Electrical Gems #168 Apr - May 2022 | Page 29

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Trollstigen , Norway .
and more than 100 glaciers , including the Athabasca Glacier , North America ’ s most visited .
The awesome Sunwapta Falls are breathtaking , while the Glacier Skywalk – a one kilometre cliff-edge walkway with glass-floored viewing platform – offers sensational views .
FAIRY MEADOWS ROAD ( PAKISTAN ) OK , this is one that falls much more in the category of ‘ extreme danger ’ than anything else , and is unsurprisingly considered one of the most dangerous roads in the whole of the world .
It ’ s a mountain track road that ’ s unpaved and unmaintained . If that doesn ’ t give you pause for thought , there are no guard rails . Still keen ? Read on .
In 2013 , the road was ranked as the world ’ s second most dangerous , and it ’ s no surprise . There ’ s a six mile ascent up the side of the cliff , the road ’ s narrow – about 1.8m wide – and there ’ s plenty of through traffic .
The road wraps its way up 8000ft over 10km – and one wrong move and you ’ re toast .
NORTH YUNGAS ROAD ( BOLIVIA ) North Yungas Road sounds entirely pleasant . ‘ Should we go for a stroll down North Yungas Road ?’ ‘ Would you like to meet for coffee on North Yungas Road ?’ Delightful . That is , however , until you know of its more sinister nickname : Death Road . Not so pleasant now .
Death Road is a 69km stretch of Bolivian badness , joining Coroico and La Paz . From landslides and cascades and sheer cliff faces that drop more than 2000 ft , Death Road is unsurprisingly littered with crosses in memory of those who attempted the route previously .
Until 15 years ago , Death Road was the only option to travel the aforementioned route , but fortunately a new road has been put in , and Death Road has been widened to two lanes , and has had
North Yungas Road , Bolivia . guardrails installed – but the route continues to live up to its name .
GUOLIANG TUNNEL ROAD ( CHINA ) This 1.2km tunnel is one of the most famous road tunnels in the world , and can be found in the Taihang Mountains of China . A scenic route , the 4m high and 5m wide tunnel contains a number of ‘ windows ’ – removed rocks – of all different shapes and sizes to let some light in , and has open edges hovering over rocky precipices . It was opened in 1977 , after being carved out by 13 villagers over five years to connect the remote village of Guoliang . Previously , access had been by a steep mountain staircase only .
This is a spectacular drive – a rare opportunity to drive inside a mountain – but beware : it ’ s called ‘ the road that doesn ’ t tolerate mistakes ’ for a reason . n
Fairy Meadows Road , Pakistan .
Icefields Parkway , Canada . Guoliang Tunnel Road , China .
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