A winding country road in a picturesque corner of Somerset has been named the best to drive on in the UK.

Data scientists pinpointed the B3135 from Cheddar to Ashwick, which meanders through the rolling Mendip Hills, as the most pleasant to cruise along.

Experts used key criteria to judge roads including scenery, how close they are to points of interest, and which ones offer optimal driving conditions, before announcing their top 75.

They also looked at how many ‘engaging’ corners would be encountered, levels of traffic and sites with low incident reports to compile the detailed list.

The research was created by Volkswagen in collaboration with traffic and navigation app Waze, to support Volkswagen’s ‘GTI Superdrives’ programme within the app.

The-A701-from-Moffat-to-Edinburgh-in-the-Scottish-Borders-best-driving-roads

Second is Forres to Alford, in Scotland, a stunning 70-mile drive through the Cairngorms National Park with the A701, from Moffat towards Edinburgh, Scotland, in third.

The Hardknott Pass, a winding single track road in the Lake District which is thought to be the steepest road in England, is number nine on the list.

UK’s Top 10 driving roads (according to Waze’s analysis):

1. B3135 – Cheddar to Ashwick, Somerset
2. A940-A939-A944-A97 – Forres to Alford, Scotland
3. A701 – Moffat towards Edinburgh in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, Scotland
4. A4069 – Black Mountain Road, Brecon Beacons, Powys, Wales
5. A82 – Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
6. A308, B3021, B3026 – Old Windsor – Dorney, Buckinghamshire
7. B4089-Pelham Lane- Wood Lane – Alcester to Wilmcote, Warwickshire
8. A426-A423-A425-B445-A4225 – Draycote Water to Warwick, Warwickshire
9. Hardknott Pass – Lake District, Cumbria
10. A675 – Bolton to Blackburn, Lancashire