More than just car rental with Avis: We’ve partnered up with Lonely Planet and Stanfords to offer you free highlights maps and the chance
to win a holiday to Tuscany.

If you’re familiar with the Avis We Try Harder blog you’ll know how we often like to share tales of our road trips and offer advice on interesting itineraries to discover with your car hire. However this time we’ve decided to take a step forward and enlisted the help of the professionals; every week Lonely Planet are offering all visitors to the avis.co.uk the possibility to download new highlights maps of popular regions in France, Spain and Italy, and all absolutely free!

This is to celebrate the launch of 7 new-look regional guides covering a range of don’t-miss experiences perfect for foodies, walkers and culture lovers. This new series includes guides for Andalucia, The Italian Lakes, Tuscany & Umbria, Brittany & Normandy, Corsica, Naples & The Amalfi Coast and Provence & Cote d’Azur. And if you order your Lonely Planet guides from Stanfords, you will get 20% discount.

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I recently decided to visit one of this country’s most mystical landmarks, Stonehenge. And as I live in London, I decided to see what else was on offer in that area, because I rarely get to explore this country’s heritage outside of the city.

On this road trip I discovered the marvellous array of attractions and historic sites around Stonehenge itself. I also found a recently renovated English tradition along the way.

Coming from London the journey involves taking the M3 south before heading West on the A303. It is here, near Basingstoke, that I discovered the reborn English tradition that is the recently renovated Little Chef in Popham, this featured on Michelin Starred chef Heston Blumenthal’s documentary “Big Chef takes on Little Chef”. This is well worth a visit if you’re travelling on the A303, although be prepared for a more crowded atmosphere than your standard Little Chef.

From here continue West until reaching the Legendary Stonehenge and take some time to marvel at its shear size and shrouded history. There are plans for the A303 to be placed in a 2km tunnel in the future, removing the road from sight and sound of the stones and meaning a coach journey, with a 1km walk to get there. So go and visit it sooner rather than later.

Why not drive further west enjoying the beautiful thatched housing and country roads that Wiltshire and Somerset have to offer, heading towards Glastonbury. Here you can venture into King Arthurs Avalon, also riddled with legend or enjoy a leisurely walk up Glastonbury Tor and enjoy the breathtaking views.

There are tons of heritage sites to visit in this area so I would recommend having a look around as there is far too much to cover off in this Blog. This drive around the Wiltshire and Somerset area will whisk you back in time and leave you wishing you had hired that car for just one day longer.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the mountains since starting to snowboard in 1995, and to be honest I’ve tried most methods of getting out into Europe. 15 hour road trips in the back of unheated windowless Sprinter vans potentially being the highlight.

I’ve found over the years, flying into Geneva or Lyon and then self driving through Avis is an excellent way of tackling the transfer and still retaining independence while in the mountains. I love to explore, and having a hire car allows me that pleasure. This road trip takes you from Lyon Airport all the way to the highest city in France, Briancon and some of the ski resorts worth stopping at in between.

From Lyon airport you should head for Grenoble into the Daulphiné Alps and the Ecrins National Park and some fantastic ski resorts that will suit everyone from total beginners to hardened pro riders and off piste specialists.

The first main resort you will come across is L’Alp D’Huez, a famous stop on the Tour de France. The summit at Pic Du Blanc is an impressive 3300m and apparently has the longest pisted run in Europe at 16km. With 240km of runs and 2 snow parks there should be plenty to keep you occupied. My tip would be to take the “Alpette Rousses” lift up to “Dome de Petite Rousses” to get away from the crowds and marvel at the top lift station and its precarious position atop a 400metre cliff.

A few kilometres further down the valley towards Briancon is a right turn to Les Deux Alps, the party town of this part of the Alps. Bars, clubs and eating a plenty. My personal favourite being the Avalanche Club, although I can’t recall much from my time inside this little gem that is open till the small hours of the morning. The resort goes up to 3600m and has 225km of pistes. Glacier riding in the summer, 2 freestyle parks and smaller parks if you like jumps, spins and rails. You can access best high alpine area in the Southern Alps, La Grave, from here. If you like alpine charm character then head down to the little hamlet of Venosc from the main resort. Traditional building set in the depths of the Venosc valley below L2A.

