road trip of uk

9 top road trips to see the best of England

Jul 17, 2023 • 8 min read

Little red car driving near Aysgarth in the Yorkshire Dales on a sunny September day. Bolton castle seen in the far distance.

Jump in the car and hit the road with one of these great road trips through England © Photos by R A Kearton / Getty Images

Hiring a car and driving through gorgeous English landscapes, visiting quaint villages and epic castles is a highlight of a trip to England no matter the season.

Roads are well maintained, although you may be caught out by the occasional pothole. Off the main roads you can meander down narrow lanes of hedgerows and stop to watch the sun set or a bird of prey gliding in the sky above.

Here are nine of the best road-trip routes across the country, from a loop around Cornwall in the southwest, all the way north to a coastal jaunt right to the border with Scotland. The distances provided are not direct between the start and end points. Instead we assume plenty of diversions from the main route so you can explore more of each region.

1. Following Hadrian's Wall

Best road trip for rugged landscapes and Roman history Newcastle – Carlise; 127km (79 miles), allow three to four days

Traversing the island's narrow neck, you'll encounter the extraordinary feat of engineering of Hadrian's Wall first-hand. Every Roman mile (0.95 miles) had a gateway guarded by a small fort (milecastle), with two observation turrets between them, and many of these remain. A series of southern forts, which may predate the wall, were developed as bases, and 16 lie astride it.

Preserved remains and intriguing museums punctuate the route, along with easily accessible remnants of the 1900-year-old wall. Start in the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend at Segedunum , marking the last strong post of the wall. Follow the route west, stopping to explore on the way. Be sure to include the superbly preserved Roman cavalry fort at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum , and enjoy the views over the wall and the moors of Northumberland National Park at Housesteads Roman Fort and Museum .

Local tip: The interactive Housesteads Roman Fort & Museum showcases objects once belonging to Roman soldiers and includes a mini-cinema that takes visitors on a journey to the past.

The sandstone-colored buildings of Oxford, including a round building in the middle of a green, and spires on surrounding buildings

2. The historic south

Best road trip for English history and culture London – Oxford; 720km (450 miles), allow seven to 10 days

England's rich heritage runs like a glittering seam through this remarkable multiday road trip across the south. Romantic Leeds Castle alone is worthy of a full day, before stopping at the historic city of Canterbury with its World Heritage–listed Gothic cathedral. The quaint medieval settlement of Rye is a delight, with cobbled alleyways and stories of smugglers.

Brighton , a lively coastal city with superb nightlife, is next on the route, followed by Portsmouth, where you can learn all about the city's nautical heritage at the historic docks . Cathedral lovers will be further overjoyed by stops in Winchester and Salisbury to marvel at their majestic medieval spires, before traveling onwards to the fascinating archaeological sites at Stonehenge and Avebury . Drive on to soak up the Georgian cityscape in Bath , Churchill's palace and Oxford 's spires.

Paddleboarder in Front of St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall.

3. Cornwall's coast

Best road trip for scenery Bude – Fowey; 333km (207 miles), allow 10 days

Buckle up, roll down the windows and have the camera ready – there can be few corners of Britain where scenery packs such an eyes-wide, heart-in-the-mouth, jaw-on-the-floor punch as Cornwall . This unforgettable adventure travels top-to-bottom, coast-to-coast, starting from the breezy seaside town of Bude and following the coastline all the way down, round and back up again to Fowey.

Along the way you'll encounter sparkling beaches , surf bays and seaside ports galore, as well as curiosities such as a clifftop castle steeped in Arthurian legend, a theater built into the granite rocks, the wonderful St Michael's Mount , and a trio of space-age biomes at the Eden Project . It's wild and wonderful out west, as you're about to find out.

girl walking along the Jurassic coast with a stick on a beautiful day

4. The Jurassic coast

Best road trip for a memorable family holiday Poole – Lyme Regis; 145km (90 miles), allow seven days

One of the west’s best drives, this route rolls up chalk ridges, through thatched villages and along sea-fringed roads. History is everywhere, from fairy-tale castles to an art-packed quarry .

Prepare for the pick of Dorset ’s sights and sea-view sunsets as you keep heading west. Fall in love with the romantic hilltop ruins of Corfe Castle and take a dip in Lulworth Cove before hiking over to the stunning Durdle Door arch. Little ones are likely to love a visit to the Monkey World sanctuary in Wareham or the 29km (18-mile) stretch of pebbles at Chesil Beach, and they may well be fascinated by the fossils that can be found in Lyme Regis.

A pretty row of honey-colored cottages opposite a picturesque stream

5. The Cotswolds

Best road trip for quintessential England Bath – Stratford-upon-Avon; 240km (149 miles), seven to eight days

From the less-traveled, superbly pretty villages of the southwestern Cotswolds to the impossibly beautiful gold-colored streets of the classic northern Cotswolds, this trip threads through the core of one of England's most desirable regions.

Glimpse Georgian grandeur in Bath, marvel at Painswick's sleepy beauty, and unearth Roman history in Cirencester. You'll want to stop in picturesque Bibury to admire the gorgeous cluster of riverside cottages , before strolling Chipping Campden's honey-hued lanes and wrapping up in dramatic Tudor style at Stratford-upon-Avon , home of the illustrious Bard, William Shakespeare.

Detour: Roughly 1.6km (1 mile) apart and 5.6km (3.5 miles) southwest of Stow-on-the-Wold, the picture-postcard villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter have managed to maintain their unhurried medieval charm. Their names have nothing to do with abattoirs; they come from the Old English sloughtre , meaning slough or muddy place.

6. The Lake District

Best road trip for the great outdoors Windermere – Ullswater; 260km (162 miles); allow five days

William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Beatrix Potter are just a few of the literary luminaries who have fallen in love with the Lake District . It's been a national park since 1951 and is studded by England's highest hills (fells), including the highest of all, Scafell Pike. This drive takes in lakes, forest, hills and valleys, with country houses, hill walks and cozy pubs thrown in for good measure.

Highlights include visiting Wordsworth's former homes in Grasmere, walking through the classic Lakeland valleys of Borrowdale and Buttermere, admiring the wild landscapes and England's highest mountain in Wasdale and driving Hardknott Pass, the district's steepest road pass. At a 30% gradient in some places, with precious few passing places on the narrow, single-file road, it's absolutely not for the faint-hearted or nervous drivers.

Planning tip: Motorways and main A-roads deliver you quickly from one end of the country to another. Lesser A-roads, B-roads and minor roads are much more scenic – ideal for car or motorcycle touring. If you or your children get travel sick, you've been warned: these roads are twisty.

A view of a majestic cathedral building with three tall turrets

7. The Midlands

Best road trip for battlefields, castles and stately homes Nottingham – Lincoln; 344km (214 miles); allow five days

This grand tour begins with famed Nottingham Castle and ends with similarly famed Lincoln Castle , stopping at the mighty fortress of Warwick Castle en route. In between you'll see Bosworth Battlefield , where Richard III became the last English king to die in battle, and learn the extraordinary story of the 2012 discovery of his long-lost remains in a city car park.

You'll also stop at wonderful stately homes, such as lavish Burghley House , the Tudor mansion at Sulgrave Manor and Althorp House , the final resting place of Princess Diana. In each, take time to wander the opulent corridors, the magnificently landscaped gardens and the wider estates, some with free-roaming deer.

Purple heather covers the moorland landscape

8. The North York Moors and Yorkshire coast

Best road trip for windswept moorlands York – Robin Hood's Bay; 140km (87 miles), allow four to five days

This varied tour takes in ancient architecture, wild moorland scenery, picture-postcard villages (complete with steam trains!) and a classic seaside resort…with macabre literary connections. The Blakey Ridge road out of Hutton-le-Hole just keeps climbing and climbing, leaving behind the medieval city of York and the aristocratic splendor of Castle Howard to enter a world of windswept heather moorland, wandering sheep, lonely stone crosses and ancient footpaths.

Stop in Malton, a Yorkshire food haven, and then the bustling fishing harbor of Whitby , with its Gothic abbey and links to Bram Stoker's Dracula . End your road trip in Robin Hood's Bay, one of the prettiest spots on the Yorkshire coast.

Detour: Get transported back to 9th-century "Jorvik" (the Viking name for York) at the multimedia Jorvik Viking Centre, where history is brought to life with a smells-and-all reconstruction of the Viking settlement unearthed here during excavations in the late 1970s.

A large castle viewed through an archway

9. Historic Northumbria

Best road trip for untamed coastline Newcastle – Berwick-upon-Tweed; 182km (113 miles), allow three to four days

This drive along northeast England's stirring coastline from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Berwick-upon-Tweed on the Scottish border runs through the historic medieval kingdom of Northumbria, passing long, desolate beaches, wind-battered castles and magical islands.

Newcastle is renowned for its culture and nightlife. Stop by the iconic Angel of the North sculpture a few miles south of the city before taking the road north to nearby Tynemouth, where you'll find one of the best surf spots in England at a Blue Flag beach, overlooked by the ruins of a Benedictine priory .

Once you hit the open road the pace drops down several gears – wild and remote, this area is sparsely populated. Along the way you'll encounter incredible birdlife in Amble, where you can visit a puffin colony, and fresh-as-it-gets seafood hauled in at traditional fishing ports. Alnwick is a lovely historic town with an impressive castle that starred as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies, and Bamburgh has the region's most dramatic clifftop castle.

Further north, the road takes you by Holy Island, or Lindisfarne , a tiny otherworldly spot linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway at low tide.

This article was first published Mar 18, 2021 and updated Jul 17, 2023.

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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.

A single wavy road in North Coast 500, Scotland

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.

A road around Stac Pollaidh on the Coigach Peninsula in Scotland

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

A view from Low Newton-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, with Dunstanburgh Castle in the distance

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.

Bamburgh Castle on the Northeast Coast of Northumberland England

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

A road along the River South Tyne Valley, looking towars Garrigill

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).

A view of the West Yorkshire Calderdale along the Pennine Way

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

A Country Road Through the Isle of Arran

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 that runs over the Black Mountain

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.

Sheep walk along a road in the Brecon Beacons

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

The Quiraing in the Isle of Skye in Scotland

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

Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland

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.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in Northern Ireland

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

Remote mountain road going over the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland

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

A road runs through mountain crags at Lochcarron in Scotland

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

A winding country lane in the Lake District National Park

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

$A view of Ilfracombe, Devon,with a distant view of the Atlantic Ocean$

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

Portpatrick village in Dumfries and Galloway

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.

Sunset over Clatteringshaws Loch in the Galloway Forest

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).

A view of the tower on top of Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland

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

Beach view in Trimmingham, North Norfolk

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.

6 of the best road trips in the UK

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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 .

Tailor-made travel itineraries for Scotland, created by local experts

20 days / from 2994 USD

The Great British Road Trip

Get ready to explore Britain on this unique self-drive road trip. Choose the car of your liking before you hit the road: from the Cotswolds and its picturesque villages over the Beatle's favorite hang-out in Liverpool to Scotland's capital Edinburgh: this trip includes many highlights to be explored

6 days / from 613 USD

Festive Feelings around Christmas in Scotland

Experience the magic of Christmas in the heart of the Scottish Highlands! Lovely Christmas Markets and winter festivals await visitors during the winter months, but this itinerary can also be turned into a summer festival hop!

11 days / from 1070 USD

Scotland's Wildest Natural Scenery

Want to lose yourself in Scotland's wildest natural scenery? This itinerary is a breath of fresh air and perfect to explore the most enchanting landscapes of the Highlands. It will allow you to get to know the wildest landscapes of Scotland, its fast-paced history and its amazing traditions.

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.

Road to Assynt in the Scottish Highlands © mountaintreks/Shutterstock

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, seen from the Buttertubs Pass

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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A Lady in London

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.

Camper Van on an England Road Trip Itinerary in the Lake District

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.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Pub in Nottingham, 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).

Street in Robin Hood's Bay Village in England

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.

Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Newcastle, England

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.

Camper van on an England road trip itinerary in the Yorkshire Dales

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.

View from Symonds Yat Rock in the Wye Valley, England

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.

Red Phone Box in St Ives, Cornwall, England

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.

Tudor Style House in Cranbrook, Kent, England

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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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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Reader Comments...

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Road Trip England – 10 of the Best Routes

This post may contain affiliate links, from which we earn an income.

The tiny country of England is famous for its long history, the Royal family and quaint traditions. It is also known for impossibly pretty villages, hedgerow-lined country lanes and a wonderfully diverse landscape and coastline, all of which make England a must for travelers.

Perfect for a road trip, England is small enough to get around easily, meaning you can see more of the country in less time! From the capital city of London, most of the country and its attractions can be reached by car in a day!

