the air as you listen to Beat City by the Flowerpot Men. It may also be hard to resist playing the theme from Star Wars and attempting to copy stuntman Rick LeFevour who launches the Ferrari (actually a replica made by Modena Designs) on Clark Street using a special kicker ramp.

Chez Quis, where Ferris declares himself “the sausage king of Chicago” is at 22 W. Schiller Street. Don’t expect to go inside and eat pancreas, though, as it’s a private home. The next stop is Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs baseball team, where if you time it right you can take in a game and chant “Hey batter batter! Swing batter!”

Cameron, Ferris and Sloane head to the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower at 233 South Wacker Drive. At the time of filming, it was the tallest building in the world. “The city looks so peaceful from up here,” says Sloane. “Anything is peaceful from 1,353 feet,” replies Ferris. You can find out for yourself on the Skydeck.

The trading floor at the Board of Trade is no longer a sea of arm-waving capitalists, but does have a museum so you can see how money was made back in the day.

At the Art Institute of Chicago the curators have put together a self-guided Be Like Ferris Bueller tour that takes in the Chagall, Rodin, Pollock artworks that the trio enjoy. Take extra time for Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte where Cameron gets totally absorbed in the painting’s Pointilism. “The closer [Cameron] looks at the child, the less he sees. I think he fears that the more you look at him, the less you see,” noted Hughes.

It’s at Dearborn and Adams Streets where Ferris hijacks a float at the Von Steuben Day German-American heritage parade, first singing Danke Schein and then launching into Twist and Shout for Cameron, “a young man who doesn't think he's seen anything good today.”

To complete the day the fastest way back to Shermer (Northbrook) is on the I90 and I94. Just don’t try to drive it in reverse.

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: MOVIE MAGIC

NAME: The End of the ROad for 007

ROUTE: Northbrook to Chicago

COUNTRY: USA

Distance: 80 Miles

A new study by neuroscientists has discovered a “sweet spot” that influences the sense of thrill drivers get when behind the wheel.

The research, commissioned by Castrol and conducted by neuroscience company Brainbox, reveals that driving thrill comes from the convergence of three factors in an elevated state: visceral (intense state of mental and physical stimulation), intellectual (how engaged the mind is on the given task) and emotional (identifying the balance of excitement versus fear).

If any of these factors exceed a level that’s manageable then the driver becomes overwhelmed and thrill turns to fear. Surprisingly speed isn’t necessarily a key factor in driving thrill, say the scientists. “Beyond any other factor, a sense of controlled immersion is essential for creating the thrill of driving. Notably, while speed is one of multiple contributory factors that heighten the sense of thrill, it is certainly not a primary determinant.”

To discover just what makes driving thrilling the boffins measured, brain waves, heart rate, skin response and eye tracking, as a group of test subjects took to the wheel at PalmerSport in Bedfordshire. They tackled a range of different cars and disciplines from slow off-roading, to karting, driving a McLaren Artura GT4 and the PalmerSport JPLM open race car. They also rode shotgun with a pro driver.

Although the data revealed that the most “thrilling” experience was driving the McLaren, the passenger ride with a professional racer was actually less thrilling than karting and off-roading, despite the speeds being higher.

“No single measurement defines thrill, rather it is where they are heightened and converge: the individual is experiencing a state of elevated neurophysiological arousal, they perceive that they are fully in control of the vehicle, and they are immersed in the experience both cognitively and emotionally,” says Dan Phillips, Co-founder & Director at Brainbox. “Thrill isn’t about speed, it’s about focus. The data shows real thrill as the moment a driver locks in completely, and it can be seen across the brain, heart and eyes.”

Vincent Panel, Head of Product & Communications for Europe at Castrol says: “We commissioned this study to develop unique insights into what the driver feels when behind the wheel: the thrill, the control, the connection. Crucially, we identified that you don’t need a supercar to experience driving thrill; you can experience almost the same sense of immersive control without high speeds, from a visit to a local karting track or a drive along one of your favourite roads. This study examines how that sense of thrill can be found in every driver.”

The drive to where James Bond met his demise is dramatic in its own right.

“I’m not going to make it.”  They’re the words that no 007 fan ever thought they’d hear, but in the closing moments of No Time To Die, Bond is left with no option but to sacrifice himself for his family.

Seconds later a barrage of missiles lands on the mountain top where Daniel Craig’s Bond is standing. Now I’m standing here too, rewatching that scene on my phone thanks to the impressive 5G coverage here in the Faroe Islands. 

007’s demise is marked by a headstone that reads: “In memory of James Bond 1962-2021. The proper function of man is to live not to exist.”

Getting to this spot on the island of Kalsoy, where the emotional final seconds were filmed is a little like being in Bond movie, with a sequence that involves a drive through dramatic landscapes, a ferry crossing and a scramble up steep slopes and narrow ridges with death-defying drops.

