In a moment of madness I decided that driving the A38 was a challenge I needed to undertake. It's a local road to me, living in Devon, but I realised it headed far north, nearly to where my daughter is at university. Driving it became irresistible.
So after visiting her in Sheffield the other Sunday, my friend and I drove to Mansfield to start the big drive south. This is the first sign we saw.
So after visiting her in Sheffield the other Sunday, my friend and I drove to Mansfield to start the big drive south. This is the first sign we saw.
It doesn't get much more exciting than that.
I have since found out that I chose to drive the longest double figure A road in the UK. It is a glorious 470 km plod from Nottinghamshire through the Midlands, the Severn reaches and down to Bodmin in Cornwall.
Sunday afternoon/evening must be one of the best times to drive this. It trundles through all the big cities on the way south. Birmingham was quiet, which was a relief, and familiar territory as my other daughter had lived there for 4 years, some of it on Bristol Road (the old A38 as it turns out).
Bristol was a fiddle and I think we lost it at one stage. Once through this I was on home turf: Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington. And then it completely disappeared at Tiverton! So it was a run down the M5 to Exeter.
Last weekend I finished if off driving from Exeter down to Bodmin. I always love driving over the Tamar bridge.
And there's even a route 38 cafe to mark this iconic road.
I think next time I drive back from Sheffield, though, I'll stick to the motorways.
