h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Twas a beautiful sunny bank holdiay in Norn Irn (what? you had rain?), so we took the motorbikes out for a ride through the Sperrin mountains. Once in the Glenelly Valley, there are brown signs declaring that this is the Central Sperrins Scenic Route, but all the signposts leading to it seem to have been "browned out" - you can see that there once was a brown sign (indicating a tourist attraction) but it now doesn't say anything.

Who decides whether or not a particular road is a designated "Scenic Route"?

Are there certain criteria that have to be met and maintained?

When is Scenic Route status rescinded?

Probably a mixture of the tourist board and local councils, it has to have particularly noted scenery and when enough old cars get pushed into the valleys...

Tjhey blanked out the "scenic route" signs? Come up the Antrim Coast then. We've loads up here.

<> With good reason

Oh agreed! I grew up in Castlerock, and know that coast road well, although I only rode it on the bike for the first time on the way home from the North West 200. It's so lovely to feel the sea breeze, smell the tang of the ocean, and have a much wider view of the scenery.

A question I have often wondered myself, after DH and I attempted to follow the "Scenic Route" around Brigg, N Lincs ... and ran out of both signs and scenery.

In our house, if we take the "scenic route", it means we're not going on motorways or bypasses and the journey is going to take twice as long.

Mol

Oh, my mum always goes the 'Pretty Way' when time's not necessarily of te essence. Or if she gets lost and doesnt feel like admitting it. 'We're not lost! We're going the Pretty Way!'

Oh yeah! Gone that way in Donegal where the grass grows up the middle of the road. No joke!!