Like our other Detours in the Faroe Islands it starts in Torshavn, the capital city from which almost all of the islands are accessible within a couple of hours drive. It’s straight into the epic Eysturoy Tunnel, taking the Runavik exit at the undersea roundabout and then following Skàlafjoður north on Route 10, passing busy fisheries and scattered settlements. 

A second tunnel leads under the fjord to Borðoy island and the harbour of Klaskvik. Just over 5,000 people live here, making it the second biggest town on the Faroe Islands, but with no time to… dawdle I’m straight into the queue for the first ferry of the day. It’s best to book in advance as there’s room for less than 20 vehicles and locals always get priority.

I roll onto the boat in ‘my’ Morgan Supersport 400 – a car which would make a fine Bond mobile if he ever switched allegiance from Aston Martin – and settle in for the 20 minute crossing.

Reaching land again on Kalsoy there’s no need to consult a map or GPS, there’s just one road, running up the east coast. The island is home to less than 100 people, and unsurprisingly the road isn’t quite as well maintained as the rest of the Faroes. It’s narrow and broken with the steep spine of the island to my left and the narrow fjord that separates it from Kunoy to my right.

The first of a pair of dark and dingy tunnels disappears into the mountains, wide enough for one vehicle only, but with wisely positioned passing spots. At Mikladalur there’s a monument to a Faroese legend more horrifying than any Bond villain. On the craggy rocks below the village is a bronze sculpture of The Seal Woman. The story goes that those who died at sea would come back as seals, but return to land at once a year and shed their seal skins to become human again. A local farmer kidnapped one and made him his wife, locking her seal skin away in a chest. For years she lived a miserable life on land before finally escaping. The farmer and his friends took revenge on the local seals, killing her mate and pups. The Seal Woman then cursed the farmer, the villagers and all their descendants. Grim stuff.

To reach Trøllanes and the end of 007’s adventures requires passing through another narrow tunnel and tackling a couple of car chase-ready switchbacks to find the parking area.

It was here that the 60-strong film crew of No Time to Die based themselves on sheep farmer Jóhannus Kallsgarð’s land. Enterprisingly his son had the idea to mark the exact location of 007’s death with a carved headstone, and now the family charges 200 Kroner (around £23) to hike up the hill to see it and the impressive Kallur Lighthouse perched precariously on the cliff top.

It’s a 45-minute walk that’s mostly on a gravel path, but gets steeper and boggier towards the top. Here I traverse a spine-tingling ridge to look out over the islands and the open Atlantic Ocean, before paying my respects to the world’s greatest secret agent. And now I appear to have something in my eye…sniff.

 For further information about exploring the Faroe Islands check out https://visitfaroeislands.com/en

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram
Photography Nick Dimbleby Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: SPY DRIVE

NAME: The End of the ROad for 007

ROUTE: Torshavn to Trøllanes

COUNTRY: FAROE ISLANDS

Distance: 35 Miles

Make a Pit Stop at Grill 66 for the most remote - and delicious - burger in Iceland

Iceland’s northernmost settlement is best known for its herring fishing heritage. They used to hunt sharks here too. Located at the tip of the Tröllaskagi peninsula, Siglufjörður is home to a tight-knit community that has an enduring relationship with the sea. Surprising then, that it’s probably the best place you’ll eat a burger on the island. Think turf, not surf.

To get there, abandon Route 1 – the touristy primary highway – and set your sat nav for Grill 66. There’s one road in and out of town, Route 76, and whether approaching from the east or the west, the driving is spectacular. You’ll lose count of the waterfalls that cascade off cliff edges into the Atlantic.

Conveniently, this burger joint is part of the town’s petrol station, so you can top up tummy and tank in one hit. Smashed patties and trendy flavours aren’t a thing here, the more traditional menu comprises grilled meat, a few sides and some fries. Request an extra sachet of Kartöflukrydd seasoning to give your portion of fried potatoes some extra oniony zing. A local favourite, which is always a good sign, meals are cooked to order so it’s fresher, tastier and a little slower than typical fast food. There are plant-based options too.

A household name, Grill 66 is a chain, but Siglufjörður’s outpost is possibly the most sensationally set. Dine out on the picnic bench beyond the forecourt on the bank of the fjord and gaze up at the mountain’s as you graze. Then, take the 793 up to the ski resort on the outskirts of town for a birds’ eye view. Before you go though, treat yourself to a squiggle of soft serve. Ice cream always seems to taste better in the summer by the sea, especially when it’s being melted by the heat of the midnight sun.

Words & Photography Charlotte Vowden Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: FAST FOOD

NAME: GRILL 66

ROUTE: Route 76, Tjarnargata 6, 580 Siglufjörður

COUNTRY: Iceland

Practice your Italian and your German on this border-spanning alpine drive.

Jaufen Pass. It doesn’t sound very Italian, does it? And with good reason. This magical little road is tucked away in a crevice of the South Tirol region, a curious, autonomous province where German and Italian language and culture combine on road signs and in hotel receptions. Practice your best Buongiorno ready for check in and you might be met with a miffed Guten tag in return.

