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.

The historic Kop Hill Climb tops out a day’s drive in the Chilterns.

Since as far back as 1910 the Chilterns have echoed with the roar of internal combustion.

It was motorcyclists who first came to Kop Hill to test their machines against the steep incline, but soon the Kop Hill Climb would become a major fixture in British motorsport.

In its heyday the likes of Malcolm Campbell in Bluebird, Henry Seagrave in his Sunbeam and Raymond Mays behind the wheel of a Bugatti would thrill the crowds. Count Zborowski took his aero-engined Ballot up the 900-yard course in a scant 26.7 seconds, while Freddie Dixon rode his Douglas motorcycle to a record, averaging 81 mph from a standing start.

In 1925, however, the engines stopped when a spectator was injured and Kop Hill would host no more competitive events. In 2009, the event returned as a festival of motoring with historic vehicles once again taking to the course in demonstration runs.

Except for the annual festival on a September weekend, Kop Hill is a public road. Just outside the market town of Princes Risborough, off New Road, it’s marked by a small signpost that’s battling against early summer growth escaping from the neighbouring field.

Unlike other hillclimb venues, Kop Hill is short on hardcore corners, with the first few hundred metres almost dead straight. The biggest challenge is one of visibility as the road heads into the woods, bright sunlight giving way to near darkness as you enter the tree tunnel. Intermittent patches of dappled light can make it hard to spot the occasional pothole, or any on-coming traffic (much of which will be pedal powered, as the hill forms part of the official Chilterns Cycleway).

Peering out across the long, louvred bonnet of a Morgan Plus Four I can almost picture the heroes of yesteryear powering up the hill.

The initial part of the climb is a steady 1 in 6, reaching a plateau before the only significant right-hand bend. Then the gradient steepens to 1 in 4, topping out at a blind crest and the final run to the junction with Peters Lane. During the festival weekends soap box racers start their gravity-powered runs at the top, free-wheeling all the way back to New Lane.

At road legal speeds it takes not much more than a minute to cover the course in either direction, but fortunately the winding roads through the Chilterns to get here are even more enjoyable.

Highlights include Park and Rignall Roads from Great Missenden to the east, while to the southwest is the A40 and the dramatic drop and sweeping corners of Aston Hill. Join the A4010 Wycombe Road north and it will take you right to the foot of Kop Hill. If you’re coming from Tring on the B4009 it’s worth a short detour on foot to climb Coombe Hill for one of the best views of the Chilterns.

No matter your route to get there, a climb up Kop Hill will certainly top a great driving day in the Chilterns.

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Historic Hill Climb

NAME: Kop Hill

ROUTE: New Lane to peters Lane

COUNTRY: ENGLAND

Distance: 0.7 Miles

Bentley’s historic factory in Crewe now has a visitor centre that welcomes everyone.

Previously the British luxury car maker only let its wealthy customers into its hallowed ground, but the new centre features a front-of-house area where anyone can pop by and sit in a modern Bentley. Those wishing to discover more about the storied company’s past, present and future can also book a tour that takes in an immersive digital journey starting in 1919 when Bentley began.

Selected cars from the firm’s heritage collection are on rotating display, as well as the entire current line-up, including limited edition coachbuilt cars by Mulliner.

“Opening our doors to a wider audience marks an exciting new chapter for Bentley,” explains Wayne Bruce, Director of Visitor Experience and Heritage. “CW1 House and Lineage have been created to offer a truly immersive experience of our brand, from our rich heritage to our vision for the future. We are delighted to now welcome members of the public to Crewe, giving them the opportunity to explore our world of craftsmanship, innovation and luxury first-hand.”           

The hour-long tour costs £20 per person and will take place on selected weekdays with full details to be found at https://www.bentleymotors.com/uk/en/about-bentley/factory-tours.html

It hasn’t escaped Detour’s notice that there’s a fairly major sporting event taking place in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and it got us thinking…

What if there was a World Cup of Road Trips, where each country’s best driving roads were pitted against each other to determine the greatest on the planet?

On this site you’ll find over 350 road trips in more than 70 countries to choose from, so we’ve dug into the archive and created our own unique tournament, to highlight the best Detours in each nation. Read on to see who hoists the glorious gold trophy.

Group A

Mexico plays Highway 40D from Durango to Mazatlán. With 115 bridges and 61 tunnels on its 159 mile route through the mountains, it’s one of the most incredible feats of engineering in the Americas.

South Africa has a strong squad with a dozen routes on Detour, but is fielding the short Chapman’s Peak Drive for its combination of astonishing ocean views and coastal curves.

South Korea is hoping to get the crowds crooning with its Singing Road, which plays Mary Had a Little Lamb via your tyres as you drive along at 100 km/h.

Czech Republic is opting for speed by selecting its D3 motorway from Prague to Linz, which has a limit of 150 km/h, making it one of the fastest roads in Europe.

Winner: South Africa. A close call with Mexico, but Chapman’s Peak drive is more thrilling from behind the wheel.