We’re Brits who are addicted to being on the road and have years of experience road tripping in England. We got together with some road trip pals and have put together a round-up of our favourite road trips in England for you, to help you see the very best of this amazing country.

Are You in the Right Place?

England is a country of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , also known as the United Kingdom or UK for short. The other countries in this sovereign state are Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain is not a country but a landmass, which is home to the countries of England, Scotland and Wales.

The British Isles is the name of the group of islands which are made up of Great Britain, the entire island of Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Isles of Scilly, The Channel Islands (including Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and Alderney) and lots of other much smaller islands.

So, if you’re looking for road trips around the rest of the UK , in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, check out these awesome posts. If you’re in the right place, then read on for the very best English road trips!

For Northern Ireland and the Causeway Coastal Route >>> Causeway Coastal Route: The Best Road Trip In Ireland?
For the North Coast 500 , Loch Ness , Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands >>> Eight Incredible Scotland Road Trips
For the Brecon Beacons National Park and Snowdonia National Park >>> Wales Road Trip – A Stunning Route & Itinerary

Getting to England

Fly into London’s airports of Heathrow, Gatwick, Standted and Luton for the south of England, Birmingham for the Midlands and Newcastle and Manchester for the north of England. We recommend booking through Skyscanner for live deals and the best prices.

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 an England Road Trip

December to february.

The winter months in England are generally cold and wet. It is likely to be even colder and wetter, and possibly snowy, in the north, which can cause disruption on the roads. Although other visitors will be thin on the ground, this would be our least favourite time to road trip England!

March to May

Late spring is a wonderful time for visiting England, as the cold and wet retreats. Wildflowers appear, baby animals abound and life picks up a lively pace again – we Brits even start to wear t-shirts! But, remember that England is so lush because it rains, so always be prepared for a downpour, or a few drizzly days at this time of year.

June to August

Summer brings sunshine to all of England, with Devon and Cornwall getting the best of the warm Gulf Stream weather. The south coast enjoys the hottest summer with temperatures well into the 70s, whilst East Anglia is the driest part of the country. This is the perfect time to road trip around England, especially if you want to stop and hike or spend time enjoying the beautiful coastline.

September to November

Autumn is a fantastic time to visit England . The roads will be quieter but the weather still warm, and the glorious colours of autumn bring vibrancy to the countryside. Don’t leave your trip to England too late though, 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!

Daffodils in England in spring in front of wrought iron bridge

The Best Road Trips in England

The yorkshire coast.

Explored by Hannah of Get Lost Travel Blog

For some of the most diverse and dramatic views on an England roadtrip, you’ll want to explore the Yorkshire coast. This seven day road trip will take you from the seaside town of Whitby to the stunning nature reserve at Spurn Point, as you meander between the eastern edge of the desolate North York Moors and the coast.

Stops along the route include Robin Hood’s Bay, Scarborough, Filey, Flamborough and Hornsea. However, with so many beautiful stops available on the Yorkshire coast, you can easily customise the trip to fit your preferences.

The Yorkshire coast is renowned for its striking natural beauty and undulating bays and headlands, created by the unique geology of the coastline. This road trip includes the best seaside towns, shingle and sandy beaches and natural wonders along the coast.

To make the most of each stop on the trip, you will ideally want to spend one night at each destination. However, Whitby’s charm and Scarborough’s nostalgia could easily tempt you to extend your stay to two nights in both these locations.

Whitby is a charming seaside town full of unique handicraft stores and spectacular cliff-top views. Similarly, the neighbouring Robin Hood’s Bay is a smaller but equally enchanting town you don’t want to miss.
One of the oldest seaside resorts in the UK, Scarborough is a town packed with the nostalgia of a traditional British seaside escape. From donkey rides on the beach and penny arcades to fish and chips and fairground rides, you’ll find plenty of memorable things to do in Scarborough .
The final stop on the road trip is the remarkable Spurn Point. This narrow peninsula is over three miles long but only 50 metres wide in parts. It is an incredible walking trail and nature reserve to explore.

Seaside town with beach backed by a cliff and ruined house

The Lake District

Explored by Phil & Izzy of The Gap Decaders

The rugged Lake District in Cumbria is known as ‘Wordsworth Country’ and boasts some of the most scenic roads in the United Kingdom. Whether you’re looking to get away from it all or have an adventure, this road trip has something for everyone, and is one of the best road routes in England for active families and 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 English 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.

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 views of the rugged and far-reaching landscape.

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 actually in the mine and a daring infinity bridge – kids big and small will love it here!

Fell walking around the Lake District will reward you with magnificent views and you’ll get to see the lesser visited parts of this busy national park – conquering Hellvellyn is at the top of the list of best Lake District hikes.
Seeking out all of the eighteen waterfalls the Lake District National Park has to offer – best done in spring so you can enjoy the cascades in full flow!
Getting out on the water, whether that’s in a boat or kayak, or on a paddle board, or even going for a swim, the lakes are what this glorious part of England is all about.

RELATED POST: Europe Road Trip – 16 Incredible Routes

London To Salisbury

Explored by Ann of The Road is Life

There are so many incredible sights to see and fascinating history to be discovered surrounding London. From historic cities to charming English villages and ancient monuments, the best way to see these highlights is by embarking on an England road trip. If you’re seeking an exciting adventure beyond the city, this epic one week road trip from London is just for you!

Departing from London, this road trip itinerary runs in a loop and passes through a few of the most beautiful Cotswolds villages, the historic cities of Oxford and Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge and the majestic Salisbury Cathedral.

Each of these places has its own story to tell; take your time wandering the cobbled streets, stopping for a drink in a medieval pub and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of village life.

Only one hour from London, the first place to stop is Oxford. Admire the impressive architecture and learn all about the oldest university in the English-speaking world! Not far from Oxford, the medieval town of Stratford-upon-Avon is where you’ll take a step back in time and walk in the footsteps of William Shakespeare!
Spending a few days exploring the lovely Cotswolds villages will be a big highlight of your English road trip. Some of the must-see villages to include on your itinerary are Stow-on-the-Wold, Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, and Castle Combe. Driving through this region is truly stunning as you pass through rolling green hills and picturesque scenery.
Once you finish up in the Cotswolds, make your way to the city of Bath to marvel at the incredible history by visiting the Roman Baths. On the way back to London, make sure to stop at Stonehenge, followed by a visit to the equally as impressive Salisbury Cathedral.

Cotswolds stone cottages on village street

Make sure you have travel insurance you can trust when visiting England . 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 Atlantic Highway

Explored by Trisha of P.S. I’m On My Way

When I was living in London , I discovered so many road trips but the Atlantic Highway is my favorite. It is one of the best England road trips to do during the summer. In this itinerary, you will get to see the southwest coastal route of England.

Starting in Bath, I would suggest doing this road trip for seven days but if you don’t have more time, five days will do. You have to check the stops I recommended here to see how many days you want to stay in each location, but for you to have an idea, I did one night at each stop.

Bath Highlights

Don’t miss the Roman Baths, the ancient complex built by the Romans which Bath is famous for. You can’t actually get in the famous waters here, but you can at the wonderful rooftop pool of the Thermae Bath Spa , an indulgent treat.
Visit Bath Abbey and climb the 212 steps up its iconic tower to learn and see more of the church and city.
Literature geeks, the Jane Austen Center is a must when in Bath! Both ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’ are partly set in Bath, a city that Jane Austen called home for five years.

Bristol Highlights

Take a boat trip in the Floating Harbour. There are many thematic boat cruises to choose from wildlife cruising to visiting the Avon Gorge or a simple afternoon tea cruise on the River Avon.
In England, you’ll never really know when it rains so a suggested activity will be visiting Bristol museums like Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, MShed, and Arnolfini.
Bristol has a great nightlife scene so if you’re feeling like checking out some bars, pubs, and even big clubs, I suggest having a cocktail at The Milk Thistle .

From Bristol, slowly head to Somerset, picking up the A39 coast road. I love Somerset and there are many more things to see and do here compared to other destinations.

Somerset Highlights

Explore National Trust Dunster Castle , a former motte and bailey castle and now a spectacular country house, which was home to the Luttrell family for 600 years.
Marvel at the dramatic Chedder Gorge, home of the delicious cheese of the same name.
Visit the Wookey Hole Caves in the beautiful Mendip Hills for an underground adventure, brilliant for families traveling with kids.

The drive through Somerset to Devon is about an hour, but in between these two destinations, you can swing by Exmoor National Park where you can actually spend the night wild camping if you’re road tripping with a tent!

I spent a whole day here and this was my favorite highlight on this road trip – there are many things to do within the park and it’s best for adventure travelers! From Exmoor, head to Devon early in the morning.

Devon Highlights

Go to Roadford Lake in Wolf Valley where you can ride kayaks and canoes, go paddle boarding, do fishing charters, and even learn archery.
Test your balance and learn to surf in the big seas of North Devon at Croyde, the most popular surf spot on the coast.
Tackle the South West Coast Path, or some of it! A great place to head for is the Valley of the Rocks, an expansive area with fantastic prehistoric rock formations & sea views.

If you have time, finish in Cornwall, where you’ll find gorgeous fishing villages like St Ives and Mousehole, St Michael’s Mount just off the coast of Penzance, glorious beaches and Land’s End, the southernmost tip of England – enough for a Cornwall road trip in itself!

RELATED POST – Cornwall Road Trip: The Best Itinerary, Map & Tips

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!

Norfolk Coast

One of the most beautiful counties of 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 in England.

The historic city of Norwich is one of the hidden gems of Norfolk. Considered the UK’s best-preserved medieval city, Norwich boasts a fine Norman cathedral, a lively and well-respected food scene, and the Norwich Lanes, a muddle of pedestrian alleys full of independent shops and boutiques.

Head from Norwich through the Norfolk Broads , stopping at pretty Wroxham for a boat trip – by far the best way to explore. From here it’s a pretty straight road to the coast, which is dotted with blue-flag beaches and seaside towns like Cromer to explore. Inland there are castles to scramble around, gardens to admire and stately homes to discover.

As you continue along the coast, you’ll come to the more wild part of Norfolk, and the North Norfolk Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is where you’ll find the vast swathes of sand, blue seas and huge skies that the county is famous for, as well as a couple of outstanding nature reserves made up of salt marshes, sand dunes and horizons stretching far out to sea.

Stop at Blakeney to admire the traditional flint cottages, practice your crabbing skills in the harbour, or take a trip out to Blakeney Point to visit the UK’s largest Common and Grey seal colony.

On the west coast and close to King’s Lynn 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 and her family attend services when they are staying at Sandringham.

Hiking the Norfolk Coast Path for the best views and wildlife encounters, before stopping at a coastal pub for a pie and a pint after a good day’s walking.
Spending a day on the huge sandy beach at Wells-next-the-Sea. You’ll have an even better experience if you hire one of the colourful beach huts Wells is famous for.
Discovering the history of Holkham Hall , one of the UK’s finest Palladian mansions, complete with its own deer park, nature reserve and beach!

For more information about all things Norfolk, visit the local’s guide to Norfolk at Norfolk Travel Guide .

Dover to Dorset

Explored by Paulina from Ukeveryday

If you are traveling from France and looking for the best road trip in England, start your journey in Dover. You can get to the port of Dover from France by ferry, or on a train using the Eurotunnel. There are beautiful white cliffs in Dover, as well as Dover Castle, from which to admire the views of this coastal town.

A road trip in England without visiting London cannot be complete, so make sure to spend at least one day in the capital. It takes around two hours to drive to London from Dover. We suggest parking on the outskirts and using public transport like the London Underground to visit the city center.

It’s easy to see the main London attractions in a day, using our London one day itinerary . Make sure not to miss the highlights of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye.

Make sure to also stop at Virginia Water which is a hidden gem just outside London. Walking around the lake and admiring beautiful flowers is one of the best things to do in Surrey .

Next day, visit Salisbury which is a two hour drive from London. When you get there, explore the impressive Salisbury Cathedral and the pretty market town, before heading the 20 minutes north to Stonehenge. The trip to see this magical stone circle is so worth it.

On your last day, relax at Durdle Door beach. The incredibly pretty village of Lulworth, where you need to park to walk to the beach, is around an hour’s drive from Salisbury, through the beautiful rolling countryside of Wiltshire and Dorset.

This iconic landmark on the ancient UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast attracts many visitors, so make sure to arrive there early, especially in the summer months. Spend the day admiring one of the most famous natural landmarks in England, the spectacular Durdle Door arch.

Getting an incredible bird’s eye view of the centre of London from the top of the London Eye.
Your first view of Durdle Door as you stand at the top of the cliff path, with the sparking English channel stretching away in front of you.
Enjoying traditional fish and chips at the end of a long day on the road.

