road trips of uk

UK Road Trip – 18 Unmissable Routes

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Top United Kingdom Road Trip Ideas

If you want to escape day-to-day life, explore new destinations and enjoy travel freedom, then plan a UK road trip. And where better than in the glorious isles of the United Kingdom, where landscapes vary from the gentle to the dramatic, and roads thread through the patchwork countryside between quaint villages and historic towns?

Whether you’re looking for an epic Scottish adventure through highlands and glens, a gentle potter along one of England’s beautiful coastlines, a fast-paced action-packed Welsh road trip, or you like Northern Ireland’s road less travelled, you’ll find it here, amongst our collection of the eighteen best road trips in the United Kingdom.

If you’ve got wheels, we’ve got the best UK road trip ideas for you!

Getting to the UK

The UK has over 40 airports meaning there will be one which is perfectly located for the start point of your road trip. We recommend booking through Skyscanner for live deals and the best prices.

• London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead, Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham are best for English road trips .
• Fly into Belfast City and Belfast International for Northern Irish road trips .
• Head for Edinburgh and Glasgow International for Scottish road trips .
• Cardiff, Bristol or Birmingham Airport are best for Welsh road trips .

You can hire a car  at any of these airports and be on your chosen UK driving route within an hour of landing. Book your rental car well in advance and use a car hire booker like Rentalcars.com  who will provide the best deals from all the top car hire companies.  How?  Because they have such a large market share, they’ve got way more buying power than individuals and can negotiate much harder on price.

For a real adventure , hire a motorhome or campervan in the UK. We recommend Motorhome Republic , an aggregate booking site who pull together all the best deals from a number of rental agencies, to offer you a wide choice of options alongside an excellent English speaking expert motorhome Concierge Team.

Best Time to Take a UK Road Trip

December to february.

The winter months in the UK are often cold and wet, more so if you head to Scotland or Northern Ireland. Although other visitors will be thinner on the ground, the weather may hinder you from seeing everything you want to, accommodation options may be limited and the driving experience will be a lot less enjoyable.

March to May

Late spring is a wonderful time to visit the UK, as the cold and wet retreats and gives way to kinder weather. Wildflowers appear, baby animals abound and life picks up a lively pace again. But, remember that the country is so lush because it rains frequently, so always be prepared for a downpour, or a few drizzly days when you plan a UK road trip.

June to August

Summer brings sunshine to all of the UK, with south Wales and the western coast of Scotland getting the best of the Gulf Stream. This is the perfect time to visit for outdoor adventures such as hiking and coasteering and ideal if you’re in a tent or motorhome wild camping.

September to November

Autumn is a fantastic time to explore the UK . The coasts will be quieter but still warm and the glorious colours of fall bring vibrancy to the countryside. Don’t leave it too late, it will be cold and wet again by mid-October.

Is this your first time visiting the UK? Get all the information you need in our United Kingdom Travel Guide , including what to pack, the best time of year to go, getting there and practical tips to help you have the best trip!

UK Road Trip Planner

The United Kingdom is a small but diverse country and it can be hard to decide where to take a road trip. Whatever type of road trip you enjoy, and whether you’ve got one week or one month for your UK trip, you’ll find an itinerary here that’s right for you!

UK Road Trip Map

England Road Trips

Devon & cornwall, barnstable – rock – padstow – newquay – st ives – sennen – porthcurno – penzance.

The most south-westerly county in England has some of the best beaches the country has to offer. You’ll also find plenty of quaint seaside towns, stunning landscapes and lots of fantastic days out, which make Cornwall one of the best UK road trips for families.

The drive down the M5 or A303 can be long and slow, especially at the weekends when lots of self-catering accommodation providers have their change-over days. Try and head down mid-week and break up the journey before you get to the A30, the main arterial road through the county.

Visit the  Eden Project on the way, an amazing place to explore, and not to be missed when you’re driving so close by.

Alternatively, take the Atlantic Highway from Barnstable, just south of the glorious Exmoor National Park, to Newquay. This route takes you into Cornwall on the A39 road, passing some of the  best beaches in north Devon  on the way. As you head south, enjoy the walking and cycling trails on North Devon’s aptly named Adventure Coast.

The Camel Estuary

With pretty Padstow on one side of the estuary and trendy Rock on the other, this is a fantastic family destination with lots to do. Try your hand at surfing or body-boarding in Rock or just have fun in the waves. Eat delicious, locally caught fish in Padstow restaurants and enjoy strolling the charming harbour and town. 

The most famous of all Cornish holiday and seaside towns, St Ives is graced with a couple of superb beaches and a lively ambience in the busy and picturesque town and harbour and is a must-stop on any  Cornwall road trip .

With shops, restaurants and bars open long into the evening in summer, and several world-renowned galleries, St Ives has a cosmopolitan feel and is perfectly placed for day trips around the south of Cornwall. It can get very busy here in the high season, if you’re travelling as a couple, visit before UK schools break up for summer if you possibly can. 

Porthcurno & Around

The tip of the Cornish peninsula has some amazing coves and beaches. Porthcurno is one of our all-time favourite beaches and is overlooked by the Minack Theatre, which you should visit, if only for the spectacular views. Get to the beach early in the summer months, the car park fills quickly.

Elsewhere on the peninsula, Sennen Cove and the  tin mines at Botallack  provide a fascinating insight into Cornish history.

Head east for charming Mousehole (pronounced Mowzle), one of Cornwall’s hidden gems (as much as anything in this part of the world can be!).

Penzance, of pirate fame, and the splendid  St. Michael’s Mount , accessible on foot when the tide is out, are all within a few miles of each other and well worth a visit.

RELATED POSTS: Cornwall Road Trip: The Best Itinerary, Map & Tips | Atlantic Highway: An Epic Devon & Cornwall Road Trip

Make sure you have travel insurance you can trust when visiting the United Kingdom . We recommend True Traveller for their 5-star TrustPilot reviews, variety of cover options, best activities cover as standard, great prices and excellent service.

The Cotswolds

Burford – cheltenham – painswick – bath.

Is there anywhere more perfectly English than the Cotswolds? The lush and rolling countryside of southwest England is dotted with honeyed picture-perfect villages set around duck ponds and greens, and the winding country lanes are lined with stone walls and hedgerows.

The region is recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offers close encounters with wildlife and birdwatching opportunities at the  Slimbridge Wetland Centre .

If you prefer a bit more activity, paddle boarding, kayaking and archery are all available at the  Cotswold Water Park , and there are lots of great cycling and hiking routes in the area. If you’re looking for a gentle escape and a slow pace, this is a perfect 1 week road trip in the UK.

The medieval town of Burford, just 30 minutes west of historic Oxford and an hour and 45 minutes by car from  London , is on the edge of the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’, bordered by the A40, A44 and A429.

The triangle is home to some of the most idyllic chocolate box villages of the Cotswolds, including Kingham, Churchill, Broadwell, Bledington and Oddington, and a perfect place to start a Cotswolds road trip.

Burford itself has changed little over the centuries, other than becoming one of the most popular tourist spots in the area. Stroll down the famous High Street, lined with half-timbered houses and Georgian architecture, as it descends to the River Windrush.

Dip in and out of the side streets and alleys for hidden treasures, more historic buildings and great places to stop for lunch. 

Painswick, known as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’, is a beautiful and historic wool town. One of the best-preserved settlements in the Cotswolds, built from locally quarried stone, Painswick is a great starting point to travel around the area.

Close enough to Cheltenham to make exploring easy, there are many small country roads and tiny villages between Painswick and Cheltenham to discover.

Sitting halfway along the  Cotswold Way National Trail , Painswick is surrounded by fabulous hiking country and is a great base to start from. Painswick Beacon has spectacular views across the Severn Valley to the mountains of Wales.

End your road trip in the historic Roman and Georgian spa city of Bath. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bath is famous for its hot springs, Roman baths, Medieval heritage and elegant Georgian architecture.

Visit the fascinating  Roman Baths  which date from AD43, to see how the Romans liked to relax. At the more modern end of the scale, take a dip in the contemporary  Thermae Bath Spa , which houses the only natural thermal hot springs in Britain.

Make time to admire the iconic Royal Crescent and the majestic Circus to see the fine period architecture which epitomises the city that was home to the author, Jane Austen.

Bournemouth – Swanage – Corfe Castle – Kimmeridge – Lulworth – Weymouth – Portland – Abbotsbury

This stunning  coastal road trip in England  takes you through the county of Dorset, which boasts a rugged UNESCO World Heritage Site coastline, traditional villages and some great bucket-and-spade resorts.

The cliffs of the 95 mile long ancient Jurassic Coast contain millions of fossils and there is even a forest of fossilised trees.

With Bournemouth, Swanage and Weymouth providing good old-fashioned seaside entertainment, there’s a lot to recommend on this England road trip itinerary.

Swanage & Around

Swanage is a traditional English sea-side resort that was ‘discovered’ by the Victorians when sea bathing became fashionable.

At the far eastern end of the Jurassic Coast and Isle of Purbeck, Swanage boasts a safe sandy beach, steam train, nearby  Corfe Castle , great wreck diving and  Durlston Country Park , so there’s a great deal to keep you busy and entertained.

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door

At the other end of the Isle of Purbeck, Lulworth Cove is an almost perfect circle and is considered one of the best examples in Europe of this type of marine erosion.

Whatever the reason for Lulworth Cove, it really is a wonderful holiday spot, perfect for kayaking, stand-up paddling or just messing about in the water.

Literally next door is Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch in the sea, caused by millions of years of erosion. Durdle Door is backed by a beautiful pebble beach and the imposing limestone cliffs that the Jurassic Coast is famous for.

Both places are on the glorious  South West Coast Path , which starts in Minehead in Somerset and ends in Poole harbour. The longest long-distance footpath in the UK, it snakes along the coast for 630 miles. Follow the path west from Lulworth for wild clifftop views free of people, and the geological wonder that is Kimmeridge Bay.

Chesil Beach & Around

An eighteen mile long shingle barrier beach made up of 180 billion pebbles, the iconic Chesil Beach stretches from West Bay to Portland, on the western side of Dorset.

Head for  Abbotsbury Gardens  for one of the best views of Chesil Beach from above, stretching miles in either direction. Pop in to see the mute swan colony at the Abbotsbury Swannery, also a little-known filming location for the Harry Potter movies.

Energy levels permitting, drive south to the instantly recognisable  Portland Bill  lighthouse at the tip of Portland, for more wild seascapes.

RELATED POST: A South England Road Trip to Dorset & the New Forest

Don’t forget your road trip essentials! Our free road trip checklists help you remember everything, including road trip snacks , podcasts and road trip songs for the journey!

The Lake District

Ullswater – keswick – grasmere – ambleside – windermere.

The rugged Lake District in Cumbria is known as ‘Wordsworth country’ and is home to some of the most scenic roads in UK. This English road trip has something for everyone, whether escape or adventure is on the agenda, and is one of the best road routes in the UK for active families and experience days for couples .

Head for the busy towns of Ambleside and Keswick or find peace and quiet by one of the sixteen beautiful bodies of water in this stunning national park.

Enjoy great hiking, biking and outdoor activities in the warmer months, or spend time on the water, with boat hires, kayaking and SUP all on offer. 

Start your Lake District road trip at Ullswater, the second largest of the national parks lakes. Ullswater is nestled amongst some of the best fells the area has to offer and is home to the stunning Aira Force waterfall.

With hiking and water sports on your doorstep, this is a perfect spot for road trippers to enjoy nature and outdoor activity, and some of the best Lake District hikes.

To the west of Ullswater, Keswick is a busy market town that lies between the natural beauty of Derwentwater and the imposing Skiddaw mountains.

Hike up to the prehistoric Castelrigg stone circle, literally surrounded by fells and sky in every direction, or try an easy trail like Catbells, which also has the added benefit of  incredible Lake District views  of the rugged and far-reaching landscape.

Honister Slate Mine

At the southern end of Derwentwater is the valley of Borrowdale, leading to the Honister Pass and the home of the Honister Slate Mine, the last working slate mine in England.

The mine has a visitor centre which provides underground guided mine tours and a range of adventure activities including a Via Ferrata (by ropes) course, a ropes course in the mine and a daring infinity bridge – kids big and small will love it here!

The New Forest

Fordingbridge – lyndhurst – brockenhurst – lymington.

The historic New Forest in Hampshire, planted in 1079 by William the Conquerer, retains a strong sense of tradition. Home to New Forest wild ponies, roaming pigs, Highland cattle and deer, the forest is a haven for wildlife and offers peace and tranquillity to all who visit.

It is a particularly special place to visit in autumn , when the crowds have gone, and the fall colours are spectacular. You might also spot rutting deer if you visit at this time of year.

Also a hub for outdoor activity, including water sports, cycling and hiking, you can find the top  New Forest outdoor activities here . 

Just a few hours from the capital, the New Forest is one of the best road trips from London and perfect for an activity focussed long weekend.

Brockenhurst

A charming village to the south of the forest and an excellent base for cycling and walking, Brockenhurst has a few good pubs and a seriously good  takeaway fish and chip shop . An excellent hub from which to explore, you can hire bikes in the village or bring your own – download this helpful map for routes.

New Forest Water Park

On the western fringes of the forest, the New Forest Water Park offers wakeboarding and a giant inflatable aqua park, the best fun you can have in a wet suit and a perfect family day out. Try your hand at wakeboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddle before running the gauntlet on the aqua park course …its a lot, lot harder than it looks!

Right on the southwestern edge of the New Forest, Lymington is a traditional bustling market town. With a busy modern harbour and easy access to the Solent, this is a haven for sailors.

From your base in Lymington, take a trip to  Hurst Castle , built by Henry VIII and situated on a shingle spit stretching into the Solent.

On hot days, take a dip in the seawater swimming baths on the edge of Lymington town.

Lymington also makes a great base to visit the Isle of Wight. Sitting guard in the Solent, at the entrance to one of the UK’s busiest freight ports, the island is famous for being the one-time home of Queen Victoria and having the sunniest beach in the UK, amongst lots of other things.

You can get the  car ferry  there and back in a day, making it a road trip within a road trip!

RELATED POST: Top 16 New Forest Outdoor Adventures

Norwich – Wroxham – Hemsby – Cromer – Blakeney – Hunstanton – Kings Lynn

One of the most beautiful counties in England, Norfolk enjoys an incredible and unspoilt heritage coastline and the famous Norfolk Broads, where you will find huge skies and mesmerising landscapes, making it one of the best road trip destinations around the UK.

A national park and a haven for birds and wildlife, the Broads are a nature lover’s paradise and can be explored on foot or by boat, with a traditional Norfolk wherry being the ultimate Broads experience.

The historic city of Norwich is a hidden gem and a must-visit if you’re in Norfolk. Considered the UK’s best preserved medieval city, Norwich delivers a fine Norman cathedral with the second highest spire in England, a lively and well-respected bar and restaurant scene, and the Norwich Lanes, a muddle of pedestrian alleys full of independent shops and boutiques.

As you follow the coast north from the Broads, you’ll come to the North Norfolk coast and Blakeney . This pretty coastal village lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty which boasts a nature reserve of spacious landscapes with salt marshes, sand dunes and horizons stretching far out to sea.

Practice your crabbing skills in the harbour, or take a trip out to Blakeney Point to see the Common and Grey seals that breed here in winter. 

Sandringham

South of the Wash lies the royal estate of Sandringham. Set in beautiful woodlands, perfect for walking, you can also visit the house, gardens and transport museum before heading to see the St Mary Magdalene church where the Queen attends services when she is staying at Sandringham.

There are often events here too, such as farmer’s markets and craft fairs, check the Sandringham Estate website for details and dates.

RELATED POST: Road Trip England – 10 of the Best Routes

Northumberland Coast Route

Alnmouth – craster – embleton – beadnell – seahouses – bamburgh – holy island of lindisfarne – alnwick.

This drive takes you along the stunning Northumberland coast, passing through the beautiful landscapes and seaside fishing villages of the county.

Northumberland is home to some of England’s most dramatic castles, an iconic holy island and Hadrian’s Wall, on the border with Scotland. There is fantastic coastal walking in the region, huge sandy beaches that seem endless and warm hospitality for visitors.

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle is a spectacular castle and country house, and the seat of The 12th Duke of Northumberland. It was built following the Norman conquest and renovated and remodelled a number of times, into the castle you see today.

Film and TV fans shouldn’t miss a visit here – the castle has been featured in Transformers: The Last Knight, Elizabeth, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, as the magnificent Brancaster Castle in Downton Abbey, and probably most famously, as Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films.

Coastal Villages

As you head north, spend a night in one of the fishing villages such as Craster or Beadnell, and enjoy a bracing beach walk from your accommodation, and a traditional fish and chip supper from the local chippie!

Lindisfarne Holy Island

The tidal island of Lindisfarne , also known as Holy Island, is one of the most important centres of early English Christianity. Irish monks settled there in 635CE and the monastery became the centre of a major saint’s cult celebrating its bishop, Cuthbert.

In 793CE the Vikings attacked Lindisfarne, looting the monastery and killing or enslaving many of the monks. It was the first time the Vikings had attacked a monastic site in Britain, and the attack came as a major shock for medieval Christians.

The historic island lies just off the extreme Northeast corner of England near Berwick-upon-Tweed, and is reachable across a paved causeway, but only when the North Sea tides permit! Safe times to cross are predictable and can be found here , and the route takes around two hours to walk.

The Peak District

Chesterfield – bakewell – buxton – castleton – glossop.

Nestled between the cities of Manchester and Sheffield is the glorious Peak District. Straddling the Pennines’ southernmost hills lie ancient stone villages, hillsides dotted with grand stately homes and rocky outcrops in every direction, but no peaks, despite the name.

To the north, the Dark Peak area is dominated by exposed moorland and gritstone ‘edges’, while to the south, the White Peak is made up of rolling limestone dales. The diverse and soaring landscapes of the Peak District mean some seriously good drives, making for one of the best road trips in England.

Chatsworth House

Known as the ‘Palace of the Peak’, this huge stately home three miles northeast of Bakewell has been the family seat of sixteen generations of earls and dukes of Devonshire. Inside, the lavish apartments and mural-painted staterooms are filled with priceless paintings and period furniture.

Head outside for 25 square miles of grounds and ornamental gardens, including water features, a maze, sculptures, and splendid Victorian glass houses. Some of the grounds were landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

Full of history,  Chatsworth House  was founded in 1552 by the formidable Bess of Hardwick, who came from modest beginnings to become the second most powerful woman in Elizabethan England after the Queen. It was with Bess’ second husband, Sir William Cavendish, that the Cavendish line, which continues today, was established.

Finish your Chatsworth House visit with lunch or dinner a few miles up the road, at the highly-rated Prince of Wales in Baslow, one of the best fine dining pubs in the Peak District .

Caves and Caverns

The Peak District is littered with caves and caverns, some entirely natural and some created as a result of historic mining activity.

Peak Cavern  at Castleton is the largest cave system in the Peak District and is almost all entirely natural. Known as the ‘devil’s arse’, the cave was inhabited by rope-making cave dwellers until the early 20th century and 40 families lived in two rows of cottages in the cave entrance, along with stables, a pub and a few small shops! You will also find Speedwell Cavern, Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern in Castleton.

The  Heights of Abraham  opened in 1780 and is one of the oldest tourist attractions in England. Alongside the cable car ride and parkland with lots of attractions are two 350 million-year-old caves, Rutland Caverns and Great Masson, where you can experience what lead mining in the 17th century was like.

In the heart of the rugged North Peak area of the Peak District, lies Snake Pass. Winding its way through the valley connecting Sheffield and Glossop, this is one of the best roads to drive in Europe . Following the river Ashop, Snake Pass crosses the Pennines at Ashopton and reaches a high point of 512 metres above sea level.

With stunning views in every direction and surrounded by heather-carpeted moorland, deep valleys, reservoirs and lush woodland, the scenic Snake Pass makes for a truly memorable drive. With its sharp twisted roads, moulded around the rugged landscape, Snake Pass really is a drive to be celebrated by road trippers. 

Just a word of warning though, this road is considered one of the most dangerous in the UK, so take it slowly, stop for photos, and savour the drive.  

RELATED POST: Why We Say These Are the Best Driving Roads in Europe

Yorkshire Dales

Harrogate – malham – hawes – richmond.

In ‘God’s own country’ of Yorkshire , the roads ribbon between glacial valleys, patchwork fields, flat-topped hills and rocky outcrops, punctuated by pretty villages with quaint pubs, and windswept hiking trails.

There’s history aplenty too, in this land that was once host to the War of the Roses, the bloody struggle between the royal houses of Lancaster and York.

Be aware that the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a mecca for tour buses which cause major headaches both on the roads and in car parks at the most popular spots. Avoid the summer months if you possibly can.

Start in the well-heeled and elegant Georgian town of Harrogate, known then as ‘The English Spa’. On the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is a great starting point for your Yorkshire road trip.

Malhamdale is in the Pennines, at the southern end of the Yorkshire Dales. Malham itself is a pretty village, surrounded by the limestone buildings and the dry-stone walls so common in the Dales, with a stream bubbling through the centre of the village. 

Malham is best known though for the glacial lake, Malham Tarn, and the majestic Malham Cove, a vast curving amphitheatre-shaped cliff formation of limestone rock. 

The vertical cliff face is about 80 metres high. If you’re lucky, you may see Malham Cove waterfall, which appears in the centre of the cliff face in spring and after heavy rain.

Wensleydale

The lush sweeping valley of Wensleydale is distinct for its wooded hillocks and rushing waterfalls, the most famous being the triple flight Aysgarth Falls and Hardraw Force, England’s largest single-drop waterfall.

The capital of Upper Wensleydale, Hawes, is a lively market town with many hotels and tearooms. Local craft and artisan industries thrive making pottery, wooden toys and the famous Wensleydale cheese, Wallace and Gromit’s favourite.

The  Dales Countryside Museum is an essential visit for anyone interested in traditional countryside life in Yorkshire.

One of the northernmost dales in the national park is Swaledale, a deep and winding valley that is home to the pretty cobbled market town of Richmond, which boasts a rich and vivid history.

Sitting high above the town,  Richmond Castle  dominates the skyline. The views from the top of the massive keep are far-reaching between the hills of Swaledale to the west, the Vale of York to the south and in the far distance to the east, the stunning North York Moors.

Famous for its hardy breed of horned sheep, Swaledale also puts on a spectacular wildflower display in its meadows, which are a riot of wildlife and colour in June and early July.

Spring comes late to this part of England, but you’ll find it an excellent time of year to hike the trails crisscrossing the rugged countryside.

Northern Ireland Road Trips

The causeway coastal route, ballycastle – bushmills – portrush – portstewart – castlerock – londonderry.

This picturesque and unspoilt country of the United Kingdom may require a ferry crossing if you don’t live there, but it is a coastal road trip in the UK that’s worth making the effort for.

From the breathtaking natural beauty of the  Giant’s Causeway  to the huge Benone Beach, the coastline is studded with Game of Thrones locations and pretty seaside towns.

End your trip in the walled city of Londonderry, a popular tourist destination in its own right, or continue onto the Wild Atlantic Way just over the border, for more big seas, idyllic beaches and dramatic landcscapes.

If you don’t live in Northern Ireland, why not start your road trip in the fun city of Dublin – we even have the perfect one day Dublin itinerary for you!

It’s easy to fly in and rent a car in Ireland before heading north across the border to Belfast and making your way up the coast – if you have to take a ferry or plane, you might as well make the most of it and cover two countries in one trip!

The Giants Causeway & Around

Forged by volcanic nature some 50 to 60 million years ago, these 40,000 columns of basalt spilling into the wild North Atlantic are simply unmissable.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of Northern Ireland’s most famous historic and natural landmarks, as well as being an awe-inspiring place that really gets you thinking about man’s insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

Climb the Shepherd’s Steps to hike along the clifftop trail for an aerial view of the dramatic sea views, or take the road less travelled on a five mile hike along the stunning cliff-top path for uninterrupted views.

Don’t miss the tiny harbour at Ballintoy (also a Game of Thrones location) before heading along the coast to the  Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge  and testing your courage as you cross between the mainland and the island.

Portstewart & Portrush

Literally next to each other, both Portstewart and Portrush are pretty seaside holiday towns.

With souvenir shops, restaurants and bars, Portrush is livelier and has a nightclub and amusements.

Portstewart has a more laid-back vibe with some interesting independent shops along the prom which sell local crafts and a few great places to eat.

Both have superb beaches and excellent golf courses. If you like motorbikes, head here in May for the infamous  North West 200 , when bikes race along the roads you are driving, but at twice the speed.

Benone Beach & Around

A favourite of surfers, kite flyers and walkers, the vast beach stretches from Magilligan Point in the west to Castlerock in the east.

From here you can see, and then visit the  Mussenden Temple  on the headland and the Downhill Demesne.

The mighty Binevenagh mountain sits to the south and is excellent for hiking, with stunning views of the coast, Loch Foyle and Donegal from the summit, if you pick a clear day. 

Make time to pop into the  Sea Shed Cafe  for their legendary Spanish hot chocolate and home made cake right on the beach!

RELATED POST – Causeway Coastal Route: The Best Road Trip In Ireland?

Mourne Coastal Route

Belfast – bangor – ards peninsula – downpatrick – newcastle – mourne mountains.

The Mourne Coastal Route follows the lesser travelled eastern route of the Northern Ireland coast.   This area is known for its traditional fishing villages and picturesque seaside towns, only surpassed by the stunning scenery and coastal landscapes of the region.

As you drive, you’ll get many glimpses into the past, from ancient tower houses to stately homes and gardens. You’ll also be able to spot many birds including geese and duck, oystercatchers and curlew, and in the summer nesting tern are in abundance.

Strangford Lough

Strangford Lough is a Marine Nature Reserve, meaning the marine life is worth exploring. Wandering along the shore reveals starfish, urchins, shellfish and even glimpses of seals basking on the rocks. If you stop for a walk along the coast, you’ll be sure to see beautiful wildflowers and a huge variety of butterflies.

With Northern Ireland’s three main fishing ports on the Mourne Coastal Route, you have to sample the fresh seafood. It features on many menus, whether you’re looking for fine dining, or just to grab some fish and chips and watch the boat activity in the harbours.

Artisan food producers are plentiful in this area which is home to Comber potatoes, Portavogie prawns, Dundrum Bay oysters, local honey, Finnebrogue venison and many local brews and beverages. 

Stately Homes

The National Trust sites in this area all offer beautiful views and glorious nature. Neo-classical Mount Stewart has exceptional gardens and walks, as well as a house tour. Castle Ward estate extends right to the edge of Strangford Lough, with its unique mansion, gardens and trails, and you can experience archery and a medieval banquet on the original set of Winterfell from Game of Thrones.

RELATED POST – Belfast in A Day: Itinerary, Map & Tips

Want to plan your own road tri p? Get our step-by-step road trip planning guide to help you organize the perfect trip, or check out our top road trips in Europe for ideas and inspiration.

Scotland Road Trips

The argyll coastal route, loch lomond – inverary – lochgilphead – oban – glen coe – fort william – glenfinnan.

Starting at the tip of Loch Lomond and following the coast from Inveraray to Fort William, this west coast of Scotland road trip is for seafood gourmets, sunset lovers and those that want to get under the skin of Scotland and feel its turbulent history in the air and glens of the incredible landscapes. 

We’ve added an extra stop to the official route at Glenfinnan – you’re so close to this historic village at the end of the trip, we just couldn’t resist.

Cultural Glasgow and historic Edinburgh are also both within striking distance at the start or end of your road trip if you fancy a few days of city life.

Easdale Island

Spend a fantastic car-free day wildlife watching from Easdale Island. Make the five minute passenger ferry crossing to this tranquil part of Scotland, where you can take a whale spotting trip, an excursion to the Corryvreckan Whirlpool or a tour of a local seal colony. 

Other areas of interest include the historical remains of what was once the centre of the Scottish slate mining industry.

The still pools, which are a defining feature of Easdale, were once active slate quarries, and together with the wide variety of flora and bird life make Easdale unique.

With magnificent views of towering mountains and glens, Glen Coe is a landscape full of natural wonders. Explore the  Glen Coe Geotrail  to learn more about the ancient volcanic history of this other-worldly place which was shaped by glaciers and fiery volcanic explosions millions of years ago.

In the picturesque village of Glencoe, you can learn about local history, including the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692, when members of the Campbell clan murdered members of the MacDonald clan on the orders of the English Crown.

At the top of this road trip lies Glenfinnan, the historic spot in which Bonnie Prince Charlie called for the local clansmen to assemble in 1745, proclaiming the throne of Great Britain to be denounced and rightfully returned to his family, the Stuarts.

His actions and the subsequent Battle of Culloden led to a seismic change in the Highland way of life and caused a long rift between Scotland and England. 

You’ll also find the magical Glenfinnan Viaduct here, made famous by the Harry Potter films. This railway viaduct has carried trains on the West Highland Line since 1897. 

For the best views, take the Glenfinnan Trail to the viewpoint, where you’ll see the steam train crossing the famous viaduct. Turn around for a magnificent view of Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument which commemorates the Jacobite uprising.

RELATED POST: Eight Incredible Scotland Road Trips

The North Coast 500

Inverness – john o’groats – durness – lochinver – ullapool – inverness.

This ultimate Scottish route and one of the great British road trips is a 516 mile spectacular circular trip around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle and passing through some of the most beautiful places in Scotland.

Do a bit of it or tackle the whole iconic route, for which you’ll need at least two if not three or four, weeks to do the trip justice. You’ll find incredible landscapes, myths and legends, welcoming Scottish hospitality and the thrill of the open road. 

The NC500 is one of Europe’s best-known road trips and it will be busy in the summer months – head there in late spring or autumn for quieter roads and better deals on accommodation.

Both the start and finish point of your driving holiday in Scotland, this ancient cathedral city is full of history and interest. Go hunting for monsters on Loch Ness, take a trip to the haunting and emotive  battlefield at Culloden  and visit  Inverness Castle .

Home to John O’Groats and Dunnet Head, the most northerly village and northerly point of mainland UK respectively, Caithness is right at the top of Great Britain.

It is so far north that in favourable conditions, it’s possible to see the northern lights from here. The coastline features soaring sea stacks and towering headlands, home to puffins and other sea birds.  

One of the last great wilderness of Europe, quite a few miles of the NC500 pass through Sutherland’s raw and naturally beautiful.

The coast of this part of the route is unspoilt and diverse, from huge sandy beaches in the west to the rugged and aptly named Cape Wrath cliffs, the most north-westerly point of mainland UK and only accessible by boat or special transport.

RELATED POST: North Coast 500 Route Planner + Highlights, Map & Tips

Kyle of Lochalsh – Portree – Duntulm – Dunvegan – Armadale

The Isle of Skye is Scotland’s second-largest island, a 50 mile long stretch of heather-carpeted moors, jagged mountains, sparkling lochs and dramatic sea cliffs.

This incredible landscape is the main attraction, but there is plenty to do when the mist descends, including castles, museums, craft studios and even fairy pools.

Follow this popular UK road trip route out of season for real solitude and remoteness, some of the best hiking in Scotland, and to breath the clear air and remind yourself of why life is good. 

Dunvegan Castle

In a beautiful position at the edge of Loch Dunvegan, Skye’s most famous historic building,  Dunvegan Castle , is the seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod and has been so for over 800 years.

The castle itself is fascinating and the formal gardens make a wonderful contrast to the stark beauty of the surrounding landscape. It’s a busy tourist attraction though, and best visited outside of the peak months of July and August.

The Sleat Peninsula

Commonly referred to as ‘the garden of Skye’, the Sleat peninsula is home to verdant gardens and thick forests, surrounded by glorious beaches and sparking seas.

This eclectic corner of Skye not only has nature on its doorstep, it also has some of the best restaurants on the island and of course, a  whisky distillery , for that wee dram you must have when visiting.

The Trotternish Peninsula

Trotternish is the most northerly peninsula and enjoys Skye’s most striking and dramatic landscapes. As you drive north your attention will be captured by The Storr and The Old Man of Storr, a 50m high lance of rock that sits at the foot of the cliffs. 

Head to The Quiraing for some fantastic hiking and to see the best of these ancient landscapes in this remote, stunning part of the island.

The South West Coastal 300

Prestwick – ballantrae – cairngaan – isle of whithorn – kirkudbright – dumfries – lockerbie – moffat – dalmellington – prestwick.

The South West Coastal 300 is a road trip for nature lovers and history buffs. With stunning coastlines, lush forests which stretch over rolling hills and dramatic moorlands, this quiet corner of Scotland will woo you until you fall in love with its gentle charms.

This is a well-located road trip in Scotland for those driving north from the rest of the UK and can be joined at Lockerbie, within a 20 minute drive of the Scottish border. 

Dunure Beach

Our favourite beach on this road trip, the small but perfectly formed Dunure Beach has dark sand and shingle with great rock pooling and stunning views of Ailsa Craig from the ragged ruins of Dunure Castle.

Dip into  Galloway Forest Park , the only Dark Sky Park in Scotland and a top spot to see the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, or visit the  Scottish Dark Sky Observatory  at Dalmellington to use their powerful telescopes to observe the night skies – stargazing without light pollution is an incredible experience.

Kirkudbright

Spend a day in lively Kirkudbright (pronounced kir–coo–bree) and follow the Arts and Crafts Trail. Home to generations of creatives, ‘the artist’s town’ has a flourishing community of painters and craftworkers. You might also hear bagpipes here as they have lots of parades.

Wales Road Trips

Brecon beacons, hay-on-wye – brecon – libanus – llandovery – gwaun-cae-curwen.

Undulating dramatically across the landscape, the Brecon Beacons National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery in southern Wales.

High mountain plateaus and glacial hollows rise above forested valleys, hidden waterfalls and gorgeous rural landscapes that echo to the sound of rushing waterfalls, making this a varied and exciting Wales road trip.

The relatively short distance from London to Wales, just three hours and 40 minutes driving makes this one of the best weekend road trips from London.

Starting at the northernmost tip of the national park, Hay-on-Wye is famous the world over for books and the annual  Hay Festival of Literature and Arts , a reputation that belies its small size.

Known as Hay by locals, this charming town in Wales sits on the gently flowing river Wye and abuts the Wales-England border. 

The town centre is made up of skinny sloping lanes characterised by a shabby elegance that suits the quirky bookshops and antiques emporia that thrive in Wye’s independent and cosmopolitan vibe. 

Known as ‘the Beacons’ to hikers, there are many trails to choose from in these mountains. Pen-y-Fan, which just misses out on ‘Furth’ status (the equivalent of a Munro in Scotland), is a favourite of many.

The route is a challenging ten mile slog through forest and moorland to the steep ridge of Pen-y-Fan. The views from the top, at 886m, are superb, especially in the winter when the landscape is dusted with frost and snow.

But there is more hiking here than just Pen-y-Fan; an online search will reward you with many options, including Sugar Loaf in Monmouthshire and the four waterfalls walk which starts in Porth yr Ogof.

The Black Mountain Pass

One of the most scenic drives in Wales, this epic mountain road of Top Gear fame gives unrivalled views of the surrounding valleys and mountains, and enough hairpin bends and switchbacks to satisfy any dangerous road enthusiast.

For the best experience, drive the A4069 road from north to south. Starting in Llandovery, the pass snakes between breathtaking viewpoints as you cross the twin humps of Pont Aber and Herbert’s Pass, before descending to the village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. 

Be aware that sheep will cross the road indiscriminately – not uncommon for roads in Wales! It is known that mobile speed cameras are sometimes along the route in objects such as horseboxes or small trucks.

Since its exposure by Jeremy Clarkson, the route has become incredibly popular – save this one for a weekday if you can.

RELATED POSTS: The Best Wales Road Trip Route and Itinerary | One Day Cardiff Itinerary – Map, Tips & Guide

Pembrokeshire

Fishguard – st davids – marloes – pembroke – tenby.

Famous for its rough cliffs, huge beaches and remote islands, the coast of Pembrokeshire offers limitless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, and is one of the most beautiful places in the UK.

From the Victorian seaside town of Tenby to the puffins of Skomer Island, this road trip in Wales has something to suit everyone, outdoor adventurers and nature lovers alike.

Coasteering

Pembrokeshire boasts that it invented coasteering, so how could we leave it off the list? The sport of jumping from land to sea, cliff scrambling and swimming between rocks will stretch you mentally and physically but give you hours of fun.

You can find a pace to suit you, there are guided expeditions and courses for beginners of all ages, some of which include marine biology education along the way.

Skomer Island

The wild island of Skomer is a haven for migrant birds such as puffins, razorbills and guillemots. You may also see seals here, which come to moult in April, along with owls, buzzards and peregrine falcons.

In the spring, wildflowers cover the island, making it a truly beautiful and fascinating place to visit.

Working on a first-come, first-served basis, numbers and tickets are limited so make sure you get to Lockley Lodge visitor centre early.