Perhaps we should switch to its alternative name – Passo di Monte Giovo – not least because it can claim to be the most northerly Alpine pass entirely on Italian soil. Where it dwells might be of little concern once you peel off the main thoroughfare and into the first of its hairpins, though. 

I begin in St. Leonhard in Passeier (around 30 miles north of the South Tirol capital, Bolzano), a village whose German resonance is underscored further by its hotel names; Wiesenhof, Ferienhaisl and Fallenbach are not bred from a Romance language. Yet their aesthetics are all unmistakably Alpine and on a sunny day their natural tones contrast so bewitchingly against the verdant green valley, you’d be forgiven for parking up and whiling away your afternoon with a coffee and gelato amongst it all.

Resist the urge, though: the road, and those views, just keep getting better. Starting with a dozen switchbacks. The tight, blind sort that you take calmly, allowing their slower pace to build the anticipation in your belly. It’s a biker’s paradise here – both engine and pedal powered – so it’s better to keep things sensible until you have the visibility ahead to go a bit quicker.

With a stone wall one side and trees on the other, you’re afforded only teasing glimpses of the scenery during your ascent. These initial few miles are narrow, too, making my choice of car – a Mini Cooper S – one I can be pretty smug about. With a mite over 200bhp and a subtler approach to suspension stiffness than a full-bore Cooper Works, it’s an amiable thing, and though O’ll forever crave a manual ‘box on roads like this – Minis are a DCT-only zone nowadays – not worrying about which gear you’re in allows a greater focus on accurately threading the car along this slim but scintillating road.

Around four miles in and the trees drop away and the pass widens. Useful if you’ve got caught behind one of the local buses that wend their way implausibly up and down this route. The hairpins pick up again shortly, but it’s the breathless mix of corners between them that you’ll really enjoy, the brilliantly smooth surface ensuring you can focus fully on balancing your car through each bend. The Cooper S handles tidily and its twin-clutch transmission helps ensure there’s lots of torque for building altitude without fuss.

With the sun shining, the rolling hills around you astonish in their tones; if the weather’s bleaker, you’re not missing out either, the vivid streaks of cloud and rain across the sky providing true theatre. This is an Alpine pass that’s generally open all year, closing overnight in winter but not barriered off for several months like some of the bigger hitters. Yet even in warmer months you should pack a jacket or jumper – the air remains fresh at its 2,094m peak. Time it right and the Edelweißhütte can welcome you in for a coffee and cake as you bask in the Jaufen’s (or Giovo’s…) headline view. 

Then it’s over and down the other side, repeating a similar mixture of slow hairpins and quicker stretches while enjoying the views of a completely different Tirol valley on your descent. At 22 miles overall it’s simple to run back and forth and it’s a joyful road whichever direction you attack it in – and whichever language its signage or locals happen to favour, too.

Or you can tag right onto our Timmelsjoch Detour for a fuller exploration of the Tirol region…

Words Stephen Dobie
Photography Mini / Stephen Dobie

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Mountain Pass

NAME: Jaufen Pass / Passo di Monte Giovo

ROUTE: St. Leonhard in Passeier to Casateia

COUNTRY: Italy

Distance: 22 Miles

The government of South Tyrol has banned car and bike tour groups from the Italian Alps on roads above 1,600 metres. The rules mean that famous mountain passes such as the Stelvio, Furka and Timmelsjoch will be out of bounds for drivers and riders travelling in organised tour parties.

Citing congestion and environmental concerns, the provincial government’s ruling puts a stop on any motorsport events and organised recreational gathering, but crucially, does not stop individuals from accessing the region’s marvellous mountain roads.

The wording of the regulations is a bit vague, so it’s unclear what actually constitutes an ‘organised’ event, but if a small group of friends are driving or riding together then that should still be ok. It’s where enthusiasts have paid a commercial event organiser and are travelling in a larger convoy that is likely to fall foul of the new rules. It’s also worth noting that neighbouring Switzerland and Austria have not taken similar action, so the passes can be still be tackled by groups from a different side.

The Stelvio Pass celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2025 and remains a mecca for drivers and riders, but despite this South Tyrol’s governor Arno Kompatscher says that he is working on “additional, targeted measures” to counter the large volumes of traffic and over-enthusiastic driving that takes place in the mountains. Watch this space…

The Faroe Islands are a traffic-free drivers’ delight, but one road bests the rest.

There are more sheep than people on the Faroe Islands, so it won’t surprise you to learn that the roads are almost empty.

Some 370 miles of asphalt cover 16 of the 18 islands (the other two aren’t inhabited), which doesn’t sound much, but with 21,000 of the 54,000 islanders living in and around Torshavn, you don’t have to travel far from the capital to experience the emptiness.

In four days criss-crossing the islands in ‘my’ Morgan Supersport 400 the only real traffic I encounter is the handful of vehicles disembarking the Smyril Line ferry from Denmark with me.

Yes, there are occasional tourist buses, rental cars and foreign-registered campers, dawdling along, but in a 400 bhp sports car they’re just momentary delays.