RELATED POST – A South England Road Trip to Dorset & The New Forest

Want to plan your own road tri p? Get our step-by-step road trip planning guide to help you organize the perfect trip.

The Yorkshire Dales

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.

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 sheer 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.

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.

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.

Be aware that this whole area is a mecca for tour buses which cause major headaches both on the roads and in car parks at the most popular spots. We say avoid the summer months if you possibly can.

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.
Discovering how cheese experts craft delicious Wensleydale cheese by hand, and how creamy Yorkshire butter is batch churned from rich Yorkshire cream at the Wensleydale Creamery .
Wandering the pretty streets of Harrogate and stopping at the famous Bettys Café Tea Rooms for afternoon tea.

A lone tree in a green field in Wensleydale, Yorkshire

The Peak District

Explored by Moumita & Sankha from Chasing the Long Road

Britain’s first national park, the Peak District is one of the best places for a road trip in England. There are plenty of amazing things to do in the Peak District to keep you busy. The road trip adventure starts at Sheffield and ends in Buxton, and it typically takes about four days to explore this national park. The drive following the twists and turns of Snake Pass is spectacular and rivals that other famous UK road, the Black Mountain Pass of Top Gear fame.

Located on the banks of the river Wye, the idyllic town of Bakewell is best known for inventing the famous delicious dessert, Bakewell Pudding. The popular Monsal Trail starts from here. Just a few minute’s drive from Bakewell is the magnificent Chatsworth House . Built in the 16th century, it has been the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Once here, you can explore the grand Painted Hall, historic State Rooms and the Sculpture Gallery of the Cavendish family. They have one of the finest gardens in Britain.
The pretty village of Castleton is situated at the head of Hope Valley in the Peak District. It is a great base to explore the famous caves and taverns of the Peak District National Park. Close to this village lies Winnats Pass, one of the most spectacular mountain passes in the UK. The road is very photogenic, having limestone ridges on either side. Also, you can hike Mam Tor hill nearby.
Ladybower Reservoir offers plenty of opportunities to walk, cycle and fish. Located in the Upper Derwent Valley in the Peak District, the reservoir opened in 1945. For the best view of the surrounding landscapes of Hope Valley and the Ladybower Reservoir, climb the nearby Bamford Edge. It’s quite an easy hike and extremely popular with walkers and climbers in all seasons.

RELATED POST – Why We Think These Are The Best Driving Roads in Europe

The Cotswolds

Explored by Joanna of The World in My Pocket

The best way to explore the Cotswolds is by road trip. The public transport in the Cotswolds is not very reliable and, if you want to explore the best villages at your own pace, you must go there by car.

A good way to split your Cotswolds road trip is to explore the south one day and the north the other. For this, the best base for your day trips would be Gloucester, which is located fairly in the middle.

On the first day, you can explore the town of Gloucester, which is famous for its cathedral as well as the marina area where you will find plenty of trendy restaurants and bars.

On the second day, explore the north of the Cotswolds. Some of the most beautiful villages here are Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Broadway, Bibury, and Lower Slaughter.

Bourton-on-the-Water is a very popular village and this is why it is advisable to make it your first stop of the day, to avoid the crowds. Bourton-on-the-Water also has very limited parking, which is another reason to arrive here as early as possible.

On the third day, check out the south of the Cotswolds. The most beautiful villages here are Castle Combe, Painswick, known as the ‘Queen of the Cotswolds’, Nailsworth, and the Roman town of Cirencester, the capital of the Cotswolds.

If you have more than three days, you can always extend the road trip and spend more time in each of the villages.

The pretty canals of water from the Windrush river as it crisscrosses picture perfect Bourton-on-the-Water.
The iconic and very photogenic Old Mill in Lower Slaughter often touted as the prettiest village in the Cotswolds.
The Rococo Garden in Painswick is a restored and very beautiful 18th century garden with flower & vegetable plots and a lovely cafe – one of the Cotswold’s best-kept secrets!

RELATED POST – UK Road Trip – 18 Unmissable Routes

Northumberland Coast Route

This northern England road trip 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 a warm welcome for visitors.

Start at Alnwick for the spectacular Alnwick Castle and country house, the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland. It was built following the Norman conquest in 1071 and renovated and remodelled a number of times, to 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, Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter movies.

As you head north, spend a night in one of the traditional fishing villages such as Craster, Seahouses, Bamburgh and Beadnell.

End your trip on the tidal island of Lindisfarne , which lies off the northeast corner of England near Berwick-upon-Tweed. Also known as Holy Island, it 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.

Hiking out to the historic island of Lindisfarne which is accessible on foot 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.
Your first sight of Bamburgh Castle perched above its huge stretch of sandy beach.
Enjoy a bracing beach walk and a traditional fish and chip supper from the local chippie in one of the many villages along the coast.

England Road Trip Resources

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

Search for affordable flights to England with Skyscanner
Search for availability and book hotels and accommodation in England with Booking.com
Find and book the best campsites in England with Eurocampings
Book the cheapest and most reliable hire cars in England 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 England 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 England 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 England!

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

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10 of the best road trips in the UK and Ireland

By Sarah James

On a road trip through Glen Shiel in the Highlands of Scotland.

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.

Where the Chefs Eat: Georgina Hayden's favourite ‘Greekish’ restaurants in London

Cass Farrar

Sarah James

Charley Ward

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.

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Unmissable UK Road Trips & Scenic drives

England road trip ideas and itinerary- Devon road trip south coast england travel

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 .

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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

The BEST things to do in Cornwall, England in winter or summer. Beautiful beaches, Tintagel Castle, St Ives, Newquay and some SECRET places to see you've never heard of before! Plan your visit to Cornwall here- with a map and itinerary guide to help you have the best Cornish trip ever!

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

England road trip ideas and itinerary- england to Scotland road trip yorkshire

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

Scotland scenic drives and best driving routes for self-drive tours in Scotland

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.

Scotland road trip travel planner route map guide

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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

Isle of Skye road trip

Isle of Skye- Scotland scenic drives and best driving routes for self-drive tours in Scotland

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

SWC300 scenic driving route-Scotland scenic drives and best driving routes for self-drive tours in Scotland

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

Wales Road Trips- the best welsh road trip itineraries and ideas

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

Northern Ireland Road Trip ideas and itinerary

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

UK road trip ideas for staycations, couples, families, one week itineraries and more! UK travel tips and self-drive tours of Great Britain

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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Accommodation

The Perfect Itinerary for a Road Trip in England

We’ve lived in London for over 8 years now and we have a weakness for road trips – this dangerous combination has led us to make many a road trip in England 🙂 So far, we’ve written about a long weekend away in Devon , a road trip from London to Cornwall , and our favourite road trips around London .

But this summer we thought we’d tell you everything you need to know about planning an epic road trip in England – one that will take you through unending fields of flowers, quaint British villages, seaside towns, urban centres such as London, and UNESCO Heritage Sites. You can dine at English gastro pubs, try your hand at making English cheese, unwind at an English beach, marvel at intricate cathedrals, and hop on a pub crawl or food tour to taste the best that England has to offer.

Distance covered on this road trip in England : 800 miles

Time required : 2-3 weeks

Perfect Itinerary for a Road Trip in England

I) Start in London (5 days)

Before you rent a car, get a taste of the capital by exploring it via tube.

Accommodation in London

When it comes to choosing accommodation in London, there is no dearth of hotels and apartments to suit all budgets. But if you’re travelling to London during summer months, you will struggle to get accommodation that is both affordable and central. It’s usually one or the other.

But we do have a great option for you if you are lucky enough to be travelling to London between 2 July and 23 September (exact dates vary each year). Did you know Imperial College opens its doors to guests every summer? We love their summer accommodation because of a couple of different reasons. It’s clean, well-equipped, spacious, and located in one of the nicest areas of London. It’s easy to spend your days walking around South Kensington’s alleyways but you will have a lot of London’s iconic sites at your doorstep too. This includes the V&A, Natural History Museum, The Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park! What’s more, all the other London landmarks are just a hop, skip, and jump away. This makes it our top choice for a short summer getaway in London

As for things to do, there’s nothing that hasn’t been said about London. On Bruised Passports alone, we’ve written a dozen articles on the ever-fascinating city. But allow us to rave a bit more 🙂 London has a bit for everyone. Of course you will want to check off primary attractions such as The Big Ben, The London Eye, or Westminster Abbey off your list. If you’re a keen shopper, you will want to hit the shopping mecca that is Oxford Street. But also make sure you experience luxurious afternoon tea in London , take an offbeat food tour , sample street art, and hit a few alternative bars in town . Check out our Guide To London for loads of offbeat and fun ideas of things to do in London.

Chocolate Afternoon Tea at The Landmark Hotel

Accommodation for the rest of the trip

T here is no dearth of hotels and apartments to suit all budgets on this road trip in England. But we would suggest booking scenic cottages or quaint apartments on Air BnB for the rest of this trip for a truly English experience.

II) Drive to Cornwall (3 days)

It’s time to say goodbye to urbanity for a taste of the English countryside. Pick up your rental car and kick off your roadtrip. It’s only fair to start your road trip of England in a area laden with character. Cornwall is a stunning area at the south-western tip of England and the Cornish coastal road has repeatedly been adjudged as one of the most scenic drives in the world.

But first it’s time for a pit-stop or two along the way. Depending on the time you have at hand, spend a few hours or a couple of days in Bath and Stonehenge. Bath is a historic town, known for its historic buildings. Stonehenge, is one of the most famous pre-historic monuments in the entire world. It has a pagan air about it and is definitely worth a visit.

There is no shortage of things to do in Cornwall. You can spend your days indulging in archetypal English delights. Don’t leave without exploring the fishing village of Cadgwith, the bustling town of St. Ives, sampling Cornish pasties, walking along the coastal route at Lizard Peninsula, and watching a play at Minack Theatre (an open-air theater overlooking the sea)

II) Continue onto Devon and Dorset (3 days)

The charm turns up a notch in neighbouring Devon. Here thatched cottages, picturesque farms, and holiday homes dilly dally with gorgeous coastal drives and UNESCO Heritage Sites. Devon seems to be rimmed with a halo of magic and you are bound to love every bit of it.

Make sure you stay in a holiday cottage or a working farm. Spend your days picnicking amidst canola fields, going for long walks in the countryside, and admiring the sylvan landscape. Don’t come away without driving along the Jurassic Coast, a natural UNESCO Heritage site. It’s littered with pebbled beaches, hidden coves, fishing villages, and the famed Durdle Door – a natural limestone arch overlooking the sea. This drive is bound to be one of the highlights of your long road trip in England.

III) Experience Brighton (2-4 days)

After spending a week in the English countryside, you’re bound to crave the hustle-bustle of cities. Brighton is the perfect pit stop on your way to London. This small city is one of the most vibrant in all of England. There is no dearth of vintage boutiques, independent cafes and eateries, street art in Brighton and there’s something for everyone.

Brighton’s seafront offers all the charms of an English sea-side resort – there are ice-cream vendors, carousels, casinos, and dozens of fish-n-chip takeaways. Truly as English as it gets!!

IV) Fall in love with Canterbury

There are a few things only a road trip in England can offer – Canterbury is one of them. Time stands still in this cathedral city, made famous by Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales . The idyllic city is straight out of the pages of a fairy-tale. Explore the Canterbury Cathedral and go for a river tour to acquaint yourself with the city. You will fall in love.

VI) Be awed by Oxford (1 day)

Oxford is just an hour’s drive away from London. It’s home to the one of the oldest and most famed universities in the world – University of Oxford. Explore the hallowed corridors of the colleges, listen to one of the college chapel choirs, or explore Bodleian Library (perfect for bookworms!).

Make sure you get a good night’s sleep in order to prepare yourself for the long drive the next day.

VII) Visit York and the surrounding moors (3-5 days)

A long drive will take you to the northern part of England. You could stop at a pick-your-own farm on the way. Pick your own fruit (choose from strawberries, raspberries, pears, and apples) farms lends a typical English edge to this road trip.

York, a quaint cathedral city, provides the perfect base to explore the area. The city itself is home to one of the prettiest cathedrals in England but the rugged countryside surrounding York acts as the proverbial cherry on top of the cake. The North York Moors national park includes wide expanses of moorland straight out of the pages of Wuthering Heights. The spa town of Harrogate is the getaway to the moors. We love the little known Ilkley Moors but there are a number of hikes and walks in the area.

If you love all things outdoorsy, you might want to consider camping in the neighbouring Peak District for 3-4 days. There are a variety of options – pitched tents, camping sites, caravans, and holiday homes – for keen campers.

