BA - The Club - Five unlikely epic drives: Ian Warhurst

R31, Upington to Hakskeen Pan, Kalahari Desert, South Africa

One of the greatest drives I’ve ever done was the R31, which is the road that takes you from Upington to Hakskeen Pan in South Africa. You’re in the Kalahari Desert and it’s predominantly a straight road with gradual bends that winds its way into the desert. It’s actually where quite a few of the car companies test out new models but we were there completing high-speed tests with the Bloodhound land-speed record car. The drive takes around an hour and a half to complete and it’s possible to see the most fantastic sunsets. I drove it a few times while I was out there in a Toyota Forerunner, which seems to be the standard car of choice for the South African desert. It’s a very memorable place for me.

Car of choice: Toyota Forerunner

Forclaz pass, Chamonix to Martigny, France & Switzerland

In the Alps, one of my favourite drives goes from Chamonix to Martigny. You go up and up out the Chamonix Valley and over the Forclaz Pass. Once over the top, you come around a corner and it’s possible to see the whole way down the valley into Martigny in Switzerland. It’s an amazing road with incredible views. I did it a few times, usually in rental cars, while I was there for business and on one occasion, it started snowing hard as I approached the top. Luckily, I was driving a Nissan X-Trail four-wheel drive and before I knew it, the whole road was completely covered under snow. It was quite an adventure and even though it’s quicker to drive around Lake Geneva, I’ll always choose the pass because of the amazing views.

Car of choice: Nissan X-Trail

Highway 190, Las Vegas to Death Valley, USA

One year, while I was in Las Vegas for an exhibition, I went off on a day trip to discover Death Valley. I had rented a Ford Mustang and headed west on Highway 190 to the valley where you eventually drop down below sea level. Luckily, it was around November time so it wasn’t that hot but still around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and, against all odds, it started raining. I remember thinking it was typical that a Yorkshireman goes to one of the driest places in the world and it starts raining! The scenery around you is like another world – there are some amazing rock features and nothing but the road twisting its way through the desert for miles.

Car of choice: Ford Mustang convertible

Hardknott Pass, Eskdale to Skelwith Bridge, UK

Somewhere a bit closer to home is the drive I did across the Hardknott Pass, from Eskdale to Skelwith Bridge. My wife and I drove to the Lake District a couple of years ago in my Jaguar XJR. We couldn’t do much walking, so we ended up driving around a lot and went over the Hardknott Pass, which is very well known in the Lakes. It’s a steep drive but you have views over Bowness on Windermere, as well as Scafell Pike over to the left and the beautiful, grassy hills around the area. It was a lovely, sunny day when we did it, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Car of choice: Jaguar XKR

A447, Ibstock to Stapleton, Leicestershire, UK

Another favourite road of mine in the UK is the A447 between Ibstock and Stapleton in Leicestershire. I drove it in my 1950s Jaguar XK140, which is a lovely classic car I bought a few years ago. The road runs through the Midlands and eventually down to Coventry, but this particular stretch is a very typical English country A-road – which is perfectly suited to the car because it was built before the invention of motorways. You can just imagine it driving on roads like this when it was first made. The A447 winds its way through quaint English villages and countryside, around sweeping bends and switchback hills – it was a great experience and the car was just superb.

Car of choice: Jaguar XK140