Leeds legend Ricky Wilson reveals top scenic Yorkshire drives to dodge M62 and M1 boredom

If you have ever spent a summer afternoon trapped in gridlock on the M62 or staring at bumper-to-bumper tailgates on the M1, it will come as zero surprise that both of West Yorkshire's main arteries have been named among the dullest motorways in Great Britain.

New national research tracking the habits of 2,000 drivers reveals that over 40 per cent of UK motorists find motorway driving painfully boring, with a quarter describing the view through the windscreen as little more than a "grey blur."

The M1 - which cuts straight through the heart of Leeds - was voted the second most boring stretch of tarmac in the entire country, while our trusty East-West link, the M62, landed firmly in the top ten.

To help local drivers ditch the motorway monotony, temporary insurance provider Tempcover has launched a Scenic Route Finder tool, teaming up with Leeds' own Ricky Wilson.

The Kaiser Chiefs frontman - who has clocked up thousands of road miles touring out of the city over the last two decades - has shared his personal favourite Yorkshire escapes to help drivers swap grey asphalt for proper local scenery.

Having spent over 20 years on the road since the release of Kaiser Chiefs' iconic debut album Employment, Wilson knows a thing or two about escaping traffic. Sticking rigidly to sat-nav defaults, he argues, means Leeds drivers are missing out on world-class landscapes right on their doorstep.

Heading up the frontman's personal regional picks is Holme Moss, the dramatic high-altitude moorland pass sitting right on the Kirklees border in West Yorkshire.

A favourite detour for local drivers heading south toward the Peak District, the high pass offers sweeping vistas across the valleys before dropping down near Greenhead Park.

Wilson noted that spontaneous detours out of West Yorkshire have delivered some of the best moments on tour, urging local motorists heading out on staycations to hand over the keys, share the driving, and actually take in the views.

The best scenic detours starting in and around Leeds

The survey found that nearly three-quarters of drivers would happily add up to 41 minutes to a trip if it meant a better view—though many of Yorkshire’s best detours take a similar amount of time to standard motorway routes by dodging heavy congestion.

For drivers setting off from Leeds and West Yorkshire this summer, several direct alternative routes offer a massive upgrade to the daily commute or weekend getaway:

Leeds to Whitby (via Sutton Bank)

Instead of joining the bumper-to-bumper crowds on the A64 and A171 toward the coast, drivers leaving Leeds can head up via the A170 across Sutton Bank. The elevated route cuts directly past some of the finest high-altitude views in North Yorkshire before dropping down toward the coast.

Bradford & West Leeds to Lancaster (via Malham Cove)

Instead of getting bogged down in the slow-moving traffic of the main A65, motorists heading west across the county can navigate the quiet, rolling back roads tucked directly behind Malham Cove and Malham Tarn, delivering dramatic Dales limestone scenery straight through the window.

Harrogate & North Leeds to Kendal (via the Heart of the Dales)

For anyone heading out toward the Lake District, skipping the heavy haul up the A1(M) and M6 entirely is a game-changer. Cutting through the Dales via the B6160 and A684 takes you straight through Wharfedale and Wensleydale without touching a single stretch of multi-lane highway.

York to Whitby (across the North York Moors)

If you are starting out from York, trading standard routes for the open tarmac of the A169 takes you straight across the high heather of the North York Moors National Park, turning a routine coastal drive into one of the most scenic stretches of road in the North.

Methodology: The survey figures are based on a nationwide study of 2,000 UK motorists commissioned by temporary car insurance provider Tempcover in July 2026, examining summer staycation habits, scenic route preferences, and attitudes toward British motorway driving.