Tenby is one of the most iconic seaside towns in Wales, steeped in history and surrounded by an imposing medieval stone wall. With several excellent sandy beaches, a colourful harbour and narrow cobbled streets with a fantastic selection of gift shops, cafes and pubs, this charming town is perfect for a day out. 

If you base yourself here for a few days, you’re within striking distance of two of the best castles in Wales,  Pembroke Castle  and  Carew Castle , both well worth a visit.

Snowdonia & Anglesey

Betws-y-coed – bangor – newborough – holyhead – benllech.

Head for spectacular Snowdonia in north Wales for drama, huge skies and outdoor adventures.

Cross the iconic Menai suspension bridge to reach the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, home to some of the best beaches in Wales, and fantastic coastal hiking and cycling paths.

With a good dose of remoteness, this is one of the best travel routes in the UK to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Betws-y-Coed

Set in a beautiful valley, Betws-y-Coed is a typical mountain town, full of companies offering outdoor adventures and shops selling outdoor gear. Pubs are full of hikers talking about the day’s adventures.

The town is a great base for outdoor sports and activities such as climbing, hiking, abseiling, zip-lining and mountain biking.

You’ll also find natural beauty spots such as Fairy Glen and Swallow Falls to visit in the nearby area.

Snowdonia National Park

Test yourself by climbing to the peak of Snowden, the highest mountain in England and Wales, some 1,085m above sea level.

If you still want to enjoy the views but don’t fancy the hike, take the train up and hike down!  

Newborough Beach & Llanddwyn Island

Newborough beach is our favourite beach on Anglesey, backed by the tranquil Newborough Forest, where you might see red squirrels.

Take a walk through the forest and dunes to the peninsula of Llanddwyn Island to see the fascinating lighthouse and pilot’s cottages. 

UK Road Trip Resources

Here are the websites and services we personally use and recommend for traveling in the UK.

• Search for affordable flights to the UK with Skyscanner
• Search for availability and book hotels and accommodation in the UK with Booking.com
• Find and book the best campsites in the UK with Eurocampings
• Book the cheapest and most reliable hire cars in the UK with Rentalcars.com
• Find and hire your perfect motorhome or campervan with Motorhome Republic
• Get highly rated, reliable and trustworthy travel insurance with True Traveller
• Check if you need a visa and arrange your documents with Visagov

Information About Driving in England

Whether you’re road tripping the UK in a car, camper or motorbike, make sure you’ve got all your documents handy and your spare tyre is in good condition. If your UK road trip itinerary is longer than a few weeks , you may want to consider a vehicle service before you go, and breakdown cover is probably a good idea.

• Drivers from non-EU countries may require an International Driving Permit. The general rule is that if your licence is not in Latin script, then an IDP will be required. Check with your hire company or embassy if you’re in doubt.
• You must have at least 3rd party insurance for your vehicle.
• Your car must be considered roadworthy in the country in which it is registered.
• Your headlights must be adapted for driving on the left if your vehicle is registered outside the UK.
• Unlike France, the UK does not have laws that require you to carry certain equipment in your car, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. Being prepared in the event of an accident or a breakdown is invaluable. Ideally, you should carry a reflective jacket, a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher.
• Understand insurance options, mileage limits and fuel policies before booking a rental car.
• Check the car for damage on collection and make sure anything you spot is noted, and the same again when you drop it off.
• Remember to drive on the left during your trip to the UK!

RELATED POST: Driving in Europe – Everything You Need to Know

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19 Best Road Trips in the UK for Scenic Drives

March 19, 2024

The UK is home to some of the world’s best road trips , with lots of (both official and unofficial) routes zig-zagging across the entirety of the region.

So in this four-wheeled guide, we’ve brought you the 19 best road trips in the UK . I’ve covered routes in all parts of the region, and I’ve included short rides, long rides, coastal journeys, mountainous meanders, and everything in between.

Rev up that engine and come join the fun!

1. The North Coast 500

2. the northumberland coastal route, 3. the north pennines, 4. the arran ring road, 5. the a4069 black mountain pass, 6. the heart 200, 7. the trotternish loop, 8. the snow roads scenic route, 9. the causeway coastal route, 10. the central sperrins route, 11. the cambrian way, 12. the welsh coastal way, 13. the borders historic route, 14. the lake district loop, 15. the atlantic highway, 16. the south west coastal 300, 17. the high mournes scenic loop, 18. the norfolk and suffolk coasts, 19. belleek to teemore, before you go.

I’m starting with my favorite road trip in the whole of the UK.

A 500-mile (800km) loop around the most northern parts of mainland Scotland, the North Coast 500 is iconic and unmissable—and if you’re only going to attempt one ride on this list, you should definitely make it this one. I’ve done this loop twice, and I’ll definitely be doing it again.

People genuinely have no idea how beautiful or remote this part of Scotland is. Along the route, you get fishing villages, charming towns, massive mountains, some of the best beaches you’ve ever seen, and lots of the planet’s best landscapes. Some stretches are unbelievably otherworldly, and totally unlike any other part of the UK.

If you like hiking, you’ll love this ride—it takes you to some of the best, most rugged and most underrated walking spots in the UK, and you could spend years exploring new treks and trails in this area. For walks, I recommend Stac Pollaidh, Torridon, and the shoreside strolls on the west coast (but there are also way more).

For sheer variety and beauty, road trips really don’t get much better than this… and this is one of the best road trips in the UK.

• Location: Scotland
• Distance: 500 miles/800km
• Itinerary: Signposted loop beginning and ending in Inverness (or Applecross), and following the coast for the majority of the way
• Recommended Time: 5-21 days
• Highlights: Ullapool, Torridon, the Bealach na Bà, the tiny villages, the meandering roads, and the beautiful beaches

For me, the Northumberland Coastal Route is the very best road trip in England.

That might be because I’m from the area and I’m very very biased and I absolutely love the place I’m from… but it just might also be because it’s actually true.

If you like remote beaches, isolated shorelines, friendly fishing villages, massive castles, or gigantic portions of heavily-salted fish and chips, you’ll undoubtedly fall in love with this ride.

You start in Tynemouth, just east of the city of Newcastle . From here, you follow the coast all the way to Berwick-upon-Tweed, the last significant settlement before England becomes Scotland.

Along the way, you’ll pass some of my favorite places in the world, including Cresswell, Alnmouth, Amble, Seahouses, Bamburgh, Craster, Bamburgh Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle, and plenty more. If you want history and beaches without countless crowds, it doesn’t get better than this.

Though this is an incredible road trip, it’s actually most famous as the route for the ultra-beautiful Coast and Castles bike ride .

• Location: England
• Distance: Around 75 miles/120km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Tynemouth to Berwick-upon-Tweed, following the coast the entire way
• Recommended Time : 3-5 days
• Highlights: Tynemouth, Cresswell, Alnmouth, Craster, Bamburgh Castle, Dunstanburgh Castle, lots of friendly faces, lots of fish and chips, and a whole load of quiet towns and beaches

If you’re looking for underrated and under-the-radar, this is the best English road trip on our list.

I love the North Pennines. A bleak, barren and boggy range of peaks in northern England, this is the best mountainous area if you’re looking for remote, rural hikes without lots of other people.

It’s a very unique area. While most hilly regions are green and verdant, this place is sort of apocalyptic and empty, but in a strangely attractive way.

It’s also a great choice if you want a short trip—the route I’m recommending measures only 40 miles (65km).

Start in Lambley, a village famous for its massive viaduct. From here, head south to lovely Alston, my favorite town in the area. Keep heading south and you’ll hit Garrigill, Ashgill Force waterfall, and the ever-popular town of pretty Barnard Castle.

If you want to add a detour, I recommend hiking up Cross Fell , the tallest peak in the North Pennines. The highest point in England outside the Lake District, it sits at a lofty 893 meters (2,930 feet).

• Distance: Around 40 miles/65km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Lambley to Barnard Castle
• Recommended Time : 1-3 days
• Highlights: Lambley Viaduct, Alston, Ashgill Force, Barnard Castle, the optional detour to Cross Fell, and exploring a barren-but-beautiful area

Another circular Scottish route, this is one of the best road trips in the UK for completionists who like feeling as if they’ve seen the entirety of one particular place.

Off the west coast of mainland Scotland, you have the Isle of Arran… which is famously known as ‘Scotland in miniature.’

It comes with that reputation because it offers most of the same things as mainland Scotland. You get great beaches , excellent hikes , multi-day walking and cycling trails, fantastic food, friendly faces, varied wildlife , and some of the cutest coastal settlements you’ve probably ever seen.

If you want to see pretty much the entirety of the island, you can drive around its whole perimeter by riding the Arran ring road. It measures in at only 56 miles (90km), but it brings you close to everything you could want to see .

Make sure you hike up Goatfell, walk some stretches of the Arran Coastal Way , and spend some time exploring towns and villages.

• Distance: 56 miles/90km
• Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Brodick, following Arran’s entire coast in a big circle
• Recommended Time : 2-7 days
• Highlights: Seeing all of Arran’s highlights, some of the best beaches you’ve ever seen, the Arran Coastal Way, an ascent up Goatfell, and the settlements of Brodick, Lochranza and Blackwaterfoot

The A4069 Black Mountain Pass is only a short journey, but it’s the most famous road trip in Wales by a long way, and it’s absolutely incredible.

Sitting in the western side of the Brecon Beacons (a massive range of mountains in the south of Wales) , rides this short don’t normally have views this good. Famous for appearing on British TV show Top Gear, the route offers jagged peaks, massive passes, and some of the best panoramas that Wales has to offer.

Notorious for its tight bends, hairpin turns, suddenly-there sheep, and stomach-churning scenery, this is an adrenaline junkie’s dream. That said, it’s not as dangerous as some people like to pretend… so as long as you’re a competent driver, you’ll definitely be comfortable.

If you like mountains, or if you’re looking for a short but brilliant ride, this is one of the best road trips in the UK. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to stop for photographs (there are lots of laybys where you can pull in to get your camera out) .

• Location: Wales
• Distance: 20 miles/32km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Llandovery to Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, across the A4069 road in the Brecon Beacons
• Recommended Time : 1 hour
• Highlights: A short ride, an exhilarating adventure, hitting the most famous road in Wales, and some of the most dramatic mountain scenery that the UK has to offer

The Heart 200 is one of the newest official road trips in Scotland. And unlike the North Coast 500, it takes you in a loop through the center of the nation, instead of on a tour around the outskirts.

The idea behind this ride is that it journeys through the heart of the nation, hitting lots of the most popular tourist spots. It runs between two excellent national parks: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and the Cairngorms National Park (which is the biggest national park in the UK).

In between those parks, you also hit Perth, Stirling, Pitlochry, Callander, Bridge of Allan, Loch Tay, Loch Earn, Loch Leven, and loads more great stuff. The whole route is signposted… which is useful, because the ride meanders a maze-like route through this part of the nation.

For lots of people, the highlights here are all the cute towns and villages, and there are dozens of tiny places dotted around the route. If you like exploring small settlements, this is one of the best road trips in the UK.

• Distance: 158 miles/320km
• Itinerary: Loop starting and ending in Perth or Stirling, following the official signposts all the way
• Recommended Time : 3-7 days
• Highlights: Perth, Stirling, Pitlochry, Bridge of Allan, Loch Tay, Loch Leven, and exploring the outskirts of two of the UK’s best national parks

Sort of similar to the Arran route I’ve outlined above, the Trotternish Loop takes you around an island. But this time, it’s the much-more-famous Isle of Skye —and you don’t see the entirety of the place.

Instead, you see the whole of the Trotternish Peninsula, where you’ll find lots of Skye’s most famous attractions. The most northern part of the Isle of Skye, the Trotternish Peninsula is a finger-shaped area full of attractions and adventures. The most famous parts of this place include the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, Mealt Falls, and the island’s capital of Portree.

But you’ll also see Staffin, Uig, Rubha Hunish, the Fairy Glen, the dinosaur footprints of An Corran Beach, and plenty more.

Even if you don’t make any en-route stops, the drive itself is still phenomenal, offering some of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Scotland. If you’re visiting Skye, you should absolutely drive along the Trotternish Loop.

• Distance: 50 miles/80km
• Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Portree, following the coast for pretty much the entire ride
• Recommended Time : 2-4 days
• Highlights: The Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, Mealt Falls, Rubha Hunish, the Fairy Glen, Portree, the dramatic drive itself, and seeing lots of Skye’s highlights in one big trip

If you want a real adventure, this is one of the best road trips in the UK. It takes you through some of the highest parts of the Cairngorms, the biggest (and arguably most impressive) national park in the UK.

Riding through some of the most mountainous parts of Scotland, the Snow Roads Scenic Route climbs through the highest public road in Britain (and, consequently, typically the first road to be hit by seasonal snowfall, which gives the route its name).

Because it’s so high, this is the best ride on our list for panoramic views—along the way, you’ll see lots of peaks and passes. The highest point is Cairnwell Pass, which sits at a loftily-impressive height of 670 meters (2,200 feet).

Full of tight turns and hair-raising switchbacks, you need to be fairly confident to drive this one. But the roads are well-surfaced, and the infrastructure is great (with lots of designated photo-grabbing opportunities along the way, which are purposely placed in the most scenic spots).

By road, there’s no better way to explore the Cairngorms… and this ride is a mountain-lover’s dream.

• Distance: 90 miles/144km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Blairgowrie to Grantown-On-Spey, following the signposts all the way
• Highlights: Cairnwell Pass, Tomintoul, Corgarff Castle , the photo opportunities, the winding roads, and seeing many Cairngorms highlights without ever needing to leave your car

The most famous road trip in Northern Ireland by a long way, The Causeway Coastal Route runs from Derry to Belfast along the northern and eastern coasts of the nation.

It’s most well-known for passing the Devil’s Causeway (the only UNESCO site in Northern Ireland, and the location that gives the route its name). Make sure you stop to see it—it’s one of the strangest geological oddities in this part of the planet.

But the highlights run way beyond that… you get beaches, coastal walks, some surprisingly good inland hikes, Dunluce Castle , Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge , and super-friendly towns and villages.

If you’re only going to tackle one road trip in Northern Ireland, you should probably make it this one. It’s a particularly good choice if you’re a big fan of detours — there are nine official side-trip loops along the route, and they all make your journey bigger, better, much more scenic, and a lot more adventurous.

You should also give yourself enough time to explore both Derry and Belfast, two excellent cities. Tiny Derry in particular is super charming, and it’s one of my favorite settlements in the UK.

• Location: Northern Ireland
• Distance: 130 miles/212km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Derry to Belfast, running all the way along the coast
• Highlights: The Devil’s Causeway, Derry and Belfast themselves, lots of excellent detours, endless coastal walks, Dunluce Castle, Carrickfergus Castle, seeing a massive chunk of Northern Ireland, and riding around the nation’s most famous road trip

In the northwest of Northern Ireland, you have the Sperrins, a mountainous area that takes up almost a quarter of the nation. They’re not the tallest or most well-known mountains in the area, but they’re brimming with hikes, drives, cycling routes, lakes, valleys, historical sites, and some of Northern Ireland’s most overlooked adventures.

In and around the entirety of the Sperrins, there are four official driving routes , taking you to various parts of the area. Of them all, the Central Sperrins Route is the longest, the most comprehensive, and (arguably) the best.

This particular route takes you very close to the summit of Sawel, the highest peak in the area. It’s not massive (measuring in at only 678 meters/2,224 feet), but it’s a great hike.

Other highlights along the way include Baronscourt Forest, Gortinglen Forest, Glenelly Valley, the climb up Mullaghcarn, the villages of Donemana and Sion Mills, and the medieval Aghascrebagh Ogham Stone.

And of course, if you want to add even more action and adventure to your ride, you can add an extra Sperrin road trip or two to your route (all four are joined to one another).

• Distance: 90 miles/145km
• Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in various possible places, but the best choice is Strabane
• Highlights: Strabane, Baronscourt Forest, Gortinglen Forest, Glenelly Valley, the ascents up Sawel and Mullaghcarn, exploring an underrated part of Northern Ireland, and the exciting option of adding extra road trips

If you want to see lots of Wales and lots of mountains, The Cambrian Way is one of the best road trips in the UK.

The longest Welsh ride we’ve featured on our list, it’s an official route, and it’s probably the most popular road trip in the nation. It runs from the Welsh capital of Cardiff (right in the south of the nation) through to Conwy, a castled resort town on the nation’s northern coast.

But though it begins and ends in coastal territory, the route mainly passes over mountains. It runs through the Brecon Beacons, Elan Valley, the Cambrian Mountains, and parts of Snowdonia National Park.

If you want to take some hilly hiking detours, you have endless options. Snowdon is of course the most popular choice, but there are also lots of wanders in and around nearby Beddgelert. But don’t overlook the southern mountain ranges, which are quieter and arguably more interesting.

Non-hiking highlights include the narrow-gauge Brecon Mountain Railway , Gwydir Castle , and Adventure Parc Snowdonia , but there’s plenty more fun.

• Distance: 240 miles/386km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Cardiff to Conwy via the Brecon Beacons, Elan Valley, the Cambrian Mountains, and parts of Snowdonia National Park
• Recommended Time : 2-10 days
• Highlights: Endless hiking side-trips, Snowdonia National Park, Elan Valley, Conwy, Cardiff, and tackling the longest Welsh road trip on our list

Another official Welsh road trip, the Coastal Way is another south-to-north odyssey through Wales.

But instead of cutting inland through peaks and passes, it instead runs along the coast, taking riders along some of the nation’s best beaches and coastal settlements. The route meanders from St Davids to Aberdaron, following the coast pretty much all the way.

If you like seas, sands and shores, this is one of the best road trips in the UK. Some of the best beaches along the route include Whitesands Bay, Tywyn Beach, and Llangrannog Beach, but there are many more. Make sure you also stop off at the lovely seaside settlements of Abersoch, Cardigan, Aberaeron, and Llangrannog.

All of that said, this ride isn’t all beaches and bays—you also get some good inland hiking opportunities. The northern part of the ride runs west of Snowdonia National Park, while the southern Preseli Hills are great for low-level wanders.

Last of all, make sure you also spend some time in both St Davids and Aberdaron. While St Davids is the pilgrimage-famed smallest city in Britain, Aberdaron is a quaint former fishing village.

• Distance: 180 miles/290km
• Itinerary: Linear route from St Davids to Aberdaron, following the coast all the way
• Recommended Time : 3-10 days
• Highlights: Whitesands Bay, Tywyn Beach, Llangrannog Beach, Abersoch, Cardigan, Aberaeron, St Davids, the Preseli Hills, and seeing countless hidden highlights of the beautiful Welsh coast

The Borders Historic Route is the most underrated Scottish road trip we’ve featured on this list.

Starting from just inside England, the ride then runs all the way to Edinburgh, passing through some of the most history-stuffed parts of southern Scotland.

If you’re interested in history and heritage, make sure you check out Gilnockie Tower , Abbotsford House , and the National Mining Museum of Scotland . And of course, when you reach Scotland’s capital of Edinburgh , there’s plenty of historic stuff to explore there too.

Along the route, you’ll also pass some serene towns and villages, including Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels.

Broadly speaking, this route is very rural and quiet, with lots of rarely-visited settlements and attractions. If you’re interested in Scottish history, lowland Scotland, or being surrounded by few other tourists, you’ll definitely love this ride. It’s not the most dramatic or scenic route in Scotland, but it’s endlessly charming.

• Location: Scotland (and a tiny bit of England)
• Distance: 89 miles/143 km
• Itinerary: Linear waymarked route from Scots Dyke to Edinburgh
• Recommended Time : 3-4 days
• Highlights: Exploring an underrated part of Scotland, the settlements of Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels, the borderland lowlands, the history and heritage, and an excellent finale in Edinburgh

For seeing very-famous places, this is definitely one of the best road trips in the UK.

The Lake District National Park is the most well-known hiking hub in the entirety of England, and masses of locals travel here for hiking, cycling, swimming, and various other outdoor adventures.

There are endless beautiful drives in and around the region, but for seeing lots of the highlights, here’s what I recommend…

Start in Ambleside, right in the middle of the park. Head east (via the shores of Ullswater) to Pooley Bridge, then cut west to Keswick and Cockermouth. From Cockermouth, head south to Broughton-in-Furness, then back to Ambleside to complete your route.

If you take no detours (though you probably will!), this ride clocks in at 110 miles (177km).

It’s impossible to squeeze all of the Lake District highlights into one drive, but this route does a pretty good job of doing exactly that. It offers Helvellyn, Coniston Water, Keswick, Windermere, Ullswater, all the places we’ve already mentioned, and some of the best panoramas of the park’s various areas.

If you have time, I recommend hiking up Helvellyn, and walking along the entire southern shore of Ullswater.

• Distance: 110 miles/177km
• Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Ambleside, via Ullswater, Pooley Bridge, Keswick, Cockermouth, and Broughton-in-Furness
• Highlights: Ambleside, Coniston Water, Keswick, Windermere, seeing the most famous national park in the UK, hiking up Helvellyn, and walking along the shores of Ullswater

Probably the most well-known driving route in England, The Atlantic Highway runs across some of the most famous beaches in the UK.

The ‘Atlantic Highway’, in truth, is just a better-sounding name for the A39 road, a beautiful drive that runs through a western part of southern England.

Though most people only drive from Bridgwater to Bude (which is around 100 miles/160km), I think it’s best to take the route a little further, traveling all the way from Bath to Newquay. If you take the longer route, it measures in at around 210 miles (338km).

Along the way, you’ll pass some of the best parts of the Devon and Cornwall coasts, which many people think are the best shorelines in the whole of the UK. And as another big perk, this is one of the warmest parts of the region, perfect if you’re trying to dodge shoddy weather.

One of the best road trips in the UK for seas and sands, it’s phenomenal. But be warned: it gets outrageously busy in summer… so you should expect lots of crowds and traffic, and you should try to tackle it outside of peak season.

• Distance: Around 210 miles/338km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Bath to Newquay, following the coastline all the way
• Recommended Time : 5-10 days
• Highlights: Bath, Bude, Porlock, Ilfracombe, Woolacombe, lots of beaches, cliffs and sands, and enjoying the warm climes of the hottest part of the UK

The South West Coastal 300 takes you to some of the most overlooked parts of Scotland’s brilliant coastline.

Most people have heard about the northern and northwestern coastlines of Scotland… but way fewer know about all the treats and treasures on Scotland’s southwestern coast.

Some of the highlights include Ayr, Stranraer, Newton Stewart, the Mull of Galloway lighthouse, Girvan, Portpatrick, Moffat and Whithorn. Portpatrick in particular is a big local hotspot, and it’s one of my favorite seaside villages in Scotland.

You also get great seafood, rolling hills, mini lochs, and some underrated hiking opportunities. The entire route circles around Galloway Forest Park , which I think is the best walking region in southern Scotland. Best of all, because this area isn’t yet overrun by tourists, locals are super friendly and welcoming, and love chatting with visitors.

If you want beaches, hikes and villages without crowds, this is one of the best road trips in the UK.

• Distance: 300 miles/482km
• Itinerary: Signposted loop starting and ending in many potential places (but Dumfries is best)
• Recommended Time : 7-14 days
• Highlights: Newton Stewart, Girvan, Portpatrick, the stretch of coast between Ayr and Stranraer, Galloway Forest Park, great seafood, and enjoying coasts without crowds

The High Mournes Scenic Loop takes you through the most impressive part of the Mournes mountains, in the southern part of Northern Ireland.

If you’re looking for short but impressive, this is one of the best road trips in the UK, and it’s crammed with peaks, panoramas and passes at every twist, turn, and hairpin bend.

In and around the area, there are mountains, lakes, seaside views, and forests—so although the route only clocks in at 32 miles (51km), there’s a huge amount of variety. Best of all, the route skirts around Slieve Donard, the highest mountain in Northern Ireland (with a highest point of 850 meters/2790 feet).

Start in the beautiful seaside town of Newcastle, then follow the B180 and the B27 roads, which will lead you to the village of Attica. From Attica, head east, and you’ll hit Annalong, a tiny marina-fronted village where most people end their trip. But I recommend not stopping here—instead, you should turn this trip into a loop by riding along the coast back to Newcastle.

It’s almost unbelievable how much beauty, variety and awe you can cram into a trip this small. If you’re short on time, I 100% recommend it.

• Distance: 32 miles/51km
• Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Newcastle
• Recommended Time : 1-3 hours
• Highlights: Newcastle, Annalong, climbing up Slieve Donard, pretty coastal views, the tucked-away lakes, and seeing what might just be the most dramatic mountains in Northern Ireland

Though they’re famous, the Norfolk and Suffolk Coasts (in the southeast of England) are often overlooked in favor of the coastlines in the southwest of England (where you find the Atlantic Highway, which we’ve already outlined).

But this region is absolutely beautiful, and it’s definitely worth exploring.

Because it’s such a big area, there are of course lots of routes you can attempt in the region. But I’m going to recommend driving from Felixstowe to Huntstanton, which is a pretty lengthy drive of around 180 miles (290km).

If you ride the whole route, you’ll hit the three best parts of the region: the Norfolk Coast Area of Natural Beauty, The Norfolk Broads, and The Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Natural Beauty.

The coastlines are the most famous part of this ride, but this part of the nation also has some pretty good low-level hills and hiking… if you want a compromise between shorelines and mountains, you won’t find any better than this.

If you’re interested in birds, this is one of the best road trips in the UK—there are many RSPB reserves in this part of the region.

• Distance: Around 180 miles/290km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Felixstowe to Huntstanton, following the coast all the way
• Recommended Time : 5-8 days
• Highlights: Hunstanton, Blakeney Point (where you’ll find the largest seal colony in England), Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and the three officially-designated areas of natural beauty

Another great option for a short ride, the route from Belleek to Teemore is in an underrated part of Northern Ireland, and it’s brimming with endless lakeside views.

It’s not an official drive, but it’s one of my favorites… and it’s absolutely beautiful. But here’s the important part: when you tackle it, don’t take the direct route. Instead, follow the A46 out of Belleek, which will bring you along the southwestern shores of Lower Lough Erne.

One of the prettiest lakes in Northern Ireland, it’s full of great views, excellent picnic spots, and lots of tiny islands. Other highlights along this part of the route include the Cliffs of Magho , Blackslee Waterfall , and Tully Castle .

Eventually, you’ll hit the town of Enniskillen, which is great for an overnight stay. From here, pass both Lisnaskea and Teemore on a pretty ride which takes you over the shores of Upper Lough Erne.

During this part of the ride, make sure you check out the oddly-situated Hare Krishna Temple, which sits on a small island inside the lake.

When you get to Teemore, you’re super close to the Republic of Ireland border. I recommend crossing the border for even more adventures!

• Distance: 38 miles/61km
• Itinerary: Linear route from Belleek to Teemore, via Enniskillen
• Recommended Time : 1-2 days
• Highlights: The Cliffs of Magho, Blackslee Waterfall, Teemore, Enniskillen, the strange Hare Kirishna temple, lots of tiny islands, and endless lakeside views

And that brings us to the end of our guide to the 19 best road trips in the UK . Thanks for reading!

We compiled this list from our collections of the best road trips in England , the best road trips in Scotland , the best road trips in Wales and the best road trips in Northern Ireland . So for even more detail, rev on over to those.

And if you’re curious, here’s the answer to the popular question: How Long Does it Take To Travel Across Great Britain?

About the author

Senior Travel Reporter

Paul is a handsome and hilarious travel writer and travel journalist from the UK. He's hiked, hitchhiked and laughed his way through more than fifty countries, and he's always looking for a new place to call home. Originally from Newcastle, he's lived all over the UK, spent more than three years in Asia, and most recently lived in Vietnam and then in Georgia.

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The 11 best road trips in the UK

From Scotland’s North Coast 500 to the West Country’s Atlantic Highway, this is our ultimate guide to the best road trips in the UK right now

There are few things quite so boundless and full of possibility as the open road, and plenty of them can be found right here in the UK . This small country has everything from jaw-dropping national parks and picture-perfect seaside towns to towering cities – and its mighty road network makes it ideal for a multi-day driving tour.

Across the four nations of England , Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland , expect a wild array of landscapes and scenes. You’ll find vast beaches , emerald lochs, clattering waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. So plan the route, prep that playlist of drivetime bangers and ready yourself for the open road – here are the 11 best road trips in the UK according to us.

RECOMMENDED: 🏞️The most breathtaking hikes in the UK 🌊The best wild swimming spots in the UK 🏕️The best campsites in the UK 🎭The best things to do in the UK 🌤️The best places to visit in the UK

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Amazing UK road trips

1.  North Coast 500, Scotland

What is it? A super-scenic route taking in just over 500 miles of stunning Scottish landscapes, the NC500 is one of the best road trips on the planet.

Where does it go? It’s a loop through the Scottish  Highlands . You start  and end at  Inverness  Castle and the route takes in incredible deserted beaches, glassy lochs and heather-covered peaks, as well as castles, whisky distilleries and roadside eateries. 

How long should it take?  Most people do it in seven to nine days.  Find out more here . 

2.  The Atlantic Highway, England

What is it? Despite its grand name, this stunning stretch of road, also known as the A39, passes some lesser known spots in   Devon   and Cornwall.

Where does it go? The entire road connects Somerset with   Cornwall , but the stretch between Barnstaple and Fraddon is named the Atlantic Highway thanks to the almost-constant views of the Atlantic Ocean you can spy from the tarmac. The route passes photogenic places like Bude, Padstow , Newquay, Clovelly, Boscastle and Tintagel. Stop off for hikes, surf lessons and incredible seafood. You can keep driving past Fraddon, right down to Land’s End if you haven’t had your fill of Cornish charm.  

How long should it take?   Five days should do it. 

3.  Pembrokeshire Coast 200, Wales

What is it?  This 200-mile route shows off the best of Pembrokeshire’s under-explored coastline. The trip was designed by keen caravanners, so expect plenty of campsites for a welcome break along the way. 

Where does it go?  Starting at the postcard-perfect village of Amroth, it takes in miles of craggy coastline before ending at the riverside village of St Dogmaels. Sights include the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddi and Britain’s smallest city, St Davids. 

How long should it take?  Three to five days. Find out more here .

4.  Jurassic Coast, England

What is it? Starting in Poole, this route takes in nostalgic seaside  towns for fish and chips on the beach, splendid  hidden coves and the historic, fossil-studded coastline of Dorset .

Where does it go?  The first stop is Swanage, where road-trippers can recline in a deckchair and fuel up with an ice cream, before driving along picturesque coastal roads which take in the fishing village of Kimmeridge Bay, Lulworth Cove and Dorset’s A-lister, Durdle Door. From here, follow the  B3157 along sweeping sandy beaches  toward the fossil-hunting hub of Charmouth, before parking up for a refreshing dip at Lyme Regis.

How long should it take?  Around three days.

5.  Kintyre 66, Scotland

What is it?  Officially launched in 2021, this leisurely 66-mile route takes in one of Scotland ’s most scenic areas, the Kintyre peninsula.

Where does it go?  Start anywhere on the well-mapped loop, which hugs the dramatic coastline and offers breathtaking sunsets, historic sites and butterscotch beaches along the way. Highlights include the rugged ruins of the medieval Tarbert Castle and Saddell Bay, with views towards the Isle of Arran.    

How long should it take?  Around four days. Find out more here . 

6.  Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland

What is it?  The Causeway Coastal Route road is not only super-pretty, it also takes in a bunch of   Northern Ireland ’s must-see sights.

Where does it go?  It runs along the coast from Belfast to Derry-Londonderry. You can hit   Belfast ’s high-tech Titanic museum, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant’s Causeway along this route, not forgetting a bunch of snappable ‘Game of Thrones’ locations too, like Cushendun Caves and Ballintoy Harbour. 

How long should it take?  Three to five days.   

7.  Road to the Isles, Scotland

What is it? Another striking Scottish drive, the Road to the Isles (A830) takes travellers from Fort William to Mallaig, via lochs, coast, incredible scenery and the Glenfinnan Viaduct (which you’ll probably recognise, thanks to the   Harry Potter movies ).

Where does it go? Start at Fort William in the shadow of Ben Nevis and head west. The road ends where it meets the sea in Mallaig, but that’s not where your journey ends. Jump on a car ferry to the   Isle of Skye  to explore the otherworldly island by road. 

How long should it take?  Three days, more if you want to properly explore Skye too. 

8.  Lake District, England

What is it?  England’s largest National Park, the Lake District is an awe-inspiring landscape of serene water, mighty fells and pretty pubs.

Where does it go? There are oodles of routes to choose from, but why not start with a scenic drive in the north from Penrith to Whitehaven, stopping at Ullswater, Keswick and Buttermere. On your trip you'll pass the iconic diesel-powered Ullswater steamboats, the bustling market town of Keswick and – if you time it right – swathes of Wordsworth’s daffodills.   

How long should it take?  Allow three days for some hikes along the way.

9.  The Cambrian Way, Wales

What is it?  A route which runs from south of Wales to the north via loads of incredible countryside.

Where does it go? You’ll mainly be sticking to the A470. Starting in Cardiff , the route finishes in the seaside town of Llandudno. You’ll pass through the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park , the Elan Valley and Snowdonia . 

How long should it take?  Allow five days. Find out more here . 

10.  The Yorkshire Dales, England

What is it? A chance to explore the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales by car. Just stop whenever you see something you simply can’t pass by. 

Where does it go? Start in Harrogate and head out into the Dales, hitting Grassington, Hawes and Reeth along the way before circling back to the beginning. You’ll pass meadows lush with wildflowers, waterfalls, world-class rambling routes and countless opportunties to sample local produce. 

How long should it take? Allow three to four days. 

11.  Norfolk Coast, England

What is it? Following roads that hug in close to the Norfolk coastline, you can see some of the county’s incredible sights. 

Where does it go? Start in King’s Lynn and keep the coast on your left the whole way to Great Yarmouth. Stop off and you’ll see the best of the Norfolk Coast AONB and parts of the Norfolk Broads National Park, plus seaside towns like Hunstanton, Blakeney and Cromer. 

How long should it take? Four days full of stops.

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And Traveling the World

Lady’s England Road Trip Itinerary and Map

Today I want to share my England road trip itinerary and map with you. I love a great British road trip, not least because the cities, villages, and countryside in the UK are stunning.

I’ve done many road trips in England over the years. They’ve ranged from short drives in the Cotswolds to 5-week odysseys covering the length of England and Wales.

Through them I’ve seen big British travel destinations and off-the-beaten-path locations alike. Now I want to share the highlights with you.

England Road Trip Itinerary

My England road trip itinerary covers my favorite bits of this part of Britain. From cities to towns, coast to countryside, it has a variety of destinations that make this one of my favorite places to travel.

You can visit them all in one trip, or you can split the itinerary up into shorter ones. Some of them even make for great scenic drives near London if you only have a day.

1. London (3 Days)

Since I live in the UK capital, I’ll start my England road trip itinerary in London. If you haven’t been here before, it’s worth spending at least 3 days in the city to see the highlights.

You can use my 3-day London itinerary to get ideas for what to do. It’s a great guide for visitors.

2. Cambridgeshire (1 Day)

From London, my England road trip itinerary goes north to Cambridgeshire.

Cambridge is one of the prettiest cities in England . Its colleges feature stunning historic architecture and beautiful grounds. It’s worth spending a day here soaking up the atmosphere and going punting on the river.

Just north of Cambridge, under-the-radar Ely often gets overlooked. It’s worth a visit for its stunning cathedral and great markets, though. The side streets and riverfront are pretty, too.

3. Norfolk (2 days)

From Cambridgeshire my England road trip itinerary will take you to Norfolk . Norwich is one of the best cities in England , not least because its historic streets are bursting with colorful houses. Its cathedral is impressive, too.

The coast in North Norfolk is worth a visit as well. Driving to places like Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham Beach is worthwhile, and towns like Burnham Market are great places to stay.

4. Nottingham (1 day)

From Norfolk, my England road trip itinerary will take you to Nottingham .

Famous for its Robin Hood connections, this city in the Midlands is worth a stop for its historic castle, heritage buildings, and shops. It’s even home to one of the oldest pubs in England.

5. Derbyshire and the Peak District (2 days)

From Nottingham, my England road trip itinerary continues with a stop in Derbyshire. This place is great for Peak District stately homes and outdoor activities.

Chatsworth House, Kedleston Hall, and Haddon Hall are all worth touring (and they’re famous filming locations for many movies set in England ). There are lots of great hikes and country walks in the Peak District, too.

6. Yorkshire (2 days)

From the Peak District, it’s not far to Yorkshire. No England road trip itinerary would be complete without a trip to York . It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the UK, and its pretty streets and spectacular minster are worth discovering.

Over on the east coast of Yorkshire, Robin Hood’s Bay is a coastal gem with a storied past, and Whitby is famous for its abbey ruins and Dracula connections. (Don’t worry, I’ll get to West Yorkshire soon).

7. Durham & Newcastle (1 Day)

Leaving Yorkshire, my England road trip itinerary will take you north to Durham and Newcastle . The former is home to a hilltop cathedral, castle, and university. The nearby Angel of the North sculpture is worth seeing when you’re here, too.