Stop at a pick-your-own-fruit farm on the way :-)

VIII) Lake District National Park

We saved the best for the last – we truly did. The Lake District National Park is famous for being home to the Romantic poets, especially Wordsworth. It is said to have provided inspiration for a lot of his poetry – looking around, it’s easy to see why. The entire landscape is peppered with perfect cottages, fields full of daffodils, rolling mountains, and dazzling lakes. The panoramas in The Lake District National Park will leave you hankering for more. We won’t blame you if you stay on for a week (or two) 🙂

If you find yourself in London, the best way to explore the city is to get a London Pass (get 6% off passes using the code JULY6 at checkout)

Planning a road trip in England? Read all our articles on England, including detailed articles on Devon, Cornwall, and London here .

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70 thoughts on “ the perfect itinerary for a road trip in england ”.

I absolutely agree, this Roadtrip sounds perfect. Oxford and York are my favorite cities in the UK and the Lake District is stunning. I would love to get to know Cornwall. Unfortunately I haven’t been to this part of the UK yet.

Glad you enjoyed it Stef 🙂

Hello what’s this place postcode or name I really want to go with my family but I don’t where this is.

Which place?

What a great itinerary! A little bit of city, a little bit of country, a whole lot of English loveliness. I’m definitely tucking this away for when I move over in a few years and have the time to do this road trip right.

You’ll have a great time, Stacey 🙂

Hi! I am planning to do a road trip in July. Would it be possible to send me your itinerary? Thank you so much!

Hey Yoke – you can see a detailed breakdown of the itinerary above in our articles on England. Here’s the link to all our articles: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/category/england

Hi , planning to come to London for 2 weeks , it would be better if you can sugeest me any road trip .

hey we have articles on two of our favourite road trips from London – to Devon and Cornwall on the website. Check those out 🙂

Thank you so much for this article. It is great you have taken the time to help others. Do you have name or links to where you sleep on this trip?

Hey Lisa – we slept in li’l cottages and B&Bs along the way. Unfortunately we weren’t into blogging then, so never jotted down names 🙁

My mother and I are planning a 3 1/2 week holiday to England and Ireland in April next year. Your itinerary is really helpful. We will fly into London hire a car for the duration, only stay in London for two days then head down the coast as you have done and then make our way to the family in Manchester. Any ideas, hints would be appreciated.

That sounds like a great trip 🙂 You can read our articles on Cornwall, Devon, day trips from London etc. here: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/category/england to get more details 🙂

If you can, do go further north to the Lake District – it’s amazing 🙂

Have a great trip!

Hi Savi and Vid, Love all your pics and articles. Could you give us a detailed itinerary for Lake district?

Hello Merin,

All our suggestions and the places we visited in Lake District are already included in the article 🙂

Thank you so much for finally being a tourist venturing up North, I hope you enjoyed York and the national parks! If you ever get the chance – Come up to Northumberland and visit Morpeth, Alnwick, Bamburgh and Berwick – you will not regret it, all these towns are beautiful and all contain a castle – Alniwck castle being where Harry Potter was filmed and Bamburgh constantly being voted as the uk most beautiful castles!, plus it only an hours drive from Berwick to Edinburgh so it would work out great.

Sounds great Alex – we love York – will definitely try and visit Morpeth, Alnwick, Bamburgh and Berwick soon 🙂

Hi, did you guys travelling by car ? Your own car or rent ? If rent, can you please share the details.

Thank you !

Hi Fateha – we rented a car with Hertz 🙂

Ahhh!!! This is perfect!!! Planning on road tripping through England this November so that we can visit the Bath Christmas Market and do some other holiday shopping and your post has made us so excited for our trip! Thank you for posting! This will be so helpful!

Dear Yohanna,

So happy to hear that 🙂 Have a great trip!

Hey Savi, can you suggest an itinerary on Scotland Ireland or may be one of them.we would ideally have 10 days. Thanks a ton

You should spend a few days in Edinburgh, then drive to Inverness maybe? from there you could fly to Dublin or Belfast even and rent a car again and explore Northern Ireland (if you decide to fly to Belfast) 🙂

Just an update to this post. York doesn’t actually have a Cathedral, it’s a Minster. But its beautiful nonetheless!

True that – will correct it 🙂

York does not have a Cathedral, it has a Minster! But York is still a beautiful place to visit.

But minsters are cathedrals too, just ones that were used for teaching during Anglo-Saxon times. Quoting wikipedia “The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe”

I’d like a bit of help please. We are doing this: arrive Heathrow and get car and 3 nights in Bath. Then 2 in Oxford. Then 4 in the Lakes District and 4 in Broadway and then finishing it out w/5 in London. We’ve been to Oxford. Do you recommend we skip Oxford altogether and replace it w/York or skim a night off of Oxford and The Lakes to get 2 nights in York. This is a very helpful post! Thanks for your advice….jon

Like the sound of your itinerary. If you’ve been to Oxford already, we’d suggest skipping that and spending those 2 nights in York. York is truly magical and you’ll love it 😀

Thanks very much. Greatly appreciate your help.

Cheers Jon!

Hey Savi Vid, Hope you guys doing well. 🙂 Well I’m sure you guys are. Both me and my wife are such a celebrity fan of both of you. We wait to see all your posts and your write ups from all your tours. We would first like to inform you, that we had taken two complete holiday itinerary from your website, they being the one for Bali and the other road trip in New Zealand, we followed both the tours of yours religiously, From choosing the same hotels, the same road navigations, restaurants etc. We literally followed, stalked you guys for those two vacations of ours. and trust us, those two vacations were just breathtaking, it changed our idea of travelling. We have never been such a followers of anybody, and we are so proud of following your holidays, We recommend it to all our family members and friends all around.

At this point We are looking to take another holiday to UK this summer, and was browsing up your itinerary. we are so happy too be following them and making sure we cover the most of it through Bruised Passports.

Thank you so much you guys. Keep Writing and sharing the photographs. They mean so much to us. Its the time when we share and discuss about your work, makes us so happy.

Have a great day.

Hey Nikhil,

Thank you so much for your message and for trusting our itineraries 🙂 Our work here is done in that case 😀 Please do share photos from your trip to Bali and New Zealand – we’d love to see them 🙂

Have a great trip in UK.

Thanks once again for your love and support.

Hi Savi Vid,

I will second the earlier post on being truly inspired by your holidays. We too in last 10 months first google whether you have been to a destination and then decide as it makes things so much quicker for us.

we too followed your garden route itinerary and loved it.

We really identify with your holiday style.

We are planning a road trip with our parents and infant in October end-mid nov for like 17-18 days from New Delhi.

We are torn between New Zealand or England with Scotland.

England would suit us more in terms of flight time with an infant but we are not really sure whether this would be the best time to go, we are interested in visiting scotch distilleries in england and also follow the above mentioned itinerary by squeezing a few days or follow your new zealand road trip itinerary.

Please make the decision for us 🙂

Hey Randhir – that’s great to know. So happy to hear that you enjoy Bruised Passports SO much. Given its October/November, we’d recommend going for New Zealand as the weather in UK can get really grey and cold at that time 🙂

Hey thanks a lot, Will the England one be a feasible option in March first week ?

Hey Randhir – the weather in UK is always unpredictable. However it is still quite cold in March

Hi!! I was looking for some inspiration as to where to go this August with a 2-year-old and a 1-month-old baby from London with a car, and have decided to do York and Lake District after reading your post!

Could you give me any recommendations of where to go within the Lake District? And any stops you’d suggest on our drive back or where we could stop for the night so the drive isn’t as long?

Ps. Already followed your Cornwall road trip tips and loved that part of England!

So happy to hear our Cornwall itinerary was helpful 🙂

Within the Lake District you could go to Ambleside, Windermere, Bowness, or Lakeside. You could also drive further up to Rydal or Grasmere. On your way back, you could break your journey at Cheshire or perhaps Stratford-upon-avon?

Have a great trip 🙂

Hi me & hubby john are planning a week road trip in UK, we fancy going to Devon we live in fleetwood, Lancashire. We welcome your ideas? Thank you.

Hey Carol and John – that’s a great idea. We have detailed itineraries on Devon and Cornwall if you’re interested 🙂

Hi Savi and Vid,

Its always nice reading your posts. Very informative indeed. We are planning to take this road trip in June 2018. Please tell us how viable would it be with a 1 year infant? Thanks in advance.

Hey Prachi – You can get a car seat for your infant. Other than that England is extremely kid-friendly, so you won’t have a problem at service stations, restaurants, or anywhere else. Have fun 🙂

planning to visit uk in july.plz suggest ireland vs scotland which is better.we are luking at 6 nights in london n 3 nights either in scotland or ireland.cant do both. what day trips can we take from london.. Really luking forward for your suggestion..

Regards punam

Hey perhaps go with Northern Ireland for 3 nights 🙂

There’s plenty of information on our website for what to do in and around London – please search for “London” and you’ll see all the articles.

Hi Savi & Vid,

Firstly, thank you so much !

We planned our Honeymoon day by day according to your Seychelles Itinerary and trust me, that has been the best holiday for me and my husband.

Now, We are planning for a holiday in December, somewhere cold and a place which will have a magical vibe considering it will be Christmas & New Years. Is the chain across Scotland worth it or should we explore some place elsewhere across the world?

Hey so happy to hear that – you have to share photos with us (from Seychelles) 🙂

Do consider Finland/Lapland for your next winter holiday – you’ll love it

Hi Savi Vid, My husband and self live in Australia and we are planning a road trip as you have in England, you have given us great inspiration where to start and where to go, we were unsure about what we could do. Thank you kindly Cassa and Jeff

Thank you so much and hope you had a great time driving in England / UK 🙂

If I have 2 days in Lake District, where do you reccomend we stay? Also I’m traveling with a 1 year old, does LD make sense with a baby?

I m planning to go 1st week of July. The iteniary is 3 days in Edinburgh >2 days in Lake District> 7 days in London.. pls suggest

Perhaps you could stay in Windermere as there’ll be more options to shop/dine especially with a baby 🙂 Your itinerary for United Kingdom sounds just fine. Assuming you’ll be driving down from Edinburgh to London via Lake District?

My sister is visiting from Canada from mid to the end of February – but I know the weather won’t be very good and the wonderful countryside won’t be very beautiful. If we were to stay in the UK, would you recommend doing more castles and things like that or should I just avoid altogether and we will go to Rome or something LOL

Thanks so much! Lindsay

Hey Lindsay,

Some of the countryside, especially castles and cathedrals, are beautiful at that time of the year. Perhaps you could split that time between UK and say Rome or any other European city – lots of inspiration here: https://www.bruisedpassports.com/category/europe 🙂

Completely misses East Anglia?

Next May myself, my mother and my daughter are travelling to the UK from Australia. We arrive in London for 2 nights, then have a hire car to head off exploring. We have 3 weeks before heading off to France.

In those 3 weeks we’re hoping to cover England, Scotland and Ireland! Would have loved to get to Wales, but time doesn’t allow it this trip!

Your itinerary is amazing. And we will certainly be using it to our advantage, but may have to condense it somewhat. Are there any suggestions you have re Scotland and Ireland?

Hey Brooke,

Thanks a lot for your message and we hope you had a great trip in UK. WE don’t really have driving suggestions for Ireland but a road trip in Northern Ireland is dreamy 🙂 (there are articles about that on our site)

We are looking at doing a 3 week road trip from the Yorkshire moors down to Devon in 2021. Would love to get a map of the route you took and the towns that you stopped in. We were thinking about doing a pub crawl!

Dave & Ros

This perfect itinerary for a road trip in England has been curated over many trips – we have shared the map in the article 🙂

hi guys..is this itinerary doable by public transport

Yes, it should be possible but you will lose out on the possibility of taking random detours which are always the fun part 🙂

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Love it, can wait to start my road trip

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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.

UK Two Week Itinerary - Alnwick Castle UK

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.

York St Marys Abbey ruin church monastery

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 .

There are 219 comments on this post

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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 🙁

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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2-week Great British Road Trip Itinerary: From England to Scotland

By: Author Angela Price

Posted on Last updated: July 15, 2023

2-week Great British Road Trip Itinerary: From England to Scotland

Do you want to explore the UK on a British Road Trip but are unsure where to start? This two-week itinerary will help you plan the perfect road trip from England to Scotland.

I am almost too embarrassed to admit that I’ve travelled all the way to Australia from the UK, but I hadn’t ventured to Scotland until recently.

Well, I guess that’s not completely true; I took a weekend break to Edinburgh after winning the trip in a raffle. Still, it seems to me that when people talk about the “real” Scotland , they always seem to refer to the diverse natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands, and so with this in mind, I decided to plan a great British road trip and check out this area of Scotland for myself.

Of course, it’s a long drive from England to the Scottish Highlands (this is where hubby comes in handy), and so I included stops during the drive “up North” and also on the return journey back “down South” to break up the time spent on the road.