It’s not that I spend all my time driving as if my trousers are aflame, for the islands are so distracting in their beauty that it would be impossible not to slow down and soak in this landscape of craggy peaks that literally exploded out of the Atlantic in a violent volcanic eruption. Sheer sea cliffs are home to millions of birds, waterfalls tumbling down the rock faces into the ocean. The islands are barren, devoid of any trees (bar a few that have been imported), yet rich in verdant grass, providing year-round feed for the 80,000 sheep.

The Faroe Islands are pushing for more human visitors but for now they still feel relatively undiscovered. Soon more wildlife watchers, hikers and history buffs will arrive, but keen drivers should also add the islands to their lists.

The roads are, for the most part, smooth and well-cared for. You’ll find fast and flowing sections that run parallel with the edges of deep lochs, leading to isolated fishing villages of black sandy beaches, multi-hued wooden houses and turf-topped churches.

Then there are steep, switchback-strewn parts that cut inland over the peaks and sometimes right through them via narrow tunnels.

There’s one road, however, that beats the rest for pure driving entertainment. It leads from Eiði to Gjógv on the island of Eysturoy and even the build-up is brilliant.

From Torshavn you track the Kaldbaks fjord, running just high enough above sea level to look down at the fisheries as waterfalls crash down the mountainside. The road rises into a valley reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands then disappears into a tunnel, emerging to reveal the edge of Kolla fjord which you follow north. So far, it’s an unchallenging route, with curves that gently follow the coastline and passing through small settlements – every one with its own church, some ancient, some modern.

Cross the short bridge at Oyrarbakki and you leave Streymoy for Eysturoy and take the road to Eiði, choosing the right fork to Gjógv. Signs warn that the road may not be cleared of snow in the winter months – a clue to the climb ahead.

Sure enough the road rises as it first follows the coast before cutting sharply inland into the domain of the bovine. Sheep are everywhere and the road is narrow, but the sight lines are good and there are plenty of passing places in the unlikely event that you should meet another vehicle. Soon the corners start to come, and they just get better and better, with swift sweepers leading to a brace of hairpins and then a faster, more open part that brings you to the high point of the road. Over the crest another fabulous fjord view greets you, but pay attention as the road drops dramatically through a sequence of switchbacks and then takes a winding, undulating path, with more crazy curves thrown in, before a final gentle run into Gjógv.

It’s a perfect postcard village in a natural harbour and an opportunity to stretch your legs before the drive back to Torshavn. You’ll retrace your steps at first, before peeling off left to Funningur and tackling some final, fantastic hairpins that take you to the edge of Funnings fjord. Now you have time to breathe again as you follow the road down to Strendur, where there’s one last chance to have it taken away once more.

Enter the Eysturoy tunnel and you’ll plummet down into one of the longest, deepest road tunnels in the world. It’s 11 km to the other end, just outside Torshavn, and you’ll also have to negotiate the only undersea roundabout in existence – but that’s another story.

For further information about exploring the Faroe Islands check out https://visitfaroeislands.com/en

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram
Photography Nick Dimbleby & Matt Jennings

ROADBOOK

CLASS: ISLAND LIFE

NAME: Fun in The Faroe Islands

ROUTE: Torshavn to Torshavn

COUNTRY: FAROE ISLANDS

Distance: 71 Miles

Owners of Škoda’s electric vehicles can now make use of a new Camp Mode to maintain a constant temperature overnight, if they’re kipping in their car.

An update to the MyŠkoda app means that drivers of the Epiq, Elroq, Enyag and Peaq can now have a climate-controlled sleep, as long as there’s at least 30 per cent charge in the battery pack.

Car camping is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to pitching a tent for an overnight stop on a road trip, with SUVs offering sufficient space to lie flat in the back, and offering the kind of weather protection that no canvas can compete with.

Drivers of many EVs - now including Škodas - can stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter by running their car’s heating and ventilation system. In a combustion powered car you’d have to fire up the engine to do the same thing - which just isn’t practical or responsible.

For those who enjoy the spontaneity and freedom that car camping allows, but with added comfort, Škoda can now be added to the list of camping candidates.

Nothing beats the heat like a sea breeze on an ocean drive.

If you’re looking to cool down this summer then take a cruise on one of these seven coast roads, in the UK, USA, Australia, Namibia and India.

From an early start at Morgan’s home in Malvern, across six countries, and including a high-speed autobahn run, Detour founder Nik Berg and the Morgan crew reaches the tip of Denmark in just two days. They hop aboard the Smyril Line ferry and, having borrowed some old school paper maps from car photographer Stan Papior, plan a route that criss-crosses the islands, taking in its most picturesque locations.

Grass-roofed houses, majestic mountains, causeways, undersea tunnels and deep blue fjords form a stunning backdrop, while the island’s intoxicating roads are an opportunity to put the Morgan Supersport 400 to the test, driving all day and all night, as the sun never sets.

In an otherwise unremarkable trading estate in Newbury you’ll find cool cars, great coffee and sophisticated sim racing rigs.