The latter is packed with stunning bridges, historic streets, and great nightlife. You can do a side trip to Hadrian’s Wall if you like Roman history as well.

8. Northumberland (2 Days)

Way at the top of England, the next stop on my itinerary is Northumberland . Alnwick Castle is a popular place to visit, and Alnwick itself is adorable (don’t miss the bookshop).

Farther up the coast, Bamburgh Castle takes over a hilltop next to the beach. It’s stunning both inside and out.

Right on the border with Scotland, Berwick-upon-Tweed is a great seaside town, too.

9. Lake District (2 Days)

From Northumberland, my England road trip itinerary will take you west to the Lake District . This part of the UK is famous for its outdoor activities, and it’s a great place to go walking and hiking.

There are also a lot of famous houses here, from Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top to John Rusin’s Brantwood and Blackwell, the Arts and Crafts house .

Towns and villages like Windermere , Keswick, Ambleside, and Grasmere are worth popping into as well. I particularly like the gingerbread shop in Grasmere.

10. Yorkshire Dales National Park (1 Day)

From Cumbria, my England road trip itinerary will take you into the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

This is another great place for country walks , including the famous peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough, and Whernside. Malham Cove is beautiful, too.

11. Chester (1 Day)

From the Yorkshire Dales, my England road trip itinerary continues south with a stop in Chester .

This place is one of the most underrated cities in the UK , and it’s worth a special trip. With stunning streets and layers of history dating back to Roman times, Chester is magical.

12. Birmingham (1 Day)

From Chester, you can drive down to Birmingham . This city is packed with things to see and do, from shopping arcades to art museums and an eye-catching contemporary library.

13. Wye Valley (1 Day)

South of Birmingham, it’s worth spending a day in the Wye Valley . From market towns like Ross-on-Wye to hikes around the cliff at Symonds Yat Rock, there’s a lot to take in here.

15. Cotswolds (2 Days)

No England road trip itinerary of mine would be complete without a stop in the Cotswolds. From beautiful countryside to picturesque Cotswolds villages like Painswick and Upper Slaughter , there’s a lot to love about this part of Britain.

It’s worth spending a couple days driving through this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to soak up the scenery. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the UK .

16. Bath (1 Day)

Next on my England road trip itinerary is Bath . This city is famous for both its Roman baths and its Jane Austen sites . It’s packed with scenic streets and great independent shops , too.

17. Cornwall (2 Days)

From Bath, it’s worth heading west to Cornwall for a few days. My England road trip itinerary will take you to St Ives , which is one of the most beautiful places in England .

Basing yourself there, you can drive to places like Land’s End, St Michael’s Mount, and the Eden Project. There are great coastal walks in Cornwall, too.

18. Devon (2 Days)

From Cornwall, you can drive to Devon , where it’s worth spending a couple days exploring the coast and countryside.

You can stay in Salcombe , a pretty seaside town, and drive to places like Dartmoor National Park. You can also explore some of the walks along the water in the area.

19. Wiltshire and Hampshire (2 Days)

From Devon, my England road trip itinerary will take you to Wiltshire and Hampshire . The former is home to everything from cathedral cities like Salisbury to historic sites like Stonehenge and villages like Lacock.

The latter is home to cities like Winchester and great countryside around places like East Meon. Jane Austen’s House Museum is here, too.

Both Hampshire and Wiltshire are home to the New Forest , one of the best places to get outdoors in England. It’s worth taking a walk here and spotting some of the area’s famous ponies.

20. Brighton (1 Day)

Next on my England road trip itinerary is Brighton . This seaside spot in East Sussex boasts of one of the most famous beaches in Britain.

And that’s to say nothing of the historic pier and Royal Pavilion. They make Brighton one of the best places to visit in the UK .

21. Kent (2 Days)

Last on my England road trip itinerary is Kent . The Garden of England features everything from coast to castles, and it’s a great place to get both a seafood fix and a dose of history.

From Dover Castle to Canterbury Cathedral and the Charles Dickens highlights in Rochester , there’s a lot to discover here.

From Kent, it’s a short drive back to London, where my England road trip itinerary ends. You can spend more time in the UK capital if your head isn’t already spinning from all the amazing places you’ve seen during your journey.

England Road Trip Itinerary Map

If you want to follow my route, the places on my road trip in England are on the interactive map below. You can click on the pins to see more about each one. I hope the map helps you plan a great British adventure of your own.

England Road Trip Itineraries and Beyond

If you’re looking for additional inspiration, I’ve published blog posts about UK road trips , a great British road trip itinerary for England and Wales, a legendary Scotland road trip , a road trip in North Wales , and road trip packing tips .

I’ve even written about road trip movies . Happy driving!

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6 of the best road trips in the UK

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written by Mike MacEacheran

updated 16.11.2023

There is something about a road trip that creates a state of heightened excitement. No matter the destination, a road trip unfolds at the same, ascending rhythm. Back roads are followed (whenever possible), motorway service stations are avoided (at all costs) and the countryside flies by with the same tempo as a rock song (cue Status Quo). If you’ve got wheels – be it a car, bike or camper – here are 6 great road trips in the UK to try.

Prepping for your trip

1. north coast 500, scotland, 2. a yorkshire circuit, england, 3. the atlantic highway, england, 4. coastal circuit, northern ireland, 5. ben nevis to the isle of skye, scotland, 6. the black mountain pass, wales.

Whether it's an Easter break or your summer holiday, none of these routes will disappoint. For everything from car hire to the best routes to take, we can help! No time to plan and book yourself? Try our tailor-made travel service and our local experts will create an itinerary according to your preferences, ready to book, like The Great British Road Trip .

It's important to prepare carefully for a road trip – it's no fun being stuck roadside because you've run out of fuel, or getting a puncture with no spare wheel. If you've not got a banger of your own, that's no problem: there are plenty of rental companies offering competitive deals. Better still, hire an electric car and help protect the pristine landscapes you're driving through. Be sure to check charging points along your route, or – if you're car isn't electric – fill up the tank before you leave.

If you're taking your own car, it's worth a trip to the garage before you leave to check it's in good shape. Make sure you've got all your car documents on hand, as well as a spare tyre in the boot. It also pays to pack a first-aid kit and some non-perishable snacks, just in case. Take out breakdown cover and keep the emergency number handy.

This circular route is a greatest hits of Scottish icons, stretching across 805 km of back roads. Skirting the coast from Inverness and the Black Isle, past the seaboard crags of Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross, it offers up gothic ruins, rugged fairways, historic castles, shingle-sand beaches, tiny fishing hamlets and peaty whisky distilleries. Even the name is a doff of the cap to The Proclaimers.

Along the way, the road becomes a symphony, building note after note, bend by bend, from its rallying start through the east coast villages of Dornoch and Wick to Aultbea, Poolewe and Gairloch on the savage west coast. Here, it reaches a crescendo below the impregnable peaks of Loch Maree.

Finally, the road reaches the brilliant Bealach na Bà, which loops up and over the Applecross Peninsula like a piece of gigantic spaghetti. It could scarcely be more isolated or awe-inspiring — there's a reason this was featured in our reader survey of the most beautiful places in Scotland .

Best for: Escaping urban life and enjoying unexpected traffic jams, courtesy of wayward Highland cows and stags.

Duration: 4-7 days.

Need to know: Accommodation options are few and far between, so book in advance. Outside of summer, you’ll have the route to yourself, when even a witches’ brew of winter clouds couldn’t dampen the drama or Highland spirit.

Where to stay: Straddling the banks of the River Ness, Inverness is the hub of the Highlands. You'll find plenty of accommodation options here, but for sprawling grounds, airy rooms and a luxury spa, treat yourself at Kingsmills Hotel before your road trip. Once you're on the road, sea-view Harbour Quay in Wick (private accommodation) and the Shiskine Pod (think: cute wooden chalet with blow-away views) in Gairloch are good bets.

The Scottish Highlands offer magnificent scenery © Mountaintreks/Shutterstock

In Yorkshire, the roads move from moor to dale through centuries of dark medieval history, once a backdrop to the War of the Roses, the bloody struggle between the royal houses of Lancaster and York.

Here the mix of A- and B-roads create a daisy-chain link between some of the most beautiful villages, waterfalls and rolling backdrops in northern England . When heading through fields of summer grasses over the Buttertubs Pass from Wensleydale to Swaledale, the road twists and turns like a thrashing snake.

Set off on the A59 from Harrogate towards the historic market town of Grassington before boomeranging back to Aysgarth Falls, a wide, multi-tiered falls that’s perfect for a hazy summer ramble.

Next, putter along the valley floor to the Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre at Hawes to stock up on Wallace and Gromit ’s favourite cheese, before plunging over into Reeth and looping back to your start point via Jervaulx Abbey. A spooky Cistercian monastery in the moors, the abbey also has an excellent tea room if you need a pitstop.

At the end of a long day’s drive, there’s nothing more satisfying than the promise of a pint of Black Sheep ale from Masham Brewery. The welcome here is warm, the people friendly, the surrounding landscapes wild, and the beer strong. It's undoubtedly one of the best road trips in the UK.

Best for: Ale drinkers and cheese lovers.

Duration: 3 days.

Need to know: The Yorkshire Dales are a magnet for tour buses and parking can cause major headaches.

Where to stay: The starting point of Harrogate – a gorgeous, historic spa town with more tea rooms than you can shake a spoon at – has plenty of places to stay. The DoubleTree by Hilton , occupying a 19th-century beauty, has all the facilities you'd expect, as well as 12 acres of lovely gardens – perfect for stretching the legs. For something a little less imposing, try the friendly Franklin Mount Boutique Guesthouse . Over in Grassington, meanwhile, plump for The Clarendon Country Pub with Rooms – the bedrooms are all super cozy, and you can wind the day up with a hearty meal and pint at the pub downstairs.

The Yorkshire Dales in the evening light © BerndBrueggemann/Shutterstock

A storied ribbon of tarmac and maritime history, this 275 km road has the wild beauty that has become the hallmark of southwest England: it’s all about the big views.

Sandwiched between barley fields and a succession of bays and beach breaks, the A39 from Bridgewater to Bude is a magical concertina that creases and folds along the Devon and Cornwall coasts . Beyond the roadside hedgerows, the windswept dunes become the territory of shaggy-haired surfers, where foaming waves beat the shoreline.

Stop off at Exmoor National Park for hikes across the hilly moors, before driving south from Barnstaple through the salt-tanged seaside towns of Bude (for surfing), Padstow (for seafood) and Newquay (for weekend partying). Then it’s onwards to Land’s End – the place Cornish residents once thought was the end of the world.

Best for: Surfers and wannabe hippies.

Duration: 4-5 days.

Need to know: The name is a bit of a cheat. The route travels inland for much of Cornwall, eventually feeding onto the shoreline at Newquay. The only way to do this trip is in a VW camper van with a board tied to the roof.

Where to stay: At the edge of Exmoor National Park, overlooking pretty Lynmouth Bay, the Rising Sun Hotel will charm your socks off with its thatched roof, crooked stairways and wooden beams. In Padstow, make for St Petroc's B&B , with stylish rooms and a charming garden. And while there's a whole raft of accommodation to choose from in Newquay, if you're after some of your own space, try Porth Cottage Studio , which has its own kitchen facilities – though full breakfasts can be provided, too.

Newquay's golden sands © Lukasz Pajor/Shutterstock

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Plan a journey around the knuckle-shaped fist of the Northern Irish coast and you won't regret it. There’s a hypnotic quality to this 195 km route from Belfast to Derry/Londonderry, one that can see you detour off the road to find smaller villages. It's one of the most varied road trips in the UK in our list.

First, head for the Gobbins Cliff Path, an ambitious walkway chiselled out of basalt rock with hammers and rudimentary tools. North of Belfast, it carves a path through caves, over bridges and gantries, and down steep drops. Following a £7.5 million investment, the path reopened in 2015 for the first time in more than 65 years.

As the journey continues, stories, both ancient and modern, will pull you over. Detour to Antrim to see the Dark Hedges, a tree-lined road used in Game of Thrones , while making sure to stop at Ballintoy harbour (also another GoT location).

Stare in awe at the 40,000 jigsaw pieces of the Giant’s Causeway, then pop into the Old Bushmills Distillery for a refresher of Irish whiskey.

Freedom on a road trip like this is only limited by how far your imagination takes you. After Londonderry, the road keeps going south into Ireland , to Sligo and Galway or Dublin. Simply roll down the window and keep on driving.

Best for: Story-lovers and stargazers

Duration: 3-5 days.

Need to know: Rathlin, Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island, sits around halfway along the route and is home to an RSPB reserve. Its resident guillemots, razorbills and puffins are a must-see for birdwatchers.

Where to stay: You won't be pressed to find a fabulous place to stay along this route. Belfast and Londonderry are buzzing cities full of options, though our picks are Maranatha House in Belfast – famed for the chef's Ulster Breakfast – and the 4-star Beech Hill Hotel near Derry, a country house just outside the city set in glorious scenery. While on the road in Antrim, meanwhile, try Crockatinney Guest House : stock up on supplies and use the BBQ facilities in the garden.

The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland © Jon Chica/Shutterstock

This 74 km scenic drive route from Fort William to Mallaig has an antique weirdness, like stepping back in time. Every mountain and loch tells a story and the ghosts of the Jacobite and Victorian eras are never far away.

At Fort William flows the Caledonian Canal, first built for trade and commerce; past Loch Eil stands the Glenfinnan Monument, where Bonnie Prince Charlie kicked off his bid for the crown in 1745; then comes the glorious West Highland Line, one of the great railway journeys of the world.

Start in the shadows of the UK’s most alluring peak, Ben Nevis, before tracing your route like a squiggly marker pen across a fold-out map from its namesake whisky distillery onto the A830. Venture westwards and you’ll pass a series of stand-out movie locations – the Glenfinnan Viaduct, famous for its starring role in the Harry Potter films; then Camusdarach Beach at Arisaig, where Bill Forsyth’s classic Local Hero was filmed.

Near the journey’s end, Loch Morar, the deepest freshwater lake in the UK, will fill your windows with stunning views. From here you can stop and enjoy the surroundings, or continue across to the Isle of Skye.

Best for: Historians and Harry Potter fans.

Duration: 2-3 days.

Need to know: Like Loch Ness , Loch Morar has a storybook monster of its own; Nessie’s cryptid cousin, Morag.

Where to stay: Gateway to the Highlands, the main draw of Fort William is its location – including its proximity to Ben Nevis – but it's as good a base as any, and it's not short on places to stay, either. On the Caledonian Canal you'll find the Moorings Hotel , housed in a funky building with some brilliantly garish interiors and stellar views. In Arisaig, Brae Hoose is a holiday home with a smart TV, surround-sound bar and an excellent hygiene rating. In Mallaig, after your long drive, bed down at the West Highland Hotel – be sure to dine at its fantastic Terrace restaurant, with fresher-than-fresh fish, panoramic views and a wood-burning stove. End-of-the-road meals don't get any better than this.

Camusdarach beach, Arisaig © alan92 todd/Shutterstock

The shortest road trip of the bunch, this epic mountain road more than makes up for it with spectacular Brecon Beacons scenery, unrivalled views of the Tywi Valley and the kind of hairpin bends and switchbacks that’d bring a Swiss Alpine engineer out in hives.

It rolls between Llandovery in the north, crossing the dragon’s humps of Pont Aber and Herbert’s Pass past jaw-dropping viewpoints, before sinking low and cascading down to the village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen.

Along the way, you’ll be met by rustic farmhouses, ruddy-faced farmers, wayward sheep and perhaps the odd motoring journalist. Thanks to ex-BBC host Jeremy Clarkson, Black Mountain Pass is also known as the Top Gear road and is enduringly popular with test drivers.

If you need to gear down, catch a breath and take a break from driving, our guide to 21 most beautiful beaches in Wales has just the place.

Best for: Driving enthusiasts.

How long: One day, though it’s far better to extend your trip and stay in the Brecon Beacons area for at least 48 hours. The A470 running through the park’s east is also highly recommended.

Need to know: Make sure to tackle the route north to south.

Where to stay: For a Welsh cottage experience, look no further than Merlin Cottages or The Byre . Both are excellent options near Llandovery, with stone walls, original features and plenty of country charm.

The Brecon Beacons National Park © antb/Shutterstock

Well, what are you waiting for? Get your car in gear and take to the open road.

Mike MacEacheran is a travel journalist & guidebook author based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has reported from 108 countries for National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller, The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Wall Street Journal, Mail on Sunday, The Independent, Evening Standard, The Sun, The Globe and Mail, Scotland on Sunday, The National and South China Morning Post. Follow him on Twitter @MikeMacEacheran

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17 of the Most Amazing UK Road Trips

• Last Updated 5 April 2024

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The UK is full of amazing road trips for your travel bucket list! With miles of rugged coastline, idyllic rolling countryside, epic mountainscapes, and historic towns and cities… there’s just so much to discover!

Road tripping is my new favourite way to explore my home country, and after taking on two incredible journeys in Wales and Scotland recently I’m hungry for more! So, I’ve asked a bunch of amazing local travel bloggers to share their favourite road trips in the UK.

From the wild beauty of the Scottish Highlands, to the adventure-filled landscapes of the Welsh national parks, to the varied coastlines of England, and everything in between!

So fill your boot with luggage, load up your SatNav, programme the perfect road trip playlist on Spotify, and get out there. Enjoy…

North Coast 500, Scotland

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Recommended by: Maja, Away with Maja

• Start: Inverness
• End: Inverness
• Length: 516 miles 
• Suggested Time: 7-10 days

ROUTE: Inverness – John O’Groats – Durness – Lochinver – Ullapool – Torridon – Inverness

The North Coast 500 is one of the most epic road trips you can take in the UK. Starting in Inverness and taking in the remote corners of northern Scotland, you’ll discover white sandy beaches, dramatic mountain scenery, and unique landscapes.

While you can rush through the North Coast 500 in 3 or 5 days, I recommend taking at least a week – or even longer. Particularly if you’re wanting to get outdoors (such as hiking Ben Hope, the most northern Munro in Scotland), or planning to take day excursions like Cape Wrath or Handa island.

Some of the most stunning beaches are Sandwood Bay and Achmelvich Bay. And don’t miss the historic sites like Dunrobin Castle and Ardvreck Castle. Driving Bealach na Bà, the steepest ascent of any road in the UK, isn’t for the faint-hearted. But the views are spectacular! Don’t miss this amazing Scottish road trip.

Recommended by: Me!

• Start: Cardiff
• End: Llandudno
• Length: 180 miles 
• Suggested Time: 4-5 days (longer if you want to climb Snowdon)

ROUTE: Cardiff – Brecon Beacons – Rhayader & Elan Valley – Snowdonia National Park – Conwy – Llandudno

Follow the Cambrian Way on this seriously stunning road trip right across the heart of Wales . Start in Cardiff and make your way north following the A470: the longest A-road in Wales and one of the most scenic drives in the UK!

Pass through the stunning mountain scenery of the Brecon Beacons National Park, wind your way through the valleys and lake-lands of mid-Wales, and finally twist and turn through the dramatic scenery of Snowdonia National Park and up to the north coast.

You could stay on the same road the entire way! But it’s worth detouring at times in search of scenic stops and winding mountain roads. Check out my Wales road trip itinerary for a full breakdown of all the best stops!

Recommended by: Faith, XYUandBeyond

• Start Point:  Belfast
• End Point: Derry       
• Length: 190 km
• Suggested time: 7 days

ROUTE: Belfast – The Gobbins – 9 Glens of Antrim – Bushmills – Dark Hedges – Giant’s Causeway – Dunluce – Carrick-a-Rede – Mussenden Temple – Derry

The  Causeway coastal route  begins in Belfast and ends in Derry (Londonderry) and covers around 200 miles of dramatic coastline. This is definitely one of the best road trips in the UK! Begin in Belfast and head east towards Islandmagee, where you can do the famous Gobbins Cliff Walk.

Head north through the Glens of Antrim to Cushenden the heart of the Glens. This section of your road trip is scattered with ruined castles, iconic Irish villages, Game of Thrones locations, and absolute jaw-dropping scenery.

Onwards to Ballycastle, where you can see Rathlin Island – Robert the Bruce’s hideway. In Ballycastle take time to enjoy some traditional music and fine Irish cuisine in the pubs. A short journey will take you to the Dark Hedges, then back up to the coast to Bushmills for a whiskey tasting session and tour.

From Bushmills, head out to the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Downhill Strand and the iconic Mussenden Temple is your next stop, and then onto Derry (Londonderry) to soak in some Irish history with a visit to the murals of Derry and the Bloody Sunday memorial.

Recommended by: Me! ( Dorset coast road trip itinerary here )

• Start: Bournemouth
• End: Exmouth
• Length: 95 miles 
• Suggested Time: 3 days

ROUTE: Bournemouth – Studland – Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door – West Bay – Lyme Regis – Beer – Exmouth

A 95-mile stretch of coastline boasting 185 million years of history, the Jurassic Coast is justifiably one of the most famous places in southern England . It’s also an epic location for a road trip, with idyllic beaches, rugged cliffs, cute seaside towns, and fossils galore!

Starting from Bournemouth, take the chain ferry across Poole Harbour to Studland to visit Old Harry Rocks. These chalk stacks off the Isle of Purbeck mark the easternmost point of the Jurassic Coast. From there, drive along the coast to Lulworth Cove. Visit the picturesque beach there, then walk over the cliffs to the Durdle Door.

Next, visit the seaside towns of Weymouth – with its colourful fishing harbour – and Lyme Regis, home of Victorian fossil collector Mary Anning. Finally, make your way into Devon to visit the white chalk cliffs at Beer, before passing a few more quaint beach towns on your way to Exmouth.

Recommended by: by Kathi from Watch Me See

• Start: Tarbert
• End: Tarbert
• Length: 66 miles 
• Suggested Time: 2-5 days

ROUTE: Tarbert – Isle of Gigha – Mull of Kintyre – Campbeltown – Carradale – Skipness

The Kintyre 66 (K66) is a new road trip around the Kintyre peninsula on the west coast of Scotland. Often called Scotland’s only “mainland island”, it is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and otherwise surrounded by water.

Kintyre offers pristine beaches and remote bays, charming villages and wildlife sanctuaries. You could easily drive the K66 in a day, or fill a whole week with activities and places to visit – it would be a shame not to explore the area in-depth.

The region is packed with things to do for outdoorsy types, whisky lovers, and foodies. A highlight is the ferry ride to the Isle of Gigha to visit its stunning Twin Beaches and kayak in turquoise waters. The golf course in Machrihanish is considered one of the most scenic courses of Scotland. And the ruins of Skipness and Tarbert castles round off the perfect trip!

• Start: Bath
• End: Newquay
• Length: 200 miles 
• Suggested Time: 2-3 days (or more)

ROUTE: Bath – Barnstaple – Bude – Tintagel – Padstow – Newquay

Often touted as one of the world’s most scenic drives, the Atlantic Highway is a section of the A39 running from Barnstaple to Fraddon, near Newquay. With rich forests, pretty seaside villages, and rugged coastline as you descend into the southwest, it’s easy to see why!

Although the Atlantic Highway officially starts in Barnstaple, one of the best UK road trips starts in Bath and follows the A39 all the way down into Cornwall. As you drive you’ll pass through 3 counties and some spectacular scenery.

Pass through the Exmoor National Park, then on to the stunning bays and beaches lining the coast from Barnstaple to Bude. From there, the A39 travels inland slightly, but you can detour back to various stops along the coast. Such as the beaches at Bude, the castle at Tintagel, or the picturesque harbour town of Padstow.

Recommended by: Bella from Passport & Pixels

• Start: Tenby
• End: Fishguard
• Length: 90 miles 
• Suggested Time: 5-7 days

ROUTE: Tenby – Pembroke – Barafundle Bay – Skomer Island – Solva – St David’s – Porthgain – Fishguard

This Pembrokeshire road trip starts in the cute and colourful seaside town of Tenby, then pretty much hugs the coast all the way around the county in a clockwise direction. Along the way, you can stop at two historic castles, several gorgeous sandy beaches, more jaw-dropping coastal scenery than you can handle, the UK’s smallest city, and – if you visit in the summertime – puffins!

There are plenty of activities to fill your road trip, including cold-water swimming, coasteering, or walking the coast path. If that all sounds too much like hard work, enjoy all the charming village pubs and cafes you’ll pass instead.

You can see all the sights in five days, but if you want to make the most of the hiking opportunities you might need a whole week. You won’t regret staying longer – Pembrokeshire is one of the prettiest parts of the UK. The great thing about a road trip here is that everything is really close together so you never have to do much driving.

Recommended by: Victoria from Guide your Travel

• Start: Edinburgh
• End: Edinburgh
• Length: 450 miles 
• Suggested Time: 10 days

ROUTE: Edinburgh – Dundee – Stonehaven – Aberdeen – Inverness – Fort William – Edinburgh

The Scottish Highlands are almost made for a road trip. With incredible scenic locations and dozens of historic cities and towns, there’s plenty to see and do.

Start your trip in the capital Edinburgh , where you can visit incredible places like Edinburgh Castle and the impressive Arthur’s Seat. Drive north, visiting other places of interest like Dundee and St Andrews, before making a stop in Stonehaven, a little beach town that prides itself in having Scotland’s best fish and chips.

You can also visit the impressive Dunnottar Castle, which sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. If you have time you can stop by the city of Aberdeen and some of its stunning beaches, before heading west to Fort William through the incredible Cairngorms National Park. Finally, head back to Edinburgh via the famous landscapes at Glencoe and Loch Lomond!

Recommended by: Tracy from UK Travel Planning

• Start: Alnmouth
• End: Alnwick
• Length: 59 miles 

ROUTE: Alnmouth – Craster – Embleton – Beadnell – Seahouses – Bamburgh – Holy Island of Lindisfarne – Alnwick

This drive takes you along the  Northumberland Coast ,  passing through stunning countryside and seaside fishing villages. It features some of England’s most beautiful castles, a tidal island (once home to the Lindisfarne Gospels) and the biggest second-hand bookshop in Europe.

Spend your first night in one of the fishing villages such as Craster or Beadnell, and enjoy a beach walk and fish and chip supper. On day two, visit Bamburgh Castle before heading over to explore the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and the ruined Priory. Check tide times when planning!

Fans of Harry Potter shouldn’t miss Alnwick Castle, which was used as a filming location in the movies. Finally, curl up with a book at the famous Barter Books, located in a Victorian railway station in Alnwick.

READ MORE: 15 Epic Road Trips in England

Recommended by: Joanna from The World in my Pocket

• Start: Gloucester
• End: Gloucester
• Length: 100 miles 
• Suggested Time: at least 2-3 days

ROUTE:  Gloucester – Bourton-on-the-Water – Moreton-in-Marsh – Broadway – Stow-on-the-Wol – Lower Slaughter – Bibury – Painswick – Castle Combe – Cirencester – Gloucester

Taking a  road trip in the Cotswolds  is one of the most beautiful ways to explore the British countryside. Stretching over six different counties, the Cotswolds can be explored on a weekend trip or on a week-long holiday, depending on how much time you have to spare.

You should also spend some time exploring the historic town of Gloucester and nearby Cheltenham at the start or end of your road trip.

There are plenty of things to do in each of the villages. If you want to really explore each one, you won’t be able to visit more than 5 villages a day. I highly suggest dividing your time in the Cotswolds, and planning your road trip either in the North or in the South.

There are picturesque villages in each. The most famous in the north is Bourton-on-the-Water, while in the south it’s Castle Combe. Keep in mind that the roads in the Cotswolds are not the fastest! You may spend quite a bit of time in traffic – but it’s worth it for one of the most scenic road trips in the UK!

READ MORE: 2-3 Day Cotswolds Driving Itinerary

Recommended by: Allan from It’s Sometimes Sunny in Bangor 

• Start: Belfast
• Suggested Time: 3-4 days

ROUTE: Belfast – Bangor – Ards Peninsula – Downpatrick – Newcastle – Mourne Mountains.

On the island of Ireland, there are 4 significant road trip routes that connect the entire coast of the island. In the Republic of Ireland, it’s the Wild Atlantic Way  and the Ancient East. Then in Northern Ireland in the UK you have the Causeway Coastal Route and the Mourne Coastal Route road trips.

The Mourne Coastal Route follows the lesser travelled east coast route. This is known for its quaint fishing villages and scenic seaside towns. Follow the picturesque coastal roads of Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula, before reaching the majestic Mourne Mountains.

There are many highlights along the route, including Mount Stewart, Castleward (Winterfell), and Tollymore Forest Park. But the main draw, really, is the scenery in between each stop.

Recommended by: Helen in Wonderlust

• Start: Windermere
• End: Ambleside
• Suggested Time: 3-5 days

ROUTE: Bowness-on-Windermere – Ullswater – Keswick – Eskdale – Ambleside

The Lake District, in North West England, is the perfect place for a road trip. The main tourist hotspots in the Lakes are Windermere and Keswick, but there are hundreds of great places in between to add to your  Lake District itinerary .

Starting at Lake Windermere, I would explore the village of Bowness-on-Windermere, which has plenty of shops and restaurants. From there, make your way up to Ullswater, which is often called England’s prettiest lake.

Head next to the market town of Keswick, which is a great base for exploring all over the North Lakes. From there, pass through Buttermere, an incredibly photogenic lake that is perfect for a bit of wild swimming.

The next stop could be wild and untamed Eskdale, which is famed for glorious walks, waterfalls and swimming holes. From there, make your way to Ambleside, on the northern shores of Lake Windermere, for a final night of relaxation.

Recommended by: Cazzy from Dream Big Travel Far

• Start: Dumfries
• End: Dumfries
• Length: 300 miles 
• Suggested Time: 2-3 days

ROUTE: Dumfries- Caerlaverock Castle- Mull Of Galloway- Stranraer – Maybole – Ayr – Sanquhar – Lockerbie – Dumfries 

The South West Coastal 300 is the perfect road trip to explore Scotland and all it has to offer. From spectacular landscapes, pristine coastlines, and exciting adventures, to delicious food and fascinating history, this road trip lets you pack so much into just a couple of days.

South West Scotland is a treasure trove of majestic hills and stunning lochs. There is so much to discover, including historical sites and iconic sceneries. Some highlights include the epic Caerlaverock Castle and Culzean Castle.

The SWC300 is a loop of 300 miles, starting and ending at the lovely town of Dumfries, though you can start and end anywhere along the route. It passes through regions like Stranraer, Ayrshire, and Wanlockhead, and reaches up to Scotland’s southernmost point: Mull of Galloway.

The route is made up of mostly quiet country roads, making it suitable for cars and campervans alike. Three days and two nights is perfect to make the most of the SWC300.

Recommended by: Izzy from The Gap Decaders

• Start: Norwich
• End: Kings Lynn
• Length: 110 miles 
• Suggested Time: 5 days

ROUTE: Norwich – Wroxham – Winterton-on-Sea – Cromer – Blakeney – Brancaster – Hunstanton – Kings Lynn

This Norfolk road trip starts in the historic city of Norwich, and takes you through the glorious Norfolk Broads and along one of the UK’s most unspoilt coastlines. Perfect for a car or  motorhome road trip , there’s lots to do and see along the way, including a few good old-fashioned seaside resorts, some great country pubs and lots of opportunities for getting on the water.

Highlights include crabbing from the harbour in Blakeney and taking a boat trip to see the local seal colony, fresh Cromer crab eaten on the pier in this quintessential seaside town, and taking a sailing trip along one of the beautiful and tranquil broads.

Head east from Norwich to Wroxham, the capital of the Broads, before making your way to the coast and following the road north, stopping at whichever beach or pretty town takes your fancy!

Recommended by: Sinead from Map Made Memories

• Start: Ingleton, Yorkshire Dales
• End: Whitby, Yorkshire Coast
• Length: 117 miles 
• Suggested Time: 5-6 days

ROUTE: Ingleton – Malham – York – Yorkshire Moors – Whitby

Yorkshire is one of the best places in the UK for road trips. There’s such a diverse range of landscapes to discover!

Explore the waterfalls, caves, and hiking trails around Ingleton before heading to Malham Cove. This 230ft-high natural stone amphitheatre featured in the Harry Potter movies.

Allocate a day to hike Malham’s spectacular circular trail. Visit the historic city of York to tour York Minster, walk the medieval-era walls, or browse one of the city’s museums.

Drive across the windswept Yorkshire Moors, stopping to hike into the Hole of Horcum, a natural amphitheatre 400 feet deep and ½ mile across. Detour to the car-free village of Robin Hoods Bay to wander its cobbled lanes and fossil hunt on the sandy beach.

End your road trip at Whitby on the  Yorkshire Coast . Climb the town’s 199 stone steps to the clifftop ruins of Whitby Abbey, or enjoy a world-famous fish and chip dinner.

Recommended by: Abi, Inside the Travel Lab

• End: Liverpool
• Length: 870 miles 
• Suggested Time: 10-14 days

ROUTE: Cardiff – Brecon Beacons – Laugharne – Pembroke – St Davids – Aberystwyth – Snowdonia – Anglesey – Llandudno – Llangollen – Liverpool

Driving around the horseshoe shape of the Welsh coastline is one of the best road trips in Wales – and the whole UK! Start at Europe’s youngest capital in Cardiff before swapping city sights for wild landscapes, rugged cliffs, and some of the best beaches in Europe.

Highlights include the National Parks of the brooding Brecon Beacons and puffin-strewn Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. And, of course, Wales’s highest peak at 1024 metres in Snowdonia.

Follow the literary footsteps of Dylan Thomas through his former home in Swansea and writing bolthole in Laugharne.

Then test your mettle (and your linguistic skills) against the dizzying heights of the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct near Llangollen.

And, of course, there’s the traditional British seaside experience in Llandudno. Eat fish and chips, watch Punch & Judy and stroll along the sweeping Victorian pier. 

READ MORE: 6 of the Best Road Trips in Wales

• Start: Land’s End
• End: John O Groats
• Length: at least 837 miles (for the most direct route)
• Suggested Time: 7 days

ROUTE: Lands End – Bristol – Stonehenge – Oxford – Peak District – York – Lake District – Dumfries – Glasgow – Loch Lomond – Inverness – John O Groats

Last up, it’s the ultimate in UK road trips: a country-crossing journey from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in northernmost Scotland.

It’s really up to you how you get from A-B. The UK is vast and there are loads of incredible stops along the way.

You could take the most direct route and get there as fast as possible. Or, meander through England and Scotland stopping off at some of the historic cities, stunning national parks, and picturesque villages along the way. The route outlined above is just to give you an idea!

UK Adventure Bucket List

Best Long Distance Bike Rides in the UK

15 of the Best Road Trips in England

Have you done any of these UK road trips- or any others? Share your experiences in the comments!

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8 UK Road Trip Ideas: Culture and Countryside Await on these Four-Wheeled Adventures

Ready to set off on a ride? These 8 UK road trips are full of surprises around every turn. Get ready, you’re in for a treat.

Planning on taking a road trip to the United Kingdom ? Lucky you. 

I may be *slightly* biased as it is my home country, but the U.K’s rolling hills, craggy peaks and dramatic coastlines are ripe for a four-wheeled adventure.   Beautiful landscapes aside, there are also delicious stops for afternoon tea, cool museums and historical houses aplenty to explore along the way. So where should you plan your UK road trip itinerary? I have picked a few of the very best options for your adventures on the open road. So buckle up, let’s go for a ride on the best road trips in the UK.

Best Road Trips in the UK

Lake district.

If you’ve ever read John Ruskin or William Wordsworth, you’re familiar with the serene landscapes of endless green hills and vast mountain lakes of the Lake District. If you haven’t, let’s just say that you’re in for a very pleasant surprise. It’s no secret that I love walking in the Lake District , but a long weekend road trip exploring the many lakes and villages is even better.

Want a great stop along the way? Carnforth Bookshop is a real treat, and you can walk to a pub for lunch nearby after you pick up a couple of second-hand treasures.

Route Summary 

Manchester >> Bowness-on-Windermere >> Hawkshead >> Grasmere >> Scafell Pike >> Keswick

Distance:  126 miles (203 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 week

Highlights of the Trip

Bring your favourite hiking boots on this road trip in the UK because the Lakes District offers a lot of picturesque countryside hikes you’ll want to explore. During your England road trip, stop by the homes of William Wordsworth (Dove Cottage in Grasmere) and Beatrix Potter (Hill Top Farm Hawkshead).

Prepare yourself to stumble upon the settings of many famous poems and stories when hiking around the highest peak in the UK, Scafell Pike or Cold Pike From Wrynose Pass . Looking for lakes? Windermere and Grasmere are the most famous for their respective size and depth. Finally, a seafood dinner at Lakeview Restaurant in The Ryebeck Hotel is also a must-add to your road trip ideas in the UK. 