This travel guide may contain affiliate links – For more information, please read my disclaimer and privacy policy.

Do you need to arrange travel insurance, car hire or accommodation? Please check out my resources page to help you plan your trip.

Road through countryside for a British road trip

Table of Contents

Why Every Traveller Should Make a British Road Trip

I have made road trips through Australia , New Zealand, South Africa , Iceland, Europe and the UK , and I love the freedom of adventure that driving gives you. You can stop whenever you want, take photos, stretch your legs, visit restrooms, and if you suddenly see somewhere interesting, you can explore it without anyone else’s time constraints.

Road trips make you feel like you are having lots of exciting mini-breaks. For a person like me that gets stir-crazy being in one place for too long and has FOMO (fear of missing out), I enjoy packing my things up every few days and heading off to see the next new thing. If I ever get regressed (don’t laugh, I’ve thought about it), I’m sure I would live a nomadic, gipsy life in a forest somewhere and foraging for berries and hugging trees.

British Road Trip Travel Tips

Anyway, back to the topic at hand! I have detailed the best places to stay during a British road trip , the best landmark destinations to visit on a British road trip, and the driving routes and times between locations to help you enjoy the perfect British road trip. This interactive Google map will also help you follow my route or plan your own British road trip itinerary.

UK British Road Trip Map

The United Kingdom 14-Day British Road Trip Itinerary

2 nights in the Lake District – England

4 nights in the Trossachs National Park – Scotland

1 night in Fort Augustus – Scotland

3 nights on the Isle of Skye – Scotland

2 nights in Pitlochry – Scotland

2 nights in Harrogate – England

Drive to the Lake District

We left home early on a bright September morning, around 9 am, for the first part of our British road trip from Surrey to Windermere in the Lake District. We knew the drive would take around 5 hours with good driving conditions, so I planned our first stop at the Trentham Monkey Forest in Stoke on Trent.

I had never heard of this place before, but when I realised it was a sanctuary for 140 Barbary macaques , I knew I would love it.

The great news is that Trentham’s monkeys roam freely , though exterior fencing contains them within the forest. Let’s face it – monkeys on the loose on the M6 would probably not be the best thing!

It was gratifying to wander around and see them in a natural setting, and we stayed for feeding time and a talk given by the keepers before continuing our drive to Lake Windermere.

Trentham Monkey Forest to Lake Windermere via M6 – 2hrs 45 mins

Lake district – 2 nights.

Lake Windermere in Cumbria- a stop on a British road trip

The Lake District in Cumbria offers abundant natural beauty and is the perfect place to stop on a trip to the North of England and beyond.

A Unesco World Heritage Site and England’s largest National Park , the Lake District has so much to offer, from huge mountains, quintessential English villages, lush green valleys, and of course, sixteen world-renowned lakes.

The Lake District’s largest lake is Windermere. Scenic lake cruises, kayaking, walking and hiking are a must here. The circular walking route of Lake Windermere is great fun.

Throughout the Lake District, hiking trails cater for all abilities. From visitors who want to enjoy a gentle stroll around the lakes to advanced hikes that scale iconic landmarks such as Scafell Pike , the highest mountain in England.

We arrived at The Belsfield Hotel at Bowness-on-Windermere for our two-night stay. The Laura Ashley Group owns this chic hotel, and the design is not surprisingly beautiful. It also happens to be one of the most prestigious hotels in the Lake District, with unrivalled views across Lake Windermere – I was going to enjoy this!

Luxury Accommodation in Bowness

I had booked into a classic double room as I knew we wouldn’t spend much time in it, but there are larger, grander rooms to choose from.

The rest of the hotel was fabulous, with views over the lake from every turn. The outside terrace was a hit with guests, a great spot to watch the sun go down. The indoor lounge was cosy and the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail before dinner (well, it would be rude not to).

The only thing I didn’t like was that our weekend stay coincided with a wedding function, and to say wedding guests overtook the hotel was an understatement.

It became noisy and chaotic and was not the peaceful boutique experience we expected. My advice would be to check before you book to see if any functions are being held during your stay to avoid noisy disruptions on your trip.

Where to Dine and Stay in Lake Windermere

As we were tired and didn’t fancy anything too formal tonight, we headed into town and enjoyed dinner at Baha Restaurant . Bowness is really charming, and its cobbled streets are home to dozens of restaurants and cafes. I was surprised to see such a choice of modern eateries for a small Cumbrian town.

If you are looking for a more traditional place to eat, then The Hole in T Wall is the oldest pub in Bowness and was even frequented by Charles Dickens.

Alternative places to stay in Bowness-on-Windermere

Lakes Hotel and Spa

Linthwaite House Hotel

The Angel Inn

If you want a more exclusive stay in the Lake District, you may enjoy the many Lake District cottages with hot tubs scattered around the area.

Lakeside Cruise and Walk

After a hearty breakfast, we decided to cruise across the lake – the most popular thing to do in the Lake District. Hop on a Windermere Lake Cruise from the pier at Bowness – just below the hotel. To make sure of a seat pre-book, especially in the height of summer.

Cruise and Walk Lake Windermere

We opted for the Lake Windemere walker’s ticket , which allowed us to cruise from Bowness to Ambleside , disembark and then walk four miles along the western shore to Ferry House pier.

Make sure you have the ferry timetable to plan the timings of your return trip to Bowness Pier.

Points to explore during the lakeside walk include Wray Castle , a Gothic revival castle complete with a superb little cafe where we stopped for lunch.

The next stop on the walking route is Claife Viewing Station to admire the view of Lake Windermere.

Check out the coloured glass viewing panels that supposedly recreate the lake’s colours through the seasons – an interesting idea, but I’m not sure it worked for me.

At the end of the walk, we caught a ferry back from Ferry House Pier to Bowness – it was a great day out and a fabulous way to see the best of Lake Windermere by water and land.

Angie’s Top Tip – Hill Top, the former house of Beatrix Potter, is a 2.5-mile walk from Ferry House Pier ( or hop on the Mountain Goat Bus ). You could include a visit either at the end of your walk or make the whole trip in reverse, starting in Bowness and sailing to Ferry House.

Drive to The Trossachs National Park

Crossing the border from england to scotland.

After a breakfast fit for a king (and Queen!), we set off for the next location on our British road trip itinerary, Arrochar, in the Trossachs National Park. It would be another long drive, and so to break things up, we stopped at Gretna Green , the location for eloping couples to wed. Please don’t get too excited; we made our vows 30 years ago; however, we had now crossed the border into SCOTLAND!

Lake Windermere to Gretna Green via M6 – 1hrs 45mins

Gretna Green in Scotland is a location where English couples under the age of 21 could marry without their parent’s consent. They would elope and seal the deal in the blacksmith’s barn over the anvil.

Confused? Check out the Gretna Green official website for more on this Scottish landmark’s history and folklore.

I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and to be fair, it is quite a magnet for tourists. It seemed our friends from the USA were here in their masses.

A quick wander around the small museum, a photo of our hands on the blacksmith’s anvil (obviously had to get that one) and then a stock-up of Scottish produce (not sure we needed quite so much shortbread and fudge!), and we were off to our forest cabin at Arrochar in the Trossachs National Park.

Gretna Green to Arrochar in the Trossachs National park via A74 & M8 – 2 hrs 30 mins

Arrochar, trossachs national park – 4 nights.

The Trossachs National Park, often referred to as “ the Highlands in miniature “, is an area of incredible beauty with lowland landscapes in the south and huge mountains in the north ( 21 mountains all above 3,000ft ).

The park has 22 large lochs (water bodies), including the famous Loch Lomond and woodland, scrub and forest covering every part of the area.

The Trossachs also lay claim to one of the UK’s largest National Nature Reserves – The Great Trossachs Forest , and 50% of Scotland’s population lives within an hour’s drive of the National Park!

In this area, you will also find Queen Elizabeth Forest Park . The park was established along with five others in 1953 – the year of Elizabeth ll’s coronation.

It holds some of Scotland’s best-loved locations, from the magnificent Loch Lomond to the rolling Trossachs mountains.

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, Scottish Highlands on a British road trip

For the next four nights, our home was at Ardgarten Hot Tub Forest Lodges in Arrochar, with unparalleled views of Loch Long .

This is a perfect base to explore the surrounding towns, including Inveraray and its castle, Oban and its distillery and Luss with its charming village and boat rides.

Angie’s Top Tip – Make sure you stock up on provisions before you arrive at Arrochar. There are a couple of small convenience shops nearby, but they only stock the basics. The nearest is Braeside grocery and newsagent, a 10-minute drive from the lodge.

Alternative places to stay in Arrochar can be booked here on Booking.com .

View of Arrochar in Scotland on a British road trip

Exploring the Local Area

Did I mention it rains a lot in Scotland? And in September, when we travelled, there were many wet days.

Of course, it didn’t come as a shock, and I had already packed everything in my wardrobe to keep me warm and dry, so we were ready for any eventuality.

Unfortunately, as we pulled back the curtains that first morning, we couldn’t even see Loch Long , just swathes of grey fog slowly moving across the landscape and the tops of a few mountains in the distance.

Not to be deterred from getting out (after already having wallowed in the hot tub for about 2 hours!), we took a trail that started near our lodge and headed into the unknown (actually the Argyll Forest ) to see what we could find.

After what seemed like a rather wet couple of hours, we had seen a river, a waterfall, lots and lots of woodlands and a fairy house – I kid you not – check out the photos, and finally decided to head back to the lodge because if we got any muddier, we might get mistaken for bog monsters by the locals.

Angie’s Top Tip – Check out The Village Inn in Arrochar for a real taste of Scotland. Haggis, neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes) topped off with whisky sauce are delicious.

Inveraray – St Conan’s Kirk – Oban

Arrochar to inveraray – 30 minutes.

Hurray – there were blue skies this morning, and after a quick dip in the hot tub, we were in the car and on our way to the town of Inveraray.

For a small town, there are many things to do in Inveraray, including exploring a castle, hiking up a hill, taking part in a whisky tasting, visiting a prison museum and generally soaking up the beautiful surroundings of this lochside setting.

If you want to stop here for coffee or lunch, then Campbell Coffee Roasters on the high street serves great coffee, and Loch Fyne restaurant serves freshly caught seafood from the loch.

Love the sound of Inveraray?

Read more about it in my post – 7 great things to do in inveraray ..

Inveraray to St Conan’s Kirk – 25 minutes

After a morning wandering around Inveraray, we were back on the road and heading for Oban. Thirty minutes into the journey, we happened upon an eerie Gothic-looking church, and of course, I had to have a closer look.

It turns out that it was called St. Conan’s Kirk and was voted one of the top 10 buildings in Scotland of the last 100 years .

The minute I walked through the doors, I felt the building had a spiritual vibe, and I was amazed at all the different styles of architecture used in its design. Gothic, Norman, Saxon and Celtic decorations all shared the same space making it a unique place to visit.

We got lucky as there were only a few other people there when we visited, so we got to enjoy St Conan’s peacefulness and its beautiful views across Loch Awe.

Back in the car, and after a cup of tea from my flask and a shortbread biscuit (yes, we still had some left), we continued to Oban.

St Conan’s Kirk to Connel Bridge – 25 minutes

Almost in Oban, we spotted The Falls of Lora near Connel Bridge. They are a spectacular sight as they form a tidal rapid, which occurs naturally when the tidal level in the Firth of Lorn drops below the water level in Loch Etive.

We stopped at the car park viewpoint in Connel village to get the falls’ best views and were amazed to see kayakers riding the rapids. Afterwards, we discovered that the falls are a popular destination for kayakers and divers – who would have imagined all that going on under a bridge?

Connel Bridge to Oban – 10 minutes

Finally, we arrived in the coastal town of Oban. Known as the departure point to catch ferries to some of the beautiful outlying Scottish Hebridean islands as well as the home of the famous whisky distillery, and that was where we were heading.

Want to find out more about the Scottish Islands?

Read about them in my post: the best and most beautiful scottish islands you must visit in scotland ..

Oban ferries in Scotland. a stop on a British road trip

Oban distillery has been producing whisky since the 18th century and running tours to give visitors a peek into how this spirit is made. Ensure you have pre-booked your spot on the tour, as they fill up very quickly.

Let me say that I am not a whisky drinker (or wasn’t until I went to Scotland), but still found the tour fascinating. We both learnt so much about making whisky and now know all about “ fairy tears ” and whisky taxes which is useful should we ever start up a distillery in the garden shed!

After the tour, we walked along the vast sandy beach, which was not what I expected in Scotland. No chance of taking our coats and scarves off in September, though; this was just a time for us to soak up the scenery before finishing off with dinner.

We ate in Coasters, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it – there are other better restaurants in Oban to choose from.