20 minutes further up the valley towards Briancon is La Grave, although patrolled its total un-pisted and has no formal avalanche controls. Its high, it’s dangerous and should not be considered unless you know what you are doing or have hired a guide from Bureau des Guides de La Grave – La Meije. The area has unsurpassed off piste and 2150m vertical descent as well as some of the most amazing mountain scenery in this part of the Alps. Its also worth noting that the small restaurant at 3200m does an awesome steak, chips and tea, useful when its -32C outside.

From La Grave head towards Briancon and you’ll come over the high mountain pass of the Col Du Lautaret at 2053m, this is often closed due to snow falls. From here it’s all down hill to our last stop, the highest city in France and the sprawling ski area of Serre Chevalier. The three communities of Monetier / Chantemerle and Braincon link up to create a vast ski area of 250km of piste up to 2800m. Probably the most French and family orientated of the resorts in the area, which offers a wide range facilities and riding potential. It has great off piste and tree riding, plus a couple of parks. Briancon itself has a fascinating history and fortifications dating back to the 17th century, so if you do get this far then certainly take the time to drive down into the town and explore…Oh and its has the only McDonalds for about 2 hours…I’m sure some people will be interested in that.

View Lyon to Briancon in a larger map

Following my recent post on Top Gear’s review of arguably the world’s greatest driving roads, i-Motor magazine this month looks at the other end of the spectrum and identifies some of the most dangerous roads on the planet.

Below is my pick from their selection
- Eyre Highway, Australia – Has stretches of highway up to 300 miles without settlements is not an ideal place to break down! Also known for being the straightest, flattest road in the world, it’s ‘road trains’ are a familiar, yet dangerous, sight.
- Arc De Triomphe, France – One of the most recognisable monuments in France is found in the centre of a daunting road junction. With multiple lanes and no road markings, it needs to be approached with caution!
- Yungas Road, Bolivia – Built in the 1930’s and known as ‘Death Road’, it has unguarded drops of at least 600m along its single-lane track. Yungas Road is responsible for up to 300 deaths annually earning it the reputation as ‘the world’s most dangerous road’

I know from visiting China that although it doesn’t make the above dangerous road list, is always a place I’d chose to take the chauffeur driven option than drive myself – where have you been that would make you want to choose the chauffeur option?

A few weeks ago saw the welcome return of Top Gear to our screens – the saviour of weekend viewing in my opinion! All the regulars are back, the TG team, the fantastic cars, breath-taking cinematography, crazy challenges and of course The Stig!

Not too long ago, the TG team declared the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps as the ‘greatest driving road in the world’ after taking a selection of supercars for a test drive. In the opening episode of this series the destination was Romania and the Transfăgărăşan.

The Transfăgărăşan road is a winding spectacle, littered with challenging hairpin turns, climbs and descents across the Carpathian Mountain range. It provided the ideal setting for Jeremy Clarkson and co. to drive their chosen cars – the Aston Martin DBS Volante, Ferrari California and Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP560-4.

The conclusion after an adventure getting there was that Jeremy admitted to having made a mistake pronouncing Stelvio Pass as the greatest road and gave the Transfăgărăşan road in Romania the title!

Do you have experience of driving along some of the featured roads or have recommendations on where to go to get that ultimate driving experience?

So after just finishing the Autumn Bank Holiday, I thought I would share with you my long weekend trip to part of the West Country. My friends and I decided to make the most of our last long weekend this year and escape London. We chose to go to Exeter, none of us had been before and the main reason to go was that a friend was moving there in three weeks to study a Masters degree and crazily had not visited the town.

We packed up my Peugeot 308 with four guys, luggage and a Frisbee (we were hopeful of some sun!), the drive from North London to Exeter was three and a half hours, the journey was comfortable for four grown men, so I can recommend the 308 for this trip. The drive to Exeter was largely motor ways, the M25 and M4 and surprisingly for a bank holiday the traffic was not too bad, just slowed slightly as we got closer to Somerset.