Where to Stay 

Velvet Hotel , Manchester Hillthwaite Hotel , Bowness-on-Windermere Crow Park Hotel , Keswick

London to Cornwall

Looking for a 2-week UK road trip itinerary? Take this action-packed sightseeing journey from London to Cornwall (and back). You’ll see some of Cornwall driving the Atlantic Highway (more on this later). Still, this road trip allows you to dive into the Southwestern UK and explore the incredible beaches, challenging surf, and salt-washed castles perched high up on the rocky coastlines.

Take a different route back to London and visit Stonehenge to see one of the world’s great mysteries.

London >> Bath >> Newquay >> St Ives >> Falmouth >> Stonehenge >> London

Distance:  635.8 miles (1023.2 km)

Length of Trip: 12 – 14 days

Before you reach the charming beaches and storied towns on the coast, spend a night or two in Bath . Visit the  2000+-year-old Roman Baths and admire the Pulteney Bridge from either end of the River Avon before seeing the Gothic masterpiece that is Bath Abbey. Next, dip into Cornwall to drop by the art galleries and shops in St. Ives, walk through the Trelissick House and Garden and explore the rugged Church Cove near Gunwalloe.  You can learn to surf at the many beaches in Newquay (Fistral Beach is a winner), spend the night exploring the charming bars in Falmouth (Beerwolf Books Freehouse is my favourite), and be sure to stop by the Jamaica Inn (made famous by the novel of Daphne du Maurier with the same name) to learn about the history of bootlegging in Cornwall. 

41 , London  Gainsborough Hotel & Spa , Bath Newquay Beach Hotel , Newquay The Gannet Inn , St Ives Greenbank Hotel , Falmouth The George Hotel , Stonehenge

Any UK road trip planner will tell you that the NC500 is easily among the most scenic drives in Great Britain. It also makes the perfect 1-week road trip in the UK. Located along the enchanting Northern Coast of Scotland , the craggy coastal shores and pristine highlands are home to idyllic lochs, charming towns, and ancient castles. Then there’s the whiskey and seafood (drool).

Edinburgh >> Inverness >> Thurso >> Lochinver >> Gairloch

Distance: 697 miles

When you make your way from Edinburgh to Inverness, you’ll want to schedule a lunch break on your UK road trip itinerary. 

The Old Mill Inn, located in Pitlochry, is a charmingly authentic Scottish experience when heading to NC500. Once you’re on the NC500 (I’m jealous), you’ll likely stop a lot for photos. Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt, Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve, and Cape Wrath are 3 of the most photogenic locations along the way. Clynelish Distillery, Captain’s Galley Restaurant (for incredible seafood), and Coach House Bar & Restaurant are three classic stops for food and drink along the way.

ibis Styles Edinburgh St Andrew Square , Edinburgh Bunchrew House , Inverness Forss House , Thurso The Albannach , Lochinver Shieldaig Lodge Hotel , Gairloch

Ever dream up a UK road trip exploring postcard scenery and sleepy villages in the countryside? Head to Cotswolds. 

Your UK road trip itinerary includes a laid-back drive through gently rolling green hills and honeycomb stone houses in picture-perfect villages that look like a setting out of a Tolkien novel. But there is a lot to keep you busy along the way, including castles, museums, abbeys, and plenty of great food and drink in between.

Lacock Abbey >> Westonbirt National Arboretum >> Bibury >> Sudeley Castle >> Moreton-in-Marsh 

Distance: 73 miles (118 km) Length of Stay: 2 days

For a quick introduction to why I’m in love with the architecture and vibe in Cotswolds, visit the serene gardens around the honey-gold stone cottage at Hidcote Manor or the Tuesday Market when in Moreton-in-Marsh. Visit the gothic hall at Lacock Abbey, trademark limestone cottages in Arlington Row, Bibury, and walk among the 18,000 (really) trees at Westonbirt National Arboretum.

Hungry? On your way up, stop by to walk the immaculate gardens (and try the tasty scones) at Sudeley Castle.

The Swan Hotel , Bibury The Manor House Hotel , Moreton-in-Marsh

Atlantic Highway

If you want to experience one of the best UK road trips, cruising the 70-mile stretch of remote roads between Devon and Cornwall (the Atlantic Highway) is no longer a well-kept secret. You’ll see many of the lesser-visited coastline and inland areas in the UK, eat absolutely delicious food, and stay in some boutique gems along the way. I love adding this to your London to Cornwall road trip, as it only adds an hour (not including stops). It’s a beautiful route, but be aware that it has a reputation as one of the most dangerous roads in the UK.

Barnstaple >> Hartland Devon Heritage Coast >> Tintagel Castle >> Boscastle >> Padstow >> Newquay

Distance: 3 days Length of Trip: 99 miles (159 km)

This is one of the most magical road trips the UK offers visitors in more ways than one. The remote beaches along Hartland Devon Heritage Coast offer surprises like Hartland Quay Beach and Northcott Mouth. Further south, you’ll find the intrigue and mystery of Tintagel Castle and Merlin’s Cave before reaching Boscastle and the mysticism of The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic .

Ready to try some local cuisine? Stop along the way to Newquay in Padstow for some of the finest seafood you’ll find on any UK road trip at Rick Stein’s Cafe.  

The Imperial Hotel , Barnstaple Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa – Adults Only , Newquay

Kent’s Castles

Keen to see some of the idyllic castles in the UK, Kent is home to a couple of the best. The picturesque Leeds Castle with its gardens, mazes, and moat, and Dover Castle along the stunning English Channel never cease to impress. Make it one of the best road trips in the UK and plan a slow drive with overnight stays in Leeds Castle and at a boutique hotel near Dover Castle.

London >> Leeds Castle >> Maidstone >> Canterbury >> Dover Castle Distance: 97 miles (156 km) Length of Time: 3 days

One of my favourite UK road trip ideas is heading from London to Kent to check out castles and medieval ruins. First stop? Leeds Castle, the nearly 1,000-year-old landmark (reconstructed under Henry VIII), where you can tour the property grounds and even sleep at a hotel on site.

Canterbury is home to the impressive West Gate (which isn’t a castle per se), but the towering structure is one of the most remarkable mediaeval landmarks in Kent and all of the UK.

Then head to Dover Castle, one of the most massive fortresses in the UK and the “Key to England.”

Kensington Hotel , London Leeds Castle Stable Courtyard Bed and Breakfast , Maidstone Hubert House , Dover Castle

Jurassic Coast

Keen to learn about history (very ancient history) on your trip to the UK? Add fossil hunting along the Jurassic Coast to your UK road trip itinerary. Between the sandy beaches of Exmouth and Old Harry Rocks in Dorset, you can walk across some of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK and uncover some prehistoric artefacts in the process.

Route Summary

Corfe Castle >> Lulworth Cove >> Man O’War Beach and Durdle Door >> Lyme Regis >> Exmouth

Distance: 91 miles (148 km)

Length of Trip: 3-4 days

Where to Stay

Mortons Manor , Corfe Castle Limestone Hotel , Lulworth Cove The Dolphin Hotel Exmouth , Exmouth

Start at the legendary Corfe Castle for a peek at an ancient motte-and-bailey castle.

Once you reach the coast, head to Man O’War Beach and hike down to enjoy the picture-perfect cove and comb the beach for fossils. From Man O’War beach, you can continue west to see more of the Jurassic Coast highlights starting at Durdle Door, then going to Lyme Regis for more fossil hunting on the beach. 

Yorkshire Dales

A UK road trip from Edinburgh to the Yorkshire Dales is a long drive but well worth the effort. On your drive down, you’ll pass through some of the most idyllic countryside, historical landmarks, and picturesque villages. 

Edinburgh >> Ingleton Waterfalls Trail >> Malham >> Leeds >> Edinburgh

Distance: 435 miles (700 km)

Start in Edinburgh and hike up to Arthur’s Seat for a view of the city before exploring important cultural and historical landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Mile, and The Scotch Whiskey Experience.

Then make your way to the Yorkshire Dales, where you can hike along trails featuring waterfalls, limestone cliffs, ancient forests, and endless green hills over the course of several days. Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, and Ingleton Waterfalls Trail are a few favourites. Stay in Leeds for an evening to visit Kirkstall Abbey and enjoy some nightlife at bars and restaurants in the charming village of Chapel Allerton before bedding down for the evening in Leeds.

Motel One Edinburgh-Royal , Edinburgh Green Grove Country House , Malham Leeds Marriott Hotel , Leeds

Practical Tips for Planning Your UK Road Trip 

Best time to do a british road trip .

Weather can be unpredictable in the UK (rain, again?), and dreary stretches often follow some surprisingly warm days in the spring or autumn. That said, summer is a pretty safe bet for road trips in the UK, with temperatures often around 25℃, give or take. Want the most sure-fire bet for a perfect UK road trip? My favourite months are September and October when the leaves change to brilliant shades of amber and gold. Add warm days and cool nights, and you have the perfect UK road trip weather all around.

Where to Rent a Car

I recommend round-trip road trips in the UK (if you can) so you can save money by choosing the same starting and ending point.

You can find plenty of great options for hiring a car in the UK on Rentalcars.com , but here are a few of the most popular agencies:

Ensure Full Coverage on Any Rental Car

At a minimum, you’ll need to have Third Party Cover on your vehicle. I suggest adding full coverage on any rental car when visiting the UK. Contact your credit card company if you have coverage, and if not, you can always add it to your vehicle at the pick-up.

Parking Apps

You can save time and money on parking tickets if you download a parking app for your UK road trips. 

I recommend JustPark or RingGo , as they’re two of the most commonly used around Great Britain.

Laws and Guidelines for Driving in the UK

One thing to remember when driving in the UK is that speed limits and distance are in imperial units. If you’re visiting from anywhere else in the EU, you’ll want to keep this in mind when tracking how fast you’re driving or how far it’ll be until your next point of interest. Another difference you’ll notice right away is that all cars must drive on the left side of the road. Adjusting to the opposite side might seem stressful, but most drivers adapt to it rather quickly.

UK Road Trip Destinations: Map 

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Need More UK Road Trip Inspiration?

• Brilliant Places to Visit in England
• Where to Visit in Scotland
• Explore the Top Spots in Northern Ireland
• A Fabulous Road Trip through Cornwall

I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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The 3 greatest road trips in Britain: hop in you car or jump on your bike

Feb 9, 2022 • 7 min read

Get a taste of Britain's landscapes and culture on these three great road trips © Joe Dunckley / Shutterstock

Take  a road trip through the three nations of Britain .  England , Scotland , and Wales  each have great driving routes to follow, providing a snapshot of that country’s history, culture and landscape. 

Travel by car or bike, as fast or slow as you like. You can follow a rigid itinerary, but it’s more fun to use each route as inspiration, branching off to reach other nearby locations as the fancy takes you. Here are three of the greatest road trip routes in Britain.

Drive the Great West Way from London to Bristol

From London , a route has aimed westwards for millennia. Early humans traveled across the open chalk-lands and left their mark in the great monuments like Stonehenge . Later, the Romans constructed a military highway between Londinium (London) and Aqua Sulis (now the city of Bath ). Later again, the road from London to the port of Bristol , gateway to the New World, became the world’s first stage coach route. 

Today, you can follow the Great West Way in the footsteps of these early travelers and still enjoy epic landscapes, old inns, and the palpable sense of history. 

The modern road from London to Bristol traditionally starts at Hyde Park Corner , then saunters through the upmarket shopping area of Knightsbridge, past famous stores such as Harrods. For more cerebral attractions there’s the Victoria & Albert Museum , a treasure trove of art and craft. 

The Great West Way continues through London’s western suburbs, passing the outstanding botanical collection in the Unesco-listed Kew Gardens , where you can see giant redwoods, follow a treetop walkway, and tour a steamy glass-paned Victorian hot house. Further west still, travelers with a taste for adrenaline can divert south to Thorpe Park and sample some of Britain’s highest, fastest, and scariest roller-coaster rides. 

Peace is restored beyond the large town of Reading, as the route breaks free of suburbia and enters a more bucolic landscape of gentle rolling hills. Along the way, look out for historic milestones marking the distance from London. If you need refreshment, stop at one of the many old coaching inns set up in the 18th century to cater for stage coach traffic. If shopping’s your thing, browse till you drop in the beautiful old towns of Hungerford and Marlborough. 

Next, the Great West Way plunges into Neolithic history. Just to the north is Avebury Stone Circle , the largest stone circle in the world. Get up close and personal to the ancient standing stones, which date from 2500 to 2200 BCE, before stopping at one of the cafes or pubs in the village of Avebury. To the south is West Kennet Long Barrow , a burial chamber as old as the Pyramids of Egypt. Its low-key setting is part of the attraction: no entry fee, no souvenir sellers, just you and 5000 years of history. 

Onwards, over Cherhill, where the hillside is topped by a giant monument and an even larger white horse cut into the chalk hilltop. In Chippenham, music fans can pay their respects at the Eddie Cochran memorial, and movie fans can divert north to the delightful village of Castle Combe, frequently used as a film set, from the original Dr Doolittle  (1967) to Spielberg’s War Horse  (2011). 

Then comes Bath , famed for its hot springs and Roman bathhouse that gives the city its name. Its grand mansions of the early 19th century show how the city was reinvented as a playground for aristocrats, an era most famously captured by Jane Austen . Tour filming locations for the TV series  Bridgerton , soak in a rooftop pool at the delightful  Thermae Bath Spa , or enjoy one of the city's many fantastic places to eat.

And finally, the route ends in  Bristol , a port where fortune was built on trade with the Americas, importing sugar and enslaved people – in 2020, the city made headlines when Black Lives Matter activists tore down a statue of slave trader Edward Colson. Today, the city is a cultural and artistic hotbed , perhaps most famous as home of street artist Banksy. The waterfront has been transformed, lined with galleries, museums, shops, and cafes – the perfect spot to end your journey.

Follow the Snowdonia 360 in north Wales  

As the name implies, the Snowdonia 360 is a 360-mile (580km) circuit around Snowdonia , the mountainous region in north Wales. Because it’s a circuit, you can of course begin anywhere, but the town of Conwy – with its imposing castle and city walls – can be easily reached from other parts of Britain, so makes an ideal start-point. 

Travel west along the coast to Bangor, and admire the historic bridge across to the island of Anglesey , where you might like to visit Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch , an otherwise unremarkable village with the longest place-name in Britain. For more superlatives, a diversion inland takes you to Zip World , boasting the longest and fastest zip-wire in Europe. 

Next stop is Llanberis, from where you can hike up Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales, or hop on the delightfully eccentric steam-driven Mountain Railway built in the Victorian days and still going strong. For history of a different sort head to  Caernarfon Castle , where the mammoth battlements date from the 13th century and still dominate the town today. 

The Llŷn Peninsula offers great beaches such as Pwllheli, while from Portmadog another steam train ride will carry you up into the surrounding mountains. For a very different view, you can go under the mountain and explore vast slate caverns near Betws-y-Coed with activity specialist Go Below.  

If time allows, a southern loop takes you to Machynlleth, billed as the “ancient capital of Wales”. Today it has a relaxed and artsy ambience thanks partly to the trailblazing  Centre for Alternative Technology , an education center full of interactive displays that demonstrate ways to be sustainable.

On the final stretch back to Conwy, visit Surf Snowdonia , an inland lagoon with guaranteed waves, where perfecting your carve may be the perfect end your tour on the Snowdonia 360.

Admire the scenery on a drive of Scotland's North Coast 500  

The North Coast 500 , an epic loop around the northwest Highlands of Scotland, should take you several days at least – firstly because it’s around 500 miles (800km); secondly because some of the roads are narrow and meandering; and thirdly because it leads through some of Britain’s most impressive scenery. This is a truly elemental landscape where earth and water meet, with narrow sea-lochs cutting deep inland and sheer mountainsides plummeting to the coast. 

The best start-point is the Highland hub of Inverness , from where the route leads westwards to reach remote Applecross via the notoriously steep road of Bealach-na-Bà. Then it’s true north, past the rugged glen of Torridon and the famous gardens of Inverewe , unexpectedly lush with tropical plants thanks to the benevolent Gulf Stream. 

Beyond the small but busy port of Ullapool , where ferries chug across to Stornaway, the route enters a vast and empty wilderness, with settlements few and far between – a legacy of the brutal 18th-century "Clearances" – to finally reach Durness overlooking the Atlantic where the next major landmass is Iceland. 

The roller-coaster run along the north coast leads to tiny settlement of John O’Groats, famous for being the final point of the across-Britain challenge from Land’s End in Cornwall frequently attempted by walkers and cyclists. Stop to admire the view here and you may also see an exhausted record-breaker stagger to the finish line. 

The final stage of the route leads southwards, along the east coast, less mountainous and with less rain than its western counterpart, via the gritty outpost of Wick and the quaint town of Dornoch, famous as the site of two historical events: the last witch to be executed in Scotland (1722); and Madonna’s wedding to Guy Ritchie (2000). 

Get into the groove for the final few miles of the North Coast 500 alongside the Cromarty Firth, to end your journey back in Inverness, perhaps enjoying a glass or two of local Scotch whisky to celebrate.

You might also like: Lonely Planet reveals the 10 best travel experiences in the UK    These epic UK hikes deserve a place on your adventure bucket list    The 5 most phenomenal road trips in Wales

David Else traveled to Wales by invitation of Caernarfon Castle, Zip World, and Go Below in 2019.

This article was first published August 2020 and updated February 2022

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17 Tips To Plan The Ultimate UK Road Trip

The United Kingdom is a road tripping paradise – windy roads, scenic vistas, rolling hills, majestic mountains, meandering rivers, quaint towns, castles and history galore. 

Every great travel adventure starts with an equally great plan. So, I’ve put together my best British driving and planning tips to help kick off your own epic UK road trip. 

Let’s jump in!

1) Start from the end

When hiring a car, it’s much cheaper returning the car to the starting point, rather than paying for an exorbitant one-way fee. Pick out a few key non-negotiable locations you want to see along the way (you’ll find ideas at the end of this article) and plan the high-level route first, then fill in the detail from there. Avoid the temptation to cram in too much detail (yes, I’m often guilty of that!).

2) Choose your car rental wisely

If you’re starting in the south (and don’t live in the UK already), chances are you’ll be flying (or train-ing) into London . Check out the cheapest London car hire options, or save time and go with SIXT car hire . If you’re starting in the north, then look through Edinburgh car hire options. Once you’ve settled on a rental provider, ensure you’re adequately covered. It is mandatory to have at least 3 rd party insurance, which most rental car providers will include. However, check the fine print of your credit card or travel insurance terms to find out if “full cover” (also known as collision damage waiver - CDW) is automatically included. No point paying for the same thing twice!

Typically, you can use your driver’s license from your home country, but check the official list .

3) Don’t pay for a GPS

Pffft! Rental GPSs are sooooo 1999! Download offline maps using Google Maps. Or even better, travel with a Wi-Fi hotspot . Many roads in the UK were designed before automobiles, so there’s no shortage of 1-way streets and unexpected sharp turns. If you find yourself taking the wrong turn accidently you’ll be glad you’ve got Google Maps to re-route.

Tip: Bring your own car power adapter & USB cable so your smartphone never goes flat.

4) Make your drive cheaper by selling space

If your trying to stretch your road trip budget as far as it can go, make a little extra cash by driving other passengers using BlaBlaCar - a smart, safe carpooling platform. Once you’ve registered, let the platform know of your route and add as many “stopovers” as possible (cities that you’ll be driving through) for a better chance of picking up a paying passenger along the way. That’s guaranteed to make your road trip conversations more interesting!

5) Be flexible & book accommodation on the way

There’s oodles of small hotels and cute B&Bs in the United Kingdom. I recommend checking the latest accommodation prices on Kayak.com.au . It saves you time by comparing prices with several big agents, including Booking.com and Expedia. If you keep your hotel bookings flexible, and only book a day or two in advance (or even on the day), then you can go with the flow and see where the road takes you. Preparation is simple – just download the free Kayak mobile app before departing.

Travel tip: if you're flying into London but don't need to take all your luggage with you, I recommend this  London luggage storage  service. Less luggage means you can fit into a smaller (and cheaper) rental car for your road trip.

6) Stick to the speed limits

This is one thing you can’t be flexible about. Don’t just follow everyone else because the Brits have a reputation for speeding. Speed limits are indicated with black numerals on circular white signs with a red border. The “National Speed Limit” is indicated by a plain white circular sign with a black diagonal stripe (no numbers) which is 60 miles/h (~97km/h) on single-carriageway roads and 70 miles/h (~112km/h) on dual-carriageways and motorways. Built up areas are usually 30 miles/h(~48km/h) and school areas typically drop down to 20 miles/hr. It’s no fun adding the cost of a speeding fine to your road trip. Trust me!

7) Beware of local driving laws

If you’re from the United States or Canada, some of the local road laws may seem a bit foreign. There’s no “right on red”. And of course, they drive on the left side of the road (not a problem for us Aussies!). If you’re going through a roundabout (also called a “traffic circle”) don’t change lanes mid-way through and give way to traffic on the right (already on the roundabout). 

8) Roads are narrow!

On UK roads it's often necessary to stray into the opposing lane to get around obstacles such as parked cars, vans unloading, or roadworks. Drive with caution and use courtesy. In rural and more remote areas, including Scotland, it’s common to find “single track roads” – just 1 lane that allows traffic in 2 directions. Fortunately, there are “passing places” (that’s their real name!) that you can pull off on the side of the road to let opposing traffic pass or an impatient overtaking driver from behind. If you get stuck, stay calm and patient. Just use a bit of common sense, and if in doubt, vehicles travelling uphill have right of way.

9) Park in the right places

While parking areas on streets are usually clearly marked with white lines, there’s marked areas that you should also avoid. A single yellow continuous line along a kerb means there are parking restrictions at certain times of the day. A double yellow continuous line means no parking any time. These are typically strictly enforced. No lines at all doesn’t necessarily mean that parking is acceptable either, so pay attention to what other local drivers are doing.

10) Avoid toll roads

There aren’t too many toll roads and bridges in the UK, but every penny saved is a penny earned. So, use your favourite maps app to try to avoid unnecessary paid roads.

11) Avoid driving around central London

This is especially true within the inner-city area called the “ Congestion Charging Zone ”. If you zip through here, even for a few minutes, you will get slugged with a hefty extra fee that is charged automatically to your car rental provider (and passed onto you). Cameras are used to track the number plate of every vehicle that enters and leaves. On top of that finding parking in central London ain’t easy (or cheap!). I found out about this the hard way, when the rental car provider notified me when I returned my vehicle. It would have been handy to know about it before !

12) Metric & imperial living side-by-side in harmony

File this under “strange but true”. The road speed limits and distances on signage in the UK are indicated in miles (imperial) but fuel purchasing is measured in litres (metric). No point fighting it, just go with the flow. 

13) Take a ferry

Yes, you can drive your car onto some ferries. This is the best way to extend your UK road trip into Ireland. Check that your car rental agreement allows travel outside the UK – some, like Enterprise, may charge extra for the privilege.

14) Consider mixing a train with your car

The train network in the UK is world class, and especially for long distances. In some cases it can be more convenient than driving, especially if left-side driving freaks you out a little. So, consider mixing train travel with a car on your UK road trip. You could use a car to zip around a small region/city, then return the car and catch a train elsewhere in the UK. This is a good idea if you’re not planning on returning to the starting point of your road trip. 

15) Save money on historic sites

A lot of historical sites in the UK are free or have a relatively small entry fee. However, on a road trip you’re likely to be stopping at quite a few of these places. If you purchase a special ticket in advance from specific organisations, you can access multiple sites for a deeply discounted rate. Check out prices from National Trust (specifically, their Touring Pass ), and the Scottish Heritage Pass .

16) Road trip weather

Keep an eye on the daily weather forecast. As you can imagine, it can change very quickly in the UK. The ideal time for a road trip in the UK is late June to early September . There’s a good chance you’ll hit rain at some point, so don’t stress, and just pack your poncho. 

17) A little location inspiration

If you don’t know where to start your UK road trip planning, here’s a few locations (with map links) to get the creative juices flowing: 

Stonehenge – iconic prehistoric monument in the southwest of England. 

Bath – known for its natural hot springs that were popular back in Ancient Roman times. 

Salisbury – old medieval town home to the magna carta. 

Oxford – home to the world-famous university and plenty of historic sites.

Stratford-upon-Avon – birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Liverpool – industrial city that was the birthplace of The Beatles. 

Edinburgh – Scotland’s capital and home to Scotland’s crown jewels. 

Glasgow – Scotland’s cultural hub (tip: Save up to 40% on Glasgow car hire ). 

Cardiff – Wales’ capital with a beautiful redeveloped waterfront. 

If you want a smaller road trip, check out my Wales road trip . 

I hope this has helped to inspire you for a road trip around the UK. 

Happy travels!

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Unmissable UK Road Trips & Scenic drives

Planning a UK road trip? Wondering where you can go on a scenic drive around Great Britain and want some ideas and itineraries for places to visit in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland? No worries- we’ve got you covered. Here are 12 of the best UK road trips and scenic drives- and how to make the most of them!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE road trip planner below to help you stay organised.

*We work hard to make this the best motorhome travel blog and road trip website possible, full of helpful content for you. The website is supported by our readers, so if you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission- at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain our own .

If you find this post useful, you can also treat us to a coffee – we promise to enjoy it while creating more useful content like this- we might even indulge in a biscuit (or two!)

JUMP AHEAD TO...

UK ROAD TRIPS- getting started

Whether you’re visiting the UK from elsewhere or planning a staycation during these uncertain times, I can assure you that there is LOADS to see and do on a self-drive tour of Great Britain.

If you’re going for a weekend, a week or even a longer trip of 2 or 3 weeks, there will be plenty for you to enjoy.

We’ve been exploring the UK for years, both on motorhome holidays and before and we have lots of tips to share.

In this post, we’re highlighting 12 of our favourite UK road trips of all times. If you’d like more help actually planning the trip, you might find these useful:

• How to plan an unforgettable UK road trip (step-by-step with map)
• The best FREE printable road trip planner
• How to tour the UK and Europe by motorhome
• Hiring a motorhome or campervan – essential things to know
• Some of the best motorhome sites in Wales (including near the beach!)

BEST UK ROAD TRIPS- 5 English scenic drives

We love roadtripping in England and have enjoyed many parts of the country, but it can take longer to drive around England than you might think.

It’s been tough to choose, but here are a few of our favourites (to see more unmissable England road trip ideas , click here)

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Cotswolds road Trip

One of the prettiest UK road trip ideas for England has to be the Cotswolds.

This entire area is full of picturesque villages, pretty roads and incredible views over the rolling English countryside- as long as it’s a clear day! 

Cotswolds road trip itinerary

I’d recommend starting in Salisbury, a beautiful cathedral city with plenty to do and see. There are great  shops and plenty of bars and cafes to get you started.

Whilst there, you have to head out to Stonehenge and see the world-famous stone circle. You can see it quite well from the road, but there are often long queues as everyone slow down to take photos. We once spent an incredible night wild camping next to Stonehenge with our motorhome – the sunrise was one of the best we’ve ever seen!

From Salisbury, head into the Cotswolds ‘proper’. Some of the best places to visit in the Cotswolds include Bourton-on-the-Water and Castle Combe- both have been called the prettiest villages in England. You can drive around as many villages in the Cotswolds as you have time for and there are plenty of places to stay in the area if you want to explore for a few days.

Alternatively, head to Bath for an overnight stay (unless you’re in a motorhome and can use Britstops or a campsite. Bath is another beautiful city, built from yellow stone which looks spectacular in the evening light. I highly recommend staying a night (or two) and enjoying afternoon tea at the Pump rooms (an English tradition), as well as exploring the city on foot. 

Devon Road Trip

Famed for its scenery and cream teas, Devon is one of the most popular UK road trip destinations, especially for families. It’s not too far from London or the rest of the UK and there’s plenty to see and do.

Devon road trip ideas for one-week

There are so many options for road trips in Devon that it’s hard to choose where to start. For me, my heart lies in the south as I spent a lot of my early adulthood there.

Picturesque towns like Salcombe and Dartmouth, Exmouth, Woolacombe and Ilfracombe all have a wonderful quiet charm. If you truly want to get away, park up and enjoy some of the best hikes in the UK up on the notorious Dartmoor.

For more life, head to Exeter or Plymouth- these cities have a huge range of activities and things to do. One of our favourites is the Dartmoor Zoo (home of the REAL ‘we bought a zoo’ story)

If you are enjoying your UK road trip in a motorhome or camper, be careful where you stay overnight- motorhome wild camping is not easy in many places around here. But there are plenty of campsites and other places you can use.

Highlights and some of the best places to visit in Devon

• Dartmouth- one of the best towns in the county
• The incredible beaches at Westward Ho! or Saunton Sands
• Paignton- the beach with the red sand
• Salcombe Harbour

TOP TIP: If you have time, extend your holiday to include a Hampshire & Dorset road trip too- there are some amazing places to see on the South coast of England.

Cornwall road trip

If you’re looking for a UK road trip ideas, head to Cornwall.

This beautiful county is one of the best destinations in the UK— the weather is often better than elsewhere in the UK, the beaches in Cornwall are spectacular and the local food includes mouth-watering pasties, cream teas and ice cream (now is NOT the time to be on a diet!)

There is so much to do, you’ll never see it all in a weekend or even a week, but there are some highlights you should definitely visit.

Highlights of a Cornwall road trip

• Tintagel Castle and Merlin’s Cave – home of King Arthur!
• Land’s End
• Boscastle- the village of the witches!
• Minack Theatre
• St Michael’s Mount
• Newquay for surfing and general coolness
• St Nectan’s glen- one of the best and most beautiful waterfalls in Europe

For a full list of the best places to visit on a Cornwall road trip, visit our Cornwall Road Trip Itinerary & Guide

Yorkshire Road Trip

Yorkshire is England’s largest county and the perfect place for the road trip. There are many attractions quite close together, so you can explore a lot in a short period of time. You could ‘cover’ Yorkshire in a couple of days but to truly appreciate all it has to offer we recommend at least one full week.

Highlights of a Yorkshire one-week UK road trip

• England’s highest single-drop waterfall- Hardraw Force
• The longest show cave in England- White scar
• Ribblehead Viaduct
• Stand on Hogsmeade station (or at least the station which played it in Harry Potter!)
• Numerous castles and ruins to visit

Yorkshire Road Trip Itinerary ideas

Start your road trip in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Visit the 11th century Skipton Castle or descend underground to see the formations in White Scar Caves, the longest show cave in England.

Choose between the waterfalls of Ingleton, Aysgarth Falls or Hardraw Force- England’s highest single-drop waterfall. Before leaving the Dales, visit the impressive monastic ruins and landscaped gardens of Fountains Abbey.

Be sure to visit York. This pretty city is an ideal location for history buffs. You can visit Viking, Roman, Georgian and Victorian sites all in one day! Be sure to stroll along the cobbled Shambles, which has been voted the ‘ Best Street in Britain.’

Head onto the moors to end your Yorkshire road trip. Stop at Goathland train station which doubled as Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter movies. Alternatively, stretch your legs with a hike at the Hole of Horcum, a huge ancient natural amphitheatre.

Lake District Road Trip

The Lake District National Park is a perfect UK road trip idea. A UNESCO site, it’s beautifully maintained and the scenery is incredible.

Many people hurry past on their UK road trip itineraries from England to Scotland, but it’s well worth making the time to stop if you can.

Best scenic drive destinations in the Lake District

The Lake District has some of the worlds best scenic drives and a trip along the Honister Pass and Kirkstone Pass are a must, as are the pretty towns of Keswick and Cockermouth.

The Castlerigg stone circle is also worth a stop and the views across Derwent Water are spectacular.

In the South Lakes, Grasmere is delightful. This is the region of William Wordsworth (famous poet) and there’s plenty to see here to remember him. Be sure to also enjoy Sarah Nelson’s delightful gingerbread and visit one of the many tearooms.

If you love Beatrix Potter, you can learn more about her at her home in Hawkshead and also at Wray Castle, where she enjoyed her holidays. There is also Beatrix Potter World in Bowness- on- Windermere. 

If you’re not exploring in a motorhome or campervan , there are plenty of places to stay, from rustic B & Bs to breathtaking hotels. There are also loads of outdoor activites to enjoy, whatever the weather.

READ MORE: Discover more itinerary ideas for our favourite England road trips

NC 500- one of the most famous UK road trips

The NC500 has been voted one of the UK’s most scenic drives, with spectacular scenery, incredible beaches and unmissable views across the Highlands.

The route is just over 500 miles long, will take around 3 or 4 days and takes in parts of the Highlands in the north-west of Scotland. Some of the roads are very narrow, but there are plenty of passing places, even if you’re motorhoming or campervanning in Scotland.

You can start the route wherever you want, go clockwise or anticlockwise and do all or just part of it. We chose to do half of it before heading off to explore other things to do in Perthshire and the surrounding areas.

Along the NC500, you will encounter beautiful white sand beaches with incredibly clear water, incredible mountain views, the Smoo Cave, one of the largest in Scotland and the Kylesku bridge.

There are plenty of lovely hotels and B & Bs along the route, many of which provide views across the sea or the Scottish highlands. Traditionally, the route begins in Inverness, although you can join and leave it anywhere. We include part of it in our  complete Scotland road trip Itinerary , which is a great option for those who want to see as much of Scotland as possible in a limited time.

Planning a trip to Scotland?

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• 80+ ideas for places to visit
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• Tips, customs and much much more!

Highlights of the NC 500 include:

• Inverness- the most northerly city in the UK
• Bealach Na Ba- the UK’s steepest road. Do NOT attempt this with a motorhome (or if you’re a nervous driver!)
• Clachtoll Beach 
• Kylesku Bridge
• John o’Groats 

READ MORE about driving the NC500

Isle of Skye road trip

The  Isle of Skye  is one of the most famous islands on the west coast of Scotland and attracts a lot of visitors each year.

Highlights of an Isle of Skye road trip include:

• Fairy Pools
• Talisker Distillery
• Old Man of Storr hike
• Dunvegan Castle
• Neist Point

It’s possible to add Skye onto the NC500 and visit for the day, but it’s well worth spending 3 days in a road trip here to really see some of the incredible sights.

READ MORE: Our full 3-day Isle of Skye itinerary and tips for visiting

SWC300 – hidden UK road trip gem

The south of Scotland is an excellent destination for a UK road trip or staycation as it’s far off the ‘popular’ tourist track.

The South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) is a scenic drive around the south-west of Scotland. It passes through parts of Ayrshire, runs along the coast of Dumfries and Galloway and crosses into the Moffat and Galloway Hills. 

SWC300 road trip itinerary ideas

It can take 4-5 days to see everything, but the best part is the drive around the Mull of Galloway peninsula, so focus your time here.

Start by exploring the southernmost point of Scotland and visit the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse – from the top, you can see the coast of Northern Ireland, the Lake District and the Isle of Man.

The picturesque harbour of Portpatrick offers plenty of places to enjoy dinner. Other highlights on the SWC300 include Culzean Castle on the coast and the Dark Sky Park in the Galloway Hills.

Brecon Beacons – Perfect UK Road Trip idea

The Brecon Beacons is one of three national parks in Wales and is full of scenic drives perfect for road trippers looking for an adventure. It’s one of the most under-rated road trip destinations in the UK.

The Gospel Pass- one of the most scenic drives in the UK

The highest driving road in Wales is called the Gospel Pass- snaking over the Black Mountains from Abergavenny to Hay-on-wye on the east of the Beacons.

From Abergavenny, turn off the A465 at Llanvihangel Crucorney and follow signs for the ruins of Llanthony Priory. From Hay-on-Wye, the Gospel pass is sign-posted.

CAUTION- The Pass is 22 miles of often single track, very steep (1/4) and is rarely cleared in winter. Motorhomes might find it tough and snow chains are essential in winter. 

Driving the Top Gear Road

You can also drive to the west of the Brecon Beacons (the A4069,) This is the road made famous by Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear (no, this is NOT the same road as the Gospel Pass!) The road runs from Brynamman to Llangadog.

Gower Peninsula – Wales

The Gower peninsula is a perfect stop on UK Road Trip. It’s a small peninsula on the southern Welsh coast, just west of Swansea.

Highlights of a Gower road trip include:

• Worm’s Head.
• Gower beaches- including Caswell and Landland, where you can find everything you need for a day on the beach: ice cream, parking and shops.
• Also, don’t forget to go on a proper coastal hike.  The easiest of them all is actually the hike between the two aforementioned beaches. 
• The Mumbles is where we spent our very first night ‘ wild camping off-grid’ in our motorhome . DEFINITELY worth a visit.

Pembrokeshire Road Trip

The Pembrokeshire Coast is in the far south-west of Wales. The road follows the coast with numerous little beaches, beautiful castles and small towns.  The further west the smaller the roads become and more rugged the landscape.

Highlights of Pembrokeshire road trip include:

• Caldey Island
• Pembroke and Pembroke Castle
• Manobier Castle
• Skomer Island (puffins!)
• St David’s- the smallest city in the UK

Pembrokeshire road trip itinerary ideas

Tenby is a small seaside town and has beautiful beaches. If you have time, a visit to Caldey Island is highly recommended.