Oban to our lodge in Arrochar via A85 & A83 – 1hr 30 minutes

Day trip to the village of luss.

Our last day in the Trossachs was a dry one, and we set off to explore the village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater lake in Great Britain . We particularly wanted to go for a cruise across the loch and arrived mid-morning to buy our tickets from the boat pier.

Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea, so our timed tickets weren’t until 4 pm. We were leaving the area the next day to head to Fort Augustus – home of Loch Ness – so it was today or never!

Arrochar to Luss – 20 minutes

The village of Luss is a popular place for tourists and has charming 18th-century stone houses, lovely Scottish artisan craft shops, a historic church and plenty of cafes and coffee shops – what more could you want?

Luss also has several walks to allow the visitor to explore the area – a favourite is the Heritage Trail, a one-hour walk around the town.

I learned from the Luss Visitor Centre that fairies were living in Luss (they get everywhere) and that the Loch Lomond fairy trail would take us through the woods to see their homes. I didn’t need to be told twice, and with hubby in tow, we set off to find some pixie magic.

The clouds came in as the day went by, and by 4 pm, it looked pretty grim. We boarded our boat and set off for a cold and bumpy ninety-minute ride. It was not the leisurely cruise I was looking forward to, but at least we can say we cruised Loch Lomond!

Drive to Fort Augustus

We packed our stuff early and headed to our next destination, Loch Ness, in Fort Augustus.

The thought of cruising on the loch and listening to stories about Nessie the Loch Ness monster probably got me a little more excited than it should, but having grown up hearing about this fictional (or should I say factual) creature, I couldn’t wait to get there! But there were plenty of other things in Scotland that I wanted to see on the route.

Arrochar to Falls of Falloch – 25 minutes

As soon as I hear mention of a waterfall, I have to check it out; it doesn’t matter where I am in the world; they seem to call to me. Some of the best waterfalls in the UK can be found in Scotland, like the 30ft Falls of Falloch . Approached by the A82 near the village of Crianlarich, a woodland track leads from the car park to the falls and the River Falloch.

A funky viewing platform allows you to view the waterfall in all its glory and is a great structure to see in its own right – not something you would expect to see in a woodland glen!

Falls of Falloch to Glencoe – 50 minutes

Scotland’s landscape seems to get better and better the further north you go (though it is all stunning). After passing through the Bridge of Orchy with its white-washed houses and positioned on the famous Scottish walking route – the West Highland Way – we arrived at the magnificent mountain range of Glencoe.

Glencoe is predominately a ski and outdoor pursuits area. As we were driving through, it reminded me of the dramatic landscape in Iceland and Norway; foreboding and mighty.

We pulled into Glencoe Mountain Resort to buy some tickets for the chair lift; however, when I saw how high it went, I got cold feet, so we popped into the restaurant instead to warm up and grab some lunch!

Angie’s Top Tip – If you love outdoor activities, then it may be worth adding a night to your British road trip itinerary and spending longer in Glencoe to really see it at its best.

Glencoe to Fort William – 40 minutes

Not to give up on the chance to get an amazing view across the Scottish mountain range, we headed to Fort William and the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola. The 650m high enclosed gondola is the only one of its kind in the UK, so it was only fitting that we tried it out.

Built to transport skiers to the top of Aonach Mòr, the 8th highest mountain in Britain , it is now one of the most popular things to do in Fort William – after visiting the Glenfinnan Viaduct and waiting for that magical opportunity to catch the Harry Potter train of course!

We stepped aboard and luckily had the gondola to ourselves. I think the grey skies and threat of rain had put many visitors off, but I can imagine it gets swamped on warm sunny days. It takes 15 minutes to get to the top, and then you are rewarded with views of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain .

Angie’s Top Tip – There is a big drop in temperature from the bottom to the top of Aonach Mor, so make sure to wrap up warm.

Fort William to Fort Augustus – 45 minutes

Back in the car and aware that time was getting on, we decided only to have one quick stop on the route to Fort Augustus, and that would be to look at the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge .

Three 17ft bronze figures are depicted in full uniforms and dedicated to WW2 service members that lost their lives. If you have the time, it is worth stopping, a small car park is located along the B8004, and the views alone are incredible.

Commando Memorial - Glencoe - Scotland - on a British road trip stop

Fort Augustus – 1 Night

Arriving in Fort Augustus, the rain stopped, and the sun shone – our luck had changed!

We were staying here for one night in the award-winning boutique hotel The Lovat, but before we settled in for our stay, we had arranged a rib cruise with the company Cruise Loch Ness .

There are two ways to view Loch Ness – a fast rib cruise or a scenic cruise – we opted for the 90-minute rib cruise to Urquhart Castle, which was an informative ride telling us about the loch, the landscape, the castle and, of course, the monster!

Is the Loch Ness Monster Real?

Because we were on the last cruise of the day, we got the rib to ourselves, which was fantastic. However, our captain told us many stories about the Loch Ness monster but never quite confirmed his own sighting, so we still don’t know the truth!

A cruise is the most popular thing to do in Loch Ness, and I would definitely recommend it.

Angie’s Top Tip – If you suffer from a bad back, then don’t take the rib – it jolts you about a fair bit, and I felt quite tender afterwards. The scenic cruise may be more suitable.

Love the sound of Fort Augustus and Loch Ness?

Find out more in my post: loch ness scotland: is it really home to a monster.

Back on dry land and feeling a little like we had been through a washing machine, we strolled back to the hotel through the pretty town of Fort Augustus.

It is full of Scottish craft shops, delicatessens and a few traditional-looking pubs, The Lock Inn and The Bothy , all scattered around the Caledonian Canal, which runs through the town. The picturesque Scottish scenery all around is just wonderful.

Luxury Accommodation in Fort Augustus

Back at our family-run hotel, The Lovat , we checked into our Double Garden Room – accommodation within the courtyard. The design was beautiful, with muted colours echoing the Scottish landscape – green and heather tones and we were pleased we had chosen this hotel.

As well as being the only four-star hotel in Fort Augustus , the restaurant is run by a head chef who has worked in several Michelin restaurants. Our taste buds were tingling, waiting to sample our evening fayre, and we weren’t disappointed – the food was superb.

Alternative places to stay in Fort Augustus can be found here on Booking.com .

Drive to the isle of skye.

After a hearty Scottish breakfast at the hotel, we packed up and headed into town to grab some provisions for the drive (shortbread, obviously, Scotch eggs and Highland coffee). This part of our British road trip would take us to the furthest location on our Scottish trip itinerary – the Inner Hebridean island of Skye .

Fort Augustus to Rogie Falls via A82 – 1 Hour

By now, you will have realised that I like to make a few diversions when I am heading to my next overnight stop on a British road trip, and Rogie Falls ( yes, it’s a waterfall) was one such place.

A series of forest walks, a suspension bridge , a waterfall, and the chance to view salmon in the summer months make this one of the best places to visit in Contin, near Ullapool. There is a small car park just off the A835.

We were lucky that Rogie Falls wasn’t very busy when we arrived. It was lovely to be at one with nature and wander around the woodland area taking in the beautiful Scottish scenery and viewing the falls from the bridge suspended across the Black Water River.

Rogie Falls to Eilean Donan – 2 hours via A890 and A87 ( with lots of photo stops!)

Leaving Rogie Falls, we were now deep in the Scottish Highlands. We were heading to Eilean Donan, the fabled Scottish Castle, perched on a tidal island on the main tourist route into the Isle of Skye.

But before that, we stopped a million times to take photos of the stunning Scottish landscape – there’s simply no way you can just drive past it without capturing a memory.

Scottish Highlands view of a loch and bridge on a British road trip

Isle of Skye – 3 Nights

We were in the Scottish Highlands now, and I have to say it has to be one of the best scenic drives we have done. Every inch of this part of our British road trip left me mesmerised.

With every mile we drove, I was commenting, “look at that”, and “Oh wow”, much to my hubby’s despair as he navigated the winding narrow Scottish roads while still trying to glimpse the amazing sights I had spotted!

Love the sound of the Isle of Skye?

Find out more in my post: 8 amazing places you must visit on the isle of skye ., exploring eilean donan.

Before we headed over the bridge into Skye, we stopped at Dornie on the A87 to tour the iconic Eilean Donan, probably the most photographed castle in Scotland . The mystical and romantic Scottish castle sits on a tidal island where three lochs (lakes) meet and is steeped in history and folklore.

We headed into the castle and were shown around and told the history and “hidden secrets” of Eilean Donan. If you have ever heard of the saying “the walls have ears,” it comes from the wall slits in this castle where the chieftain’s soldiers would listen discreetly to important clan meetings, ready to do battle if things turned sour. Hence the saying!

Angie’s Top Tip : Pre-book your entrance/tour tickets as Eilean Donan is a popular tourist attraction in Scotland, and tickets often sell out.

After our Eilean Donan tour, we headed across the Skye Bridge (no toll charges) into the Isle of Skye and headed to our accommodation.

We had booked our stay on the Dunvegan Castle Estate in Rose Valley Cottage for three nights. A traditional white-washed stone-built self-catering Scottish cottage – Perfect!

After a cosy sleep, but with no wi-fi to check that the outside world was still functioning (location too remote and cottage walls too thick!!!), we layered on our cold-weather gear and headed to Dunvegan Castle. As we were staying on the Dunvegan castle estate, admittance was free.

Dunvegan Castle and Estate has been owned by the McLeod clan (family) for 800 years and is steeped in Scottish myths and legends . When you visit, ask about the fairy flag, it is very interesting.

After your history tour, head to the castle gardens to discover pretty gardens complete with walkways, bridges and a waterfall! You can also take a boat trip to the Dunvegan seal colony from the castle pier.

Dunvegan Castle to Coral Beach at Claigan – 10 minutes

We had heard stories of a beach near Dunvegan castle that has crushed white coral on its shores. In summer, when the sun is out, the water is the same blue colour as the Caribbean – who would have known this kind of beach existed in Scotland!

We decided to check it out and headed 10 minutes further on from the castle until we arrived at the gravel car park at Claigan.

An easy 25-minute walk through farmland takes you to the beach, and I’m sure on a sunny day, it is glorious. Sadly we had freezing temperatures and a harsh wind blowing, so we wandered along its shores and then headed back to the warmth of the car!

Angie’s Top Tip – There are no facilities here, so I recommend that you use the toilets by the castle gift shop.

Coral Beach to Portree via Struan – 1 Hour

Part of the beauty of visiting the Isle of Skye is that you can drive around its winding roads and will be guaranteed to see some of the most majestic views on the planet.

Rugged wilderness, majestic mountains, mystical lochs, Highland cows, and many sheep await your arrival. We loved driving around Skye and stopping in random locations to take photographs and immerse ourselves in the landscape.

Portree is a fishing village with pretty pastel cottages lining its harbour and is also Skye’s capital. We had a delicious lunch at Cuchillin – one of the best restaurants in Portree .

From Portree, you can jump aboard one of the boat trips that will take you around Portree Bay and Raasay Sound on the lookout for local wildlife, including dolphins and grey seals.

We didn’t have the time to experience this as the tour had already gone out; however, if you schedule it in your itinerary, it sounds like you will have a good chance of encountering Scottish wildlife from the water.

Portree to Quaraing – 30 minutes

Leaving Portree, we had an eerie view of the Outer Hebrides covered in an ethereal mist. On our next trip to Scotland, we will be planning to visit some of the more remote Scottish islands and seeing them from Skye made us want to cross the water and explore them even more!

We continued driving to see the monolith columns known as the “Old Man of Storr” and the Quaraing before returning to our cottage.

Remember that when you are driving in Skye, it takes a long time to get from A to B .

Roads are narrow and winding, cattle are often on the roads, and you have to wait for them to be ready to move. Also, the weather can suddenly turn, so your speed needs to be kept down.

We awoke this morning to torrential rain and wind and hunkered down with a good book before finally venturing out and heading to the Talisker Distillery . We had already done a whisky tour in Oban, so I looked forward to another one here in Skye.

Dunvegan to Talisker Distillery – 40 minutes

Sadly, that was not going to be the case as the tours were all booked for the next three days, at which point we would have moved on from Skye. The nearest next best thing was to visit the Talisker on-site shop and buy a miniature selection to take home with us!

By now, it was lunchtime, and we were ready for some haggis ! We found a pub called the Old Inn at Carbost and headed inside to eat and get warm.

It seemed everyone visiting Skye had stumbled into the pub as it was full of nationalities from every corner of the globe. We sat close to a group from Sweden while a South African family sat on the other side – it is a popular place for tourists – us included!

Tasting Scotland’s National Dish

If you are coming to Scotland, then at some point, you will have to try haggis – Scotland’s national dish. At first, the thought of the ingredients in haggis turned my stomach, but I was hooked once I had tasted it.