Group B

Canada is playing it cool with the Dempster Highway, high up in the Arctic where temperatures plummet to 50 below and Ice Road Truckers are usually the only ones brave enough to make the journey in winter.

The passes of Switzerland are world famous and it’s hard to single one out from the dozen amazing alpine drives we’ve got on the site. However, if forced to field just one, it would be the Bernina Pass for its year-round opening, majestic mountain views and challenging curves.

Winner: Switzerland. A striking but straight highway or a scintillating series of switchbacks, it’s an easy win for the Swiss.

Group C

Brazil’s Costa Verde route throws in captivating views of sea and sand and the option of heading deep into the jungle.

Morocco could field drives in the Sahara desert or high in the Atlas Mountains, but it’s the dramatic Dades Gorge and its telegenic twists and turns that get sent out to face the opposition.

Scotland is also spoiled for choice. The North Coast 500 would be an obvious contender, but it’s the Snow Roads that get selected. Whether in winter or summer these routes through the Cairgorms are stunning.

Winner: Morocco. Scotland will always feature on Detour’s favourite drives, but head-to-head with the Dades Gorge makes the Scots the underdogs, ahead of Brazil.

Group D

The USA has a plethora of bucket-list drives from sea to shining sea, but this year Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary so the host nation simply has to pin its hopes on The Mother Road.

Australia’s options vary from incredible ocean drives to deserted Outback bashes. The Stuart Highway which runs through the very heart of the country from Adelaide to Darwin over more than 1,600 miles is a strong contender for the Roadaroos.

Turkey is playing a dangerous game by putting the Derabasi Turns on the pitch. Climbing over 1,000 feet in just three miles this dirt road features 13 switchbacks and perilous drops.

Winner: Turkey. The home nation is in a tough group here and really nobody is a loser, however the heart-in-mouth moments on the Derabasi Turns make it top of the group.

Group E

Germany gets lucky as the only country in its group to have routes on Detour. However, that doesn’t mean picking one to play is easy. Obvious options include the Nürburgring (a toll road) or a flat-out autobahn, but we’re sentimental so it’s the Romantic Road that gets Germany through the Group Stage.

Winner: Germany. An easy pass through the group stage through lack of competition on Detour. We’ll have to fix that before the next tournament.

Group F

The Netherlands is fielding the most colourful road trip in Europe - the Tulip Route. Will it be bloom or bust?

Japan’s Touge roads are legendary thanks to the outlaw drift racers who slid their way through the mountains. For some, driving the Irohazaka Winding Road is an almost religious experience.

Sweden could play the Santa card with a Lapland drive, but instead it’s a darker Scandinavian Noir route over the infamous Bridge to Denmark that aims to scre the opposition.

Winner: Japan. A colourful play by the Netherlands and a sombre mood from Sweden can’t knock Japan from the top spot.

Group G

Belgium banks on its neighbour for its entry with the brilliant drive from the Nürburgring to Spa-Francorchamps. It’s well worth taking the longer way between these two iconic race tracks.

New Zealand is a remarkable country and it’s the Remarkables Road on the South Island that gets pitched here.

Winner: Belgium. For motorsports fans a drive between two of Europe’s most famous race tracks on a twisty road is a shoe-in.

Group H

Spain is always a front-runner in the World Cup and Detour’s title fight is no different. We’ve got a host of different roads that could have mad the cut, from the Road of a Thousand Bends to playing Fast and Furious in the Canary Islands. It’s the Llosa del Cavall in Catalunya, where a single stretch of road is light a greatest hits album.

Saudi Arabia may well be in the record books for having the world’s longest, straightest road, but it’s still a long shot for the cup.

Uruguay’s Atlantic coast road reveals beautiful beaches, great golf courses and fine wine. An unexpected play.

Winner: Spain. A good effort from the competitors, but we’ve not found a road quite like the Llosa del Cavall anywhere else on the planet. Bucket list stuff.

Group I

France is another team with a massive pool to pull from. Amazing alpine passes, curvaceous coast roads, tree-lined avenues, race tracks past and present, all compete to represent the nation. A tough choice, but the simply super road to Superbagnères is Detour’s pick.

Don’t underestimate Norway. Whether it’s the road to Hell or a drive to Nordkapp this Nordic nation offers endless driving adventures. The Atlantic Ocean Road is a prime example. Featured in a Bond movie, this amazing route includes eight bridges that span a series of small islands, some so low that you feel you’re skimming the sea, while others are a roller coaster ride into the sky and down again.

Winner: Norway. France put up a fight, but you can’t beat a Bond location, especially one as beautiful as the Atlantic Ocean Road.

Group J

Argentina isn’t just handy with a ball, the country is world famous for motorsport, and with roads like the Uspallata Pass high up in the Andes it’s no surprise that Argentina turns out some very tasty drivers.

Austria is an alpine driver’s dream come true. There are too many amazing mountain roads to list, but the Grossglockner High Alpine Pass is going to be hard to beat.