A short distance from Tenby is Pembroke.  This is one of the larger towns and you can’t miss Pembroke Castle. Even more impressive is the nearby Manobier Castle that looks over a small bay perfect for surfing.

If seeing puffins is on your bucket list then visit Skomer Island. This small island is home to thousands of puffins and it’s practically guaranteed to see them in summer. 

The final destination to visit in Pembrokeshire is St David’s.  This is the smallest city in the UK and has a beautiful cathedral and small winding streets- as well as one of the best pasty shops we’ve ever found!

Snowdonia – one of the UK’s best road trips

If you’re looking for a weekend UK road trip idea, head to one of the prettiest National Parks in the UK- Snowdonia in Wales. Snowdonia is actually part of two of the Wales Way driving routes – North and Cambrian and it’s easy to see why.

Snowdonia is amazingly well connected to most places in the UK- the drive from Manchester takes around 2 hours (80 miles)

Pretty much everything in Snowdonia involves being outdoors, so make sure you bring appropriate clothing for the time of year. You should always expect rain in Wales, even in mid-summer, but it can also be surprisingly warm. There are plenty of great roads with spectacular scenery and the stars at night are unreal. If you don’t have a motorhome or campervan, there are plenty of hotels or glamping spots in North Wales to enjoy.

Be sure to add the Swallow Falls to your itinerary – it’s one of the prettiest waterfalls in the UK and well worth the easy hike and the small fee to visit.

Want more tips for planning the ultimate UK road trip , including a map and how to make the most of your time? Here you go!

Northern Ireland Scenic Road Trip idea

The Causeway Coastal Route is in the north of Northern Ireland. Highlights include:

• Giants Causeway
• Carrick-a-rede rope bridge
• Dunluce Castle
• Dark Hedges (you can actually drive down this road)

READ NEXT: More Ireland road trip ideas and tips to make the most of your trip

Northern Ireland road trip itinerary idea

Head early to the famous Giants causeway to get there at opening time. It’s about a 90 minute drive from Belfast.

The nearby Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bride connects the mainland to the tiny Carrickarede island and crossing on foot is an exhilarating experience. Expect to queue for a while to get across, but it’s worth the wait.

Another unique stop on the route is the clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle which hang precariously above the sea below.

Don’t miss the Dark Hedges. This road of arching 18th Century beech trees features in the HBO Series  Game of Thrones  and is one of the most beautiful roads in Ireland.  It can be easy to drive right past it as it was surprisingly badly signposted when we visited- and expect crowds. LOTS of crowds. You can also drive down it- if you’re motorhoming in Ireland be VERY nervous about this- I’m not even sure you’ll make it in a campervan!

How long does it take to drive the Causeway coastal route?

You can comfortably drive the whole route in one weekend as it’s quite a short route- only 200 miles.

Planning a UK ROAD TRIP? Tips to help

If you’re planning a UK road trip, there are a few things to know which will make your life easier.

• It rains. A lot. Whenever you’re coming, bring a coat.
• The best weather is usually May-October. In 2018 it was blissful from April all through the summer. In 2019 I was still wearing my winter coat during May.
• School holidays are around Easter, during end of July and throughout August and a week in mid-October. Try to avoid planning your UK road trip during these if you can.
• We drive in ‘miles’ (imperial), but we buy fuel in litres (metric).
• Currency is in GBP- not Euros.
• Carry small coins (anything from 10p to £1) Many car parks require change to pay.

How else can we help you today?

• Help me plan a motorhome trip
• Show me the best road trips in Europe
• Give me the best road trip driving songs playlist

See all our road trip tips and advice

Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.

Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.

If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.

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10 Essential Road Trips in the UK and Ireland

By Sarah James

There are iconic road trip routes all around the world, from Route 66 to the Australian Outback . But the UK offers some of the most picturesque, otherworldly drives anywhere in the world. In Scotland , hardy travelers take on the wind-battered Highlands to be rewarded with some of the country’s most incredible scenery, while a jaunt along the coastal roads of the West Country allows for stops in salty beach towns and vast national parks.

Ahead, you'll find the nine best road trips in the UK, ranging from full-on adventure to a more peaceful experience.

1. The Peak District

When to go: spring, to see the wildflowers from the back windows.

How long to go for: four days should do it.

People go to the Peaks to walk. But the roads are worth the odd meandering drive too. The most famous course is Snake Pass, aptly named for the route it carves through the Pennines, at points a vertigo-inducing 1679 feet above sea level. The river Ashop runs alongside, giving life to fields of wildflowers in spring and summer. Elsewhere, seek out the best views in the Peaks at Site of Special Scientific Interest Winnats Pass, a limestone valley known for its fossils and ancient rocks.

The caramel-hued façade of Chatsworth House is the movie star of the area (spot it in the 2005 adaptation of  Pride and Prejudice,   Peaky Blinders , and another Keira Knightley flick  The Duchess.  Pretty village Edale, plonked at the start of the Pennine Way, is a bunch of cottages and farms backed by rolling hills to stop in for lunch or a cup of tea.

Where to stay: Check out the prettiest Airbnbs in the Peak District for a base of your own.

2. North Coast 500, Scotland

When to go: winter, when the countryside is at its most dramatic and you can warm up next to log fires in pubs and inns.

How long to go for: at least five days—more if you also want to visit the Hebrides.

This route through the vast and imposing Scottish Highlands stretches for 500 miles on a round-trip from Inverness. Driving clockwise through the wild and raw landscape, the road first hits Loch Ness, which is well worth a stop to take in its inky, broad waters—monster or no monster. Driving west to Kyle of Lochalsh takes another two hours. From here, you can reach the Isle of Skye via the land bridge. Although this part of the Hebrides isn’t technically part of the route, it’s worthy of a detour—the dramatic Cuillin mountains back the mist-shrouded castles and expanses of countryside.

Back on the mainland and continuing northbound, the North Coast 500 winds through Ullapool—in our opinion, one of the most beautiful villages in the UK —a port where the whitewashed fishermen’s cottages dot the harbor jutting right into Loch Broom. Hugging the northwest coastline, the next stop for the night in Sutherland. John O’Groats, another 60 miles northeast, is the other Land’s End, connecting the 837-mile pilgrimage from Cornwall (from here you can take passenger ferries to the Orkney islands, too). Freewheel back down the eastern coast to end once again in Inverness.

Where to stay: Book a night at Kinloch Lodge , a historic family hotel perched on the edge of sea loch na Dal. In Sutherland, stay at Lundies House —run by Danish couple Anne and Anders Holch Povlsen, this is one of the smartest hideouts in the Highlands to check into.

3. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland

When to go: in spring, when the wildflower meadows and pastures are at their prettiest.

How long to go for: Take a couple of weeks to properly explore.

Fifteen hundred miles of coastal highway make up Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way . The craggy cliffs hug the western shoreline from Donegal in the north, all the way down to the south coast and County Cork. The route twists past some of the most beautiful places in Ireland . It’s a long road, so this is a trip to take some time over, rather than a quick weekend jaunt. Start in Donegal, which has some of Ireland’s best beaches (Port Arthur near Derrybeg is one of the most glorious, while Bundoran is the area’s surfing capital).

Driving down the coast, the road winds through Sligo, the country that inspired Yeats (and more recently, of Normal People fame), and into Connemara. It’s a rocky stretch of countryside and national park that sits right on the Atlantic, dotted with waterside castles and traditional pubs that hum with live music. Next, Galway—possibly Ireland’s most creative city right now, known for its quirky tone and innovative food scene—before driving past the towering Cliffs of Moher , which have some of the best views on the route. The Wild Atlantic Way finishes in the pretty fishing town of Kinsale in County Cork.

Where to stay: Built as a sporting retreat in the mid-1830s by the Marquis of Sligo, Delphi Lodge is a lovely pile at the top of a deep, remote valley just north of Killary Harbor.

For more options, see our pick of the best road trips in Ireland.

When to go: in summer, when the beach towns are at their finest.

How long to go for: you can explore pretty thoroughly on a long weekend.

This is big-sky country, dominated by sweeping beaches and flat-as-a-pancake farmlands. Back in the 19th century, some of Norfolk’s beach towns were a draw for the well-to-do to take to the water, and there’s a sense of faded Victoriana to many of the old-school seaside locations dotted along the coast. Start a good, old-fashioned road trip in Norwich, which in 2012 became England's first UNESCO City of Literature and is packed out with old buildings turned into antique shops and restaurants serving Cromer crab (we like Benedicts). Wind into the Norfolk Broads, made up of more than 125 miles of waterways, before skipping northbound along the seaside towns that dot the coast.

The entire stretch of the north Norfolk shoreline is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty—seek out Wells-next-the-Sea, a pretty seaside town with candy-colored beach huts and classic bucket-and-spade charm, or vast and wild Holkham Beach for four miles of wind-whipped golden sands backed by pine dunes. The beach is part of the grand Holkham Estate, also home to The Victoria Inn—a red-brick, ivy-covered 19th-century inn with smart rooms. Driving away from the coast, the heath-like landscape of south Norfolk is brilliant for tramping across in any weather. Thetford Forest and nearby Breckland are Special Protection Areas where wildlife wanders freely—golden pheasant, roe deer, and hare can all be found.

Where to stay: the area is home to one of the loveliest log cabins in the UK, Settle , a Scandi-inspired hideout set beside a lake with a wood-burning fire, candles, and plenty of blankets. Or rustic inn The Chequers Inn in Thornham has a gorgeous restaurant.

Alex Erdekian

Jessica Puckett

5. Cotswolds

When to go: in spring or autumn, when there are less visitors.

How long to go for: a weekend should be long enough to see lots of the Cotswolds’ nicest villages.

It’s the favorite weekend escape of Londoners whizzing out of the city and tourists hot-footing it to the buttery stone towns in search of a quintessential British hamlet. A clever route stitches together the prettiest Cotswolds villages—start in Wiltshire’s Castle Combe, where the streets wind around a low-lying stream, before driving north to sweet Bibury (described by William Morris as England’s most beautiful village) for a brisk walk along the River Coln. A thatched-roof pub with rooms, Artist Residence was taken over by the team responsible for smart, art-filled hotels in Brighton, London, and Cornwall. Now, it's packed with neon signs, tin baths, and cozy wood burners.

The next morning, fuel up in Kingham, where the Daylesford farm shop sells just-picked fruit and vegetables that will remedy any hangover, before driving on through the closely connected towns of Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower and Upper Slaughter, and Stow on the Wold. End up in Broadway, the north Cotswolds’ biggest hitter for all the right reasons, where there’s top-notch antique-seeking and plenty of spots for a proper pub lunch.

Where to stay: Spend the night at Artist Residence Oxfordshire in sleepy South Leigh.

6. Atlantic Highway

When to go: in summer for a jaunt along this sunny coastal route.

How long to go for: at least a week.

Taking in a string of southwest England’s salty beach towns, the Atlantic Highway knots together a course through Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. Pick up a car in honey-stoned, genteel Bath or eclectic, graffitied Bristol and drive through Somerset’s rolling farmlands towards the Devonshire border. We recommend nipping away from the route to work in a stop in Bruton, arguably the West Country’s most creative town. Hauser & Wirth opened an outpost here in 2014, putting the area firmly on the art world’s radar, and a clutch of smart hotels and farm-to-fork restaurants followed.

Hop back on the Atlantic Highway—also known, rather less romantically, as the A39—and into lush Exmoor National Park. Stop for the night at The Nap , a log cabin with a wood-fired hot tub about 30 minutes away. The next morning, the drive continues into northeast Cornwall—through Bude, whose bustling surf spot Summerleaze is one of the best Cornwall beaches, and south along the coast to foodie neighbors Port Isaac and Padstow. Finish at Land’s End, where the Atlantic crashes into the jagged shoreline at the most westerly point of mainland England.

Where to stay: Book a night at Number One Bruton , a Grade-II listed Georgian house that's a mix of color and comfort. In Cornwall, stay at the Idle Rocks in St Mawes for a classic seaside escape.

7. Yorkshire

When to go: in autumn, when the moorland is tawny and walks along the beach are brisk and wind-whipped.

How long to go for: four or five days should do it.

The windswept North York Moors contains one of the largest heather moorlands in England. It's a stark landscape, which makes it all the more beautiful. Walking routes are plotted throughout, dotted with vibrant wildflowers, and there are boundless views of the seemingly never-ending surrounding countryside. Driving through the national park towards the coast leads to a string of nostalgic Victorian and Edwardian seaside towns running along the shoreline. Fishing port Whitby Harbor is dominated by the ruins of a seventh-century castle that sits on a cliff overlooking the village, while Scarborough is a seriously old-school spot for fish and chips on the South Bay promenade.

Driving inland once more, a stop in Malton reveals a Yorkshire market town undergoing an artisanal regeneration, with independent bakeries, cheese makers, and coffee roasteries cropping up throughout its cobbled streets.

Where to stay: Stay overnight at The Talbot , a coaching inn that had a bohemian makeover in 2019 that turned it into a smart hotel with river views and a brilliant restaurant. Finish up in York, the historic center of the region.

8. Lake District

When to go: in spring or autumn, when the changing seasons make the landscapes shift daily.

How long to go for: a long weekend.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Lake District is also England’s most-visited national park. Start at Windermere, a huge natural lake (the largest in England, in fact), before driving to smaller but more peaceful Wastwater. The spot, surrounded by barren, imposing fells, has been voted Britain's favourite view and the nearby village Nether Wasdale is a brilliant stopping-off point for a pint at one of the handful of microbreweries in town. Just north is Ennerdale Water, the most remote lake in the national park and therefore one of the quietest, which has a seven-mile walking route around its inky shoreline.

Driving further north still, the Lakes Distillery near Bassenthwaite Lake does tours of the renovated Victorian farm, where the team makes everything from whiskies to pink-grapefruit gins. Stay the night at Sharrow Bay, which sits right on the water at Ullswater and has pretty views. Plus, this is where the sticky-toffee pudding was invented, making it worthy of a pit stop if only for a taste of the original sweet treat.

Where to stay: At Another Place , a low-key country-house hotel sitting plum overlooking Ullswater.

When to go: in the summer you can join in with the watersports offered along the coast.

How long to go for: a weekend will be long enough to nip between these scenic stop-offs.

Darting through some of the prettiest places in Wales on a road trip is a brilliant way to see the country. Head to the Brecon Beacons as the first port of call—this national park’s mountains and valleys start near the border with England and continue for 45 miles into the Welsh countryside. Hike Pen y Fan, the highest peak in the area, for serious views of the surrounding summits and rivers. On the drive west from the Brecon Beacons to the coast, make sure to drop into Carmarthen, a cute market town that's about half an hour from Ginst Point, one of the best beaches in Wales.

Continue up the shoreline with a pit stop in St David’s, the smallest city by population in Britain, and Solva Harbor, where the little sweeping inlet is surrounded by colorful houses that give it an Italian fishing village feel. Next, head to Aberaeron, another port town that peaked as a holiday spot around the same time as Brighton. Take a stroll around Cardigan Bay harbor, followed by oyster happy hour at the Harbourmaster hotel in Aberaeron.

Where to stay: Stop for a night at the Grove of Narberth , a rural Pembrokeshire hotel. Set in a 17th-century manor house, it also has cottages to take over as your own. The Harbourmaster has 13 very cozy bedrooms for those who have their fill of Welsh craft beer in the pub downstairs.

10. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland

When to go: in summer, when the days are at their longest

How long to go for: take your time over four or five days.

This road trip covers more than 200 miles between Belfast and Derry, starting in the buzzing capital. Less visited by travelers until recently, Belfast has gained ever-increasing popularity as a city break in Europe. There’s an attraction named after the Titanic to explore, and a grand nightlife scene to dig into. About an hour’s drive north of Belfast is Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 40,000 basalt columns that make up this massive, nature-made monument were formed 50 to 60 million years ago.

About 25 minutes inland, an avenue of beech trees known as the Dark Hedges is worth a detour. The eerie road was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones —there’s actually a clutch more spots from the HBO show on this route, including Sallagh Braes, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the dramatic Cushendun Caves. The trip finishes in Derry, Northern Ireland’s second-largest city, where the brilliant Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls is set.

Where to stay: The Merchant Hotel is a monument to Mammon, gilded and tasseled within an inch of its life.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveler .

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UK Road Trip Planner

Planning a UK road trip is a popular way to explore the countryside of the UK. While we personally love train travel around the UK we know that there are a multitude of advantages when it comes to exploring by car (and we have often combined train itineraries with car trips at various places to be able to visit sites not easily accessible by rail.

As we are often asked about UK road trip itineraries in our Facebook group we have put links to all relevant articles and podcasts below to create the ultimate UK road trip planner.

🚗 You will need a car! Read our complete guide to renting a car in the UK

UK road trip planner

UK Road Trip Itinerary Planner | The 7 Best Routes

If you love to take to the wheel and you’ll be visiting the UK at some point in the future, then you need to find…

Episode 59 – Trip Report 12 day family road trip of England + Scotland with Debra Blazer

Episode 44 – Coasting Around Cornwall: Tales and Tips from our 7-Day Road Trip Adventure

Cornwall Road Trip Itinerary [with logistics + practical tips]

Are you planning a road trip around the beautiful English county of Cornwall? Use our Cornwall road trip itinerary with destination information, travel tips and…

Episode 32: Trip Report – A month-long road trip exploring Britain (London, England, Scotland & Wales)

This post may contain compensated links. Please refer to my disclosure here for more information. In episode 32 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast I chat with…

Episode 30 – Scotland Road Trip Itinerary

Podcast Episode 18 – The Bruns 4-week family trip around England & Scotland

Best Scotland road trip itinerary (10, 14 & 18 day options)

Planning a Scottish road trip? Our detailed Scotland road trip itinerary includes many of the most popular destinations, scenic routes, landmarks and sights when touring…

UK road trip podcast episodes

9 most beautiful road trips in the UK for 2023 revealed

Get off the beaten path and explore natural wonders

"With so many incredible routes in the UK, it's no wonder the popularity of road trips and touring holidays is on the up. We are thrilled to reveal the most popular road trip destinations for 2023," Martin Smith, founder of Campsites.co.uk , says.

Searching for some inspiration? Take a look at the most beautiful road trips in the UK for 2023...

The NC500 route

Bringing together 516 miles of stunning coastal scenery in the far north of Scotland, we're not surprised the NC500 route made the list. From the magnificent Dunrobin Castle and Scotland's largest cave, Smoo Cave, there is plenty to see and enjoy on your road trip.

READ MORE : The ultimate guide to North Coast 500 accommodation

The Atlantic Way

Running from the outskirts of Newquay, Cornwall to Barnstaple in North Devon, the Atlantic Way is perfect for adventure seekers who want to surf frothy waves, hike along cliffs and explore iconic landmarks.

Wild Wales: Snowdonia to Anglesey

This incredible Wales road trip itinerary starts with the mountains in Snowdonia, journeying on to the Anglesey coast. Stop off at castles, nature reserves and picnic spots on your ride.

The Lake District Loop

This drive around the Lake District allows people to get up close to Cumbria's spectacular landscapes.

Martin says: "Kayak along Lake Windermere before seeing the Rydal Caves in Grasmere and venturing to the more remote western lakes."

READ MORE : Lakes and mountains holidays: 8 incredible adventures for 2022

The Yorkshire Circuit

Rated the best road trip in the North of England, this pretty route encompasses the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire Coast. Add this one to your bucket list.

The Norfolk Coast

Over in Norfolk, this road trip route spans almost 100 miles of scenic coastal views. From the beaches at Hunstanton through the Broads, to seal spotting in Great Yarmouth, it has something for every passenger to enjoy.

Cotswolds Villages

Meander through the glorious Cotswolds villages on this countryside road trip (and check into one of these best Cotswolds hotels ). You'll drive through the idyllic Bourton-on-the-water, Broadway and Castle Combe. Stop off on your way to stroll along the cobbled streets and canals.

Passes and Peaks: Snake Pass and the Peak District

"Travel along the Snake Pass with stunning views stretching into the Pennines," says Martin. "Finish the route by exploring more of the Peaks."

The Cambrian Way

Taking the final spot is The Cambrian Way — a scenic road trip which journeys through the Brecon Beacons up to Snowdonia and ends on the North Wales Coast. Taking you up the mountainous spine of Wales, it's also a pretty hiking route to explore by foot.

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The best UK holiday destinations to visit

Discover the ‘hidden Cotswolds’

The best hotels in Norfolk

Our guide to North Coast 500 accommodation

The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh

The most incredible Airbnb earth homes

The best hotels in Loch Lomond

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Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

2 Weeks in the UK – My Perfect UK Trip Itinerary

Last updated: April 16, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 219 Comments

If you are looking for a two week UK itinerary which includes Ireland, you have come to the right place. This UK road trip itinerary has you starting in London, and using a rental car as the transportation method. It covers some of our highlights in the UK, including cities, castles, and stunning natural scenery.

I have spent a great deal of time living in and exploring the UK. I’ve drawn on my experiences travelling here to put together my perfect two week UK trip to help you plan your own trip.

This UK itinerary (which also includes Ireland) covers England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. It’s a self-drive road-trip, although could also be modified to support travel by public transport if you prefer.

If you haven’t driven in the UK before, do check out my guide to driving in the UK for helpful tips. We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK if you need budget planning help.

Without further ado, allow me to present my two-week UK itinerary.

A 2 week UK Trip itinerary

This itinerary is very busy and fits a lot in, including time in Ireland. It is doable, but just be aware that it will be fast paced with quite a lot of driving. Naturally, you are welcome to take the itinerary and adjust it to meet your own interests and pace.

For example, many folks prefer to focus on the UK with their two weeks, and skip the island of Ireland, returning instead via the Lake District and Wales. However, if you want to see as much as possible, this itinerary is how to do it.

Days 1 & 2: London

The UK’s capital is one of my favourite cities in the world. It’s been hanging around for over 2000 years on the banks of the Thames, and there is just an incredible wealth of things to see, from historical sights, to amazing museums, to crazy street markets.

It’s a wonderfully walk-able capital, and you can easily take in the major central sights in a day or so, leaving you the second day to explore museums, art galleries, or go a little further afield and take in some of the other sights, from crumbling cemeteries to massive parks. And if all else fails, you will never be short on an incredible pub to while away some time before heading on.

For inspiration for your visit, take a look at our 2 day London itinerary , which covers the major highlights of the city, and also links to lots of other information about visiting, including tips on finding Harry Potter locations in London through to Winston Churchill locations in London – something for everyone!

My advice for London is to invest in an Oyster card to save money on your transport (don’t hire a car until you leave the capital) and if you think you’re going to use it, look into buying a London Pass to save money on London’s top attractions.

Available in 1, 3 and 6 day versions, as well as a version with an included Oyster card, the savings can really be quite impressive if you plan on visiting a few locations. You can read a full break down on when the London Pass is worth buying here , and buy one yourself here .

Finally, London is probably going to be the most expensive city in the UK for your accommodation. We recommend booking well in advance to get a good deal.

Some of our recommended accommodation options in London are:

The Walrus Bar and Hostel , The Z hotel in Shoreditch , Point A Hotel , Lime Tree Hotel and the  Resident Victoria Hotel . You can see more London hotel listings here on booking.com . We also love the curated apartments available on Plum Guide .

Once you have finished up exploring London, we suggest collecting your car hire and heading out of town. For car hire we recommend Discover Cars , they search all the major providers so you can compare and find the best deal for your trip.

Days 3 & 4: Oxford & the Cotswolds

One of the stipulations of the original question was the wish to avoid feeling too much like a tourist. Unfortunately, this is nearly impossible in Oxford , as nearly everyone there is either a tourist or a student. I lived in and around Oxford for a number of years, and generally felt like a tourist most of that time too.

Part of the reason for that is that this tiny city is absolutely jam packed with incredible buildings, largely in the form of the Oxford Colleges. These are seriously wealthy establishments, who clearly had no problem flaunting that wealth in an architectural fashion back in the day.

This means that yes, it is full of people wandering around, mouths agape, at quite how pretty the whole thing is. Yes, it’s jam packed with tourists. But for good reason!

So strap that camera on and snap away. Then go for a punt on the river, and enjoy some Pimms or a cream tea. Seek out the Harry Potter filming locations . Take a walking tour of the Universities . There’s no shortage of way to fill your time!

Read more tips for spending a day in Oxford, here .

From Oxford you are also well located to take in the incredibly picturesque Cotswolds area – all quaint villages and rolling countryside. The England that everyone imagines England to be like, with country pubs, village greens and cricket ovals. Lovely stuff. Check out hotel prices for  Oxford here .

Days 5 & 6: Peak District and Manchester

From Oxford I’m going to suggest heading “up north”, towards the Peak District national park. Think rolling hills, quaint villages, and beautiful walks.

There are also some fabulous stately homes to visit , not to mention that on the way from Oxford you can stop off at Warwick Castle – one of the UK’s best-preserved castles.

If you’re interested in the industrial revolution in the UK I can highly recommend a visit to the city of Manchester.

Of course, if the industrial revolution isn’t your thing there are plenty of other reasons to visit Manchester, including excellent retail therapy, an awesome food scene, and a variety of architectural highlights. Not to mention the music scene!

You can see my guide to things to do in Manchester for lots more ideas, and you can see hotel prices for Manchester here .

One other thing you might consider as you pass through the Peak District and Manchester is a visit to Alton Towers . This is arguably the UK’s best known theme park, and would make for a great thrilling day out for those of you who like that sort of thing.

Day 7: York

Not that far from Manchester (England is so quaintly explorable!), the city of York is another of my favourite UK cities.

From the incredible Gothic York Minster (a climb to the top is highly recommended) to the winding, tumbled down alleyways of the shambles, to the Viking history – this is a city that just cries out for exploration.

It’s also an awesome place if you’re into ghost stories. There are a whole number of ghost walks that take in the spooky past of York, so if you want an evening of entertainment and intrigue, likely accompanied with a number of fine drinking establishments, an evening ghost walk is a great bit of fun.

I’m not a great believer in this sort of thing usually, but I took a tour and thoroughly enjoyed it!

If you do plan on seeing a few things in York, you might save money with a York City Pass , which includes most of the attractions in the city as well as access to the York Sightseeing bus or York City Cruises. You can buy that in advance here .

For more York ideas, see our guide to spending two days in York , which has a comprehensive itinerary as well as tips on where to stay and how to get around.

For accommodation, you can check out and book the best York hotels here .

Days 8 & 9: Edinburgh via Northumberland

From York we’re going to wave farewell to England, and head up to Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. On the way though, you’ll be passing through some of England’s least travelled, yet stunningly beautiful, landscapes.

I am of course talking about Northumbria. From miles of deserted beach, to crumbling castles, to the Roman equivalent of the great wall of China, Northumbria really has a lot to offer someone looking for a slightly off the beaten track England experience. The rolling landscapes are breath-taking and you’ll find yourself alone much of the time. Worth taking a bit of time to explore, in my opinion.

Then of course, it’s up to Edinburgh , where you’ll not be short of amazing things to look at. From Edinburgh castle, to Arthurs Seat, from fine whiskys, to Princes Street, there really is enough here for a number of days of entertainment. And if you visit during the Fringe festival… well… plan on being entertained for a good many weeks!

See more ideas on spending some time in Edinburgh in this detailed two day Edinburgh itinerary that I put together, as well as our guide to things to do in Edinburgh , our tips on visiting Edinburgh in winter , and our guide to finding Harry Potter in Edinburgh .

Then  check and book your Edinburgh hotels here.

Days 10 – 12: Ireland

Because the UK is an easily explorable place with decent roads and relatively short distances to drive, it is totally possible to include another country – Ireland! – in a trip like this if you’re up for it.

Do be aware that if you are renting a car, some car rental companies have restrictions on taking cars on ferries, or into other countries – so make sure you check before you go as there may be an additional fee to pay.

Of course, you could also fly to Ireland (Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin for example), and use different rentals for different parts of your adventure!

If all that sounds like too much hard work, you could extend your time in Scotland, or alternatively, you could take in the west coast of the UK, including Glasgow , the Lake District, and Liverpool, as well as popping into Wales for the stunning Snowdonia national park, and rejoin this itinerary in South Wales or Bristol . The choice is yours!

If it is Ireland you want though, it’s a short ferry ride from Scotland (Cairnryan to be precise, which is 2-3 hour drive from Edinburgh) across to Belfast in Northern Ireland, from where you can spend a few days exploring the Emerald Isle.

We have travelled from Cairnryan with both Stena Line and P&O Ferries, both of which have been a fast, comfortable and efficient service. We normally use Direct Ferries for ferry booking as they compare prices across all the providers and support payment in multple currencies. You can book your ferry tickets here .

This part of the world has a lot to offer, and three days is quite a short amount of time. We can recommend spending some time in Belfast and driving north along the causeway coastal route to see such highlights as the Giant’s Causeway, ruined castles and spectacular coastline. Then, head south into Ireland, and see fabulous Dublin.

I’ve explored Dublin and her surroundings, taken a trip down to the Dingle Peninsula , kissed the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, gazed at the Cliffs of Moher ,  and visited the Dark Hedges of Game of Thrones fame – to name but a few of our wonderful experience on the Irish Isle.

In Dublin there’s the Guinness Factory, of course, as a popular highlight, but also oodles of Gaelic history and culture to get excited about.

There are also of course the Irish people, well known for their love of a good time! Personally, I’d head on down the coast from Belfast, through Dublin and down to the port of Rosslare, where after three exciting days in Ireland another ferry service will whisk you across to the last of the four countries to make up the UK: Wales!

Day 13: South Wales and Cardiff

In Wales you will arrive either at Fishguard or Pembroke – both excellent places to explore the Pembrokeshire Coast national park . Here you will find beautiful beaches, rugged cliffs, and fabulous opportunities for walking.

You’re also not too far a drive from Cardiff, the Welsh capital. Four capitals in a fortnight – not bad going! Here you’ll find castles, sporting venues and more Welsh based culture than you can shake a stick at. Plus, arrive at the right time of year and you’ll find the Great British Cheese festival in full swing. What’s not to be excited about? For more about travelling in Wales and highlights along this route, see our detailed Wales road trip itinerary .

Find and book your Cardiff hotels here .

Day 14: Bristol & Bath

From Cardiff you’ll cross the enormous Severn estuary over the impress Severn road bridge and be back in the UK, or Bristol to be precise. Here you’ll find all sorts of interesting items of historical interest, largely running on a nautical theme, as well as some of the best street art in Britain .

For over a thousand years Bristol has been an important English port. From early explorers and traders, to the dark years of the African slave vessels, to filling Australia with immigrants, it is hard to understate the role that Bristol has played in Britain’s sea faring history. There is, after all, a reason for the expression “ship-shape and Bristol fashion” having a place in the English language.

I can highly recommend taking a trip round the SS Great Britain when you’re in Bristol. Built in 1843, and designed by the engineering genius who was Isambard Kingdom Brunel – the man who almost single-handedly revolutionised both engineering and public transport in the UK.

The SS Great Britain is notable as being the first steamer to cross the Atlantic – setting a record pace for the time of 14 days. An amazing bit of history. Note that tickets are slightly cheaper if you book them online, which you can do online here .

For more ideas in Bristol, check out our guide to things to do in Bristol , which should give you plenty of ideas to fill your time. Find the best prices on Bristol hotels and book here .

From Bristol it’s on to the Roman spa city of Bath, a world heritage site. Like Oxford , this is a difficult place to be anything other than a tourist, but it is so worth it all the same!

Day 15: Back to London, via Stonehenge!

Our last day of our just over two week UK itinerary takes us back to London. No trip to the UK though would really be complete without taking in perhaps our most famous monument – the circle of rocks known as Stonehenge.

There is just something about the place that makes you wonder. A circle of rocks, built by a people who had nothing but their hands and some bits of wood to help them out, in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside, hundreds of miles from an actual quarry, is just mind blowing.

Add in the pagan ritualism, the relationship between the rocks and the sun, and the sheer mystery of the place, and you have somewhere that is capable of really capturing the imagination. Worth your time to visit (see more thoughts from a trip to Stonehenge here ).

Plus, while you’re there you can pop into Salisbury and enjoy the cathedral, which boasts the highest cathedral spire of any church in the UK.

And then… back to London, where this tour finishes!

2 Weeks in the UK: Road Trip Map

Here’s a map of the route , for your reference.

2 Week UK Itinerary Summary

• Days 1 & 2 : London
• Days 3 & 4 : Oxford & the Cotswolds
• Days 5 & 6 : Peak District and Manchester
• Day 7 : York
• Days 8 & 9 : Edinburgh via Northumberland
• Days 10 – 12 : Ireland
• Day 13 : South Wales and Cardiff
• Day 14 : Bristol & Bath
• Day 15 : Back to London, via Stonehenge!

Can you do this 2 Week UK itinerary by public transport?

A popular question from readers is whether or not this itinerary can be done by public transport. I appreciate that of course not everyone wants to drive in the UK, and the answer, for the most part, is yes.

Certainly, between the major cities on the itinerary there are good rail and/or bus links, with the train usually being a little faster. The main challenge is the rural sections of the route – for example, exploring the Cotswolds, Northumbria or the Peak District. This is possible using local buses of course, but it can definitely slow you down a fair bit, and so you would need to adjust the itinerary a little to fit the schedule.

Another option is to add in some days in London or Edinburgh, and doing some specific day trips from these cities to take in the out of town attractions.

For example, there is this  day trip from London that takes in highlights such as Bath and Stonehenge. Then, for Northumbria and the Scottish Borders, including beautiful Alnwick Castle, consider this tour from Edinburgh .

If you are interested in doing this itinerary by public transport, check out my guide to taking a 10 day UK trip by public transport, which as well as a route, has lots of ideas for how to book different forms of transport in the most effective and cost-efficient way.

What About Touring the UK With A Tour Company?

Another popular question is whether or not this sort of trip can be done with a tour company, and if we have any companies we would recommend for this.

So you have a few options for doing this which I have outlined below.

The first option is to take a group tour of the UK. There are a number of companies offering small group tours – we’d recommend finding a service which operates tours of 15 people or less. We usually use and recommend Rabbie’s Trail Burners , who operate trips around the UK and Ireland, and have a number of tour options to choose from.

We haven’t found a tour that exactly matches our UK wide itinerary, but we still have a solution for those of you wanting the do a similar trip as part of a guided tour.

First, we recommend you spend two or three days in London, following our suggested London itinerary .

Next, we recommend you take something similar to this small group tour , which takes eight days to take you from London to Edinburgh.

In Edinburgh, you can spend a couple of days following our Edinburgh itinerary , after which you can easily fly to either Belfast or Dublin direct from Edinburgh.

Here you can either explore these lovely cities, or take a tour to explore more of the country, we’d recommend either this three day tour of Northern Ireland  or this three day tour of the southern and western coast .

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to skip Ireland, you could take something like this five day tour of the Scottish Highlands and Skye .

Finally, you can either return to London, or have your flights home depart from Dublin or Edinburgh, depending on your tour choice.

The other option is a bespoke tour company and/or a private tour guide, who will be able to put a tour together for you, including guiding, transport and accommodation.

Of all the options, this will generally be the most expensive way to travel, but it will also give you total flexibility in terms of your trip and schedule, plus you’ll have a guide with you every step of the way, taking all the hassle out of your trip.

For this sort of tour, we recommend the services of Robina Brown, who is a blue-badge guide offering tours across the UK. See her website here .

When to Visit the UK

You can visit the UK at any time of year, although for the best weather and longer daylight hours, we’d definitely suggest visiting in the warmer months – from May to September. May is probably our favourite time of year, the weather is usually quite reasonable but the tourist crowds are not too intense.

Christmas, and the period leading up to Christmas, can also be a wonderful time to visit, when the streets and shops are all brightly lit and decorated for the festive season. For a good example of this, check out our guide to visiting Edinburgh at Christmas .

Where to Stay in the UK:

For accommodation , there are a great many options to choose from, ranging from cosy B&B’s through to upmarket hotels, and everything in between. Finding the best deal on your accommodation is an important part of trip planning – helping you to get the most from your budget, as well as find the property that is right for you.

• We’ve tried a lot of booking sites, and nearly always find ourselves using Booking.com. They have an extensive selection of properties, many with no-fee cancellation policies, and often run discounts and special offers. Click on each city title to see their listings:  London , Oxford ,  Manchester , York , Edinburgh , Dublin , Cardiff and Bristol .
• If you prefer an apartment or more of a hosted stay, then we recommend Plum Guide . We’ve tried all the others, and in our experience Plum Guide consistently has the highest quality options for the locations they are available.
• If you can’t find what you want on Plum Guide, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to AirBnB , as well as a guide to our favourite holiday cottage accommodation in the UK , which you should check out!

Between these options, you should find the best prices and places to stay for your trip, as well as a good selection of reviews and feedback to help you make an informed decision.

How to Get Around the UK

For this kind of trip I also obviously recommend that you look into renting a car. We have used and can recommend Enterprise Car Rental , they usually have great rates, especially for one way rentals. We also recommend comparing car prices using a service like Discover Cars , which compares prices across a range of providers to help you find the best deal.