Once we arrived, we went straight to the Hotel to dump our bags and explore the city centre. I found Exeter to be a small town easy to walk around; it had plenty of the high street shops to bag a bargain, but no real boutique stores to explore. We found a nice little café on Cathedral Square for lunch with views of Exeter Cathedral dating back to 1114. Afterwards we headed down to the Quay to rent a canoe to explore the River Ex. I would definitely recommend that you book these in advance as they had a three day advance booking period, probably because it was a bank holiday weekend. We stayed around the Quays for dinner and ate at ‘On the Waterfront’ restaurant a Pizzeria. As a self proclaimed Pizza expert I would recommend visiting the restaurant, good pizza and good value. Staying in the area we headed to the local pub ‘The Prospect Inn’ which had a live band on in a large Marquee by the river.

The following day we decided to jump in the car and explore around the River Ex, we headed down to Exmouth, unfortunately the weather was overcast, so we did not spend long as the tide was in and with no sun the options were limited. So we decided to drive round to the other side of the river to Torquay. Torquay being a larger town had more to offer for an overcast day. We headed to the Barceló Imperial hotel and took the coastal walk, taking us above the English Riviera, even though it was cloudy the views were nice and it was peaceful away from the fruit machines and Ice cream shops.

Back in Exeter for the evening we ate at Michael Caines, a local restaurant also located on Cathedral Square and run by a local Michelin star chef, the meal was good, fresh local food and great value as they had a special promotion running. With no real plans we wandered around Exeter trying out the local pubs till we found one we liked. The ‘Old Fire House’ a pub that served local brewed ale, it had a nice chilled atmosphere, mainly lit with candles and seemed to be a very friendly crowd.

Last day of the long weekend and we hit the road early so we could stop of on the way back for lunch, we had the choice between Bristol and Bath, opting for Bath. Fortunately the journey was easy with barely any traffic till we hit Bath city centre. We managed to get parked although I can imagine if we had arrived much later than 2:30pm we would have struggled. After lunch we went to explore the city, unfortunately we did not have a great deal of time, but Bath is definitely on my list for a future visit and even with a brief experience I would recommend this for a weekend break, with great architecture, good pubs and restaurants and some nice looking shops and galleries.

So in three days we managed to discover a small fraction of the West Country and I know it has a lot more to offer, so would be interested in any tips for my next trip.

To summarise my Utah/Arizona road trip I’ve mapped the whole itinerary using Google Maps. I’d recommend clicking on the link below the map so you can view it in full.

View Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA in a larger map

Full content of each leg of the trip (from my previous blog posts) has been added to the map or you can click on each part of the series below:
- Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA – Part 1
- Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA – Part 2
- Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA – Part 3
- Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA – Part 4
- Awesome Road Trips – Utah and Arizona, USA – Part 5

If I could leave you with one tip it would be this – go in March. I say this for three very good reasons:
1. March is much less crowded than the summer (you’ll find places like the Canyonlands practically to yourself)
2. Because of this, accommodation is really cheap (although for the ultimate cheap holiday then head for the campsites)
3. The temperature is perfect. You can head down the Grand Canyon without worrying about having to beat the unbearable afternoon heat, while places like Bryce Canyon are even more prettier when they’re covered in a blanket of snow.

Also, be sure to go for the $80 annual national park pass rather than paying individual entry fees. If you head to as many parks as I did, it will save you money.

And I my tip for car hire: Avis has loads of offices in Vegas so check around for the best price and car availability. It is also much cheaper doing a loop like I did from/to Vegas rather than a one-way to somewhere like Phoenix. The latter option is likely to see the addition of a one-way fee and you’ll have a more limited choice of car.

If you are planning on heading through Utah and Arizona then have a great trip. You’ll be experiencing some of the world’s most epic and stunning landscapes.

The final part of my road trip around Utah and Arizona carries on from Bryce Canyon…

Day 9 – Bryce Canyon National Park to Las Vegas
Today will mark your final leg of the road trip as you venture into Zion National Park. The drive down Highways 89 and 9 to reach Zion the provides the kind of red-rock views that have become increasingly familiar but never less interesting.