Jordan’s Kings Highway has existed for millennia – you’ll even find this desert drive referenced in the Bible. Is making history in this world cup a possibility?

Winner: Austria. The Grossglockner was built just for drivers and it shows.

Group K

Portugal kicks off with a scientific study that says its N222 is the best road in the world. But driving is about emotion as much as physics, so will it be enough?

A drive from Colombia’s capital to its Caribbean coast offers a diverse mix of lush rainforest and craggy Andean peaks. Variety is the spice of life.

Winner: Portugal. A close call, with Colombia offering the road less-travelled, but we do like a challenging road and the algorithm reckons the N22 is just that.

Group L

England is Detour’s home nation, so forgive us if we throw our support behind the Lions’ drives. We’ve got many, many English road trips on Detour and it’s tough to pick a favourite, but things don’t get much more quintessentially English than Driving the Picture Perfect Wye Valley in a Morgan.

Croatia’s Adriatic Highway is a seashore drive to savour as it hugs the coast from Rijeka to Dubrovnik. A decent qualifier for sure.

Panama’s place on the Pan-American Highway also puts Central America into the competition. Calling it a highway is optimistic as it can be narrow, twisty and treacherous in places.

Winner: England. Home team bias wins out, but that certainly doesn’t make the other two losers.

THE FINAL

Detour’s rules of the tournament are less complex than FIFA’s so we’re just pitting the winners of each group against each other in one massive kickabout – or driveabout to be more accurate. Although we drive with our hearts, it’s Germany’s Romantic Road that is the first to fall. It’s a lovely route, but not such a dynamic drive. Portugal may have science on its side but while the N222 offers plenty of twists and turns it’s not so scenic. Belgium drops out for the same reason, for a truly great drive one needs a beauty and bends. South Africa’s Chapman’s Peak score on both but is quickly dispatched, and so too is Morocco’s Dades Gorge and Japan’s Irohazaka Winding Road, and even Turkey’s treacherous Derabasi Turns. England narrowly misses out on a medal, simply because the final three are so strong. Taking the bronze medal is Spain, the Llosa del Cavall is amazing for just how much variety it squeezes in. Silver goes to Norway’s Atlantic Ocean road, which is just breathtaking (and Bond-famous). Lifting the World Cup is Austria thanks to the absolute icon that is the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, tunnels, twists, mountain views and a toll that keeps traffic levels low, make it a deserved winner.

A massive engineering project to build four undersea road tunnels linking the Shetlands has been proposed to boost the Scottish islands’ population and economy.

Under the proposal Yell, Whalsay, Unst and Bressay would all be joined to the main Shetland island by tunnels buried under the seabed. The idea echoes a scheme that revitalised the Faroe Islands.

According to a report by BBC News the cost of the tunnels would top one billion pounds, but, in the long run, it would be cheaper than refreshing and maintaining the ferry fleet currently employed.

To join Yell to Shetland would require a 4.2 mile tunnel dug 50 metre below the seabed and would cost £352 million, plus a further £90 million to maintain it over the following 60 years. A ferry, meanwhile, would weigh in at £548 million as a minimum. The Whalsay tunnel would be £427.5 million, plus £95.5 million for maintenance, which would be just over half the price of ferries. To build the Unst link is estimated at £375 million and the Bressay tunnel £268 million.

“Emma Macdonald, the Shetland council leader, told the BBC: “When islands have fixed links like causeways, bridges and tunnels, they experience repopulation, economic growth and a reduction in average age. Doing nothing is not an option in Shetland. We have islands depending on old, unreliable, carbon-heavy ferries, which are depopulating and continually at risk of ferry breakdowns.”

Shetlands councillors are expected to make their decision at a meeting at the end of June.

Tracking the Queensland coast for over 1,000 miles from Brisbane to Cairns is the Bruce Highway. There’s little danger of getting lost, but it’s not always plain sailing.

We were already well north of Townsville when I began to worry. The fuel warning light of our rented motorhome had just flicked on and there were no signs of civilisation.

I was mentally kicking myself for not stopping to fill up at the last servo (as the locals call it), which was now at least 20 miles in the rear-view mirror. We had two choices; press on in the hope of finding fuel ahead or track back. Either way it would be touch and go.

It was a rookie error, made worse by the fact that it wasn’t just me who was at risk but the whole family. The only consolation was that it was so noisy in the back that young Max and Oscar couldn’t hear the swearing up front.

Since leaving Brisbane it was a problem I hadn’t even contemplated. While not exactly densely populated, the Sunshine Coast is well-geared up for travellers and we passed plenty of big-name fuel stations as we headed north.

We’d stocked up on food and water for our five-day drive, and initially our biggest concern was the aftermath of a typhoon which had done considerable damage to buildings and hurled palm trees across the highway.

As the A1 Bruce Highway cut inland towards Gympie the lush green bush seemed even more vivid after the storm, and we made steady and uneventful progress to our first overnight halt. A small township pub near Marlborough was happy for us to stay in its car park as long as we tucked into their grub. We also managed a few games of pool before retiring for the night, to the sounds of the local fauna.