They’re all at Podium Place, a hub for petrolheads, where enthusiasts meet to admire metal and shoot the breeze in a stylish club house. From the outside it doesn’t stand out from the other industrial units, but behind the glass is the kind of slick setup you’d find in a Formula 1 team’s hospitality suite.

To the left there’s a small coffee bar, plenty of seating on a mix of armchairs and diner tables and chairs, with more room outside. There’s always a couple of interesting cars and bikes on display, together with plenty of F1-inspired artwork.

To the right of the entrance is the sim lounge, with three very fancy full-motion racing simulators, each enclosed in a pod with a massive wraparound screen. Visitors can book up to an hour at a time in the hope of getting their name on the Top Gear-style leader board.

There’s also members club, which offers discounts on everything from coffee and merchandise to sim laps and driving events, with Podium hosting monthly local drive-outs and occasional trips further afield. To help the local car community look after their vehicles there’s also an on-site detailing facility.

When Detour visited on a sunny Saturday morning the café was packed, and there was a constant flow of arrivals on two and four wheels.

It’s not exactly a glamorous location, but it’s a popular spot for Berkshire bike and car fans and worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Words Nik Berg  Instagram
Photography Nik Berg

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Cars & CoFFEE

NAME: Podium Place

ROUTE: 31A Bone Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5SH

COUNTRY: UK

For stunning sandstone canyons draped in eucalyptus forest and a leisurely meander through heritage towns, few drives can match Australia’s Blue Mountains.

An hour’s drive west of Sydney, the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains form part of Australia's Great Dividing Range, where sandstone plateaus are dissected by vast valleys cloaked in gum trees. The eucalypts release aromatic oils into the air, creating the distinctive blue haze that gives the region its name.

I begin my 100-mile tour in Richmond, originally home to the Darug people and settled by Europeans in 1794. The route heads southwards across the western Sydney fringe before joining the M4 near Emu Plains. Crossing the mighty Nepean River, its broad, languid waters marking the edge of the city, the motorway becomes the Great Western Highway, and the Blue Mountains rise ahead as a dark, heavily wooded escarpment.

The highway climbs steadily through a series of gentle curves. This is nothing like blasting along a European motorway; the pace is relaxed with steady traffic, smooth asphalt, courteous driving and speed limits between 60 and 90km/h. Eucalypts, rainforest vegetation and flashes of seasonal deciduous colour crowd the verge as the road threads past historic mountain towns, affording occasional glimpses east across Sydney's rolling plains and west into a sweep of green-clad folds. Bushfire warning signs are a constant reminder of the landscape's volatile nature, while sulphur-crested cockatoos swoop to gather noisily by the roadside.

A brief detour leads to Wentworth Falls, where the waterway plunges over successive sandstone ledges into the immense Jamison Valley. A few miles farther west, Leura’s colourful shopfronts sit beneath awnings typical of Australian country towns. Then comes Katoomba, home to the Three Sisters, although today only two rocky pinnacles emerge clearly through the mist.

A little further, the outdoor terrace of the historic Hydro Majestic is hard to beat for a flat white and an unfolding panorama across the Megalong Valley, where layer upon layer of forested ridges fade into a soft blue with distance.

At just over 1,000 metres, Blackheath and Mount Victoria are among the Mountains’ highest towns. Beyond, a structural failure has closed the route west towards Lithgow. The Darling Causeway is the main alternative, and with a woodland canopy spilling away on either side from its winding, undulating ridgeline, it hardly feels like a diversion.

At Bell I reach the quieter alternative to the Great Western Highway: the Bells Line of Road. Named after the man who in 1823 enlisted the help of two Aboriginal guides to find a route across the Mountains, it follows a corridor that had long been known to Indigenous people. The road’s remoteness hints at the difficulties encountered during its construction, and why it fell into disrepair not long afterwards, before being revived during WWII.

S-bends, dense vegetation and steep gradients surround Mount Tomah, where signs warn against stopping due to rockfalls. The mist that lingered in the southern valleys now spills across the rain-slicked tarmac, and the constant twists and turns are almost dizzying.

At Bilpin, I’m in the heart of apple-growing country; orchards replace forest, while cafés and cider houses advertise homemade pies and local produce. The landscape opens once more, particularly from Bellbird Lookout, where Sydney's plains again stretch toward the horizon.

The final highlight arrives at Bellbird Hill near Kurrajong Heights. With gradients of up to 1:8 and a series of tight bends, it’s one of the most satisfying sections on the entire circuit. Before long, suburbia reappears and I'm back in Richmond, having completed a loop that captures the Blue Mountains at their finest: engaging roads, characterful towns and a landscape that seems to stretch without end.

Words & Photography Indi Bains

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Mountain High

NAME: Blue Mountains Grand Circular Drive

ROUTE: Sydnet to Sydney

COUNTRY: Australia

Distance: 100 Miles

Hagerty has named a Pennsylvania byway as its 2026 Road of the Year.