A hire car will give you a lot more flexibility than public transport, and prices are generally fairly reasonable. However, if you would prefer to do a trip like this by public transport instead of driving yourself, check out our UK itinerary by public transport for ideas.

Another option for travelling in the UK is to hire a motorhome. Whilst this might not be practical for a city focused trip, you might prefer it if you are planning on visiting more rural locations.

For campervan rental we suggest checking out Motorhome Republic . They offer a campervans from a range of companies at different price points, so you can find the right one for you. You can see their UK listings here .

Further reading for your UK Trip

We’ve got lots of resources to help you plan your trip to the UK, from posts we’ve written ourselves to third party content we’re happy to recommend. Here it is:

• If you want a shorter trip, taking in some more off the beaten path destinations, check out this one week itinerary of the UK that I put together. If you’d prefer not to drive yourself, we also have a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport .
• To prepare for your trip to the UK, we’ve put together a detailed UK packing list which covers both London and the wider UK at any time of year
• This is a self-drive trip, so you should definitely check out our guide to driving in the UK for helpful tips.
• We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK  which will help you cost out a trip like this.
• A guide to driving Scotland’s epic North Coast 500 , as well as accommodation options on the North Coast 500
• When you’re near Glasgow, you should check out the beautiful Devil’s Pulpit in Finnich Glen
• A two day Edinburgh itinerary & 21 Highlights in Edinburgh
• Edinburgh: Getting off the beaten path
• A Two Day Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary
• A guide to 10 of the best Stately Homes in England , to give you some ideas as you plan your itinerary
• For London, we have some detailed itineraries to help you plan your visit. These include a 1 Day London Itinerary , a Two Day London itinerary and a Six Day London itinerary
• The top Harry Potter sites in London
• The Best Photography Locations in London
• Tips on Buying and Using the London Pass
• Eight Things to Do in Kensington
• The Highlights of Oxford
• Our guide to things to do in Cambridge
• Visiting Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds
• 20 Things To Do in Dublin , a 2 day Dublin itinerary and a 3 day Dublin itinerary
• A Guide to Touring the Scottish Borders
• Getting online when travelling in a foreign country can be daunting – check out our guide to getting online when travelling to help you figure out the best options for your trip
• If you’re interested in getting better photos when you travel, take a look at my online photography course , where I’ll teach you everything you need to know about getting better photos – whatever camera you have!
• If you want a physical (or digital!) book to accompany your travels, then Amazon do a good line in UK Travel Guides , and there is naturally a Lonely Planet and a Rough Guide to the UK available.

If you’re planning on visiting a number of historical properties, there are a couple of options you have for saving money as a visitor to the UK. Two main organisations exist to preserve these properties, the National Trust, and English Heritage.

Both of these organisations offer specific passes for visitors to the UK, which represent great value for money for visitors.

For the National Trust you can pick up a National Trust touring pass . This is valid for 7 or 14 days, and gives you access to every National Trust property in the England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For English Heritage , you can get an English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass . This is valid for 9 or 16 days, and gives you access to every English Heritage property in the UK.

Alternatively, you can also buy a full membership to these organisations, which will last a full year. You can buy an English Heritage Membership here and a National Trust membership here .

So those were my thoughts for taking in a slightly longer than two week trip in the UK. I’ve obviously missed out a great number of places, as no two week trip can possibly hope to see everything, but I’d like to think I covered a great many highlights of this truly fascinating country.

As always, if you’ve got any thoughts on this post, do hit up the comments below!

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25th February 2024 at 6:30 pm

Hello, we are planning a trip this summer. On my list is scotch tasting in Islay. How many days should we add? Do you have any recommendations?

Laurence Norah says

25th February 2024 at 9:28 pm

Sure thing. Islay is beautiful and very much worth a visit. I’d suggest spending a couple of day at least if you can spare it as it takes a bit of time to get to and from the island and there is plenty to see and do there. I have a guide to things to do on Islay which might help. In terms of whisky distilleries, if you have a favourite whisky that I’d obviously recommend going to that distillery. My favourite whisky is Laphroaig, so I enjoyed visiting that distillery particularly. However my guide to Islay lists all the currently active ones so you can make a choice as to which one you prefer.

Have a great trip!

Marcelo Gurgel says

18th January 2024 at 11:52 pm

Hello ! Your post is very good ! I would like to do a similar tour, but on a motorcycle. Including Isle of Man where the TT Isle of Man race will take place. Please for I leave the bike on the London side and take the Ferry by foot and the best option? Cheaper in this case? How much do ferries generally cost? Where do I search for tickets and itineraries? Thanks a lot for the help !

19th January 2024 at 12:02 am

Hi Marcelo,

Thank you! So the only company which operates ferries to the Isle of Man is the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the best way to book a ferry is directly on their website here . They operate services from Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.

If you plan on visiting during the TT race then you should book as soon as you can as this is a very popular event.

The price will vary depennding on when you go but it is definitely less expensive to go as a foot passenger. Looking at a route, it’s around £40 – £50 one way for a foot passenger, and £120 – £140 for a passenger with a bike. However, remember that you will need to pay to park your bike somewhere secure, and you will also need to have transport on the Isle of Man. Also, at more popular times, such as during the TT races, prices can be higher.

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions! Safe travels!

PAUL BASILE says

10th December 2023 at 10:20 pm

stumbled across your blog and was pleasantly surprised! my wife and I will arrive in London on 6/19/24 in advance of Wimbledon where we’ll be staying from 7/5 though 7/10. we want to sorta do your route in reverse, heading out of London straight away renting a car, and heading out. we have around 2 weeks and want to start heading to Ireleand, then Scotland, then visiting cousins in Durham in northern GB, returning car in London before wimbeldon.

would love to get some advice on that reverse route, forgoing the London stuff until later, but wanting your insights on anything else! thanks in advance!

13th December 2023 at 12:19 am

It’s great to hear from you. So you can do the route either way without any issue. The main thing if you do decide to include Ireland is to be sure to check if the car rental company you choose allows you to take the car on a ferry to Ireland. Some will and some won’t, you’ll just want to confirm before booking. Otherwise I think you have the structure of a good itinerary. You can follow my route and just adjust it to suit your interests and available time. I’d definitely recommend booking in advance for places to stay and the ferries as you are coming at a popular time for travel so things will start to book up. Otherwise, just have a great time and let me know if you have any questions!

13th December 2023 at 2:38 am

Lawrence….thanks so much…great info on the ferry and booking places….do you have a fav booking site for places to stay?

13th December 2023 at 3:37 am

It’s my pleasure! We primarily use Booking.com when we travel because we like the filters. We usually filter by rating (8+) and then depending on the trip things like having free parking (handy for a road trip). Then things like WiFi, laundry, free breakfast, free cancellation, depending on what we are doing. Also like that you can apply the filters to the map view (again, handy for road trips). You can also book apartments. We also use various other sites depending on where we are going, some places have more AirBnB options. In the UK we also book holiday cottages but for a trip like yours which will likely have more shorter stops I’d say hotels or B&Bs are likely to be an easier option as apartments often have the extra overhead of needing to arrange check in and check out times.

Let me know if I can help any further 🙂

Linda Haddock says

2nd December 2023 at 7:38 am

Hello, thank you for this helpful blog! Do you have any recommendations on when, where and what to include for sites for a JRR Tolkien fan?

2nd December 2023 at 8:46 pm

It’s my pleasure. So Oxford would be my main recommendation as it was here that Tolkien studied and worked. Fun side story, a dear friend of mine was Tolkien’s Doctor and knew him well, although he has now passed. Anyway, Tolkien studied at Exeter Collge in Oxford and was also a fellow at Pembroke College and Merton College, so many of the sights in Oxford like the Radcliffe Camera and Ashmolean museum would be of interest. The Bodeleian Library in Oxford (the Radcliffe Camera is part of this) does have the originals of many of his works but these are not usually on display unfortunately.

I hope this helps a bit! Have a lovely time in the UK and do let me know if you need any more input 🙂

Ingrid Ermanovics says

24th May 2022 at 3:45 pm

Hi, Love your blog. I hear that the traffic in July can be daunting and cause very long delays. As such, would you still recommend a private car hire (car rental)? Or have other suggestions to avoid the issue? Thanks!!

24th May 2022 at 4:33 pm

Thanks very much! So in my experience, the main factors that contribute to traffic in the UK are road works, which can happen at any time, and travelling at specific times. For example, when there is a public holiday on a Monday or Friday, this tends to lead to a lot of holiday traffic. So avoiding those dates makes a lot of sense. July is not particularly worse in my experience, it can be a bit heavier, but it’s not normally awful unless you are unlucky and encounter an accident, or there are road works. I would advise against trips on Friday or Sunday afternoons, as this is when the traffic can be quite bad at any time of year as people go away for or come back from the weekends.

I’d also advise using an app like Google maps with real time traffic, and trying to plan your travel times so they don’t align with the busier times of day. In general though, i would still recommend using a car rental even in July 🙂

I hope this helps!

Debbie Hebert says

16th May 2022 at 12:16 am

Hi Laurence and Jessica, this trip looks super fun and we are looking to visit July-Aug of this year starting in Dublin (as the airfare is best to there from our home in New Orleans). Just a few questions. Would you suggest going North or South from Dublin? How many miles is the entire itinerary? Is there is a stretch where we could ditch the rental car and take the train and then pick up another car? And/or if we drop off the car before and after London and train in which cities would be best to do that? Thank you so much!

16th May 2022 at 3:11 pm

Thanks Debbie!

So I’d probably recommend dropping the rental car in Belfast or Dublin and then flying across to Cardiff or Edinburgh, depending which way you go. Many car rental firms don’t allow for rentals to be taken on the ferry, plus you have to pay more to transport a car, so this would likely save you money.

Direction wise in Ireland, it really depends what you want to see. In the Republic of Ireland you have lovely landscapes and places like the Dingle peninsula and Ring of Kerry. If you head north to Belfast (also a lovely city), then you can visit places like the Giant’s Causeway and the Coastal Causeway route.

Putting a mileage total on the entire itinerary is tricky as there are likely to be many detours but I’d say a ballpark of 1500 – 2000 miles seems about right. In terms of areas where you can drop the car and take public transport, a lot of this will depend on what you want to see. If you are happy with primarily cities, then you can easily get around between cities with a train instead of a car. So for example, Edinburgh to York, York to Manchester, Manchester to Bath and Bath to Oxford would all work. Then if there were specific day trips you wanted to do there’s the option to either rent a car for that day, or take a day tour. But if you are thinking of spending more time in the countryside and smaller towns, then a car would be a lot less useful. I’d definitely recommend against taking a car into London, and dropping it off somewhere like Oxford or Reading before taking the train into London.

Farooq Ghouri says

6th May 2022 at 2:56 am

Hi Laurence and Jessica We are visiting UK this summer for two weeks. Your two weeks itinerary is great resource for us. I wonder how we can squeeze Wales in it . Any suggestions will be much appreciated We will be using rental car Sincerely Farooq Ghouri from Chicago USA

6th May 2022 at 9:44 am

Thanks very much! So the southern part of Wales is included in this trip on the return from Ireland. However, if you wanted to add Wales your main option would be to do it as you drive north, or to consider skipping Ireland and to drive back down through Wales to Bath. The second option might be easier as it cuts down having to think about a ferry / flight across to Ireland, but it’s up to you. This itinerary is already very busy, so adding more to it as it exists would be a bit of a challenge in my opinion.

Let me know if I can offer any further advice, and have a great time in the UK!

6th May 2022 at 5:06 pm

Thank you much Laurence I will keep your suggestion in mind when finalizing the itinerary

Heather says

28th April 2022 at 2:35 am

I noticed your recommended the The Resident Victoria and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. I will be travelling with 3 people, one of which is a full time wheelchair user. Do you think the room size is adequate for a 5 day visit? Did you happen to notice if the showers were roll in or a wet room with chair? I realize most hotels only have accessible showers and whatnot in certain rooms so will understand if you don’t know. I found your travel blog a month ago and love it. Thanks from Canada

28th April 2022 at 12:01 pm

Hi Heather,

Sure thing. So, the first thing to be aware of is that rooms in central London tend to be quite small, especially if you are used to the size of hotel rooms in North America. Another thing to be aware of is that baths are quite common, and having a shower over the bath rather than a separate stall is also fairly common. So if looking for an accessible room it’s really important to specify that, and it’s always worth checking with the hotel what that actually means.

I would say that none of the rooms in the Resident Victoria would really be suitable for three adults to share for a longer stay, if that was what you were thinking. The superior rooms do have the option for three single beds, but these are not accessible rooms. In general, the rooms are fairly compact and I think a wheelchair user in particular would struggle in their standard rooms.

If you were thinking of separate rooms, some of their King Rooms are accessible so that would be an option. I called the hotel this morning and they confirmed that it is their King rooms which are accessible and the showers in these rooms are fully roll in. The toilets and sinks are also accessible. They can also provide a chair in the shower if you want. However these are definitely rooms for two people.

I hope this answers your question! The property is very well located for sure. Let me know if I can offer any further advice. I also have a full guide to where to stay in London which has a lot more options 🙂

13th April 2022 at 11:47 pm

Hi Laurence,

Was very interesting to read this trip. But it’s more suitable for adults without kids to travell to Ireland within two weeks. Can you please look for following trip plan: We are 2 adults + 2 kids (12 and 10) for 14 days. My daughter likes Harry Potter, so preference on these kind of attractions. So i wanted to divided for following parts: 1. London 5 days –>>> museums, parks and so on. 2. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London 1 day 3. Oxford or Cambridge .. yet not decided… for one day + Windsor Castle 4. Rent a car(or by train) and drive to the north >> York 1 day Manchester + Alton Towers – 1 day 5. Drive to south Birmingham (Cadbury world + other attractions) – 1 day Costwolds area – 1 day Bath + Stonehenge – 1 day Total 12 + 2 days (driving + bufffer for other changes during the trip)

Do you think is it good? What to add or remove? Or continue to Edinburgh and cancel some places in current trip? Thanks in advance Sam

14th April 2022 at 11:23 am

Great to hear from you. I agree, trying to include Ireland on the trip would be challenging with family. I think your itinerary sounds good, spending more time focusing on a smaller number of areas is a good choice. For your options, I think I might suggest Oxford over Cambridge if your daughter likes Harry Potter as there are quite a few filming locations in Oxford (see the Oxford section of our Harry Potter guide here ). I would also probably allocate a whole day to Oxford and maybe do Windsor Castle on one of your days in London. Oxford is very easy to reach by train from London so makes an easy day trip, but the day might feel rushed if you include Windsor as well.

I think otherwise your itinerary sounds good. A car will make things easier for sure, especially for things like exploring the Cotswolds and getting to Alton Towers. These are doable by public transport but it will take up valuable time. I also think focusing on England is a good idea. Depending on how much of a Harry Potter fan your daughter is you might consider stopping at Gloucester as well to see Gloucester Cathedral, which was used for various Hogwarts scenes .It’s a spectacular cathedral and lovely city in its own right as well, easy to see in 2-3 hours between Birmingham and Bath before dipping into the Cotswolds.

Have a great trip – let me know if you have any questions!

Vincent Choo says

12th April 2022 at 11:04 am

Laurence, My family and I ( 4 of us intend to tour Great Britain for 2 weeks before joining our friends in Belfast to continue another 10 days covering the island of Ireland. We intend to travel with a combination of car, train , ferry and air and hope to have your recommendation on which sectors should I use the above modes of transport. The intineary is roughly the same as your 2 weeks ( loop from London and ends there ) Thank You

12th April 2022 at 2:43 pm

Hi Vincent!

This is a great question, and the answer will come down to both budget and your interests.

If you are primarily interested in cities and larger towns, then travelling by rail might be easier for the majority of your trip. You can get between most cities and towns quite easily by train, and if you book well in advance you can also get cheap fares. You can also use a Friends & Family railcard to save even more. Travelling by train has the advantage that you don’t have to worry about car rental costs, fuel costs and finding car parking, the latter of which can be a challenge in many cities. I’d definitely advise against a car in London at the very least.

If you prefer a mix of city sightseeing and countryside, then a car is going to be more useful as most countryside sights and places like the Lake District are going to be a lot easier to get to and around with your own vehicle. I’d just suggest leaving the car out of the London part of the trip, and remembering to think about parking and fuel prices as part of your budget. I think a car might end up being slightly more expensive than public transport, but honestly the car rental market is so turbulent these days it’s hard to know without doing the math.

My recommendation would be to fly to Ireland – low cost flights with budget airlines will likely be the best option, and most car rental companies actually don’t allow for their vehicles to go on a ferry. Then you could pick up a hire car in Ireland on arrival.

It sounds like you have a great trip planned – let me know if I can offer any more input!

Sanchay says

7th April 2022 at 8:05 pm

Hello, Im planning a 2 week trip which shall include England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland during the month of October 2022. Is it feasible to cover all the places in 2 weeks considering that we are a group of 6 adults and 2 children ( 11 and 12 yrs) or shall we skip any of the destinations. We shall use Public transport in London and prefer Self drive cars / Trains / Ferries elsewhere. I also want to know if you could share some ranch stays where in we can stay and enjoy the country side instead of hotels. Awaiting your kind suggestion

Thanks and Regards 🙂

8th April 2022 at 11:04 am

Hi Sanchay,

Thanks for your comment. So I would probably recommend that you focus on maybe a couple of countries so you can enjoy yourself a bit more. I would probably recommend perhaps the mainland UK, as the extra effort required to get across to Ireland will eat into your time with two weeks. So perhaps a trip which includes London and Edinburgh, and then areas like the Lake District and / or Wales. One thing to be aware of is that the weather in October can be a bit variable, so spending more time in the cities might be more appealing rather than the country side where the weather might not be suitable for a lot of outdoor activities. Of course, you might be lucky and get good weather, but this is not guaranteed.

For ranch stays, probably the closest in the UK would be countryside B&Bs. Some farms do have accommodation option, and there are some lovely self catering options in the country as well.

Have a great trip and let me know if you have any further questions!

Derek Bowen says

2nd June 2021 at 5:16 pm

A really good trip, but I would skip Manchester and head right up through Rawtenstall, up through Burnley and Nelson. This would be a really good look at the cotton industry as well a real feel of northern England, as well as the best fish and chips. Then carry on up through Skipton, trying to time market day, and over to York, which is a must.

3rd June 2021 at 12:53 pm

Thank you Derek! For sure, there are so many ways to change this route depending on interests, and your suggestion is a good one 😀

Patrick Russell says

22nd March 2021 at 5:18 pm

This is absolutely amazing itinerary. What would a rough cost be for a trip like this? Minus airfare, and passports.

Thank you, Patrick

22nd March 2021 at 5:23 pm

Thanks Patrick! So it will vary quite a bit depending on your travel style. The main costs on a trip like this are transport, accommodation, food and attraction entry. Accommodation will obviously depend on how comfortable you like to travel, and food will also vary a lot depending on if you prefer fine dining or simpler fare.

To help cost a trip like this I put a guide to the costs of travelling in the UK in a post, which should give you some guidance 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

Hope this helps!

Matthew says

8th December 2020 at 2:51 pm

Interesting itinerary. As a British person, rather than a traveller, my comment would be it doesn’t have much of the coast in, though I understand the time constraints. But a trip to the UK with no seaside towns! At least add Brighton, easy to reach from London. Dorset isn’t too far either, and has a fantastic coast. Also, Chester is beautiful and well worth inclusion.

8th December 2020 at 2:52 pm

Hey Matthew,

Great feedback. When I wrote this guide initially it was in response to a specific request, but of course there is so much of the UK that it doesn’t cover for various reasons (including time restraints!). I always encourage folks to use it as a rough guide, but to modify it for their own interests 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

Tammy Howard says

25th February 2020 at 11:07 pm

Dear Laurence,

Thank you so much for this itinerary. It is fabulous!! We would like to sleep in a castle while on our trip. Are there any that you know of that allow this along this route?

26th February 2020 at 11:20 am

Dear Tammy,

My pleasure! So yes, there are quite a few options along the route, depending on your budget. Some options to consider:

Thornbury Castle – just north of Bristol

Glenapp Castle – just south of the Scotland – Ireland ferry crossing. We’ve stayed here and it’s wonderful

Kilkea Castle Hotel – south of Dublin. We’ve also stayed here.

Cringletie Castle Hotel – about a 40 minute drive south of Edinburgh. Another of our favourites.

Of course, this is just a small selection – there are many more across the UK to choose from, at a range of budgets. One tip when staying in a castle hotel – some of them have built more rooms outside the castle itself. So make sure when booking that you get a room that inside the castle (I think otherwise it sort of defeats the point!).

Have a great trip, let me know if you have any more questions!

Abdiaziz says

29th February 2020 at 8:27 am

How much will I pay if I want to travel next month

29th February 2020 at 10:14 am

Hi Abdiaziz,

March is not too busy a month for travel in the UK, so prices should be reasonable. To figure out your costs for this trip, see our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK 🙂

Dhaval says

3rd February 2020 at 9:17 am

Hi Laurence, Thanks a lot for this amazing itinerary. We are a group of 4 adults + 4 kids (1Y,3Y,5Y,7Y) and are planning a 15 days trip to the UK. This will be our first time. Can you please assist us with the below queries:-

1. Considering we have small kids, what is the best mode of transport to travel from London to Edinburgh to Dublin? Should we keep one separate day for travelling in our itinerary? We will also have Kids Strollers everywhere we travel. 2. We want to do Day tours from London to Oxford, Cotswold, Stonehenge, Bath etc keeping our base in London. But few of my friends suggested that the Local operators don’t include kids below 5Years and we will be forced to take a rent a car. Any suggestions? 3. Also if we follow your above itinerary, can you guide us the exact cities in which we need to book our apartments/hotels to avoid hassle-free travelling.

Thanks a lot in Advance. Cheers 🙂

3rd February 2020 at 2:45 pm

My pleasure 🙂 I will do my best to help of course. To answer your questions:

1 – From London to Edinburgh I would recommend the train. This takes around 4.5 hours and will be a lot quicker than driving / taking a bus, plus you will have more space for your stroller / bags etc. You could fly too, but as it will take time to check everything in, go through security etc, I think the train will be easier. Just be sure to book your train well in advance to get a good price, and be aware that if you book a ticket in advance, you must take the booked train, the ticket will not work on a different train, even on the same day.

For Edinburgh to Dublin, your only option is realistically to fly.

2 – This is correct, for safety reasons most group tours do not accept children under a certain age, which is often 5. However, you can instead book a private tour. For a group of eight of you this should not work out much more expensive than a normal tour, plus you will be able to customise the itinerary. So I would advise reaching out to private tour operators who should be able to assist.

3 – All the cities are in the itinerary, you would need to stay in whichever ones you want to visit that don’t fall within the day tours you wish to take from London.

I hope this helps – have a great trip and let me know if I can help any further,

Serafina Macdonald says

11th January 2020 at 9:09 pm

Hi there, we are planning a trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland at the beginning of July. We are thinking about 16-18 days. I looked at your itinerary and love your suggestions! My husband does want to spend a half-day in Liverpool and I think we can tweak your itinerary to fit it in and try to do Isle of Skye as well. Since we do have the few extra days at the end of the trip, do you think it would be worthwhile to travel over to the other coast of Ireland to explore that side? (Galway, Aran Islands). Would love some suggestions.

11th January 2020 at 9:18 pm

Hi Serafina!

So Liverpool would definitely be an easy addition to the itinerary. The Isle of Skye is a bit more of a trek, as it’s a five hour drive each way from Edinburgh, so I’d suggest allocating at least 3 days for that, one day each for the drive and one day to actually explore. So do keep that in mind.

For Ireland, absolutely. The west coast is stunning, and if you can find time to head over there I would definitely suggest doing so. There’s a lot to see over there, so the hardest part will be choosing, but certainly the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry are some good candidates for your shortlist 🙂

Have a great time, and let me know if you have any more questions!

12th January 2020 at 2:15 pm

Thanks so much! Looking forward to this trip!

3rd December 2019 at 9:40 am

Dear Laurence, This is the first time I visit UK so could you help give a good advice to have plan visit UK during time 24th Dec- 08th Jan

Thanks Duong

3rd December 2019 at 6:11 pm

Thanks for your message. The majority of the information you need should be available on the site, both in this post and in the posts I link to. I am happy to try and help answer any specific questions you might have – is there anything in particular you are worried about?

The main things I would suggest, depending on where you are travelling from, are to plan what you want to see, to plan your accommodation and transport, and to pack properly for winter. Obviously you are visiting over Christmas and New Year, which is a busy time of year, so if you have not booked your accommodation yet you will definitely want to look into that, especially over New Year as that can be a busy time for both travel and accommodation.

Let me know if I can offer any more specific help for your trip,

Hang Tran says

26th November 2019 at 3:59 pm

Hi Laurence, Thank you for your advice and emails. I was able to put together our 2-week itinerary in England. I changed our lodging to London instead of Heathrow and booked different places when we travel around with our Britrail passes. I can’t say thank you enough. It’s very helpful for us. We will stay in London (3 days), Edinburgh (3 days:Edinburgh and York), Bristol for 5 days, Bath for 2 days and travel to other nearby cities (Stonehenge, Oxford, Cardiff) by train to make one-day trip. Is it right time to visit Cardiff in winter? If not, do you have any other places to spend a day? We’re thinking about Liverpool but it takes about 3-hours ride. If so, what should we can see in such a short time in Liverpool? We never ride a train before so we don’t mind riding the train everyday and enjoy the view together.

26th November 2019 at 5:20 pm

I am so pleased to have been able to help you and to hopefully make your trip a memorable one. It sounds like you have a wonderful itinerary planned now.

I would say that Cardiff is fine to visit in winter. Like many cities in the UK, lots of the attractions are indoors, so you can visit at any time of year and have a good time. Obviously you’ll want to dress warmly, but this will be the same all around the UK. Cardiff will definitely be one of the easier places to visit given its proximity. Another option would be Birmingham. I think I would probably not do Liverpool from Bristol – the 3 hour trip each way would be 6 hours on a train, so I don’t think you’d really have enough time to enjoy the city.

Let me know if I can be of any further help! We actually live in Bath too, so maybe we’ll see you 😉

28th November 2019 at 5:30 am

Hi Laurence, Thank you for the suggestion. We will look into Birmingham instead of Liverpool. We might be able to meet you for breakfast or lunch in Bath on Dec 22 or 23. I was able to find a place to stay that we can walk up or down the street to get to Bath Spa. Everything is in walking distance. Thanks to you again.

Sincerely, Hang

28th November 2019 at 7:22 pm

My pleasure – have a lovely trip. Do pop a comment here or send me an e-mail if you have some free time!

Laurel says

9th October 2019 at 7:23 am

Hi, love your itinerary of the UK. It includes much of what we want to see. Howev r, we are a senior couple of nomads from Australia and we are trying to organise a four week trip of the UK and Ireland including the islands off Scotland but we are steam train buffs and have the 10 best day trips on steam trains to try to include. Do you help with itinerary planning to include as many of these as we can but in some sort of order? If not can you head us in the right direction? We don’t need London as we have a couple of days there prior to a cruise of Norway. Is it feasible to do this trip in September and will he days still be long and fairly warm? Thanks in anticipation for your advice.

9th October 2019 at 6:16 pm

Thanks very much! So we don’t offer custom itinerary planning as it’s quite a time intensive process. We’re happy to answer specific questions and help where we can of course. Steam trains aren’t really an area of expertise though!

I can definitely answer your questions about September – I’d say September is a great month to travel. If you are lucky it might still be reasonably warm (recent years have been lovely in September), but you skip the crowds of the summer months and the schools will have gone back as well. September and May are our favourite months to travel. Of course, this is the UK, so rain and cooler weather is certainly possible (although you can get this in July and August as well!), so it’s always best to be prepared with layers of clothing, but you should be fine generally. The days will still be long, light until around 8pm depending on which part of the month you visit 🙂

Have a great trip, and let me know if I can answer any more specifics!

Kevin Ortyl says

19th September 2019 at 6:51 pm

Love the website and your two-week itinerary. Very easy to follow.. So glad we found your site. Need advice please… (Coming from Boston, USA) Thinking of a two-week vacation late August 2020 (family of 4… 2 college age kids) flying into London and out of Dublin. So similar trip you outlined but not returning to Heathrow once in Ireland. Planning on rental car and driving everywhere. Can the one way car rental work in this scenario (London, Scotland, ferry to the Emerald Isle, drop rental at Dublin)? Second Q… if we were to eliminate the Wales back to London segment how would you fill in that itinerary staying in Ireland?

19th September 2019 at 7:20 pm

Thanks very much. So dropping off the car in a different country might be a challenge. Most car rental companies will let you drop the car off in a different part of the same country, but as the Republic of Ireland is separate from the UK, that would likely be a challenge. So your best option is probably to rent the car in the UK, then drop it off at Edinburgh airport and fly to Dublin, then pick up a new rental there.

For your time in Ireland, you have a lot of options! If you are looking for a road trip the Causeway Coastal Route in northern Ireland is a favourite of ours, and the Wild Atlantic Way is also a great drive. Of course there is so much to see in Ireland and Northern Ireland depending on what you are interested in, with both Dublin and Belfast being worth a visit. It would just depend if you wanted to do more city or more country 🙂

Let me know if I can be of any more help – we have quite a few posts on Ireland as well on the site with some ideas!

19th September 2019 at 9:58 pm

Thank you for the reply, and the good information regarding rental cars.

To follow up, once in Ireland probably interested in seeing some of the quaint cities/towns, visit the pubs, little urban culture, castles, etc and those types of places in lieu of say hiking and biking. Hoping of course between destinations to see beautiful countryside and such!

20th September 2019 at 9:02 am

My pleasure 🙂 So I would suggest that driving the Causeway Coastal Route ( https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/causeway-coastal-route-northern-ireland/ ) Might be a good option 🙂

4th September 2019 at 2:13 am

Hi Laurence, I really like the two week trip itenerary. We’ll will be driving and are experienced with that. We’d like to see some worthy gardens along the suggested route. Any ideas?

4th September 2019 at 7:02 pm

Certainly. The gardens at Alnwick Castle are wonderful, as are the gardens at many of the stately homes in the UK (you can see our list of good stately homes in England here ). Not all of them have gardens of course, but that’s a good starting point. Many cities also have botanic gardens, including Edinburgh and Kew Gardens in London, which are well worth the visit.

I hope this helps a little 🙂

Rachel Sales says

16th August 2019 at 5:15 am

Hi! This post gave me lots of ideas. However, can you help me out in modifying this itinerary which will make Edinburgh as the last stop? My flight booking is DXB-LHR, EDI-DXB. I thought it will be nice it it’s an onward journey and not have to go back to my starting point. Thank you in advance!

16th August 2019 at 12:12 pm

Glad to be able to help! So as this itinerary is a loop, it’s a bit challenging to modify it that easily. My suggestion would perhaps be to drop Ireland from your trip, and instead to spend more time in Scotland. So you could follow the itinerary up to Edinburgh, and then add in time exploring more of Scotland before returning to Edinburgh. Let me know your thoughts,

Robin Major says

13th August 2019 at 12:53 am

Hello Lawrence,

I just found and love this site!! I’m trying to plan a 25th wedding anniversary trip for next September (2020) to surprise my hubby.

He’s never been to Europe. I was fortunate enough to get two and half lovely days in London a couple years back courtesy of my employer.

I’m not sure if what I want to do is totally doable though… No driving.. we would do transit and rail… I’m thinking a week in Britian and a week in Scotland. Maybe fly into London, spend two full days exploring the sites.. then I’m sort of lost. We are interested in Castles, love the supernatural aspect of York so that will be a must, definitely want to see Stonehenge.. and as odd as it sounds, my parents did Sherwood Forest and Nottingham on their 25th Wedding Anniversary many years ago so wondering if that would be a recommendation? Just not sure of the logistics for a week in Britian.. where to stay etc.

For Scotland, again, Castles and we are both big Outlander fans so we’ve have to see Loch Ness, Inverness and any and all sites made famous by Outlander. I am thinking a week up there and we fly home from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations on an itinerary for us? I would greatly appreciate any knowledge you wish to share with me.

Thank you so much! Robin

13th August 2019 at 10:19 am

Thanks very much! It certainly would be possible 🙂 I’ve actually written a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport. Whilst the route isn’t exactly what you want, the post does have some useful information to help you plan your trip, especially around booking the trains etc. If you’ve not seen that post yet, it’s here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/

Regarding your specific itinerary, I would suggest you start in London as you suggest. You could then take a day tour from London out to Stonehenge. This is doable by public transport, but is way easier as a day tour, plus they usually have some extra stops like Bath. You can read our guide to doing that here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/Stonehenge-bath-cotswolds-day-trip-from-london/

So Nottingham is nice (I went to university there), but with limited time I wouldn’t say it was a must do. My suggestion would be to take the train from London to Oxford, and then up to York. A day in each location would work. You are now up to five days in England. Castles are a bit tricky by public transport as many of them are out of cities. I would perhaps suggest extending your time in London and taking the extra day to visit either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace. From York you could head up to Durham which is a beautiful cathedral city.

From Durham the train to Edinburgh is not too far. I’d suggest basing yourself in Edinburgh for at least three days. Two days to explore the city, and then one day to take an Outlander tour. We have specifically done 1 day tour with Rabbies , and thought it was great. We have more suggested day tours from Edinburgh here:

https://independenttravelcats.com/day-trips-from-edinburgh-scotland/

From Edinburgh our recommendation would then be to take the train up to Inverness, from where you can explore more castles, Loch Ness and the Highlands. Again, plenty to do in this area, and there are lots of great day trips to plan. You can see our guide to some of the best here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/day-trips-from-inverness-scotland/

I think that should give you plenty to work with – let me know if you have any more questions!

8th August 2019 at 9:35 pm

I just found this page and so glad I did especially your “Best Stately Homes in England” We will be visiting England and Scotland for 2weeks October 16-29, 2019 and I am excited about your itinerary. We have been to Northern Ireland (once)and Republic of Ireland (4 times) so we can leave those out, so are there any other places you might suggest? My husband has driven every time we have visited Ireland so he can handle a manual transmission. We land at Gatwick Airport and I thought we could head to Edinburgh via a easterly route and return to London via a westerly route. We do not have to travel only motorways but don’t wait too many small country lanes (did plenty of those in Ireland). Any suggestions you could make would be greatly appreciated. Love Manor Houses, Castles, rolling landscape, waterfalls, quaint English market towns or villages, etc. THANKS

9th August 2019 at 8:54 am

Sounds like you have a great trip planned, and I will certainly do my best to help. It sounds like your route is pretty good already, coming down the west side of the UK gives you the chance to pop into the Lake District, explore towns like Chester, and even larger cities like Birmingham. In terms of stately homes, well, I would obviously recommend the majority of those in my post on stately homes. I’d also add Edinburgh Castle of course if you like castles, as well as the more ruined Craigmillar Castle on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Alnwick Castle on the way up through Northumberland is stunning, as are many of the other castles in Northumberland, like Bamburgh and dunstanburgh. For rolling hills and greenery, the Lake District is lovely, but I can also recommend the Hadrian’s Wall area of Northumberland, particularly the area near Housesteads.

For quaint English towns, of course the Cotswolds would be by number one pick. The counties of Kent and Dorset are also good options.

I think that should get you started, let me know if you need some more ideas!

Christine Greentaner says

5th August 2019 at 12:26 pm

Hello!! I stumbled on your site asking google if I could do the this kind of trip and wow, here you are! Unsure of the driving though since we zero experience. However, this two week itinerary gives us something to start thinking about. Thank you so much!! Christine

7th August 2019 at 2:52 pm

Hi Christine!

Driving in the UK is definitely a bit different, especially if you are coming from a country where they drive on the right hand side. Also, if you’re coming from the USA, be aware that most cars in the UK have manual transmissions, so when you rent a car if you are not used to driving a manual you should specify an auto. I have a guide to driving in the Uk which you might also find useful 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/tips-for-driving-in-the-uk/

Let me know if you have any questions, and have a great trip!

Danie marais says

11th July 2019 at 8:54 pm

What will it cost for 2 adults

12th July 2019 at 4:17 am

Hi Danie – this really depends on your travel style – you can see a guide to how much travel in the UK costs here for some estimates: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

Margaret says

9th July 2019 at 6:29 am

HI , Just wanted to ask. I am getting a little a little worried,as our trip is getting closer and closer. Your site has helped so much. Does this sound ok to do. Day 1 arrive late afternoon explore Paddinton. Day 2 & 3 follow your 2 day guide of london sites. Day 4 train to oxford, free 2 hour tour. free time to explore oxford Day 5 train back to oxford ,pick up car. Drive to Cotswold explore.. Drive on up to peak district stay over night . 1 night Day 6 explore peak district , drive to Manchester and york .explore. Now I am unsure to travel to the Lake district Or follow onto Alnwick. as some people say not to miss out on the lake district. We dont have enought time to cut back over to Alnwick unsure . We arrive in paddington on the 20th want to leave Edinburgh 31st. So take into account at least 2 night in Edinburgh and head onto Belfast. We will then explore Belfast and Dublin for 2 weeks as we have friends there. follow onto wales Bath but we do want to stay in Southampton for two days once again friends. Can you get to Heathrow airport from Southampton We have 5.5 weeks for this trip but I do want to spend time with friends in Belfast and Dublin. I am so over whelmed .