The next morning, we paralleled the coast once more, running alongside old railway tracks, the ocean just tantalisingly out of view to our right. At Townsville, though, we’d get a proper taste of it, taking a boat tour out to the barrier reef for snorkelling and a desert island visit.

All in all, it was proving to be an amazing family adventure. Until it almost went wrong. On the next leg of the Bruce Highway there are few fewer places to refuel and refresh. 60 miles or more might separate the two closest servos. So, after a quick look at a map which we’d barely needed to refer to until this point, we pulled a U-turn and made it back to the pumps on fumes.

Cairns came as a relief, a bustling city, with no shortage of amenities and family activities. Any lingering anxiety was washed away in the warm ocean, and the kids had barely noticed the unplanned detour anyway.

We made plenty of memories on this trip, but that one moment I’d rather forget.

If you’re planning on following the Bruce Highway don’t make the same mistake I did and keep your tank topped up.

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: OCEAN DRIVE

NAME: BRUCE HIGHWAY

ROUTE: Brisbane to CAIRNS

COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA

Distance: 1,060 Miles

Ineos, maker of the rugged Grenadier 4×4, has partnered with navigation platform onX Offroad to release a new trail route for every state in the USA this summer.

Already well underway, the campaign will see a trail a day added until 4 July. It’s a topical time for some British-American collaboration as this year marks the 250th anniversary of the declaration of American Independence.

The onX Offroad app already includes 615,000 miles of unpaved roads and more than half a million points of interest across the USA, and Grenadier owners will be granted 50 days of Elite membership.

“The Grenadier was born from the belief that adventurers need real capability,” says George Ratcliffe, President of the Americas for INEOS Automotive. “It’s a modern successor to the legendary 4X4s of the past – built for those who live, work, and explore off-road, engineered with durability, longevity, and exploration in mind. With 50 States, 50 Trails, we’re inviting people to get out and experience the incredible diversity of the American landscape, supported by a vehicle proven through rigorous off-road testing.”

Off-road enthusiasts who don’t own a Grenadier can take advantage of a 50 per cent offer on onX Offroad’s Premier and Elite packages.

The Isle of Man may be synonymous with the TT, but coastal roads, open moorland and empty tarmac tell a wider story.

Starting at Port St Mary in the island’s south, a sleepy fishing village where masts bob gently in the harbour, this route begins with a climb over Meayll Hill past an abandoned WWII radar station and Cregneash, its cluster of traditional croft cottages untouched by time. Below lies The Sound, the rushing channel separating the island from the Calf of Man, but the islet broods beneath a stubborn cloud, refusing to reveal itself properly.

Looping back uphill, the horseshoe bay at Port Erin is framed by tall grassy headlands, before the road turns inland to the Sloc Road. The tarmac winds and climbs steadily through open moorland as the rearview mirror fills with an expansive, misty sweep of the southeast coast stretching towards Douglas. Somewhere out of sight, the whistle of the steam railway drifts across the hills.

Descending towards Niarbyl through pine forests and moorland, the road narrows and loses its centre line. A long, deep blue stretch of the west coast is visible beside the gently undulating asphalt. Heading inland, a sharp switchback swings around picturesque Glen Maye, tucked into the folds of a valley.

Peel arrives in pastel shades and narrow streets before the marina opens out beneath Peel Castle, sprawling across St Patrick’s Isle just offshore. The route follows the coast northeast towards Kirk Michael, sparkling sea on one side, low sandy cliffs ahead and another pleasing switchback. The mountainous interior recedes, replaced by the patchwork fields of the northern plains.

The TT begins to make its presence felt here. Orange course signage appears intermittently, and every bend invites thoughts of superbikes attacking the same corners at impossible speed.

The route towards The Ayres has an almost East Anglian feel: open fields, scattered cottages, distant rolling hills and occasional flashes of sea. At Bride, a detour heads to the island’s northern tip where the red-and-white Point of Ayre lighthouse stands above dunes, shingle beaches and nesting grounds for migratory birds.

Turning south, Snaefell, the island’s highest peak, dominates the skyline inland above Ramsey, and before long the road follows the long sandy beach past the town’s elegant seafront buildings.

A meander onto the Maughold Road passes whitewashed cottages and a stone church clustered around a sharp bend in the eponymous village, surrounded by neatly divided fields high above the shoreline.

Back on the main road, the Manx Electric Railway runs alongside, tram tracks and tarmac tracing the coastline in parallel towards Laxey. Broad switchbacks lead to Baldrine, while King Edward Road crosses the high stone arches of Groudle Glen Viaduct. Moments later, a wide sweep around the headland brings Douglas into view: the promenade stretches ahead beneath Victorian seafront buildings, the ferry moored across the bay as the water to the left merges into the horizon.

The Old Castletown Road follows the coast through grassy hills, with more fleeting sea views, before the route glides past the airport into Castletown and beneath the walls of Castle Rushen, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval fortresses. Minutes later, the rocky shoreline returns on the approach to Port St Mary.