American auto enthusiasts know Hagerty as a classic car insurer and champion of the car community. Hagerty’s founders and its members have a real passion for driving, as demonstrated by its annual award for Road of the Year.

For 2026 the prize goes to Pennsylvania State Route 144, which runs 109 miles north-south, bisecting the state in its most mountainous region.

“Paved nearly a century ago to provide an automobile-friendly connector to lumber and railroad towns, the road now delivers a recreational paradise,” writes Hagerty’s SVP of Media and Editorial Larry Webster. “Outdoor pursuits on or near PA 144 include hunting, fishing, river rafting, hiking, off-roading, and of course, fantastic driving.”

Webster describes “large-radius sweeping curves carved with generally excellent pavement cut through a less dense, sun-drenched area of pitch pine and scrub oak,” and “abundant wildlife but not another human for miles.” Near Hall Run Creek Webster says: “This is where PA 144 is most like an amusement ride, hugging steep hillsides edged by steel guardrails.”

Visit Hagerty to read his full guide to Pennsylvania 144 and why it captured the award for 2026.

Perhaps it’s a cliché to liken a scintillating stretch of road to a rollercoaster. But with Timmelsjoch, the toll road which straddles the Austrian-Italian border deep in the Tirol region, the comparison feels uncanny.

You sit in its short, polite queue to pay your 20 euros (€28 return), excited tingles building in your belly as you ponder what G-forces await you. Much like a visit to a theme park, though, the anticipation begins much earlier. Getting to Timmelsjoch typically involves a drive from Innsbruck, whose mountainous approach is a sight to covet whether by car or plane.

Immersing yourself in its scenery doesn’t take long, and sticking in Kühtai as my waypoint – ski resort in the winter, verdant valley in the warmer months – proves a neat way to cut the highway miles short. This 26-mile stretch is warm, inviting and chockful of everything we love as drivers: hairpins, 90-degree corners and quicker, more flowing bends, all perfectly surfaced and wide enough to maintain decent momentum. The car helps, too. I’ve commandeered a Mini John Cooper Works for the journey, one of the few remaining small petrol hot hatchbacks on sale and an ideal device for a day like this.

Human endeavour weaves neatly into the work of mother nature here. Tunnels twist and bend sympathetically through the rock, their open sides allowing light to dapple their interiors, while the swooping Längental dam boasts banking to rival an American speedway, the reservoir it keeps in place as dazzlingly turquoise as any I’ve seen.

Reaching Sölden, I start to pick up more enthusiast traffic, the little Mini rubbing shoulders with the copious Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens of supercar tour groups. Yet we’re all pottering along at the same speed and I’m wincing far less as we skulk through contraflows or meet oncoming timber lorries. Out of Sölden you have the choice to turn right onto the Ötztal Glacier Road, among Europe’s highest passes and the shoot location of a Spectre chase scene, or carry on along route 186 to Hochgurgl and the beginning of Timmelsjoch.

Today, I’m doing the later, and the 186 plays its own support act ahead of the main event, its subtle jinks and chicanes an utter joy in something so nimble. This JCW may be a 1.4-tonne car nowadays, its onslaught of borrowed BMW tech not without consequence, yet it still handles gleefully.

Ten miles later it wends into a briefly dizzying ascent to the Timmelsjoch toll booth and its neighbouring café and motorcycle museum, a fine pitstop before rolling up to pay for the pass and begin our plunge into the Tirol scenery. The breakneck run to the road’s 2,509m peak begins right out the gate, with long straights, sweeping bends and a rapid climb to its crescendo through a series of hairpins. This isn’t a chance to wring out every last ounce of the Mini’s 231hp and 280lb ft; tourists pepper the route, as do the cows, sheep and goats who claim free reign over the road surface. Yet visibility is always vast and you can safely up your pace on demand, the road often quiet enough to spin around in a layby and repeat a favourite section with a mite more commitment.

The Timmelsjoch peak also marks the Italian border a switch in identity to Passo del Rombo. A shift in character, too: much like cresting the Stelvio Pass and descending its fiddly eastern side, leaving Austria means stemming the lovely, rapid flow you’ve hopefully enjoyed so far. I’m into a world of tight, nadgery lanes and the sort of acute hairpins that larger campervans take several bites to clear, slowing traffic further.

It’s a chance to slow down, rest the brakes and absorb the scenery, then, the pass’s lower stretches dipping through a cooling forest whose fresh scent simply has to be enjoyed with the windows rolled down an inch. The euphoric epilogue that signs off any great rollercoaster ride.

Words Stephen Dobie
Photography Mini

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Mountain Pass

NAME: Timmelsjoch

ROUTE: Innsbruck to Timmelsjoch

COUNTRY: Austria

Distance: 85 Miles

Father and son Phil and Will Churchill, and their trusty Aston Martin V8 Vantage have just covered 3,500 miles from Sydney to Perth as part of their ongoing Vantage World Tour.