10th July 2019 at 5:43 am

Hi Margaret!

First, I’m delighted we’ve been able to help 🙂

Your comment covers a few points so I will try to help where I can. For your itinerary, the first six days look good, the only feedback I would offer is that trying to do the Peak District, Manchester and York in one day is likely going to be too much. Even Manchester and York in one day is quite a bit. York would need at least four hours to fully enjoy it, so I might suggest skipping Manchester unless you are particularly invested in it.

For your Lake District dilemma, I can’t really answer this for you. Everyone has a different idea as to what is “unmissable”, so it really depends on your priorities and interests. The Lake District is certainly very pretty, but so is much of the UK 😉

From Southampton you can definitely get to Heathrow airport. It takes around 2 hours by train. It’s not a direct train though, so you do have to change, but it shouldn’t be too difficult. If you would prefer a direct route, I believe National Express operates a coach service between the two locations.

I think for the rest of your trip you might want to reach out to your friends and ask for their advice in terms of what to see and do. I would try to relax and enjoy yourself instead of trying to see everything and becoming overwhelmed if you can. Travel is definitely a bit of work, but ultimately it is supposed to be fun. I always find that the less planned adventures are the more fun ones. So certainly come up with a framework, but don’t spend too much time worrying about it to the tiniest detail, as it will likely detract from the enjoyment.

22nd July 2019 at 4:35 am

Thank you Laurence, Your advice is so helpful. I have added days, so we can get the most out of our trip 2 days in the Peak District, Manchester and 1 day for York. Now I am on the end part of our trip and once again would like some advice. : After spending 18 days exploring Ireland. We will be catching the ferry to Wales. 20th Fishguard pick up car, early afternoon explore the country driving towards Cardiff, Bristol Question : Unsure as to time length of time needed

I was thinking, see Cardiff, then drive towards Bristol arrive around tea time. sleep overnight and have full day to explore Bristol. 21st after exploring Bristol drive towards Bath. arrive around tea time, find somewhere to sleep for 2 nights (21st and 22nd) 22nd full day to explore Bath. 23 th drive toward Stonehenge, Amesbury, drive onto southamption return Car

24th southamption .explore Southamption see family member. we need to be at Hearthrow airport on the 26th at 9:20 flight take off , My next question is , Should I return to paddington for the 25th so I can get the express train to airport , Is my flight to early to return from southamption. Once again . please guide me. Margaret

22nd July 2019 at 6:03 pm

Hi Margaret,

My pleasure! I will try to help again. Your timings for Bristol / Bath etc seem reasonable. They are very close together, my only advice is to avoid travelling at rush hour (4pm – 6pm), as it will make your journey much longer due to the traffic.

For your second question, in theory you could get from Southampton to Heathrow in time, but it’s around a 2 – 2.5 hour journey. You’d want to check train times for the day you are going, but the earliest trains are around 5am based on my research, so you would get to Heathrow around 7.30am. So yes, it’s possible, but it depends how happy you are with an early start and also the risk of any train delays. Up to you, but personally I avoid early mornings at all costs, so would personally probably just find a hotel near Heathrow 😉

Diana Cottrell says

1st July 2019 at 1:57 am

Loved seeing your site. Very helpful since I’m trying to plan a driving vacation for my husband and myself and really didn’t know were to start. I have some questions but will start with only one. We were in London last year but I could go again. Loved it. Hubby sick and had a different feeling. Would it be hard for someone from the US to land at Heathrow and rent a car…then drive to Windsor right after landing? Is it far enough out of London to get comfortable with driving on a different side of the road?

1st July 2019 at 10:18 pm

So, funny story, after passing my UK driving test the first thing I did was rent a car and drive out of Heathrow! I’m not sure I’d exactly recommend it, you’d be driving onto one of the busiest motorways in the UK (our equivalent of a freeway) which might be quite stressful. It’s possible of course, and I’m sure many people do it, but I would advise caution. Also, make sure you specify you want an automatic as most cars in the UK are manual 🙂

3rd July 2019 at 12:01 am

Thanks for the information. Think we’ll skip Heathrow. How would landing in Edinburgh, then heading up through Scotland and back down England (maybe to Bath). Then going up through York and returning back to Edinburgh to return car.

3rd July 2019 at 2:57 pm

That would likely work quite well. My only advice, if you plan on spending time in Edinburgh, is not to pick up the hire car until you leave, as you won’t need it in the city and you’ll just be paying for car rental and parking for no good reason – the city is very walkable.

6th July 2019 at 11:11 pm

Thanks so much. Will start planning.

Amanda says

23rd June 2019 at 5:59 pm

This is such a great detailed itinerary! We are planning to get a rental car in Cambridge and then driving to Scotland from there, so some of these places we will definitely have to visit! I do have one question, about renting a car. Is there a boarder crossing fee or any other type of fee the rental company could charge to go from England to Scotland? We are planning to do a one-way trip so I know there is a fee for that, but in terms of crossing between the two countries is there a fee? When I read about the boarding crossing fee it was unclear to me if that is only if we leave the UK?

Thank so much!

23rd June 2019 at 6:02 pm

Thanks very much! There’s no fee or anything like that for crossing into Scotland, it’s not really a border like that. It’s all part of the UK, so it’s one country.

Opal joiner says

18th June 2019 at 1:37 pm

Hi Do I need to purchase a London pass and a heritage pass? Or just one pass?

18th June 2019 at 7:05 pm

It depends what you want to see and where you are travelling, but for London the London Pass will cover the majority of the attractions 🙂 I definitely recommend checking what they cover before purchasing though 🙂

Chris Ryan says

17th June 2019 at 8:44 am

From an English persons point of view this is an excellent itinerary. It would be good to include the Lake District and Snowdonia but to cover all this in two weeks would be a nightmare and far too much time on the road. The average Brit would allow at least a month for the whole trip. If only two weeks available I would suggest you save Ireland for another time, it’s sacrilage not to explore more of that country, and maybe see more of the west of Scotland instead.

17th June 2019 at 11:06 am

Thanks very much 🙂 I agree, I was actually born in Snowdonia and that part of the world is wonderful. Have spent many happy weekends camping in the Lakes as well. The itinerary was in response to a specific request – we normally encourage folks to slow down where possible and spend more time seeing and less time travelling, but unfortunately many people don’t have much leave to play with and want to try and see as much as possible 🙂

Lillie says

15th June 2019 at 2:56 pm

Hi! So glad to have stumbled upon your site, as I am planning this trip to the UK in October, and I didn’t even know where to begin. I like the idea of doing all the traveling by road ourselves since we’ll be traveling with our baby who will be 9 month old at the time. I was thinking 10 days, including Ireland, but would you consider that possible? We are really interested in doing the whiskey distillery tours in Scotland and anything and everything related to Harry Potter. We’re also interested in visiting landmarks like the cliffs and stonehenge. We’re usually good at squeezing in a lot in our vacations, but this will be the first time we travel with our son, so I don’t want to set ourselves up for failure either. Any advice on what to cut out or if we need to lengthen the trip?

15th June 2019 at 8:38 pm

So, first off, I have to say that we’re not really experts on travelling with children as we don’t have any of our own. So any advice I offer you is based on what friends and other readers have shared with us about the logistics of travelling with a young person. Of course, everyone’s experience will also be different.

Generally, most folks say that you definitely need to slow down when travelling with young children, as you have to factor in things like feeding, changes and so on. This will definitely vary though depending on age and individual personalities 😉

That said, you are trying to do a great deal in 10 days. Scotland and England are around a 6 – 7 hour drive apart, and if you want to get up into the Highlands you’re looking at another few hours. To then add Ireland would make it more of a challenge for sure. It’s not impossible of course, but it would definitely be rushed. It might be that you would be best off focusing on Ireland and Scotland on this trip, perhaps five days in each, rather than trying to see everything and just having a stressful time. Alternatively, add 3 or 4 days and include some time in England 🙂

I hope this helps a bit!

Ashok Agarwal says

15th June 2019 at 6:01 am

Wow. I looked up the WWW for a 2 week itinerary for the UK and am glad I clicked on your site, from the numerous options that sprang up. The information contained here is so so exhaustive. Not only did I get a fantastic plan but ab amazing read, too. We are planning our first visit to the UK in October and are going to follow your tips to the T. You guys are fantastic. Thanks.

15th June 2019 at 11:04 am

Thanks very much Ashok! Much appreciated 🙂

9th June 2019 at 9:56 am

Dear Laurence!

Thank you SOOOOO much for your inspirational itinerary and all other articles you provide here. They’re great help!

We are going to spend 15 days in UK in August and this is cause we’ve planned to take our son to Warner Bros HP Studio as we are all massive HP fans :). We’ll start and finish in London, though initially we want to hire a car at the airport and start a trip and spend couple of days in London in the end.

Could you kindly give us some advice / decide whether it is possible, to plan a trip considering these simple priorities: 1) we’d love to see Scotland with its green hills, waterfalls etc. 2) we would really like to visit Snowdonia 3) I guess Stonehenge is sth 8-year-old traveler to England must see 4) I personally have dreamt all my life too see PUFFINS (I mean – free puffins) 5) we can skip Irelnad, no problem 😉

I must admit – reading about UK – I am getting a bit lost in huge amount if options and sites one must visit, so I’d be grateful for some advice.

10th June 2019 at 10:57 am

My pleasure 🙂

So my first tip, if you haven’t already booked the Harry Potter Studio Tour is to do it as soon as possible as it books out well in advance 🙂 I also have a guide to visiting which you might have already seen, but just in case you haven’t, it’s here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/taking-a-harry-potter-studio-tour-everything-you-need-to-know/

Then, on to the question of your itinerary. Assuming two days in London, that gives you around 12 – 13 days to play with. I would suggest you spend them as follows. Given that you are Harry Potter fans I’m also including some HP filming locations you might enjoy 😉

Day 1 – head to Oxford, overnight here. Lots of awesome history, plus lots of Harry Potter filming locations to explore. Day 2 – head to Bath via Stonehenge Day 3 – head up to Snowdonia. Will be a bit of a drive, but worth it. I’d advise a couple of days in Snowdonia to do some hiking and exploring the towns, castles etc. The roads are slower here so it will take longer go get around

Day 5 – Head across to York Day 6 – Drive up to Alnwick Castle, another HP filming location. Then continue on to Edinburgh. Day 7 & 8, Edinburgh. Lots to see, lovely castle. Where Rowling wrote many of the HP books. Note the Edinburgh festival will be on so the city will be very busy. If you decide to stay in Edinburgh, you need to book now. Also, if you want to see puffins, the Isle of May just near Edinburgh is one of the best places to get up close to them. You need to book a trip, which you can do here: https://seabird-centre.seafari-edinburgh.co.uk/forth-ferry-and-isle-of-may

Day 9 – head across to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Overnight here or in Oban Day 10 – head up to Fort William / Glencoe. You can ride the HP train from here, or go see the viaduct at least Day 11 – head down to Glasgow, overnight Day 12 – drive down to Liverpool, overnight Day 13 – return to London.

I would say that would be a good way to do it! We have lots more info on Harry Potter sites if you are interested: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/london-harry-potter-locations/ https://independenttravelcats.com/guide-top-harry-potter-sites-in-edinburgh-scotland-jk-rowling/ https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-uk/ https://independenttravelcats.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-in-scotland/

10th June 2019 at 8:52 pm

Thank you a lot for your advice! The plan sounds great and we are definitely going to follow it step by step :)))

with best regards!

7th June 2019 at 9:00 am

Hi, what a great article! However, do you have any tips for hire car? Are there any fees/ extra charge or need to notice the supplier that the road trip route is involve Wales, Ireland and Scotland?

7th June 2019 at 8:37 pm

Thanks very much!

For driving in Wales and Scotland it won’t matter because they are part of the united Kingdom, so it’s still the same country.

The republic of Ireland however is a separate country, plus you have to take a ferry to get there. So that would be something you would need to check with the rental agency.

S. Steinback says

26th May 2019 at 9:16 am

Hi, my daughter and I are leaving mid August to the UK for 2 weeks. We are planning to start our trip in London. Then wanted to see Brighton, Cornwall, Wales and Scotland. We also want to see Bath and Oxford too. Is this doable using the train? We are unsure of how we should book our traveling using train, car or bus. Can you provide and manageable itinerary and recommendations on how we should travel from each place on a 2 week trip?

26th May 2019 at 11:04 am

Hi Sabrina,

So you should be able to see most of what you want to see by train. As an example, I’d suggest:

2 days in London 1 day in Brighton (train to Brighton takes about an hour, so can be done as a day trip from London or overnight) 1 day in Oxford (1 hour train from London to Oxford, overnight in Oxford) 1 day in Bath (1 hr 40 minute train from Oxford to Bath, overnight in Bath) 2 days in Cornwall (around 3 hours by train from Bath to Cornwall. You might want to take a tour in Cornwall as there is less public transport to get around) 3 days in Wales (train from Cornwall to Cardiff is around 3 – 4hours, but then you will have to plan how to get around Wales. Again a tour might be easiest) 3 days in Scotland (you can either fly from Cardiff to Glasgow / Edinburgh, or take the train, but the train will take around 8 hours)

I’d also suggest looking into Rabbie’s Trail Burners . They do a number of tours from London which might suit what you want to do and save you the hassle of planning. These cover the majority of the destinations you want to visit.

I hope this helps a bit with your planning!

Ed Hyland says

17th April 2019 at 12:01 am

Thankyou for your guide it was really helpful I am living in Argentina and j am planning on bringing Argentinian tourists to Wales and central England on a tour of castles and important historical sites .I plan on bringing groups of around 10 people and using a rented mini bus to move around. Do you have any helpful tips as this will be our first tour ,we are planning on visiting early September All the best .Ed,x

17th April 2019 at 10:56 am

My pleasure. So I don’t have any experience of running this kind of trip, so it’s tricky to give very specific advice. I am sure you have considered things like insurance and liability and so on, as well as any other legal requirements involved with running a tour.

THe only tips I have would be around admission to sights – there are usually group discounts available for attractions that you might be able to take advantage of, although you might need to call in advance to arrange these. I’d also advise to definitely book your accommodation in advance as you have a larger group.

Otherwise, I hope you have a great trip!

12th April 2019 at 12:04 am

I was planning this itinerary since I saw and had 15 days in the region. After more research I am now wondering what it takes to get a rental car from London to Ireland and back? Do you use the same car the entire trip, or would you switch cars at the water crossings in order to not have to pay to ferry the car across? Also I’ve heard rental agencies in England don’t really allow their rentals (or at least coverage) in Ireland? And yet another concern is time, I keep hearing that driving over there is quite a bit slower going than say the US, or by train, would this itinerary still give enough time to enjoy the locations or would it be quick stops and rushed in order to get to the next place? Sorry a lot of questions, just trying to decide if I need to break the trip up to just one or two countries. Thanks. And love you blogs and all the information and amazing photography.

12th April 2019 at 11:46 am

So it is certainly possible to take a hire car on the ferry, it just depends on the hire car company, and some of them charge a fee for doing so. Here’s an example of the Enterprise UK policy: https://www.enterprise.co.uk/en/help/faqs/driving-across-borders.html

Obviously you also then have to pay the ferry fee for the hire car as well. So an easier option to be honest is just to fly, for example to take a flight from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin. You would drop off the hire car in Edinburgh and pick up a new one in Belfast.

I appreciate this might be a bit of hassle, so certainly adjusting the itinerary so you skip Ireland is another option. In this case, I’d suggest either spending more time in Scotland, or coming down the west coast of the UK, visiting the Lakes and Wales.

The roads in the UK are definitely a bit busier and can also be slower than roads in the USA. This itinerary is definitely doable, but I’m always a fan of slowing down and seeing more, so that is a good option too 🙂

Let me know if you have any more questions!

David Cameron says

11th April 2019 at 1:56 pm

“You’ve packed up every possible solution in this one blog. I’m over the moon! I really am! How much would this trip cost, approximately? And if I’m going on this trip, Ireland will definitely be included coz from the moment I saw P.S I love you and Leap Year movie, I’ve been dreaming of visiting those places. Thank you. Thank you so much, Laurence !”

11th April 2019 at 2:04 pm

Thanks very much! So it’s hard to give an exact price as it will depend on your travel style. The best option is to cross reference this post with our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK, which will let you come up with a budget based on your travel style 🙂

Have a great trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!

Usha Gupta says

10th April 2019 at 6:02 pm

Hi, we are travelling to London for a holiday from India. My 2 sons (29 & 27) and I are planning on spending 2 weeks in London and Wales. 13th-18th in London 19th-21st in Wales 22nd-26th in London Please advice how best to spend our holidays? We do not want to visit any of the normal places as we have seen n visited them all. What are the best places in wales to see and visit? We have not been to wales. Is it safe to take a road rrip from London to wales? Are 3 days in wales enough to get around? Pl advice

10th April 2019 at 6:52 pm

Well, there’s a huge amount to do and see in London beyond all the normal tourist things that you have likely already done. I can advise visiting Greenwich for example if you have not been out there already, and perhaps some of the palaces out of the city, like Kensington or Hampton Course. Sometimes we like to pick up the London Pass and visit some of the many attractions we’ve not been to before!

Wales is lovely but it is quite big so you will want to consider visiting a region. My favourite part of Wales is the northern part, including the Snowdonia national park and towns like Caernarfon, but there are many nice regions and places to visit. If you want to see more you will likely want a few more days in Wales.

It is certainly safe to take a road trip from London to Wales, of course, I can’t guarantee your safety, but it is no less safe than travel anywhere else in the UK 🙂

I hope this helps – have a great trip!

Usha gupta says

14th April 2019 at 3:24 am

Ty for you advise. We decided to spend all our time in London and do day trips, theatre etc.

14th April 2019 at 11:46 am

My pleasure. Enjoy!

Darlene Williams says

24th March 2019 at 6:10 pm

Lovely ideas here! My Granddaughter and I did a trip last summer to the Cotswolds, London and Paris. I’m thinking of a trip with my Granddaughter (18) in 2020 and would like to base myself in the Lakes District or Wales and take in Ireland and Scotland in a 2 week trip. Since I’ve been there I’ve decided I could probably drive it myself or possibly rent cars when needed and travel via train/bus/tours between Ireland & Scotland. I’m guessing the Highlands is probably out of reach for a 2 week trip? I would welcome your knowledge and suggestions. Thank you, Darlene

25th March 2019 at 3:44 pm

Thanks very much Darlene!

I would definitely recommend hiring a car for the Lakes – it’s a more remote part of the UK, and there are fewer public transport options, both for getting there, and for getting around. I would say that it would make for a good base, but just to be aware that the roads are not very fast in either the Lake District or Wales, so it can take a bit of time to get from place to place.

The Highlands would be achievable, but it would involve a great deal of driving, and if you wanted to head up there i would suggest that as a standalone trip, perhaps flying to Inverness (or overnight train from London), and then renting a car from there 🙂

Do let me know if I can provide any more specific information to help you plan!

Deep Shah says

22nd March 2019 at 5:43 am

Hello Laurence and Jessica,

It has been a pleasure reading about all your experiences in and around UK. I am planning to visit UK between April 22 and May 1. I am planning to start my trip from Edinburg cover a bit of scotland and than move on and end my trip in London.

Here is my itinerary Inverness (23 April) –> Isle of Skye (24 April) –> Fort William (25 April) –> Edinburgh (26 April) –> Jedburgh (27 April) –> York (28 April) –> Cambridge (29 April) –> Cotsworld (30 April) –> London (1 May)

Do you think this is doable? Or any particular section is too aggressive? Your help will really help me plan this better.

22nd March 2019 at 10:00 am

This is in theory do-able, but you will be spending a lot of time driving. From Inverness to the Isle of Skye is a 2.5 hour drive for example, and then there’s a lot to see and do on the island which will also require driving. If you are ok with lots of time driving then yes, this is doable, I just wanted to be sure you knew 🙂

24th March 2019 at 12:35 pm

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am aware that we will have a lot of driving. But thats ok with me. Thanks again for your time. I have made the reservations to follow this itinerary. Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for sharing all the information on your website.

24th March 2019 at 12:38 pm

My pleasure – have a great time and do let us know how it goes! You can drop in here or in our facebook group 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelloversandphotography/

Omker Mahalanobish says

21st March 2019 at 5:22 pm

Thanks for your detailed itinerary. Looks exciting. By the way, could you please let me know, what should be the expected cost for the said trip? Further : I dont want to drive. Me and my wife would be travelling, and we would rather prefer a chauffer driven cab.

Thanks, Omker

21st March 2019 at 5:27 pm

I have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

However, if you want to travel with a private guide, this will generally cost in the region of £500 – £800 per day for the car / driver guide, and then you would need to add accommodation expenses and so on on top of that. We recommend Robina Brown for this sort of trip: http://driverguidetours.com/

Heather Reid says

20th March 2019 at 5:20 am

This site is the most perfect one for my needs. I am a solo traveler female aged 74 and I wish my 75th Birthday be spent on the next trip. If there be another solo person I would be happy to meet up before departure….male or female.

20th March 2019 at 12:49 pm

Thanks Heather – have a great trip, and we hope you find someone to travel with!

Phillip Armanas says

5th March 2019 at 12:20 am

Stumbled over your website while looking for ideas for a two week trip to the UK, glad I did. You’ve got a fantastic itinerary which includes a number of destinations my wife and I had in mind already. We are a retired couple, living in Australia six months of the year, and Atlanta, Georgia the other six months. This gives us great flexibility in travel terms, both in SE Asia and from the USA to many places including UK/Europe. A question I have is whether you have done any family history work on any of your travels? My ancestry is Scottish in the mid-1800s when my great-great-grandfather arrived into Port Adelaide, Australia. As yet we have been unable to track him accurately back into Scotland, but his surname is from a very ancient clan that can be traced back to the 13th century in Fife county. Have you any tips on places I might visit to pursue my elusive ghosts? Phill & Patti

5th March 2019 at 1:35 pm

Hi Phill & Patti!

We’re delighted you have found our content useful : ) So this isn’t something we have personally done, however I have some resources that might be helpful:

http://www.scottishgenealogyresearch.com/ https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/research-your-ancestry/steps/ https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/family-history https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/local-family-history-centres

It helps if you know the person’s name you are researching and where they lived before leaving Scotland. If you know this, you can look for a local research center or records office or clan center. The Visit Scotland link above is a good place to start. The Scottish Genealogy Research is a professional service that will do research for you for a fee.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

Ronald Rieder says

15th February 2019 at 1:22 am

My wife and I would like to take your “ideal itinerary” beginning Sept. 30, 2019. Is there anyone or any group that we could join?

17th February 2019 at 3:56 pm

So this itinerary is a self guided tour for those wanting to drive themselves. However, we appreciate not everyone wants to do that, and we’ve put some suggested tours that will allow you to do a similar trip but in a group tour format. My suggestion for that would be to focus on England and Scotland, and to take this small group tour followed by this five day tour of the Scottish Highlands and Skye .

I hope this helps – let me know if I can offer any more advice!

Cass Baron says

11th February 2019 at 2:19 am

Laurence and Jessica, We are from Utah, United States and have never traveled abroad (except a short trip to Canada and a Western Caribbean cruise). It has been our dream to come to England and retrace our family history roots. We were looking for trip ideas that covered the areas for both a historical trip as well as a family roots trip. We found your site and loved everything that you have written about. We like the 2 week itinerary but don’t want to do the Ireland and Wales portion. We would like to include Nottingham and Hastings areas, do you have any suggestions to add these in for the same amount of time. We are planning on this May. Thanks!

11th February 2019 at 7:40 am

Certainly. I’d recommend Hastings first, then heading from there along to Stonehenge and Bath, then the Cotswolds and Oxford. From there, start heading north, with Nottingham your next stop, before continuing with the itinerary. You could even drop the car off in Edinburgh and fly out from there if you didn’t want to drive back down to London 🙂

I hope this helps – let me know if you have any more questions!

Lashaun says

5th February 2019 at 11:42 pm

Hello. If we skip the Ireland portion where should we extend our time or add another destination for the 2 week adventure? Also we’d like to see a football game, suggestions for city (Manchester, Liverpool?), tickets etc? thank you!

6th February 2019 at 10:36 am

I’d say you could extend by visiting the Lake District and northern Wales, or by heading further north into Scotland, where there’s lots to see. You definitely won’t have trouble finding places to see!

For football, if you don’t have a particular affiliate with a team, then Manchester will likely be a good option as they have the largest stadium. Tickets can be bought online in advance for any of the teams from their official websites, just be aware that they can sell out so you’ll want to book well in advance to be sure of getting a spot.

I hope this helps! have a great trip 🙂

Steve Geller says

2nd February 2019 at 3:10 am

Hi there, Curious if this itinerary, or part of it, could be done in a motorhome (midsize RV) for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. I’ve never been to most of these places, outside of some brief time in London and Dublin. For itineraries like these where there is a lot of moving around, I like the idea of a motorhome vs going from hotel to hotel (or apt to apt). Thanks!

3rd February 2019 at 11:45 am

So yes, it would be possible to do this is a motorhome. However, I’d probably advise modifying the itinerary fairly substantially, especially the city parts. Most UK cities don’t have centrally located motorhome camping locations, and the streets tend to be fairly narrow, which can make driving and parking a motorhome very challenging. I would instead suggest, if you wanted to do a motorhome holiday in the UK, to look at a driving route like the NC500 (see our camping itinerary for the NC500 here ), or adjusting this route so it visits more of the countryside parts, like the Cotswolds, Peak District, Lake District and Northumberland.

Let me know if we can answer any more questions!

Iskandar Zulkifly Bin Ali says

29th January 2019 at 10:05 pm

Hello there ! finding this website was such a blessing for me! i am a student who wishes to travel around UK for 2 weeks before i go outside UK ( around Europe for a month ). my only problem is, i am studying in london therefore i’m gonna skip london from this amazing itinerary, and am also skipping Scotland cuz i went there last Dec already. which will give me extra days to fill in to make it 2 weeks. would you please help me to suggest places to fill in between the itinerary ? ps; i really really want to see Jurassic coast and cambridge and watergate bay. where should i put these places in terms of best route wise?

thank you in advance for your time !! you got a follower on your ig !

30th January 2019 at 7:33 pm

Hi Iskandar!

Thanks for your lovely comment and following on IG! We’ve actually just recently visited Cambridge and written a detailed guide to the city, which will be live on the blog in the next few weeks 🙂

To answer your question, first I have to assume you are driving. If not, this might have to change a bit to accommodate public transport. But I would say I would go from London to Cambridge, then up to the Peak District, Manchester and York. You could then go across to the Lake District if you wanted, then across to Holyhead and to Ireland (if you wanted to visit Ireland). Then south wales, Oxford and the Jurassic coast.

I hope that works for you 🙂 Have a great trip!

HANNAH JOHNSON says

29th January 2019 at 3:07 pm

This has been an amazing help! If possible, I did want to ask about more recommendations as far as castles/history goes. This is a very close itinerary for what I think we want to do, but I was wondering if you had any more info on what I could add/take away from this list in order to do more of that. Also, we will be departing from the atlanta, GA airport, and returning back to (or starting from) england isnt entirely necessarily. I definitely agree and would take your advice of ending in dublin and returning from there or wales, but im basically trying to avoid flying/ferrying more than need be. What would be your recommendation for doing everything in the UK in one vehicle and then only crossing into ireland once? if that makes sense

30th January 2019 at 7:38 pm

So there are a lot of great castles in the UK, and it’s hard to travel anywhere without finding history! Some of my favourite castles are in Scotland and the Northumberland area, and you’ve also got Hadrian’s wall up there. But York has all the Viking history too, and then cities like Oxford or Cambridge have more from the middles ages, Bath has the Roman empire.. So there’s really no shortage of history to find.

If it was me though, I’d spend a bit more time exploring some of the castles in Northumberland like Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, as well as some in Scotland.

If you want to do everything in the UK that would be possible, just continue from Oxford to Bath and Cardiff, and then head north from there to York. You might want to bypass Manchester in order to get more of the history you are interested in as it’s more of a town that had it’s heyday with the industrial revolution, which might be a bit too recent history for your interests. You could instead add Warwick, which has a popular castle and a lovely town centre.

Have a great trip and let me know if I can be of any more help!

Hannah says

30th January 2019 at 8:25 pm

For sure! Thank you so much.

Maribel says

17th January 2019 at 4:13 am

Hi, I am planning a 2-week trip to Great Britain flying from Mexico City to London. Your post is very helpful. My trip HAS to include the Isle of Man but I do want to go to Edinburgh and Ireland. What do you think would be the best route? Thanks for your amazing post!

17th January 2019 at 6:37 pm

Hi Maribel!

Great question, and the first time anyone has asked me about the Isle of Man, which I have to admit, I haven’t been to!

There are direct ferry connections to the Isle of Man from Belfast, Dublin, Lancaster and Liverpool.

So assuming you want to do a fairly similar route, mug suggestion would be to follow the general outline of this trip, but take the ferry from Dublin to the Isle of Man, and then on to Liverpool, instead of from the southern end of Ireland to Fishguard. I think that’s the most logical option.

There are other option too – you could go London -> Oxford -> Liverpool -> Isle of Man -> Dublin -> Belfast -> Cairyan -> Edinburgh -> London.

So up to you really! Have a great trip, and let us know if you have any more questions!

Maribel Felix says

17th January 2019 at 6:40 pm

Muchas Gracias! I appreciate you advice very much. I will send you an update of my trip on my way back to Mexico.

17th January 2019 at 9:50 pm

Please do Maribel – we love to hear back from people on how their trips go, and incorporate feedback into our content to help everyone!

16th December 2018 at 12:15 am

Hello! I am planning a 28 day trip in in May 2019. What would you recommend to fill in the extra days? Thank you so much! And thank you for sharing such a lovely itinerary!

16th December 2018 at 11:49 am

Hi Sara! It’s hard to give a precise answer without knowing your interests, but if it was me I would extend my trip up into the northern half of Scotland, perhaps spending 7-10 days driving the North Coast 500, visiting the Isle of Skye and seeing the highlands. You could also head out to the some of the other islands, like Lewis. May is a great time to head up into that part of Scotland.

Other options include Wales or Cornwall, or extending your time in Ireland. There’s so much to see and do, even 28 days will be filled easily!

Nathaniel says

14th December 2018 at 7:57 pm

Could I use this itinerary for a school project. You will be credited and cited, obviously. Thank you if yes and thanks anyway if no. This was fun to read, regardless of your reply Thank you again, Nathaniel

14th December 2018 at 11:43 pm

Hi Nathaniel,

Thanks for asking! Could you e-mail me about this so I get more of an idea of the use? It’s [email protected] 🙂

9th December 2018 at 8:26 am

We are planning a 3 week trip to UK (2 weeks) and Amsterdam (1 week).. We will fly to Amsterdam from London. We were looking at your 2 week itinerary and wanted to ask what would you suggest instead of Ireland, We only want to visit London, Wales and Scotland start at London and return to London. Family with kids who like a bit of adventure, culture so interested in castles, nature etc. Also would like to visit Whisky distilleries preferably Glenfiddich and Aberlour. Also we will be hiring a car in London and return there. Would really appreciate your suggestions.

9th December 2018 at 10:37 am

So my suggestion would be to do a loop from London, similar to that I’ve described here, but instead of going across to Ireland, to head down the west coast of the UK, and then visit the Lake District and Wales on your way down.

In terms of distilleries, certainly, Aberlour and Glenfiddich are achievable from Edinburgh, but you are looking at a three hour drive each way. So you might prefer to visit a closer distillery like Deanston, which is also right next to Doune Castle, which I’m sure your kids will also enjoy 🙂

Hope this helps a bit!

Navtej says

22nd October 2018 at 11:18 am

Hi, a very helpful article. As I plan my next year travel to Europe after a gap of 15 years…it’s a god send. I propose to spend a few days in Amsterdam-Bruges and then fly to London. Here I catch up with another couple and there 12 year old daughter and plan to drive to Scotland and Ireland. We have a total of 10 / 11 days for this.

Am thinking will cut Wales from my itinerary and which other place would u recommend I skip ?

Many thanks

Navtej from New Delhi, India

PS another slighlty unrelates question : If I fly into London should I take a flight into Amsterdam and the train back from Bruges or is this complicated and expensive?

22nd October 2018 at 8:22 pm

It’s hard to give specific recommendations as to what to skip as I’m not sure as to your personal interests. If you are more interested in culture / museums etc, then you will want to include more of the cities, and less of the countryside. Conversely, if you are less interested in the outdoors, perhaps leaving out some of the countryside attractions would be a good idea 🙂

Generally my advice would be just to stick to flights as it’s likely going to be easier and probably less expensive. The train though can be a good option if you book far enough in advance, it will just take a little bit longer.

Hope this helps – have a great trip!

Leslie says

21st July 2018 at 11:12 pm

Four women from Texas will be traveling to the UK in September and wanted to drive (one of us is brave enough to drive on the wrong side of the road). We spend 8 days in London last September with side trips to Bath and a tour to Oxford and Cotswolds and Warwick Castle. We have relatives in Glasgow, so plan to see that area of Scotland. Your information is a Godsend and thank you so much for all your planning. We will let you know how it goes!

22nd July 2018 at 9:36 pm

Thanks Leslie – please do! We always love to hear feedback as to how our posts help people (or if they need changing, we love to hear about that too!)

Have an awesome trip!

Ruth Deane says

11th July 2018 at 6:24 am

A good travel guide to the UK. I know it is difficult to provided a balanced approach due to limited wordage but the emphasis should be on the UK. N. Ireland and its capital Belfast have been sadly neglected in this article and the focus was Dublin which is not part of the UK. Surely something coulf have been added about Belfast and N. Ireland in general. It is a beautiful place. The author did make a reference to the Dark Hedges but associates them with Dublin. Last time I checked they are quite definitely in N. IRELAND. Hope this criticism is constructive. N. Ireland continues to get a bad press but it is a beautiful place and the majority of the people are that bad either.

11th July 2018 at 9:44 am

Constructive feedback is always welcome! We’re actually visiting Northern Ireland next week for a week to fully explore Belfast and the Coastal Causeway, and will be updating our content (and creating new content!) to have more information on this part of the UK 🙂 Stay tuned!

Craig Grimston says

26th June 2018 at 2:47 am

Thank you!!

September is a perfect month to come to Texas – the weather is perfect then! I’d be happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability (I’m not a native Texan – originally from Australia), but there is a lot of great things to do here. Austin and San Antonio are great too.

Thank you for offering to answer any questions! We are going in a group, so I’m sure a lot of questions will come up! I’ll try not to bombard you with them, but I may just hit you with a few! We are planning for somewhere in June to August next year (I plan ahead big time!) and couldn’t be more excited to see your beautiful country!

But please, definitely hit me up with any questions you have about Dallas or Texas. If I can’t answer them, I can track someone down who can!

Thanks!! Craig

22nd June 2018 at 8:02 pm

Hi Laurence and Jessica,

I just wanted to say thank you for posting this itinerary. I really wanted to plan a road trip in the UK and after googling about it all I got was a bunch of blogs pointing out all of the negative things and basically saying “don’t bother”!

As I was about to give up and go the typical tourist route, I came across your website. It was exactly what I was looking for! It is inspirational, and put the joy and adventure back into my travel plans.

I’m pretty much going to stick to your itinerary with the exception of Ireland (I wanted to check out the Lake District and Liverpool), so Ireland may have to be a separate road trip!

I have a million questions, but I’m going to spare you of that! LOL. I really just wanted to say a big thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!

Kindest Regards, Craig – Dallas Texas

25th June 2018 at 9:28 pm

Thank you so much, it always means a lot to hear that people are finding our content useful. I think you are making a sensible choice – there is a lot to see on the mainland of the UK, and it’s also less hassle to worry about rental cars and ferries if you leave Ireland for another trip 🙂

We’re happy to answer any questions you have. We’re actually planning a trip to Texas for late September, and will be swinging by Dallas, so may have some questions for you in return!

Vanessa says

14th May 2018 at 9:38 pm

I’ve googled “hire car” and it says “rental car.” But on your site here it seems that a rental care and a hire car are different things. What exactly is the difference? Thank you! And also thank you for this post – it’s amazing and I think I will definitely base my trip -whenever that may be… – around it. Bookmarking this page!!

15th May 2018 at 5:57 pm

Thanks Vanessa! I think in the UK we use the term hire car, wheras in the USA it’s more likely to be called a rental car. But yes, they are the same thing in my mind, you can use the terms interchangeably as far as I know 🙂 Have a great trip, and don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions at all 😀

Saurabh says

7th May 2018 at 7:55 am

Hi Lawrence, This is a great post! I think I can use some help. We are planning a 2 week trip to UK in August with a 1 year old toddler. What from above or otherwise will be a good itinerary for us. How realistic is it for me to cover what you have listed here? Appreciate any help. Thanks!

