Photo via Evo
Great Britain has some of the busiest roads in the world. Most inner city roads can be tight or be like long parking lots due to traffic. However, Britain is also home to some of the best drives around.
One of such roads is an old military road in Scotland in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park called the A93. It has the best of the Scottish sceneries and with very little to no traffic at all. It is considered one of the best driving roads in the whole of Great Britain.
A scenic drive at the Old Military Road, or the A93. Panoramio
The A93 spans a distance of 107 miles from Perth to Aberdeen
Historically, the road served a military purpose as it was built by the English Redcoats to fortify castles in the vicinity during the Jacobite Rebellion. Its military history extends to World War II as some parts of the A93 had anti-tank traps along its route.
The Drum Castle. Wikipedia
Being an old military route, the A93 has quite a number of castles in the vicinity of the road. Braemar and Corgarff Castle were prominent during the Jacobite Uprising in the 1745. Drum Castle, which is open for tourists in the summer months, is also located in Aberdeenshire. It has its 13th century watch tower still intact and is a wonderful attraction.
The beautiful Crathes castle and garden. VisitScotland.com
Crathes Castle, which was built in the 15th century, is also open to the public and is a popular stop over. Craigievar Castle is one castle to visit if you fancy a fairy tale looking castle or interested in seeing gargoyles. All these castles are in the vicinity of Aberdeenshire. Scone Palace is located in Perth and is regarded as a top tier tourist spot and home to the “Stone of Destiny”. The Stone of Scone or Destiny was used during coronations and was last used by Elizabeth II.
The fairy tale-like Craigievar Castle. Youtube
What makes the A93 a perfect drive is the road layout and conditions. It is a well maintained road and being very remote, it is almost devoid of traffic. Most of the traffic in the area is concentrated in the highway that is adjacent to the park. The A93 is a mix of long straights and sweeping curves. It even runs to an elevation of 670m along the Glenshee Ski Center, Scotland’s largest skiing facility, which would be a good stop for families. The scenery along the route is that of the typical Scottish Highlands with long plains and mountains. It is just fantastic and relaxing to drive along the route with such a view.
The Scone Palace, home of the legendary Stone of Destiny. VisitScotland.com
There are also a number of restaurants and pubs along the route if you need to eat or have a cold one. Hotels and Inns are also available, along the route and at both ends. Being a shorter route, it would be best to just take your time and enjoy the scenic views. Plan your trip to center around seeing the Castles and tourist spots. You can do a back and forth on the route in one overnight trip.
The A93 is one of the most enjoyable drives anywhere in Great Britain. Take in the sights and just have fun. Drive safe!
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