The Churchill’s 11-day Antipodean adventure saw them lap the legendary Mount Panorama circuit at Bathurst and cross the desolate Nullabor Plain, taking in Australia’s longest straight road, the 90 Mile Straight.

On this stage of the journey the Aston Martin’s odometer ticked over 250,000 km (155,000 miles) and marked its 33rd country as the car had previously been deployed by Aston Martin on a number of international adventures. In the Churchill’s hands it has covered 21,500 miles and visited 16 countries so far, with the journey set to continue later in the year.

Phil and Will have been fitting their epic drive into manageable two-week chunks to fit in with Will’s university schedule and Phil’s work commitments. The duo have also raised over £33,000 so far for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/vantageworldtour

The next leg of the Vantage World Tour will take the Churchills and their Aston Martin to India and Nepal, and, as always, we’ll be reporting back on their progress.

Driving over 1,000 miles just to lap a roundabout might seem insane, but when it’s also an art installation over 250 feet beneath the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, this epic journey makes total sense.

The Eysturoy tunnel is one of four undersea tunnels that connect the Faroe Islands, linking the capital Torshavn to the towns of Runavik and Strendur. It took four years to construct and takes four days just to get to it by car from the UK.

In my case that car is the all-new Morgan Supersport 400 and the trip begins at the company’s 109-year-old home at Pickersleigh Road in Malvern, Worcestershire.

Not only is the Supersport 400 the most powerful Morgan ever made, it’s also the best-suited to serious road tripping. There’s a fixed hard top, space behind the seats and even a useable boot space.

Once loaded up, it’s a stop-start 200 miles to the Eurotunnel at Folkestone and then, over the next couple days I tick off France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark in quick succession.

The Supersport 400 is cool and comfortable in the midst of a heatwave, and an absolute monster on Germany’s autobahns. 150 mph is all too easy, if rather noisy, so a steady ton seems like the best compromise between speed and sound.

The Smyril Line ferry departs from Hirsthals at the northernmost tip of Denmark and despite being more than 700 miles distant the Faroe Islands are still part of the Kingdom of Denmark, albeit self-governing since 1948.

The crossing, on the MS Norrona, takes 36 hours, or 66 for the many automotive adventurers carrying on to Iceland. On board there’s a cinema, several bars, restaurants, a gym and even hot tubs to help while away the hours.

It’s a spectacular arrival into Torshavn, as the Norrona passes up through the fjords and it seems like all 1,500 passengers are on deck to witness it.

The capital is home to 21,000 of the 54,000 people who live on the Faroe Islands and I base myself at the Hotel Hafnia for a few days of exploration. That starts with the Eysturoy tunnel, which has transformed the islands, with more than 6,000 people using it every day.

“You can travel when it suits you,” Teitur Samuelson of P/F Eystur, the company which built and runs the tunnels tells me. “It is not like with ferries, at certain times, with the risk of postponements and cancellations, as the weather conditions in winter are quite extreme and ferries regularly need technical maintenance. In addition, the capacity is unlimited.”

The 11km undersea route may now have been eclipsed by Norway’s new Ryfylke Tunnel, but the Faroe Islands could soon get its record back. “We are currently working on planning the Suðuroyartunnilin. It is an approximately 23 km long underwater tunnel to the southernmost island of the Faroe Islands. This is a mega project, so the planning is extremely important. This will be one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world,” adds Samuelson.

The massive cost of engineering the Eysturoy tunnel is being gradually recouped through tolls, which are paid by an online system, so I register the Supersport to cover the 175 Danish Krone fare (£20) beforehand.

At this time of year, it just doesn’t get dark in the Faroe Islands, so plunging into the gloom of the tunnel is all the more dramatic. It’s quite a dive down, the road ahead plunging away into the bare rock cavern.

What’s also different from most road tunnels is just how curvy the route is, which helps keep the concentration levels up. Not that there’s much danger of nodding off in the Morgan, for in this vast echo chamber the car’s exhaust is amplified, wailing off the walls when I drop down a gear or two and mash the throttle. It sounds sensational, with a tremendous intake roar, accompanied by shotgun-like bangs from the exhaust on the over run.

Every kilometre there’s an emergency layby, with several wide enough to turn a truck, while the lighting subtly changes colour as you progress through the tunnel’s length.

Ten kilometres in is the roundabout that I’ve travelled all this way to see. It’s nicknamed the Jellyfish Roundabout for its organic shape and multi-hued lighting, and also features an art piece by local creator Tróndur Patursson which shows the silhouettes of Faroese people, lit by a rainbow of lights. Tune your radio to a specific frequency and you can listen to a soundscape crafted to accompany the visual artwork.

It’s really rather spectacular – all the more so when I remember that I’m well below the ocean floor.

There’s a choice of exits to Runavik, Strendur or return to Torshavn and during my time on the Faroe Islands I’ll travel back and forth on many occasions, never failing to marvel at this engineering wonder.

