Back in 2017, I bundled five litres of the finest engine oil and copious amounts of spare radiator water into the boot of my 1960s Alfa Romeo Giulia, met with Racing Green’s James Mills and his Honda Integra Type-RDC2 at the Eurotunnel and over a cup of Pret coffee plotted a direct route to Davos, in Switzerland.

The plan was to hot-foot it along autoroutes and meet with James’ pal Oli, who was driving a Ferrari F12, Nathan in a 911 Carrera 4 996, and Dave in his recently acquired Porsche Cayman GT4. We weren’t heading for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum; rather, we were in Davos to drive the hell out of our cars on some of the best mountain passes the Swiss and Italian Alps are blessed with.

The journey to Davos was a mixture of extreme, 36-degree centigrade heat that saw me pouring bottled water over my head to keep cool and oil and water into the twin-cam motor to keep it fit and health, and the occasional thunderstorm that tested the Giulia’s wipers to the limit. But it was worth it. Then came 5am blasts along heaven-sent stretches of road as the sun yawned its way over the crests of the mountains – the early rise essential to beat traffic and be back at the hotel for an 8am breakfast, after three thrilling hours where we pretty much had the roads to ourselves.

We had a brilliant time. As so many will relate to, roadtrips are as much about the company and camaraderie as they are the scenery, cars and general carry-ons.

It’s trips like that one and many others before and after during my three-decade career as a motoring journalist and editor that left me feeling there was a void for celebrating and cataloguing road trips for like-minded petrolheads, especially those of us in the UK and Europe. So I created Detour, the website for those who like nothing more to roam the world on four wheels.

There are now nearly 300 roadtrips to act as inspiration, from Albania to Zimbabwe. Whether you want to recreate rally raids in the desert or take a leisurely tour of vineyards, you’ll find it at detour-roadtrips.com.

That led to a printed version for inspiring bedtime reading. From tortuous mountain passes to empty desert highways, from curvaceous coast roads to scenic country drives, Detour 101 is – even if I say so myself – the new route-planning bible you need to get out on the road in 2025.

Each of the 101 journeys described has its own fascinating story that will make you want to grab your car keys and head out on the road. Explore car culture, flirt with danger and discover some of the most dynamic drives and stunning scenery the planet has to offer.

With guides spanning the UK and Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and the Americas you’ll find detailed instructions and a link to a map for every Detour so you can plan your next road trip.

Detour 101 has both accessible and extreme adventures to choose from. Inside you’ll find the bendiest, straightest and most haunted roads in the UK alongside some of the most dangerous roads in the world. There are trips that can be done in a matter of minutes, hours, days or even months, but what they all have in common is that they’ve been picked as much for how they will take you from start to finish as for where those points actually are. It’s the journey that matters – the romance of the road trip itself.

For me it’s been a lifelong love affair that began in the back of my dad’s old Citroën DS Safari on a non-stop 24-hour drive to the south of France when I was seven, continued through many years of motoring journalism, and more recently led to the founding Detour.

“This book should come with a warning: May cause impulsive booking of airline tickets,” says Hagerty’s Grace Houghton in an in-depth review. “What else would one do, after reading about 101 of the world’s best road trips? Detour 101: 101 of the World’s Best Road Trips, by Nik Berg, celebrates the freedom of driving and the delight of the journey. Thoroughly researched, and filled with aerial photography, this 222-page book is part tour guide, part love letter to the world’s most famous roads and the landscapes they access.”

If you have ever felt the need to scratch an itch and get out and drive, I humbly suggest that Detour 101: 101of the World’s Best Road Trips is all the inspiration you’ll need, no matter what you drive or where you want the road to take you.

Detour 101 is available now on Amazon priced at £15.99

If you would like to know more about Racing Green’s services, or arrange for your car to be placed in our care, please speak with a member of the team, on 03330 909722, or email us at enquiries@racinggreencarstorage.co.uk