Zion itself is very different to any national park you’ve visited so far. Most have been typically vast in scale, the star features generously spaced out with fairly barren areas in between. Zion packs a lot more in a smaller area. But that does not mean that the towering red and white rock peaks are any less spectacular. It just means that you have to be ready for a constant feast for the eyes. And Zion has a colourful charm that really makes it stand out from the rest of the parks. The red rock is redder than anywhere you’ve been so far while the layers of white rock add variation to the colour. And when you drive down Zion Canyon you’ll find trees and even grass lining the Virgin river that flows through the canyon’s centre.

If you’re short on time then the drive through Zion Canyon is the way to go. Along the way there are some good short walks with plenty of interesting things to discover including the Weeping Rock and Emerald Pools. But if you’re up for taking on a bit more of a challenge then the Angels Landing trail is definitely the way to go. I met some people who said this was their favourite hike of all the parks they’ve visited. But it is not for the faint hearted. At times the trail narrows to just 5ft, 1,500ft above the canyon floor, while the final ascent to the top is an energy sapping struggle. But the view at the top is unbelievable and well worth the struggles.

Something else I wanted to mention about Zion is the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel. The tunnel is an engineering feat: a 9ft wide, 5,600ft long tunnel cut through the sandstone of Zion, 225ft in the year. This follows through to 3 and a half miles worth of switchbacks and, while the queue of cars caused by the tunnel traffic lights will prevent you from tackling the switchbacks on your own, they’re still great fun to drive.

From Zion head on the freeway (15) back to Vegas.

Day 10 – Las Vegas
This is your final full day in the States and Vegas is a great place to finish off the road trip. Partly, because it provides fantastic contrast to all of the things you’ve seen so far: epic natural beauty versus excessive human indulgence. But secondly because Vegas is a great place to just unwind. Spas, bars, good food, great entertainment, it’s a great place to kick back, relax and allow your brain to recover from all of the overhwhelming things you’ve seen. So indulge. Catch a show, go shopping or even ride a roller coaster more than 1,000ft above the strip. Either way, like everywhere else you’ve been, Vegas is an unforgettable place.

Day 11 – Las Vegas
Today is the day of departure. Use the chance for a bit of last minute shopping or go hunting for souvenirs. As your flight takes off from Vegas look out for the rigid boundaries of a city famous for finding humanity at it’s most excessive and then let your eyes gaze to the vast, spectacular wilderness beyond. The contrast is extraordinary and it provides a fitting ending to an awesome trip.

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Part 4 of my awesome road trip around Utah and Arizona carries on from Torrey…

Day 7 – Capitol Reef National Park/Torrey to Bryce Canyon National Park
While most days have been dominanted by the hiking, today is definitely about the driving. Kick off the day by driving the Capitol Reef National Park’s Scenic Drive (if you stayed in nearby Torrey it is only a 10 minute drive away). You won’t need to waste time on your morning coffee because this trip will definitely liven the senses. The tour will take you through more grand sandstone rock formations, finishing at the narrow Capitol Gorge.

After navigating your way through one national park, it’s time to head off to another, taking Highway 12 to Bryce Canyon. Now, while Bryce Canyon will reveal itself to be a truly amazing place, right now it’s about the journey, not the destination. Highway 12 is a stunning drive: an ever-changing landscape that will take you through snow-covered alpine forest (snow-covered if you’re there in the winter), desert, gaping canyons and dramatic rock monuments. Allow extra time for the drive because you’ll be stopping off at the many conveniently placed scenic viewpoints to capture the amazing landscapes on film.

You should reach Bryce Canyon with time to spare. Set up camp, get some dinner and perhaps use the opportunity to watch the sun set over the canyon. I didn’t get the chance to do this myself but I can assume that Sunrise Point is a good spot to watch it from!

Day 8 – Bryce Canyon National Park
Just when you think you’ve seen everything, you arrive at Bryce Canyon. I know I’m starting to say this about almost every place I recommend on this road trip but Bryce Canyon is definitely a contender for top stop in the spectacular stakes. I absolutely loved Bryce Canyon.

Again the canyon is dominated by the vibrant, orange/red sandstone which is stunning but not especially different from anything else you’ve seen so far. But then there is more to this magical national park. The dabs of greens and browns of the high apine trees and the splashes of pure white snow (you’ll find snow here for much of the year) add beautiful colour that contrast with the rock’s reds and oranges. And then there are the hoodoos: thousands of pointed sandstone spires that blanket the canyon. The first time they reveal themselves as you approach the rim of the amphitheatre is definitely a “wow” moment.