The Isle of Man feels like a nation of country roads: coastal drives, mountain routes, forests, plains and fishing villages all compressed into one small island. Traffic is scarce. Congestion, if it exists, seems confined to Douglas.

But the island’s appeal isn’t speed. It’s freedom: empty, pothole-free roads, no speed cameras in sight, and the rare pleasure of simply driving without constantly watching the dial.

Words & Photography Indi Bains

ROADBOOK

CLASS: ISLAND LIFE

NAME: Alternative ISLE OF MAN

ROUTE: Port St Mary to Port St Mary

COUNTRY: ISLE OF MAN

Distance: 76 Miles

The Rainbow Bridge linking Port Arthur and Bridge City in southeast Texas is set to scare motorists again after being closed for a year for vital repair work.

From certain angles it looks like the crossing over the Neches River is an almost vertical climb and, since 1938 when it first opened, it has set hearts racing as drivers approach its 680 ft long span. In 1997 the bridge, which clears the river by 177 feet, was made one-way westboard, which has helped to alleviate anxiety, but last year, to add to drivers’ fears the Rainbow Bridge was deemed unsafe.

Among more than $10 million of repairs, the whole length of the concrete deck has now been replaced, along with 1200 rivets, so it is ready to take around 30,000 cars and trucks that brave it every day.

In Taylor' Sheridan’s Yellowstone the Dutton clan are forever driving their pickups (or a Bentley in Beth’s case) across the breathtaking Montana landscape. here’s how to follow them.

Yellowstone – and all its spinoff shows – must have done wonders for Montana tourism. The Big Sky state never looks anything other than beautiful, even when the storyline is at its most brutal.

This road trip through the show’s locations starts (spoiler alert) where John Dutton’s story ends: in the State Capitol of Helena. Here you’ll find the Governor’s Office which dates back to 1896, just over a decade after the Dutton family first arrived in Montana. Taking US 12 westwards is a gentle warm-up to what the state has in store, as flat pastureland gives way to gradually more mountainous terrain.

At Garrison you pick up the I-90. There was a time when Montana had no daytime speed limit, but drive at the posted 80mph and you’ll reach Missoula in less than two hours. Here you’ll find the Community Medical Center, which doubled for Bozeman General Hospital, along with the settings for Ruby’s Cafe on Regent Street, the real life Gray Wolf Casino (season five) , and the Missoula County Court House which was used for Summer’s trial in the season four finale. Missoula Montana airport also featured.

Take 93 south through vast open plains to Hamilton where you’ll find the location of the Montana Livestock Commission office, and then rejoin the 93 which will lead you to Darby and Dutton Ranch. Actually it’s really called the Chief Joseph Ranch and has been a Montana landmark since 1883. There are cabins to rent if you want to sleep where the Duttons did.

The road continues through the Bitterroot Mountains where many a spectacular scene was shot. Talking of shooting, the infamous Train Station, where the Duttons would dispose of troublemakers, is actually based on a real area called The Zone of Death. This 50 square mile part of Yellowstone Park includes parts of Freemont County, Idaho, and Gallatin and Park Counties in Montana. With a conflict between state and judicial district boundaries, it’s not possible to assemble a jury from residents of the same county and jurisdiction if a crime took place here, which is how the Duttons got away with murder.

The ride to the real train station location is long, taking MT 43 through a truly sparse landscape, then northwards on the 569 to Anaconda. Join the I-90 all the way to Belgrade and you can detour to explore the Zone of Death or head into Bozeman, where the Y-branded Dutton Ranch cowboys would head to let off steam. You’ll see Main Street in many scenes, although interiors were mostly shot elsewhere.

John Dutton’s reign over Yellowstone may have ended, but with shows such as Marshals, Dutton Ranch and the upcoming Yellowstone 1944 continuing the legacy there’ll be more locations and more reasons to visit Montana for many years to come.

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: TV tour

NAME: DRIVE LIKE A DUTTON

ROUTE: Missoula to Bozeman

COUNTRY: USA

Distance: 430 Miles

The Isle of Man’s reputation may rest on two wheels, but tucked away on the former RAF Jurby airfield is one of the British Isles’ most eclectic motoring collections.

The Isle of Man Motor Museum houses more than 500 vehicles spanning over a century of motoring history, from TT-winning motorcycles and steam cars to military vehicles, buses, fire engines and even spacecraft – with plenty of Americana thrown in for good measure. The vast, pristine showroom in the island’s north feels more like an aircraft hangar – apt for its setting.

At its core is the Cunningham Collection, assembled by father and son Denis and Darren Cunningham. It began with a simple passion, as Darren explains: “Dad and I love cars and anything unusual that has an engine in it”. The collection grew steadily from the 1980s before expanding rapidly after 2003. “It got to the point where we needed to find somewhere to put all of the vehicles under one roof,” he says. The museum opened in 2015.

