Take a scenic drive along the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway, "a major trade route since at least 2000 BC, " says BBC Travel.

BBC: Daily deal: Getaway to Santa Fe

But she said the council could only take this measure if there was damage to the byway or a safety risk to the public.

BBC: Police vehicle on Wiltshire farm

Esther Daley, from Wiltshire Council, said they had temporarily closed one byway, which was being used as a getaway route, in a bid to solve the problem.

BBC: Police vehicle on Wiltshire farm

But having shown the reader a glimpse of this fascinating byway, he speeds straight past, impatient to reach the next intellectual stop, while the tentative theory is simply accepted.

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Whether this was the inaugural event that handed this byway a royal nod or not, the King's Highway has since forged itself into the history books as a vital corridor for all who came after.

BBC: Travelling the slow route to Petra