For further information about exploring the Faroe Islands check out https://visitfaroeislands.com/en

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram
Photography Nick Dimbleby & Matt Jennings

ROADBOOK

CLASS: TUNNEL RUN

NAME: EySTUROY Tunnel

ROUTE: Torshavn to Runavik and Strendur

COUNTRY: FAROE ISLANDS

Distance: 7 Miles

Speed is on the menu at this racy ristorante in Emilia-Romagna.

The small town of Varano de' Melegari is relatively unknown in the larger scheme of the automotive world. In fact, it may have ceased to exist a few decades ago, were it not for the efforts of its most famous son: Giampaolo Dallara. Signor Dallara set up shop in the town of his birth, effectively ensuring its survival by providing the bulk of employment for its residents. 

Attractions in the town include the Dallara Museum, where one can view the history of the world-famous racecar producer and the Dallara Academy, a learning centre for budding motorsport engineers and technicians. There is also the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti, should you wish to test a new race car far from the prying eyes of your competition. 

Those are the sights already on my list before visiting. However, it is the Circuit del Gusto, a few hundred metres from the racetrack, that is a pleasant surprise. The ristorante, whose name translates directly as ‘Taste Circuit’ has, unsurprisingly, a strong motorsport theme.

Circuit del Gusto is one of less than a dozen eateries in the small town, and during our mid-week visit it is the busiest. Stepping inside we are immediately greeted by the smell of cooking dough and melting cheese.

The walls are adorned with paraphernalia from various motorsport teams, including signed shirts, caps and race gear. There are also a number of model cars in display cases, mostly of the single-seater ‘red’ variety from Maranello.

Eyeing the menu we note dishes named Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati and Dallara. Other racing themed names on the extensive menu include 12 Cilindri, Delta Martini, Schumacher, Hamilton, Niki Lauda and Lando Norris. Ham features strongly on the menu as the town of Parma is just up the road.

The burgers, which come highly recommended, feature the names of two-wheel heroes such as the VR46, the Petrux and the Dovizioso, and both are great. Post dinner we take time to check out the paraphernalia before indulging in a spot of dolce.

Some other diners are clad in corporate gear with the logos of a few leading racing teams. Most seem like race mechanics and engineers, wolfing down pizza as fast as they can and downing a quick beer before, no doubt, heading off to their BnB before another day of thankless testing. There are no famous faces in attendance, but one or two are wearing their ‘fast shoes’.

Varano isn’t as famous as Maranello or Modena, but should petrolheads find themselves in this part of Italy, Circuito del Gusto is definitely the place to satiate one’s hunger.

Words & Photography Sudhir “Banzai” Matai Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: restaurant

NAME: CIRCUITO DEL GUSTO

ROUTE: VARANO DE’ MELEGARI, EMILIA-ROMAGNA

COUNTRY: Italy

It’s high time to head out on a high-altitude, high-octane driving adventure. To sweep through the switchbacks and climb to heights that will take your breath away.

If you’re an advocate of alpine automotive adventures then you’re in the right place, as Detour has a multitude of mountain pass guides available.

Here’s ten of the best to get you started.

A cavalcade of Cayennes and Dakar 911s has just crossed the vast expanses of the Gobi desert.

On the Porsche Gobi Desert Experience, a group of hardy owners departed from the city of Hami in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China right into the heart of the desert.

Driving across gravel fields and dunes the drivers tested their car’s off-road ability, as well as their own resilience. Camping under the stars in roof top tents, it was the journey of a lifetime for those lucky enough to take part.

“Ultimately, this journey was never about perfection, but about perseverance, trust, and the certainty that true luxury lies in genuine achievement, no matter where the journey leads,” reports Elisa Weber-Behluli. “The Cayenne tells the stories of our journey through every terrain and every challenge. It is more than a vehicle, much more a companion, a friend who will not fail even at the ends of the Earth. We turn away from the Gobi as if it had a face we will never forget. Its waves of sand, its endless expanses, and its merciless harshness leave traces that are bigger than we are ourselves. An adventure that knows no comfort zone – and whose effects linger long after, far beyond the desert.”

Discover more Porsche Travel Experiences here.

An Electric DENZA Z9GT has embarked on an epic journey to follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo along the route of the Silk Road.

Starting from Rome, the Marco Polo Drive of Peace will take 43 days to reach Hong Kong travelling a distance of more than 9,300 miles, with the Denza Z9GT shooting brake leading the charge. The idea for the drive, some 750 years after Polo’s big adventure, comes from Patrick Zhong, Founding Managing Partner of M31 Capital, and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development. Their mission is to “to promote sustainability, electric mobility and global connectivity” along the way.

Patrick Zhong explains: "When we travel today, from Rome to Hong Kong, we take a flight, watch a movie, have a good meal and sleep a little bit, and then land. But when Marco Polo travelled, you had to do this step by step. Being on the road allows to you experience the majestic splendour of the world in slow motion. You appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of this place, experience the world for real. We're very lucky to be able to do that on this trip – truly a journey of peace, culture and sustainable development."

During the journey Sachs will also host a series of online lectures as the route passes through Croatia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and China before reaching its final destination in Hong Kong.