I can vouch for the haggis at the Old Inn – it was delicious.

The mist had come down since we had been in the pub, and it again gave an ethereal look to the landscape.

We were heading to the Fairy Pools, known for their waterfalls, brooks and delightful walks and, in warmer months – swimmable pools!

Once again, the weather had turned on us, and to say we nearly got swept off our feet is an understatement. We didn’t feel it was appropriate weather to set off on a walk around the pools and so we captured a few pictures from the roadside and headed back to the cottage for our last night in Skye!

Talisker Distillery – Fairy Pools 15 minutes

Our time on the Isle of Skye had been wonderful, and we were sad to be leaving but, at the same time, excited to be staying in Pitlochry for a couple of nights.

Dunvegan to Pitlochry on the A87, A86, A889 and A9 via Newtonmore – 4 hours

We headed away from Skye on the A87 ( the only way to get in or out) and passed by several lochs with names such as Loch Garry and Loch Laggan; the latter even had a beach .

No matter where you go in the Scottish Highlands, you will see a loch!

The drive would take several hours, but that was no hardship with so much stunning scenery.

We stopped in Newtonmore on the edge of the Cairngorms – the largest National Park in the UK , to have a coffee break and take even more photos of the lush countryside and the mountains.

Angie’s Top Tip – If you have time, then take a detour and check out the majestic scenery at Glen Roy National Reserve or pay a visit to Dalwhinnie Distillery on the A889 near Loch Ericht – remember only the passenger gets to try a dram of whisky!

Pitlochry – 2 Nights

We arrived at our accommodation, Craigatin House , early evening. After freshening up, we headed to the Auld Smithy Inn , a mere 10-minute walk from the hotel, for our evening meal.

After our meal, we treated ourselves to a whisky ice cream (yes, you read that correctly!) from Scotch Corner before exploring the circular Pitlochry river walk, taking us past the dam.

Alternative accommodation in Pitlochry can be found on Booking.com

Pitlochry is a charming town in Perthshire by the River Tummel. What we loved about it was even though it was small, there were many things to do in Pitlochry.

We did a lovely river walk, visited the famous “ Queens View “, and visited Blair Castle and the House of Bruar and its waterfalls. I would recommend staying in Pitlochry for more than one night to see everything in the area.

Love the sound of Pitlochry?

Please find out more in my post: 13 fun things to do in pitlochry on a weekend break., day thirteen.

After two wonderful days in Pitlochry, we said goodbye to our time in Scotland . We were back on the road and heading for Harrogate in Yorkshire for a 2-night stay at the exclusive Rudding Park Hotel and Spa .

Pitlochry to Harrogate – 5 hours

Yorkshire is England’s largest historical county, packed with ancient landmarks, beautiful towns and villages and stunning countryside.

Harrogate is a town in North Yorkshire, east of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and west of the North York Moors National Park – both areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

It is a Victorian spa town, so naturally, the Turkish Spa Baths are one of the most popular places in Harrogate for visitors to relax and unwind after shopping in the town’s trendy boutiques and galleries.

Love the Sound of Yorkshire?

Please find out more in my yorkshire 7-night road trip guide, harrogate – 2 nights, luxury accommodation in harrogate.

This was the longest continual drive we had done on our British road trip, as we wanted to make the most of our time at Rudding Park Hotel .

We had decided that after such an action-packed two weeks, we would wind down at the hotel and enjoy its amazing state-of-the-art spa facilities. That didn’t mean that we weren’t privy to some wonderful views on the way there; the Yorkshire countryside really is stunning.

Arriving at Rudding Park in the early evening, we were welcomed and shown to our beautiful room.

The hotel was everything I had been looking for and more. It is luxurious, beautifully designed, and nestled in a vast estate with fine dining restaurants, an amazing indoor pool, and a roof-top spa. I was ready to be pampered!

Love the sound of the Rudding Park Hotel and Spa?

Please find out more in my hotel review: rudding park: the most luxurious hotel in harrogate ..

Alternative places to stay in Harrogate

White Hart Hotel

Studley Hotel

The Yorkshire Hotel

Day Fourteen

After an amazing sleep and a sumptuous breakfast, we went to the sauna and for a swim in the indoor pool before heading out to explore Fountains Abbey – England’s oldest monastic ruins. They are located near the historic town of Ripon, famed for its cathedral.

Rudding Park Hotel to Fountains Abbey – 35 minutes

Fountains Abbey UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-visit landmark in Yorkshire. Its ruins date back to the 12th century, and it shares its site with Studley Royal Water Gardens, which are absolutely beautiful to wander around.

Both are National Trust properties, and a visit is most definitely recommended. We were shocked at how much of the abbey ruins were still intact after so many centuries.

Love the sound of Fountains Abbey?

Please find out more in my post: fountains abbey and studley royal water gardens..

We spent about 3 hours wandering around Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal grounds and finished our day with tea and cake at the Mill cafe with lovely lakeside views.

You can also walk across the deer park to the Gothic revival church of St Mary’s from here.

Back at Rudding Park, we headed straight to the spa area for a relaxing massage and to spend some time on the roof-top terrace where a hot tub, sauna and steam room awaited us – albeit in the rain, the only downfall of it being outdoors!

Later that evening, we had dinner at The Clocktower, which was incredible. The food was great, and the ambience and service were second to none.

Day Fifteen

After a sensational two weeks on our ultimate England to Scotland Road Trip, it was time to start our drive home.

Of course, by now, you will know that I always like to make route stops and explore interesting locations, and Warwick Castle fits that description.

Rudding Park to Warwick Castle via the M1 – 2 hours 35 minutes

We had pre-booked one-day entrance tickets to avoid the queues. We were looking forward to visiting this medieval castle originally built as a wooden fort in 1068 by William the Conqueror . Remodelled over the centuries, Warwick is now one of the most famous castles in England.

Even though they were so high, we loved walking along the battlements and wandering around the gardens to watch the birds of prey demonstration. We stayed for around 3 hours, giving us plenty of time to do everything we wanted.

Angie’s Top Tip – Bring a picnic with you as the eateries are busy and mainly sell fast food.

Time to Go Home

We left Warwick late afternoon and jumped in the car for the last time on our British road trip. We had been on an epic journey from the South of England to the North of Scotland and had enjoyed every minute of it.

True, the weather may not have been great for some of our trip, but it didn’t stop us from ticking off everything we had planned on our two-week British road trip itinerary.

If you have ever wondered where to go in England and Scotland, I hope this extensive British road trip guide has given you some good ideas.

Of course, you can spend longer or shorter in each place depending on your time availability and whether you prefer slow travel or a more action-packed itinerary.

If you have any questions about going on a British road trip, I would be happy to answer them.

Because the greatest part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination. It’s all the wild stuff that happens along the way. Tamed Quotes by Emma Chase

I would like to receive occasional updates and new travel posts.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Tuesday 5th of December 2023

I appreciate you for sharing amazing information and ideas about road trips and travel in the UK. This post is very thorough and easy to follow. I will be saving it for a trip in 2024.

Mahesh Nandish

Sunday 16th of October 2022

Thanks for helping in making a memorable itinerary for our trip to UK/Scotland last 10 days back. Your blog really helped us with clear perspective on Scottish Highlands, Lake District etc. Truly, it was a memorable vacation, inspired by above itinerary.

WhereAngieWanders

Hello Mahesh, It is so wonderful to read this comment and to hear that my Great British Road Trip Itinerary helped you to identify and plan which parts of the UK you wanted to visit. I am so happy I have helped you in making your trip to the UK one that you will always remember. I hope you will continue to check out my website for more useful travel posts to help plan other trips around the UK and abroad. All the best Angie

Saturday 14th of August 2021

A destination I have always wanted to visit. Not that I needed any inspiration. Such a wonderous and beautiful natural environment awaits.

Yvonne Keeler ( Cheshire UK)

Tuesday 22nd of June 2021

Loved reading your blog on Waheiki Island Nr Auckland NZ . We concur with your reviews and advice . Our son lives inAuckland so we visit each year( in normal non Covid times) in fact they are looking to book a vineyard for their wedding over there. Your trip up to Scotland looks wonderful and like you, we must explore what is only a drive away, and enjoy the beauty , scenic delights we have here in Uk. So you have inspired us to plan and follow your route some time soon. Look forward to more of your travel blogs as we too are intrepid travellers in normal times. Stay safe !

Thanks for taking the time to comment; it makes me so pleased when I hear I have helped someone else plan a trip to somewhere I loved. Lovely to hear that your son will be getting married in one of Waiheke's vineyards - I couldn't think of a better place to tie the knot! I hope you enjoy future blogs that I publish

Suzanne Jones

Wednesday 14th of April 2021

What a fabulous road trip. We're heading to the Highlands this September and will be visiting a few of the places on your itinerary. I'll be referring back to this post nearer the time to remind myself of some excellent tips!

Thursday 15th of April 2021

You will have an amazing time in the Scottish Highlands, there is so much to see and do up there. I'm glad my Scotland Road Trip blog post was of help with planning.

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Large green hills rise up either side of a tarmac road

The UK is officially one of the world’s best road trip destinations

Data on everything from road safety to the number of Google searches have been analysed in a new study

From the tippity top of the mountain highways in Scotland to Wales ’ winding coastal roads, the UK has plenty of marvellous spots for a scenic drive. And we at Time Out certainly know a place or two that make for a really cracking road trip .

But there’s a little more to a road trip than prettiest drives – well, according to one new study, anyway. Moneybarn Car Insurance analysed a tonne of data looking at more practical things to bear in mind when hitting the road. The platform evaluated everything from Google search volume and countries’ average number of EV charging stations to road quality scores and the number of traffic deaths, all to determine where in the world is best for a road trip.

And the UK claimed sixth place! Yep, while we might be a bit biased when it comes to the scenery, our island also scored well for its practicality.

Of the top ten, the UK has the lowest number of cars per thousand people at 519 (which suggests there might be less traffic) and has a relatively low score for the number of road-related deaths per 1,000 people at 3.2.

We were beaten by the likes of the USA , which claims the top spot largely thanks to the 72,500 Google searches compared to the UK’s 37,800, and also by France and Australia , which round out the top three. You can read more about the study here .

Hit the road with Time Out

Clearly the practical elements are worth factoring into your adventure, but what’s a road trip without some brilliant photo-ops? We’ve got a comprehensive list of the best, most stunning road trips in the UK here, as well as the best places to visit and the best campsites , for a little extra inspo.

Did you see that this popular English seaside resort is getting three brand-new attractions ?

Plus: Newcastle’s historic Turkish baths have reopened after an £8 million refurb .

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.

Liv Kelly Contributing Writer

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20 replies to this topic

As a suggestion for your “castle” between Durham and Newcastle is https://www.lumleycastle.com/

As you have relatives in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area, consider visiting Beamish Museum - it's not too far from Lumley Castle

Any particular reason for the Cotswolds as it's an outlier from the rest of your trip?

"Any particular reason for the Cotswolds as it's an outlier from the rest of your trip?"

Also, the Cotswolds will be past its best and quite possibly grey, damp and muddy.

Too many places in too short a time

Langley Castle near Hexham is a lovely place to stay. It’s very close to Hadrians Wall.

https://www.langleycastle.co.uk/en/

But here goes:

London 3 nights - this isnt enough really, but I dont see how you can do more.

Cotswolds 1 night - en route you could explore Oxford or Windsor

York 2 nights - en route you could explore either Stratford upon Avon, Warwick Castle, Dovedale stepping stones or Chatsworth House, depending on interests.

Newcastle 2 nights - you will need to convince your relatives to go to Hadrians Wall on a day trip on your only full day there. En route to Newcastle you could visit Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales, or head over the moors via Helmsley to te Whitby/Staithes area and then continue up to Newcastle from there, or Durham.

Edinburgh 2 nights - again, this is selling Edinburgh short particularly if you arrive late on arrival day. But possible stops en route include Alnwick (castle), Craster (for walk to Duntanburgh Castle ruins), Bamburgh (village and castle on beach), Lindisfarne (subject to tides - early christian hjstory, priory, castle, village), St Abbs (coastal scenery).

So that's 10 nights and you havent even got to the bit about excursions from Edinburgh. If you actually mean 9 nights/10 days then I think Cotswolds has to go, and then I can see the logic in making it a train based trip London-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh.

lots of picturesque Cotswoldy villages nearby.

But if you have ten days that includes seeing London (3-5 days) sand visiting relatives (a couple of days?), you really have very little time to see things in between, so you'll just need to pick a couple of things. In which case just getting a train to York, and then getting a car is a good plan. As well as Hadrian's wall (I highly recommend Vindolalanda), the Yorkshire dales are worth a couple of days, depending a bit on the weather, and then Northumberland has coast, Bamburgh castle, Alnwick+castle etc etc

I'll stick up for the Cotswolds, it's a lovely area hence its popularity, and the fact that you have your own transport will make it so much easier to see the various picturesque villages. October could see the start of winter or the end of summer, but I have had some glorious weather in mid-October with the leaves changing colour.