The other great thing about Bryce Canyon is that it all feels very accessible. I’d recommend driving the park rim’s Scenic Drive, stopping at every viewpoint to take in the stunning panoramic views. Many of viewpoints also provide the starting points for most the hiking trails, many of which take you right among the hoodoos within a short walk. It’s difficult to pick any one trail to recommend but I particularly enjoyed the Navajo Loop trail that takes you through Wall Street – a narrow canyon where the sandstone glows inexplicably bright despite the limited light.

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Today I’ll continue from Day 5 of my awesome road trip around Utah and Arizona…

Day 5 – Bluff to Moab
The drive from Bluff is similar to the other drives you would’ve experienced so far. Pretty darn awesome. Your drive starts at the San Juan river which cuts through the red rock monuments that have become so familiar.

From here you should head to the Needles District on the southern point of the Canyonlands National Park. The Canyonlands, incidentally, is Utah’s least visited national park. But don’t let that detract from what is a truly fabulous national park. What strikes me is the variety of the landscape. You’ll find all kinds of interesting rock formations, some sharp and jutting, others are more rounded, almost mushroom-like. But it’s not just nature’s influence that makes this park interesting. Hike around the Cave Spring trail and you’ll find an abandoned cowboy camp as well as spooky, painted handprints left by Native Americans. They are more than a little haunting. And if you head there in early March, like I did, you’ll find the park practically empty – no where else will you find such solitude in such a spectacular setting.

Of course, the real star of the show are the Needles: rock spires that, from many points in the park, you’ll find dominate the distance. To get close up to the needles you’ll need to head along the 11-mile Chesler Park Loop.

From the Needles District head back out on to highway 191, driving north towards Moab. Moab is in a truly spectacular setting, not least because overlooking the town is the Arches National Park. If you happened to skip a few of the hikes you might have time to check out one of the many outdoor activities that Moab has to offer. In town you’ll the opportunity to go mountain biking, white-water rafting, hiking, rock climbing, canyoneering or horseback riding. Phew!

Day 6 – Moab to Capitol Reef National Park/Torrey
Today will be an absolutely incredible day because you’ll be touring the Arches National Park. As I’ve said so many times before in this series, you’ll be constantly challenging yourself on what park is the most spectacular and the Arches is definitely a park that throws it’s weight in this debate.

The park is very accessible by car and driving is the best option to navigate your way round. Again the landscape is largely characterised by the bright reddish/orange sandstone that rises out of the Utah desert. And, again, there are plenty of unusual rock formations that will keep you snappy-happy. Not least of these is the Balanced Rock, which literally is a 3577-ton boulder resting delicately above a very weak looking pedestal. But the Arches real selling point is, of course, the arches.

The first of these is accessible when taking the turn off just past the Balanced Rock. At the end of this road is a short trail to the North and South Windows – two very impressive and comparatively solid looking arches. There are plenty of arches around the park (unsurprisingly the park has the biggest concentration of arches found anywhere in the world) but the most famous and iconic of them is the Delicate Arch – which, incidentally, you’ll find on the licence plate of every Utah vehicle. Accessing the Delicate Arch is a 3-mile hike (round trip) and when the arch finally reveals itself, it truly is a marvellous sight. Glorious yet delicate, solitary yet dominant, you’ll feel very aware that you’re standing at the feet of a state celebrity. But it is a celebrity that is worthy of it’s status.

There are plenty of other arches to hike to and once you’ve had you’re fill, head west towards Dead Horse Point and the Island in the Sky district of the Canyonlands National Park. Both offer unbelievable views. While the Arches feels accessible and gives you very specific icons to focus on, these two parks are vast and epic, offering views that stretch down canyons for what seems forever. You might be familiar with Dead Horse Point: it provided the setting for the final scene of Thelma and Louise. If you’ve got time, you can hike some of the trails around Island in the Sky, which are generally short.

Otherwise, head off west on highway 50, turning off at 24 towards Torrey. If you’re up for a spot of camping then why not stay on a campsite in the Capitol Reef National Park? Otherwise, Torrey has plenty of accommodation options on offer.

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