The sheer variety is striking. One moment you are admiring the Peel P50 – the world’s smallest production car, built on the island in the 1960s – and the next you are standing beside the Royal Humber Super Snipe used by the late queen and Prince Philip during their 1953–54 Commonwealth tour, before suddenly coming across the Almaz-206 Soviet space capsule.

Some exhibits are personal. “It was the first car I rode in,” Darren says of the Jaguar XJ12 Coupé, which later became the museum’s first exhibit after restoration.

On the mezzanine level, a wall of historic TT signage overlooks more than 300 motorcycles, including Joey Dunlop’s Honda CBR600, ridden by the 26-time TT winner.

Allow at least half a day to explore. If time permits, The Old Guardhouse Café next door serves homemade food in the airfield’s original WWII-era guardhouse.

Words & Photography Indi Bains

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Museum

NAME: Isle of Man Motor Museum

ROUTE: Jurby, Isle of Man IM7 3BZ

COUNTRY: UK

Two of the greatest race tracks in Europe are less than two hours apart if you take the most direct route. There’s a longer way, however…

This being Detour, it’s the only option I consider when plotting my drive between the Nürburgring in Germany and Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps. But first there’s the small matter of collecting a car for this racy road trip, and it’s at Frankfurt airport, around 100 miles to the east of the ‘Ring.

And what a car it is. A 2026 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. With a 6.2-litre mid-engined V8 developing almost 500bhp, America’s sports car is finally ready to mount a serious challenge to Europe’s supercar elite. It’s even available in the UK, in right-hand drive, but this car is configured for the Continent.

Ultimately, my destination is the WEC 6 hours of Spa-Francorchamps where I’ll watch the LMGT3 Corvettes and their Cadillac Hypercar GM stablemates compete against the European establishment, but for now the focus is to get there by 6.30 pm to obtain my accreditation.

I’m in the car by 1pm so there should be plenty of time, but the Friday afternoon traffic around the airport has other ideas and I crawl along for almost an hour. The ‘Vette is less bothered than I am, with its eight-speed dual clutch transmission left in automatic, it seems content enough to trundle along with its engine barely above idle.

Eventually, I am through the worst and heading north on the A3. German autobahns have a reputation for their lack of speed limits, but the reality is that the majority of the network is restricted. Variable limits are used to manage the traffic flow, there are plenty of roadworks, and so for a while I’m see-sawing between 100 and 130 km/h with everyone else. Then, at last, there’s a gap in the traffic that coincides with an unrestricted section and I floor it. The Stingray surges forwards, numbers on the head up display rising rapidly.

I’m looking far ahead, intensely watching the closing speeds of the cars ahead in case one should pull into my lane. For a brief moment the speedometer reads 260 km/h – that’s a tad over 160 mph, before I have to hit the brakes. Sustaining such a high speed would definitely put me back on target, but the reality is that it’s impossible.

Nonetheless, the miles fly by and soon I’m joining the A48 west. At Kaisersesch I take the exit in search of something more scenic and I certainly find it on the L98 to Cochem.  Passing first through farmland, then forest it’s a lovely road that becomes increasingly curvaceous, before dropping down to the banks of the Mosel river, at the postcard-pretty town. River boats cruise the water and multi-coloured houses front its banks, while the whole lot is overlooked by its dramatic castle. Definitely worth the detour.

Leaving Cochem requires a hairpin-heavy climb, the Corvette powering out of each bend with just a little shimmy from the rear end before the traction control intervenes. It’s not a small car, but it’s extremely agile, with pointy steering and plenty of feel. Even in sport mode it’s quite supple, too. This is not the American muscle car of old.

I join the B259 which wiggles back to the A48 at Ulmen. A quick sprint down the autobahn and I’m off again on the B257 to Vulkaneifel, the road cutting through deep forest in this landscape, formed, as the name suggests by ancient volcanic activity.

The L46 to Kelberg and the B257 takes me the final stretch to the Nürburgring. It’s a public day on the circuit, and all manner of fast cars are joining the queue for tickets to a lap, but I only have time for a quick photo if I’m to take the most enjoyable route to Spa.

The B258 leads to the Belgian border and, if like me, you don’t manage to lap the ‘Ring, it’s the next best thing. It’s a brilliant road with even more bends than the Nordschleife’s legendary 157 corners. True, there are speed limits (rigidly enforced by cameras in the towns along the way) but locals certainly drive it with gusto.

Approaching the Belgian border the road suddenly straightens beyond Schöneseiffen, becoming a tree-lined avenue through a valley of wind turbines, before bringing back the bends as it crosses into Belgium. The route to Spa is in parts densely forested, in others desolated empty as I follow the N649, N647, N676, N68, following signposts for Malmedy, Hockai, checking my watch on the final stretch to the circuit.

I arrive in the nick of time as the circuit office readies to close. Of course, the more direct route would have been much faster, but with a car like the Corvette at your disposal would you have done anything different?