It's a little out of your way but you're on holiday not delivering parcels, make the most of your trip to see as much of the country as possible.

It’s a matter of the time available though I guess.

Actually if you are going to Cotswolds, given that I think you really can’t spare more than 1 night I wouldn’t try to see anywhere else on the way - treat the arrival day as the day you see the Cotswolds.

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Take In The Best Of New England On This Popular Road Trip Route

A re you a city or countryside person? Mountains or beaches? History or nature? You don't have to choose on this road trip route through New England. You can trundle from the historic city of Boston to the mountains of New Hampshire and along Maine's glorious coastline, all in one trip.

Bloggers Kate and Jeremy of Our Escape Clause put together a list of ideas for road trips in the area. And one is the perfect round-trip route through all six New England states. Beginning and ending in Boston, you'll pay a visit to Rhode Island and Connecticut before going inland to Vermont and New Hampshire and then visiting the coast of Maine. The route covers approximately 1,100 miles and will take at least 10 days. But there's so much to see and do that you could extend your trip by days, weeks, or even months.

There's technically no bad time to visit New England, but let's be real. Some times are better than others. Summer and fall are the best times to do this road trip. In summer, the weather is warm, the days are long, and the atmosphere is buzzing. Fall brings fewer crowds at the coast and spectacular colors, which you can experience on this road trip. We'd recommend avoiding winter and spring. Road conditions can be dangerous in New England in winter, and spring is affectionately termed "mud season" by the locals.

Read more: Safety Items You Should Pack For Your Next Road Trip

History, Houses And Harbors

Your road trip will begin in Boston. Walk the Freedom Trail to discover more about U.S. history and the American Revolution. Reviewers on TripAdvisor say the 2.5-mile trail is easy to follow and call it "captivating" and "an unparalleled experience" for history lovers. There are a ton of other things to do in the city: visit Fenway Park, the home of the Red Sox; see incredible paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts; or wander through the lovely Public Garden.

When you're ready, get on the road and head about an hour and a half south to Newport, RI. The main draw here is the Newport Mansions — opulent "summer cottages" that date from the Colonial Era to the Gilded Age. The most famous (and most jaw-dropping) is The Breakers, which you can visit to get an insight into the lives of the mega-wealthy Vanderbilts. Google reviewers call the mansion "breathtaking" and the history "fascinating." Many of the mansions are situated along the spectacular Cliff Walk, a 3.5-mile stroll that combines history and coastal views.

Next, you'll drive an hour west to Mystic, CT. The charming town is full of Colonial-era architecture, and Mystic Seaport is the perfect place to learn what a 19th-century seafaring village was like. Several reviewers on TripAdvisor say that their favorite part was the reconstructed working shipyard. Mystic is a great place to try some seafood, too. Check out the Oyster Club, where the flavors are "unreal," according to one reviewer.

Peaks And Parks, Brews And Beaches

From Mystic, drive inland across the rolling hills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts and through the Green Mountains to Burlington, VT. You'll pass through lovely Waterbury on your way. If you have time, consider taking a detour on the Green Mountain Byway to the famous Stowe, one of the top places to see fall foliage in America. Stay overnight in Burlington to enjoy one of the many breweries there. Local Reddit users in the r/burlington forum love Queen City and Burlington Beer Co .

When your head's cleared, drive across the state line into New Hampshire and explore the White Mountains. The most famous route in the region is the Kancamagus Highway, where the fall foliage views are spectacular. If you want to stretch your legs, check out one of AllTrails ' top-rated hikes in the area. The challenging Welch-Dickey Loop Trail has more scenic fall colors, according to reviewers, and the relatively short Mount Willard Trail has a great payoff in terms of views.

The final major stops on this trip are in Maine at Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. The park stretches across 50,000 acres; if you're unsure where to start, the National Parks Service suggests driving the 27-mile Park Loop Road for the best views in the area. Stay overnight in the delightful gateway town of Bar Harbor and enjoy some of the freshest seafood in the U.S. From here, it's a glorious five-hour drive back to Boston.

Read the original article on Explore .

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My Dutch road trip to uncover the real Arne Slot

Our chief sports writer goes back to the land of his ancestors to discover the places and teams that forged liverpool’s incoming head coach.

Owen Slot, left, travelled to Bergentheim, Cambuur and Rotterdam in search of a better understanding of his namesake

O n Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family history and wondering to what extent I can get away with claiming Arne Slot as one of our own. It’s not totally inconceivable. Before the first Slot moved to London before the First World War, we were indeed a Dutch family. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got high-pressing, attacking football in my DNA too.

On Monday morning, I am checking out the last Dutch address my father could put to our name. It was an Amsterdam street that, disappointingly, no longer exists. Imagine knocking on the door and finding a house full of long-lost cousins.

Then on Monday afternoon, I am checking out my great-grandmother, who

Slot will be head coach, not manager, in move away from Klopp model

Boston Red Sox

Contender Or Pretender? Red Sox Have Test Coming In Road Trip

Boston is confident going in.

BOSTON — Do you have mixed feelings on the current state of the Red Sox?

Don’t worry, you’ll either be all in on them by the end of their upcoming road trip, or you’ll be even more confused than before.

Alex Cora’s bunch is about to enter a brutal stretch, as they’ll head out to take on the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves over the next five days. You know, the team that hasn’t lost in almost two weeks and perhaps the best lineup in all of baseball.

It would be quite the challenge for anyone, but as Boston navigates injuries , we would imagine it’d prefer to push this stretch off until later in the season. The Red Sox don’t have that luxury, though, and feel they’re prepared for whatever lies ahead.

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“It’s nothing new for us,” Cora said following Thursday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants. “In the beginning it was the West Coast, then the challenge of Cleveland and Pittsburgh. It’s a challenge on a daily basis. We’ll play tomorrow, see where it takes us, do the same thing Saturday and Sunday and Monday on.”

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The Red Sox have found success against lesser opponents, but the last week or so proved they could beat division contenders. You don’t win back-to-back series against the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants by accident.

“You obviously want to compete against the best all the time,” Tyler O’Neill said. “Minnesota had a good year last year, and they’ve got a lot of talent over there. I haven’t done my scouting on them yet, we’ll get to that tomorrow, but we’re ready for a dogfight.”

Boston has a team full of believers, so its perception of what is possible won’t change because of a five-game stretch.

“We believed in ourselves in spring training,” O’Neill said. “I don’t really listen to what anyone says.”

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Keagan Stiefel KeaganStiefel

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UMass-Amherst Alum. NFL Draft nerd. Multi-time internet argument winner. Passionate about things that don't matter.

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This UK road trip planner aims to help you pin down the ideal 1 week, 10 day or 2 week UK road trip itinerary to follow during your visit. Featured in this guide are 7 of the best road trip routes in the UK. Whether you want a 10 days in England itinerary, would rather spend a week in Wales or have 10 days to discover Scotland, this post ...
Best road trips in England
Instead we assume plenty of diversions from the main route so you can explore more of each region. Introducing England. 1. Following Hadrian's Wall. Best road trip for rugged landscapes and Roman history. Newcastle - Carlise; 127km (79 miles), allow three to four days. Traversing the island's narrow neck, you'll encounter the extraordinary ...
UK Road Trip
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 ...
England Road Trip: 50 Unmissable ideas (for every UK itinerary)
Best places to visit on a North East coast England road trip. Saltburn-by-the-Sea (to search for fossils) Lemon top ice-cream - Its legacy goes back over 100 years!) Staithes- picturesque fishing village. Whitby Abbey - the inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula.
19 Best Road Trips in the UK for Scenic Drives
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 ...
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Day 3: Stonehenge, Bath and the Cotswolds. From London, I'm going to suggest you head west, and take in one of Britain's most recognisable old monuments - the incredible Stonehenge. Visiting Stonehenge is a popular day trip from London, and I have a guide to visiting Stonehenge from London here.
6 Of The Best Road Trips In The UK
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.
England Road Trip Itinerary
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.
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.
The Best UK Road Trips: 15 Epic UK Road Trip Itineraries
The Best UK Road Trips. 1. Causeway Coastal Route. Belfast - Dark Hedges - Giant's Causeway - Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge - Dunluce Castle - Glens of Antrim. See the magnificent Causeway Coast including the iconic Giant's Causeway and scenes from Game of Thrones. By Ivan at Mind the Travel.
UK road trip planner (UK road trip itineraries)
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 ...
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Norfolk Coast. Explored by Phil & Izzy of The Gap Decaders. One of the most beautiful counties of 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 in England.
11 Best Road Trips in the UK and Ireland Right Now
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.
Uncover Britain: Britain's Best Road Trips
This UK road trip is a scenic route that takes you along the stunning coastline, via iconic castles, and charming villages and towns. Highlights of the road trip include imposing, medieval castles perched on clifftops overlooking the North Sea and panoramic views of the Northumberland coastline. Visit the historic island of Lindisfarne, known ...
The top 10 best road trips in the UK
7. Lake District. Dive into Wordsworth country with an adventure along some of England's most picturesque roads. Starting in Kendal, head north into the Lake District National Park towards Windermere, England's largest lake and a picture-postcard resort that attracts all sorts of visitors.
10 best road trips in the UK and Ireland
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 ...
How to plan the ULTIMATE UK road trip
The UK is amazing and full of incredible road trip possibilities- but narrowing those down to fit an itinerary can be a bit daunting. Don't forget to grab your FREE road trip planner below *We work hard to make this the best motorhome travel blog and road trip website possible, full of helpful content for you.
Unmissable UK Road Trips & Scenic drives to enjoy in 2024
NC500- one of the UK's best 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.
The Perfect Itinerary for a Road Trip in England
II) Drive to Cornwall (3 days) It's time to say goodbye to urbanity for a taste of the English countryside. Pick up your rental car and kick off your roadtrip. It's only fair to start your road trip of England in a area laden with character. Cornwall is a stunning area at the south-western tip of England and the Cornish coastal road has ...
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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 ...
UK Road Trip Itinerary: 13 Ideas To Explore The Scenic Countryside
UK road trip itinerary. When anyone mentions The UK, the usual suspects such as the Tower Bridge, The London Eye, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace spring to mind. But there's more than city life when it comes to big cities like London and Manchester - just hop into a car and check out these UK road trip ideas in the countryside.
8 Brilliant UK Road Trip Ideas
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 ...
2-week Great British Road Trip Itinerary: From England to Scotland
The United Kingdom 14-Day British Road Trip Itinerary. 2 nights in the Lake District - England. 4 nights in the Trossachs National Park - Scotland. 1 night in Fort Augustus - Scotland. 3 nights on the Isle of Skye - Scotland. 2 nights in Pitlochry - Scotland. 2 nights in Harrogate - England.
The UK is officially one of the world's best road trip destinations
From the tippity top of the mountain highways in Scotland to Wales' winding coastal roads, the UK has plenty of marvellous spots for a scenic drive. And we at Time Out certainly know a place or ...
Road trip from London to Edinburgh in October
York, United Kingdom. Level Contributor . 8,220 posts. 2,816 reviews. 1,370 helpful votes. 10. Re: Road trip from London to Edinburgh in October . ... Reply to: Road trip from London to Edinburgh in October. Your message. Read our community guidelines. Get notified by e-mail when a reply is posted. Preview. London forums .
Take In The Best Of New England On This Popular Road Trip Route
Bloggers Kate and Jeremy of Our Escape Clause put together a list of ideas for road trips in the area. And one is the perfect round-trip route through all six New England states. Beginning and ...
Local elections road trip: Thurrock
In the run-up to the local elections this week, the Guardian columnist John Harris is in Thurrock where the council has amassed more than £1.5bn in debt since 2022. He speaks to people facing ...
My Dutch road trip to uncover the real Arne Slot
On Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family history and wondering to what extent I can get away with claiming Arne Slot as one of our own. It ...
Contender Or Pretender? Red Sox Have Test Coming In Road Trip
Red Sox Have Test Coming In Road Trip Boston is confident going in. Keagan Stiefel 23 Hours Ago 3 Min Read. ... New England Patriots. Patriots' Top Undrafted Free Agent Has Real Chance To Make Roster.
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A League of Their Own: Mexican Road Trip | TBC May. The team behind A League Of Their Own head across the Atlantic for their Mexican Road Trip. (Sky) ... The Fall Guy director David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick speak to Yahoo UK about the film's epic stunts, and why Ryan Gosling is a 'comedic genius'. PA Media: Movies.