7th May 2018 at 10:03 pm

Thanks Saurabh! First, I should say that not having kids ourselves this isn’t an area of expertise for us 🙂 However, based on experiences of friends who travel with family, my suggestion would be to probably cut the itinerary in half, and focus on some of the major cities. As it is, it’s quite a busy itinerary, and I think you will have a better time doing a bit less and having the time to really explore some of the cities on the itinerary. So for example, maybe just do England and Scotland, and skip Ireland and Wales. This will reduce your travel, and let you spend a bit longer in each city. I’d also advise finding accommodation close to the city centres and attractions, so at least one of you can go out sight-seeing if one of you needs to stay behind for naps etc. I hope this helps – have a wonderful trip!

3rd May 2018 at 12:38 am

My husband and I are following this itinerary this summer, flying round trip into Gatwick from Canada. I was looking at the cost of the ferry from Scotland to Ireland and than Ireland to Wales and was shocked at the cost. Do you know of any Ferry discounts?

3rd May 2018 at 7:12 pm

Hi Sarah – you can try the various ferry search companies like directferries or a1ferries I think they are called. Unfortunately that time of year is school holidays, and there aren’t many companies operating the routes, so the prices go up. You might consider instead flying from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin instead, and hiring a car in Ireland rather than taking the ferry, if that is a cheaper option!

Badariah says

21st March 2018 at 8:24 am

Awesome I am planning for a 2 week get away to UK. Your article helpsss a lot. Planning to go in mid sept till end of sept

21st March 2018 at 11:25 am

Thanks very much – have a wonderful trip!

11th March 2018 at 9:06 am

hi lawrence me n my wife middle aged planning to do england and scotland in 15 days in july which would be ideal places to cover by public transport. i am open to hire a car for 2 to 3 days if required. please suggest us best possible train route for this trip we are flying in n out of london thanks waiting for ur reply

11th March 2018 at 10:02 am

My advice would be to follow my 10 day UK itinerary, which is designed for public transport: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/

You could spend a little extra time in each location, or you could add a couple of stops. My advice would be to add 1 day in Bath near Bristol, stop in Manchester between Liverpool and York, and think about stopping in Newcastle on the way to Edinburgh. If you wanted to see the Cotswolds, you could do that with a hire car from Bath, or on a tour from London.

I hope this helps! That post also has lots of information on using public transport in the UK. Have a great trip!

Christine says

19th February 2018 at 4:57 am

Hello and Thank You!! I was just wondering, I’m not the best with timelines haha, but exactly how many hotel stays are there in total in each location? I’m just trying to determine if you actually spent the night in each location for both nights or if you spent the day touring then drove to the next location and got a room, especially for the 1 day places… if that makes sense? My husband and are are arriving March 10th and fly back out the 24th so just trying to sort out the timelines… Also it was suggested to me to go to Cornwall or Leeds, what are your thoughts? Thanks!

19th February 2018 at 6:11 pm

Hi! And my pleasure 😀

So you’d be looking at:

2 nights in London 1 night in Oxford 1 night in the Cotswolds 1 night in the Peak District 1 night in Manchester (could do Leeds here instead) 1 night in York 2 nights in Edinburgh (could do one night in Northumberland on the way up) 3 nights in Ireland / Northern Ireland 1 night in Cardiff 1 night in Bristol or Bath

You could of course spend more or less time in each destination, and leave say London after two full days but only one night, and overnight in Oxford. So really it’s up to you 🙂

Leeds you could easily fit into this itinerary. Cornwall would be a bit harder as it’s a bit further away. If you wanted to do Cornwall, you might need to leave Ireland out for example to give yourself enough time. Hope this helps!

15th February 2018 at 10:57 pm

Awesome Itinerary, I would add Canterbury to this list 🙂

17th February 2018 at 8:35 pm

I’ve only briefly visited Canterbury, must return!

22nd January 2018 at 4:52 pm

This came a blessing in disguise after searching for a week almost and making all shit loads of itineraries. I am thinking of blindly following this as it looks great to me. Need your help on a few points here if it doe snot bother you much, it would serve a great deal of planning for me in addition to what it already has, 1. Was this too hectic considering the number of places you covered? 2. Was driving time included in the time spent at each place you mentioned? 3. Is driving safe in and around England? 4. Is driving a cheaper option than using rail/bus transport? 5. How much did this two week trip cost you? 6. How much does the drive part of the trip cost?

22nd January 2018 at 5:44 pm

HI Saurabh!

Pleased to hear you found the itinerary 🙂 I’m happy to answer your questions of course.

1. This is definitely a busy itinerary, although as you can see from the other comments, many people have enjoyed it. So it really depends on your own personal style of travel and your preferences, as well as who you are travelling with. If you want a less hectic schedule, I’d suggest perhaps leaving the Irish part of the trip out, and maybe focusing on England and Scotland, and perhaps extending your time in cities like London and Edinburgh.

2. Yes, driving time is included. Driving time is not too great in the UK as distances are not large and the motorways are good, however, be aware that traffic can be bad around rush hour in the morning and evenings.

3. Yes, driving is very safe. Of course, accidents happen like anywhere in the world, but for the most part you shouldn’t have any trouble.

4. It depends on a few factors – mostly how many of you there are. For one person, it might be more cost-effective to take public transport. Also, if you book public transport well in advance, especially trains, this can be much cheaper than buying tickets on the day. Car hire also depends on the size of the car, but you can get pretty good value car hire. Fuel is quite expensive, but most modern hire cars are very fuel efficient. I am shortly going to publish a post with a similar itinerary that focuses on travelling in the UK by public transport, so stay tuned for that 🙂

5. Cost is really up to you, as it depends so much on what you want to see! I’d say you can hire a car for around £180 – £250 a week, fuel costs will be in the region of £50-£70 a week, and accommodation is likely to be in the range of £80 – £150 a night for two people sharing. You can of course get cheaper and more expensive accommodation options, it really depends on your style of travel.

6. The main costs for the car are the car hire, fuel, and any insurance you buy. I’d say between £200 and £300 a week, plus any parking fees. I’d definitely advise always booking a hotel that includes free parking.

I hope this helps with your planning – have a wonderful trip, and don’t miss my one week itinerary post for more ideas 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/UK-Itinerary-One-Week-Road-Trip/

Steve and Cheryl Bales says

26th February 2018 at 9:09 pm

Thank you for the wealth of information! We are planning to take a trip to visit our daughter who is in the Air Force in the UK this May. I’ve read your itinerary and the questions and answers that followed. There were a couple of questions that popped up for me and I was hoping you could answer them. You mentioned taking a car over on the ferry to Ireland. We will be driving our daughter’s car, but I was wondering if we needed special insurance on the car to have it ferried. My husband are both disabled to a degree; neither of us are capable of walking long distances or sitting for any duration. Is there a need for concern over these issues? And, what is the cost of a London Pass and how many people does it cover, there will be four in our group? Any information would be much appreciated, thank you in advance. Steve and Cheryl

26th February 2018 at 9:19 pm

Hi Steve and Cheryl,

Thanks for reaching out, and I’m happy to hear you have found the content useful. You don’t normally need special insurance on a car to have it ferried, but you will likely need to check with your daughter’s insurer to make sure it is covered in Ireland. As far as I am aware it should be covered in Northern Ireland with the full coverage, and most UK insurers do provide at least some level cover for the EU, which Ireland is a part of, but worth checking.

For the itinerary I’ve put together, it’s really up to you how much you do. All the major cities have good public transport if you choose not to drive, as well as sight-seeing buses and things like that.

The London Pass prices vary – you have to buy one price per person, so that would be four passes total. Again, the value is up to you and how much you can get out of them. My only concern would be to get real value out of them you do need to try and pack quite a lot in – if you aren’t sure if that’s going to be possible you might end up being better off not getting them and just paying the ticket prices. Also, I’m not sure of your ages, but many attractions have senior concessions, which might also save you money rather than getting a pass. Worth checking the individual websites for the different attractions you want to visit to see what those might be.

You can see the London Pass prices here; https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011lbTW/pubref:FTU2WeekQuestion/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.londonpass.com%2Flondon-pass-prices.php

Derian Quek says

4th September 2017 at 1:10 pm

This trip seems a bit rushed when driving over to Ireland..I am also planning a 2 weeks this December to January. Any tips on this? Am planning London/Manchester/Lake district/Edinburgh/Cotswolds/bath/Stonehenge/Paris

Laurence says

4th September 2017 at 4:05 pm

Hey Darian,

This trip is definitely quite fast – unfortunately folks don’t have too much time sometimes, and are keen to see as much as possible, which is what I try to achieve on this itinerary.

Regarding your itinerary – at that time of year do be aware that the weather obviously won’t be great and it will be getting dark around 4pm – just something to bear in mind. Certainly your plan is possible but will also be quite packed. Perhaps focusing on a few less locations and seeing more. From your list I’d suggest London, with a day trip to bath, the Cotswolds and Stonehenge, then Edinburgh and Paris. You could add in Manchester as well of course. It would also depend on if you have visited any of the locations before and how you plan to travel. I’d suggest train from London to Edinburgh, and a cheap flight from Edinburgh to Paris.

4th September 2017 at 4:15 pm

Hi Laurence. It would actually be my first time to the UK. I’m visiting Manchester because I would wanna catch a game at old Trafford and that’s probably the only reason why. Flight from Edinburgh to Paris sounds like a good option though I would most likely be self driving from London up north. I’m thinking 3 days in London, 1 day in manchester, 2 days in lake district, 3 days in Edinburgh, 1 day to cotswolds and then 3 days in Paris via eurostar before heading back to London for my return flight

Mital Khona says

9th August 2017 at 2:43 pm

Hi Lawrence, Thanks a bunch for this wonderful itinerary… 1. We are travelling this September with 2 Kids ( 2 years old and 8 years old) and2 parents ( senior citizens).. Is this still doable.. I was thinking of picking up train for journey from London to Edinburgh 2. We would like to spend 3 days on the alternative route to Ireland suggested by you above. Can you help on the route/ time we should allot to Snowdonia, etc(west coast of the UK, including Glasgow, the Lake District, and Liverpool, as well as popping into Wales for the stunning Snowdonia national park)

7th January 2018 at 1:26 pm

Hi Mital! It really depends on your kids and grandparents and their stamina. I think this trip might be a bit much for some, and you might find it easier to go a bit slower and take things in a bit more. So perhaps a trip focusing on Edinburgh / London, with a hire car for the return journey down the west coast of the UK. I’d say three – four days in London, two to three days in Edinburgh, and then the rest of the time on the drive down the west coast would work!

Sussex Bloggers says

30th May 2017 at 12:56 pm

Can’t believe you’ve completely skipped Cornwall and the rest of the south coast. Such beautiful scenery all along the southern coastline and some wonderful towns and villages. Here’s a little teaser!

ipsita bhattacharya says

3rd May 2017 at 12:19 am

Hi guys, We are planning a trip to the UK in August/September 2017 and this 2-week itinerary is proving to be of great help! But if we plan to take public transport instead of driving, how much of this is doable? We are also looking at two weeks and while I understand taking trains/buses will eat into our travelling time, we are not sure we want to drive. Please advise. And thanks for this wonderful travel plan!

8th August 2017 at 8:56 am

Our pleasure. Much of this is doable, certainly between the major cities by train at least. We’d advice flying from the UK, likely Edinburgh to Dublin, and then back from Dublin to Cardiff or London. It’s definitely achievable in part though 🙂

Jessica says

2nd April 2017 at 1:15 am

I am so glad that I found your itinerary as we will be visiting the UK for a little over two weeks this coming summer. I do have question for a part of the trip when you have to ferry from Scotland to Ireland, is it easy to find ferries that will take your car across? Also do you recommend a car for the entire trip or to break it up with trains? Such as from London to Edinburgh? Thank you and I hope to hear back from you soon.

7th January 2018 at 1:24 pm

Hi Jessica! Sorry for the slow response. Most of the ferries take cars, but the question is as to whether or not your rental car company will let you take the car on the ferry. So you would need to check with them. If not, you might find it easier to say fly from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin to continue to journey, and perhaps pick up a hire car in Ireland instead.

Nishant says

19th March 2017 at 10:59 am

My family of 4 is planning in Aug’17 for 2 week and i like your write up here. we would be staying with our friend’s family (4 member) in LONDON and then accompany them to this tour plan. we wish to know approx budget in INR apart from AIR Ticket required for this kind of tour. Consider AIR BnB stay, Home cooking where ever possible, car drive and budgeted expense suitable for family.

แอโรคอม บริษัทจำกัด says

13th March 2017 at 8:24 am

Your 2 weeks itinerary seems very good. I am concerned with parking space in tourist attractions especially in big cities. Is it not so difficult to find parking area in all these recommended places (except London)? How much is a typical parking fee?

Thanks in advance! Pairoj S.

13th March 2017 at 2:24 pm

Thanks very much! Parking fees really vary depending on where you want to park. On road meter parking is usually the most expensive, around £3 an hour. I’d suggest finding a larger car park, like a multistorey operated by a company like NCP. These are more reasonable, and you would pay on a sliding scale where it is better value for staying for longer. I wouldn’t worry though, there is usually plenty of parking available, and sometimes if you don’t mind walking a little bit, if you don’t park centrally you can park for free. Have a great trip!

Mittal Shah says

10th March 2017 at 11:44 am

Hi Lawrence and Norah. I have been trying to plan a road trip in UK around July end for approximately 12days and have found a lot of helpful information.There are certain things i would like to know from you: For road trip should i consider hiring a caravan or a car( 4 of us travelling)? Is it better to book a hotel or bnb? Please help. Awaiting your reply

12th March 2017 at 9:47 pm

Thanks for your comment. A car would definitely be the best option, for four of you it would likely be the most cost effective option. I’d also suggest bed and breakfasts are a nice option, although there are lots of great hotels as well, it really depends on your budget,

Enjoy your trip!

rajul parikh says

19th February 2017 at 11:46 am

Hi Lawrence and Norah just been browsing through your site and taking in the information about the 2 week holiday in the UK. We find your information relevant and useful. We live in India and are considering a trip sometime mid June 2017. This would be our first trip to the UK. Lots of questions: would the weather be ok around that time? To cover your suggested itinerary (including ireland) how much driving would one end up doing everyday? Would your stops which are marked alphabetically on the map suggest overnight stay? Since we would like to spend at least 5 days in London we would need to extend our trip to about 21 days. Look forward to hearing from you.

19th February 2017 at 11:49 am

Happy that you found it useful! Yes, the main stopping points suggest an overnight stay. The weather is likely to be good in June, however, the weather in the UK can be very unpredictable. Coming from India, you’ll probably find it fairly cool 😉 I’d say between 15 and 25C would be the norm, and you should plan for rain whenever you visit the UK.

In terms of driving, the UK is quite small so not too much, probably not more than 2 – 3 hours a day.

Myn Wong says

14th February 2017 at 1:18 am

Hi. May I know the estimated cost of this trip?

George Monaghan says

30th January 2017 at 8:51 pm

Finding this site most interesting !

30th January 2017 at 8:52 pm

Thanks George, appreciated!

Dave_Toni says

18th January 2017 at 2:17 am

Hi guys, I’m staying in London for a short time (4 days) and I’m now thinking I should have booked a longer stay, but I’m on route to another destination. What would you recommend for a four day tour to get the best out of “must see” locations in in short amount of time? Really enjoying the site, keep up the great information. Thanks Dave.

18th January 2017 at 6:52 pm

Four days is a good time to see lots of London 🙂 My advice, if you’ve not been before, would be to focus on the highlights, plus allocate some time just to wander a bit. I have a two day Itinerary here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/06/two-day-london-itinerary-essential-sight-seeing.html That should help a bit, and then an itinerary that focuses on the region of Kensington: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/07/top-8-things-to-do-in-kensington.html I also have a guide for getting around London: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/08/guide-public-transport-london.html Some tips for the best photo spots in London: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/12/best-photography-locations-london.html And finally, we always recommend the London Pass to save money if you’re planning on visiting a lot of attractions. Here’s a great breakdown to find out if that’s worth it for you or not: independenttravelcats.com/2016/05/21/tips-using-buying-london-pass-worth/ Enjoy!

13th January 2017 at 10:19 am

So so perfect! Planning a 2 week UK holiday in June. This was God-sent!

13th January 2017 at 10:21 am

Wonderful, pleased you found it useful

Ashton says

5th November 2016 at 5:24 am

This is perfect! Exactly what I was looking for to start planning my honeymoon!! Thank you for taking the time to put this together

13th November 2016 at 7:58 pm

My pleasure – let us know how it goes and if there’s anything missing we can add to the post!

shiva bhavini says

16th July 2016 at 2:34 pm

Hi Laurence & Jessica, My husband and I are planning to have a 10 days UK trip , reaching London on September 16 and have return flight from london on september 26 , can you please suggest should we take some travel agent to take us around in UK ? Thanks much in advance

Ellana McNulty says

3rd July 2016 at 1:39 am

Hi Laurence & Jessica, My husband and I are planning on following your itinerary when we go over in August. When we first looked at your blog, there was a map at the end that you could zoom in on, but cannot find it now? Is the link still available.

3rd July 2016 at 11:24 am

Hi Ellana! Sorry about that, the map was causing issues for mobile users so I removed it. See comment below with a better answer!

Paul McNulty says

7th July 2016 at 12:09 am

Thanks for this Laurence!

Is it possible to have the whole route on the map like you had it before?

4th November 2016 at 11:13 pm

Hi Paul, I’ve been battling with google maps over this and gave up as it wouldn’t let me have enough waypoints. So I’ve switched to Bing Maps with the embedded image, and there’s a link to the route here: https://binged.it/2fDQGD2

Sorry for the delay!

5th November 2016 at 12:02 am

Thanks Laurence… we toured the UK in the last half of August using your itinerary. We modified it a bit to suit our personal tastes, but the basis of our trip was thanks to you. And it was even better than we expected!! Cheers.

5th November 2016 at 9:49 am

Brilliant! Delighted you had a good trip 😀

Alicia says

7th June 2017 at 3:22 am

The above link does not have a driving route in it. Is it no longer working (or I am doing it wrong)?

Unfortunately Google wouldn’t let me put together a driving route with this many stops, so this was the best I could do!

Seyne Tee says

27th June 2016 at 4:03 am

Hi Laurence & Jessica, I plan to visit UK for 2 weeks and rent a car to travel around places outside UK. Your perfect itinerary is exactly what I’m looking for, thanks! I have a problem here, I can only travel with my husband and son in the middle of November, will the weather be friendly enough to carry out activities as per your recommendation?

27th June 2016 at 9:23 am

Well, the weather in the UK can be quite varied, with sun even in November! However it will more likely be cold and grey, temperatures in the range of 3 – 10 degrees C. It will also be dark fairly early. However, that shouldn’t put you off, a lot of this itinerary is focused on the cities, and indoors activities, so you should be fine, although you might want to edit the itinerary a bit to focus more on indoor activities than outdoor ones 🙂

Stephen Mason says

9th May 2016 at 3:58 am

This trip is incredible! Can you give a price of what the final trip costed?

28th June 2016 at 11:55 am

Hi Stephen – it really depends on many factors, including your budget for accommodation / food. You can find places for £50 / night in most of the locations I’ve mentioned, food per person you could get away with £15 a day, then there’s fuel and car hire, not to mention attraction entry. I’d probably look to budgeting around £700 – £1500 per person, as a guideline, but a lot of variables to take into account 🙂

SharronJ says

8th March 2016 at 6:33 pm

This is just what I was looking for. I am planning on visiting your wonderful country for a month next year and just started doing research. Your article is just what I was looking for Thanks so much!

8th March 2016 at 6:35 pm

My pleasure! Have a wonderful trip 🙂

Edward says

17th January 2016 at 11:32 pm

Thank you for this. I will be going in UK late Spetember to October (one month) and this is a nice itnerary and I can do it in a slower pace. Would you say September and October is a good time to do this? How is the weather usually in those months?

2nd February 2016 at 2:47 am

It’s the Autum time so you might fair pretty well, considering. It starts to cool down in September and the trees start changing. There will be rain, especially in the West of England and Wales but there always is.

The best time to visit England is May – August, but if you don’t mind getting caught in the rain now and then, you shouldn’t have a problem

Joanne says

12th October 2015 at 2:18 pm

Is it possible to do this itinerary relying only on public transportation since I don’t drive? Thank you in advance.

12th October 2015 at 2:21 pm

Good parts of it are certainly possible, as the major cities are linked by public transport, and the trains in particular are an excellent and fast way to get around. One tip – book well in advance on specific trains to get the best prices in the UK, the fares you pay on the day are much higher. I’d also suggest flying from Edinburgh to Dublin if you wanted to include the Irish part of the trip.

You might have a bit more difficulty visiting places like the Cotswolds or other “country” parts on your own, however there are plenty of tour operators who can give you a day trip out from London to say the Cotswolds and Stonehenge.

On the whole though, yes, the majority of this itinerary would be more than do-able by public transport!

Nina Tchernova says

7th October 2015 at 2:43 pm

Hi Laurence, thank you so much for sharing this! We are planning to go in April, and this is exactly what we were hoping to do. And here it all is, so wonderfully explored and illustrated! One question though – what would you recommend about car rentals -one, or three? when we cross on a ferry to Ireland, do we bring the car, or is it better to rent another one there, and then another when we get back?

10th October 2015 at 1:14 pm

My pleasure 🙂 The answer to your question isn’t as simple as it sounds. One way rentals, as you’d need if you were to change cars, are generally more expensive than returning the car to the same place. On the other hand, a ferry ticket without a car is cheaper! So you might want to just check the math and see, depending on your budget. Personally, I’d not bother with the hassle of changing cars and just stick with the same one, you just need to check that it’s ok to drive the car in Ireland as well 🙂

10th October 2015 at 1:28 pm

Thank you very much, we will have to make a few enquiries.

Darryl Chan says

24th August 2015 at 6:03 pm

Hey! Love your itinerary! Is there anyway I can contact you to get more personalised advices from you? Looking forward to your reply!

27th August 2015 at 5:28 pm

Sure, you can just drop me an e-mail via the contact page on the site, or just fire away in the comments and I’ll see what I can do,

17th August 2015 at 4:58 am

Where’s the castle in your first picture?

25th September 2015 at 8:51 pm

The castle in the first picture (with the daffodils) is Alnwick castle in Northumberland. Home to Harry Potter or at least the was some filming taken place there and also some of Downtown Abbey. Alnwick is also home to Barter Books where the original ‘keep calm and carry on’ poster was discovered. Northumberland has one of the largest number of castles in the uk. Some of the most impressive I think are Bamburgh Castle, Lindisfarne Castle (on holy island – which needs a visit itself) and Chillingham Castle (known for being pretty spooky). Contact Wooler Tourist Infomation Office on +44 1668 282123 to learn about accommodation as Wooler is a fantastic base for the best of Northumberland.

25th September 2015 at 9:02 pm

Can I also say there is an awesome place for Brits and tourists alike; Beamish, the living museum. It is an outdoor village fashioned perfectly on olden days northern England complete with coal mine, dentis, working sweet shop and more

Monica says

11th August 2015 at 8:16 pm

I loved you itinerary and pictures. I’m definitely using your steps to trace some of my own. Thanks for sharing. I’m excited to read through more of your posts.

15th August 2015 at 8:32 pm

Thanks Monica, have a great trip!

3rd August 2015 at 9:50 pm

Great review of a nice trip through GB. My wife and I are trying to plan one for May, and we were thinking of spending more time in Scottland. Do you have any suggestions for moving from Endinburgh and into the northern part of Scotland and skipping Ireland. I thinking about Aberdeen and stopping by Ben Nevis, but it’s our first time traveling abroad and I’d love more information. Thanks!

3rd August 2015 at 11:49 pm

Hi Andy! To be honest I’ve not spent a lot of time in Scotland recently, but I can very much recommend taking the time to visit Glencoe. It’s a couple of hours from Edinburgh, and is an absolutely stunning valley in the highlands. I’ve also heard nothing but good things about the isle of Skye! Sorry I can’t be of much more help right now 🙁

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10 of the best road trips in the UK and Ireland

By Sarah James

There’s no need to fly to the USA’s Route 66 or the Australian Outback for an epic road trip – the UK offers some of the most picturesque, otherworldly drives anywhere in the world. In Scotland , hardy travellers take on the wind-battered Highlands to be rewarded with some of the country’s most incredible scenery, while a jaunt along the coastal roads of the West Country allows for stops in salty beach towns and vast national parks. These are the nine best road trips in the UK, ranging from full-on adventurous to a more peaceful experience.

1. The Peak District

When to go: in spring, to see the wildflowers from the back windows. 

How long to go for: four days should do it. 

People go to the Peaks to walk. But the roads are worth the odd meandering drive too. The most famous course is Snake Pass, aptly named for the route it carves through the Pennines, at points a vertigo-inducing 1679 feet above sea level. The river Ashop runs alongside, giving life to fields of wildflowers in spring and summer. Elsewhere, seek out the best views in the Peaks at Site of Special Scientific Interest Winnats Pass, a limestone valley known for its fossils and ancient rocks. 

The caramel-hued façade of Chatsworth House is the movie star of the area (spot it in the 2005 adaptation of  Pride and Prejudice,   Peaky Blinders , and another Keira Knightley flick  The Duchess.  Pretty village Edale, plonked at the start of the Pennine Way, is a bunch of cottages and farms backed by rolling hills to stop in for lunch or a cup of tea. 

Where to stay: Check out the prettiest Airbnbs in the Peak District for a base of your own. 

2. North Coast 500, Scotland

When to go: winter, when the countryside is at its most dramatic and you can warm up next to log fires in pubs and inns.

How long to go for: at least five days – more if you want to visit the Hebrides too.

This route through the vast and imposing Scottish Highlands stretches for 500 miles on a round trip from Inverness. Driving clockwise through the wild and raw landscape, the road first hits Loch Ness, which is well worth a stop to take in its inky, broad waters – monster or no monster. Driving west to Kyle of Lochalsh takes another two hours. From here, you can reach the Isle of Skye via the land bridge. Although this part of the Hebrides isn’t technically part of the route, it’s worthy of a detour – the dramatic Cuillin mountains back the mist-shrouded castles and expanses of countryside. 

Back on the mainland and continuing northbound, the North Coast 500 winds through Ullapool – in our opinion, one of the most beautiful villages in the UK – a port where the whitewashed fishermen’s cottages dot the harbour jutting right into Loch Broom. Hugging the northwest coastline, next stop for the night in Sutherland. John O’Groats, another 60 miles north-east, is the other Land’s End, connecting the 837-mile pilgrimage from Cornwall (from here you can take passenger ferries to the Orkney islands, too). Freewheel back down the eastern coast to end once again in Inverness.

Where to stay: Book a night at Kinloch Lodge , a historic family hotel perched on the edge of sea loch na Dal. In Sutherland, stay at Lundies House – run by Danish couple Anne and Anders Holch Povlsen, this is one of the smartest hideouts in the Highlands to check into.

3. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland

When to go: in spring, when the wildflower meadows and pastures are at their prettiest.

How long to go for: Take a couple of weeks to properly explore.

1,500 miles of coastal highway makes up Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way . The craggy cliffs hug the western shoreline from Donegal in the north, all the way down to the south coast and County Cork. The route twists past some of the most beautiful places in Ireland . It’s a long road, so this is a trip to take some time over, rather than a quick weekend jaunt. Start in Donegal, which has some of Ireland’s best beaches (Port Arthur near Derrybeg is one of the most glorious, while Bundoran is the area’s surfing capital).

Driving down the coast, the road winds through Sligo, the country which most inspired Yeats (and more recently, of Normal People fame), and into Connemara. It’s a rocky stretch of countryside and national park that sits right on the Atlantic, dotted with waterside castles and traditional pubs that hum with live music. Next, Galway – possibly Ireland’s most creative city right now, known for its quirky tone and innovative food scene – before driving past the towering Cliffs of Moher, which have some of the best views on the route. The Wild Atlantic Way finishes in the pretty fishing town of Kinsale in County Cork.

Where to stay: Built as a sporting retreat in the mid 1830s by the Marquis of Sligo, Delphi Lodge is a lovely old pile at the top of a deep, remote valley just north of Killary Harbour.

For more options, see our pick of the best road trips in Ireland.

When to go: in summer, when the beach towns are at their finest.

How long to go for: you can explore pretty thoroughly on a long weekend.

This is big-sky country, dominated by sweeping beaches and flat-as-a-pancake farmlands. Back in the 19th century, some of Norfolk ’s beach towns were a draw for the well-to-do to take to the water, and there’s a sense of faded Victoriana to many of the old-school seaside locations dotted along the coast. Start a good, old-fashioned road trip in Norwich, which in 2012 became England's first Unesco City of Literature and is packed out with old buildings turned into antique shops and restaurants serving Cromer crab (we like Benedicts). Wind into the Norfolk Broads, made up of more than 125 miles of waterways, before skipping northbound along the seaside towns that dot the coast.

The entire stretch of the north Norfolk shoreline is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – seek out Wells-next-the-Sea, a pretty seaside town with candy-coloured beach huts and classic bucket-and-spade charm, or vast and wild Holkham Beach for four miles of wind-whipped golden sands backed by pine dunes. The beach is part of the grand Holkham Estate, also home to The Victoria Inn – a red-brick, ivy-covered 19th-century inn with smart rooms. Driving away from the coast, the heath-like landscape of south Norfolk is brilliant for tramping across in any weather. Thetford Forest and nearby Breckland are Special Protection Areas where wildlife wanders freely – golden pheasant, roe deer and hare can all be found.

Where to stay: the area is home to one of the loveliest log cabins in the UK , Settle , a Scandi-inspired hideout set beside a lake with a wood-burning fire, candles and plenty of blankets. Or rustic inn The Chequers Inn in Thornham has a gorgeous restaurant.  

5. Cotswolds

When to go: in spring or autumn, when there are less visitors.

How long to go for: a weekend should be long enough to see lots of the Cotswolds’ nicest villages.

It’s the favourite weekend escape of Londoners whizzing out of the city and tourists hot-footing it to the buttery stone towns in search of a quintessential British hamlet. A clever route stitches together the prettiest Cotswolds villages – start in Wiltshire’s Castle Combe, where the streets wind around a low-lying stream, before driving north to sweet Bibury (described by William Morris as England’s most beautiful village) for a brisk walk along the River Coln. Thatched-roof pub with rooms Artist Residence was taken over by the team responsible for smart, art-filled hotels in Brighton, London and Cornwall, and is now packed with neon signs, tin baths and cosy wood burners.

The next morning, fuel up in Kingham, where the Daylesford farm shop sells just-picked fruit and vegetables that will remedy any hangover, before driving on through the closely connected towns of Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower and Upper Slaughter and Stow on the Wold. End up in Broadway, the north Cotswolds’ biggest hitter for all the right reasons, where there’s top-notch antique-seeking and plenty of spots for a proper pub lunch.

Where to stay: Spend the night at Artist Residence Oxfordshire in sleepy South Leigh. 

6. Atlantic Highway

When to go: in summer for a jaunt along this sunny coastal route.

How long to go for: at least a week.

Taking in a string of south-west England’s salty beach towns, the Atlantic Highway knots together a course through Somerset , Devon and Cornwall. Pick up a car in honey-stoned, genteel Bath or eclectic, graffitied Bristol and drive through Somerset’s rolling farmlands towards the Devonshire border. We recommend nipping away from the route to work in a stop in Bruton, arguably the West Country’s most creative town. Hauser & Wirth opened an outpost here in 2014, putting the area firmly on the art world’s radar, and a clutch of smart hotels and farm-to-fork restaurants followed.

Hop back on the Atlantic Highway – also known, rather less romantically, as the A39 – and into lush Exmoor National Park. Stop for the night at The Nap , a log cabin with a wood-fired hot tub about 30 minutes away. The next morning, the drive continues into north-east Cornwall – through Bude, whose bustling surf spot Summerleaze is one of the best Cornwall beaches , and south along the coast to foodie neighbours Port Isaac and Padstow. Finish at Land’s End, where the Atlantic crashes into the jagged shoreline at the most westerly point of mainland England .

Where to stay: Book a night at Number One Bruton , a Grade-II listed Georgian house that's a mix of colour and comfort. In Cornwall, stay at the Idle Rocks in St Mawes for a classic seaside escape. 

7. Yorkshire

When to go: in autumn, when the moorland is tawny and walks along the beach are brisk and wind-whipped.

How long to go for: four or five days should do it.

The windswept North York Moors contains one of the largest heather moorlands in England. It's a stark landscape, which makes it all the more beautiful. Walking routes are plotted throughout, dotted with vibrant wildflowers, and there are boundless views of the seemingly never-ending surrounding countryside. Driving through the national park towards the coast leads to a string of nostalgic Victorian and Edwardian seaside towns running along the shoreline. Fishing port Whitby Harbour is dominated by the ruins of a seventh-century castle which sits on a cliff overlooking the village, while Scarborough is a seriously old-school spot for fish and chips on the South Bay promenade.

Driving inland once more, a stop in Malton reveals a Yorkshire market town undergoing an artisanal regeneration, with independent bakeries, cheese makers and coffee roasteries cropping up throughout its cobbled streets. 

Where to stay: Stay overnight at The Talbot , a coaching inn that had a bohemian makeover in 2019 that turned it into a smart hotel with river views and a brilliant restaurant. Finish up in York, the historic centre of the region.

Lily Bonesso

Mary Lussiana

Sophie Heawood

Monica Mendal

8. Lake District

When to go: in spring or autumn, when the changing seasons make the landscapes shift daily.

How long to go for: a long weekend.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Lake District is also England’s most-visited national park. Start at Windermere, a huge natural lake (the largest in England, in fact), before driving to smaller but more peaceful Wastwater. The spot, surrounded by barren, imposing fells, has been voted Britain's favourite view and the nearby village Nether Wasdale is a brilliant stopping-off point for a pint at one of the handful of microbreweries in town. Just north is Ennerdale Water, the most remote lake in the national park and therefore one of the quietest, which has a seven-mile walking route around its inky shoreline.

Driving further north still, the Lakes Distillery near Bassenthwaite Lake does tours of the renovated Victorian farm, where the team makes everything from whiskies to pink-grapefruit gins. Stay the night at Sharrow Bay, which sits right on the water at Ullswater and has pretty views. Plus, this is where the sticky-toffee pudding was invented, making it worthy of a pit-stop if only for a taste of the original sweet treat.

Where to stay: At Another Place , a low-key country-house hotel sitting plum overlooking Ullswater. 

When to go: in the summer you can join in with the watersports offered along the coast.

How long to go for: a weekend will be long enough to nip between these scenic stop-offs.

Darting through some of the prettiest places in Wales on a road trip is a brilliant way to see the country. Head to the Brecon Beacons as a first port of call – this national park’s mountains and valleys start near the border with England and continue for 45 miles into the Welsh countryside. Hike Pen y Fan, the highest peak in the area, for serious views of the surrounding summits and rivers. On the drive west from the Brecon Beacons to the coast, make sure to drop into Carmarthen, a cute market town which is about half an hour from Ginst Point, one of the best beaches in Wales . 

Continue up the shoreline with a pit-stop in St David’s, the smallest city by population in Britain, and Solva Harbour, where the little sweeping inlet is surrounded by colourful houses that give it an Italian fishing-village feel. Next, head to Aberaeron, another port town that peaked as a holiday spot around the same time as Brighton. Take a stroll around Cardigan Bay harbour, followed by oyster happy hour at the Harbourmaster hotel in Aberaeron. 

Where to stay: Stop for a night at the Grove of Narberth , a rural Pembrokeshire hotel. Set in a 17th-century manor house, it also has cottages to take over as your own. The Harbourmaster has 13 very cosy bedrooms for those who have their fill of Welsh craft beer in the pub downstairs. 

10. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland

When to go: in summer, when the days are at their longest

How long to go for: take your time over four or five days.

This road trip covers more than 200 miles between Belfast and Derry, starting in the buzzing capital. Less visited by travellers until recently, Belfast has gained ever-increasing popularity as a city break in Europe . There’s an attraction named after the Titanic to explore, and a grand nightlife scene to get stuck into. About an hour’s drive north of Belfast is Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 40,000 basalt columns that make up this massive, nature-made monument were formed 50 to 60 million years ago.

About 25 minutes inland, an avenue of beech trees known as the Dark Hedges is worth a detour. The eerie road was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones – there’s actually a clutch more spots from the HBO show on this route, including Sallagh Braes, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the dramatic Cushendun Caves. The trip finishes in Derry, Northern Ireland’s second-largest city, where the brilliant Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls is set.

Where to stay: The Merchant Hotel is a monument to Mammon, gilded and tasselled within an inch of its life.