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Circuit tour

NAME: Nürburgring to SPa-Francorchamps

ROUTE: FrankFurt to The Nürburgring to SPa-Francorchamps

COUNTRY: Germany / Belgium

Distance: 200 Miles

People have crossed the sand between the tides for centuries, and now Porsche has electrified the experience by driving a Macan over Morecambe Bay.

The near-ten-mile route that links Arnside to Grange-over-Sands in Lancashire is a public right of way, but these days few brave the crossing. Fewer still in electric cars, where salt water and high voltage aren’t exactly an ideal combination.

In preparation, the Porsche team wisely consulted the King’s Guide to the Sands, Michael Wilson. It’s a role that dates back to 1548 and Wilson’s job is to read the sands and pick the safest route across.

“People have always crossed at low tide,” Wilson explained. “It used to cut as much as three days off their journeys, and there was a scheduled stagecoach service before the railway was built. Today, the official right of way is not defined to one particular route. The Monk’s Road, as it’s called, is actually the whole bay – wherever the Guide deems safe.”

“It can be very dangerous out there if you don’t know what you’re doing,” he added. “There have been tragedies on the sands all through recorded history, and they sadly still happen when people venture out on their own.”

Under Wilson’s guidance the Macan set out. “As the journey continues, the sense of scale grows,” reports Porsche. “The shoreline fades and the fells become more distant. It almost starts to feel more like a desert than the seabed. The Macan remains quiet, allowing the sounds of the wind, water and birdlife to come through. Timing remains critical. Areas that are dry will soon be submerged. In order to stop before an impassable bed of sinking sand and to avoid disturbing the wildlife, Wilson sticks to the plan and retraces our wheel tracks before the incoming tide erases them.”

If you fancy taking a trip across the bay yourself then a guided walk is the safest option, but we’ve got also plenty of other choices if you want to go for a beach drive.

Charging down a desert highway towards an infinite horizon, racing through city streets, or in hot pursuit along a curvy coastal road. These are the movie scenes that car fans remember.

If you want to follow the stars of the silver screen on an unforgettable blockbuster road trip of your own then let Detour be your director.

To mark the centenary of Route 66 Google has put together a guide to 48 places to visit along the Mother Road.

“Buckle up for the ultimate journey down Route 66 in honor of its 100th anniversary, crafted with Ask Maps. Explore this historic 2,400-mile-long stretch through iconic landmarks, roadside attractions, delicious bites, and more, from Chicago to Santa Monica,” reads the description.

Surprisingly it’s not a detailed route map – although given it’s just one road it would be pretty hard to get lost – but the 48 Pit Stops aren’t listed in the order you’d find them either. Nonetheless there are some good tips here, and not just the obvious spots, like the Springfield Route 66 Welcome Center in Missouri, the Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, California, or the finish line at Santa Monica Pier on the Pacific coast.

You’ll find the site of the first ever McDonald’s, countless diners, museums and motels, as well as oddball attractions like Cadillac Ranch, Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios and the Gemini Giant.

Check out the Google guide, and discover more of Detour’s Route 66 stories here.

ThE Alta Via Del Sale isn’t for the fainthearted, but the payoff is worth it.

High in the Ligurian Alps this ancient trade route remains much as it has for centuries. The unpaved road hugs the mountainside as it follows the border ridge between Italy and France, barely a car wide, with next-to-nothing in the way of barrier to prevent a precipitous death.

Sitting at above 1,800 meters, and climbing as high as 2,100m, the Alta via del Sale is wisely closed in the winter months when snow and ice would make it even more perilous. From June 21 until the end of September, however, it’s open to all-comers – in cars, on motorcycles, mountain bikes and on foot. Thankfully not at the same time, with Tuesdays and Thursdays closed to anything with an engine.

To keep numbers manageable drivers and riders need to buy a €20 ticket, and while you don’t necessarily need four-wheel drive or knobbly tyres, they would add a little extra assurance on the loose gravel surface. Not that it’s some kind of rally stage, mind. The reality is that you’ll be pottering along, keeping a keen eye on the edge, and another on the wall of rock as you thread the needle between the two. There’s no room for error. There’s not much room for passing, either, so be prepared to reverse quite a distance to find a spot that’s wide enough for two.

If this sounds stressful, what makes it all worthwhile is the utterly stunning scenery you encounter as you traverse the ridge towards the French border. The clear mountain air helps get your breath back after the vistas have taken it away.

There’s a number of different itineraries to explore, as listed on the Alta Via del Sale website, and you can even take an overnight stay in a mountain hut. When the gravel ends the adventure is far from over, as the route onwards and downwards towards the Mediterranean coast is strewn with switchbacks until you join the SP64 that takes you into Ventimiglia.

Words Nik Berg‍ ‍Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Mountain Pass

NAME: Alta Via del Sale

ROUTE: Limone to Ventimiglia

COUNTRY: Italy / France

Distance: 42 Miles

Bugatti’s CEO, President and Managing Director have just completed a grand tour of South Africa with a group of owners.

One of the perks of running a hypercar company is driving its cars and Mate Rimac (CEO), Christophe Piochon (President) and Hendrik Malinowski (MD) seized the chance to join in on an eight-day adventure from Cape Town.

The multi-million pound convoy (and multi-milllionaire drivers) left Cape Town and immediately took on the coast-hugging curves of Chapman’s Peak Drive, before continuing over mountain passes to the valley of Tulbagh, and the Western Cape’s famous vineyards. A third stage took the Bugatti buyers and bosses to Cape Agulhas - the southernmost point on the African continent, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge. The cars then followed the Garden Route, took in a game reserve and explored the Karoo, before a final run up the wild Atlantic Coast and through the Cape Winelands, the Franschhoek Pass and back to Cape Town.

Bugatti quite accurately described this 2026 Grand Tour as “A journey through the captivating beauty of South Africa.”

Of course you don’t need to be rich to enjoy the wealth of wonders on the superb South African roads. No matter what you drive, you’ll find detailed guides to these routes, and many more, right here at Detour.

A tight and twisty climb that’s rewarded with terrific views of Table Mountain.

Thanks to its geological make up, the Western Cape, on the very tip of Africa, is chock-full of mountain passes. Snaking sections of tar that either wind along the scenic coastline, such as Clarence Drive, or climb over dragon-like mountains on the Franschhoek Pass.

About three dozen of the many, many passes in and around the Cape, were designed by just two men: father Andrew and son Thomas Bain, and it is the former after which our feature road is named. A local whisky was also named after him.

Scottish-born Andrew Geddes Bain wore many hats, one of them being that of an engineer. His handiwork included overseeing the construction of Mitchell’s-, Gydo-, Houw Hoek- and Bainskloof Pass. This connects the farming community of Wellington on one side of the Slanghoek Mountains to the fruit-producing Ceres region on the other. The pass technically starts on the outskirts of Wellington and ends at the Breede River bridge in the valley on the other side.

While Bain was the brains, the heavy lifting was carried out by convict labourers and reportedly the cause of slow progress. In 1854 the pass was opened and the (then) wagon track was lauded for its gentle rise and descent.

The road, which has since been completely tarred, is narrow and has a strict height limit as overhanging rock formations such as Dacre's Pulpit have remained in place since the very early days of construction. The initial stretch is characteristed by many hairpins and blind corners as it climbs from Wellington through a canopy of trees on mountainside forest. At its peak, some 590 metres above sea level, there are spectacular views over the vast plain that looks back towards Table Mountain in the distance.

The descent towards Ceres snakes its way into the kloof or valley. Bainskloof Pass is surrounded by the Limietberg Nature Reserve. As a result there is an abundance of fauna and flora for nature lovers to enjoy. In addition there are hiking trails and natural plunge pools to explore.

A recent revamp has left it with a near billiard-smooth finish. As a result it is now even more appealing to sportscar and superbike owners. Speed seekers have been known to scare rare and elusive wildlife in the area, such as leopards, which has irked local conservationists. Better to take a more gentle cruise down into the valley, soaking up the scenery and make a stop at the local bush pub, an ideal spot to enjoy a cool drink or warm coffee on a winter’s day. The deep Vee of the kloof means that there aren’t many hours of sunlight in the valley, which can be one of the coldest places in the Cape during winter.

Once over the Breede River the road flattens out into the plain, the occasional floodplain, that is. Keep going and you’ll eventually hit another arterial road, opening up routes to explore more of the surrounding countryside. Most people who have made the trip purely to experience this road simply turn around and head straight back up to double their thrills.

Words and Photography Sudhir “Banzai” Matai Instagram

ROADBOOK

CLASS: Mountain Pass

NAME: Bainskloof Pass

ROUTE: Wellington to Ceres

COUNTRY: South Africa

Distance: 35 Miles

The Piotto Vogts completed the Rally dos Sertões - known as one of the toughest events in South America – in their factory-specification Porsche.

The marathon event covered 3,482 km through the wilds of Brazil, from Goiânia, southwest of the capital city, Brasília, to Marechal Deodoro on the Alagoas coast. With a roof tent mounted atop the car, and their Cayenne as a support vehicle, Fredy and Susele Piotto Vogts and their 14-year-old son João Pedro completed the rally route without a hitch.

“To start with, we weren’t sure if the Porsche would be able to handle the route,” admitted Susele. “But those concerns evaporated the moment we crossed the river. The Dakar also served as our hotel. We slept in the roof tent in the heart of the wilderness. All in all, it was an unforgettable experience.” 

Just to get to the start involved a 1,200 km from their home in Campo Largo, and they obviously had to make the return journey as well in their cars. The family clearly loves life on the road, however, and their very first trip in the 911 Dakar took them to Praia do Cassino – the longest beach in the world, at 220 kilometers – in Rio Grande do Sul, and from there, on to Chui in Uruguay.

“We buy cars to drive them,” said Fredy, and, when they’re not on rally duties, both vehicles are used as daily drivers. “It’s about the dynamism, the feeling, and the experience of driving a Porsche to work in the morning.”