best winter road trips uk

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10 EPIC UK Winter Road Trips You NEED to Drive

Planning a winter road trip in the UK? Wondering whether you should head for the Northern Lights in Scotland, the snow-capped peaks in Wales, or use the time to visit popular locations like Cornwall or the Lake District? We’ve covered the best routes to help you choose your perfect UK winter road trip.

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Why do a winter road trip in the UK?

Most people assume that you can’t go winter motorhoming or enjoy a road trip during a UK winter. But it’s actually one of the best times to explore the British Isles- quieter roads, incredible scenery and easy access to many of the beautiful National Parks we have on our doorstep.

Even better, many motorhome sites or camp grounds have reduced prices, as do many top attractions, so it really is a great time to explore.

All you need to do is make sure your vehicle is suitable for winter road trips, dress up warmly and then head out on your winter adventure!

The best UK winter road trip routes you can’t miss

We all have different priorities. That’s one of the things I love so much about road trips- the freedom to enjoy the things you like.

Even better, the UK has LOADS to enjoy during winter, including world-class Christmas markets, winter festivals, food festivals, snow sports and fantastic walking over moors and hills.

We’ve selected a variety of winter road trip ideas to help you choose the perfect option for you. Of course, you can pick and choose or combine ones to create your perfect winter getaway.

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Tips for driving in winter

If you’re planning a winter road trip, there’s not much difference from planning a UK road trip at any other time of the year, but you do need to make sure of a few things.

Make sure your vehicle has been checked/ serviced and is capable of dealing with colder weather
If you’re travelling in a van, make sure your motorhome heating is working.
Make sure your tyres are safe and suitable for the roads. Even if there’s no snow, you can expect to drive in heavy rain at some point on your trip
Check windscreen wipers and screenwash levels
Carry drink and snacks with you
If you’re not planning a motorhome trip , be sure to carry a thermos of hot drink or a stove and kettle, just in case you get stuck somewhere cold. Also, have a couple of blankets with you too.
Make sure your phones are charged and ideally use a proper sat-nav with traffic updates so you can see if a road becomes blocked or closed.

The best winter road trip to see the Northern Lights

One of the best-kept secrets in northern UK is that you can often see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) from up there.

Sure, they’re not as consistent as some of the other best places in Europe to see the Northern Lights , but if they’re on your bucket list, it’s time to head north during winter.

Scotland Northern Lights Winter Road Trip

Total Distance: 516 miles

Recommended No. of Days: 4-5 days

Best time to visit: December, January, February

For the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Scotland, you’ll want to go as far north as possible. The further north you can get on your winter road trip, the better.

If you’re driving a motorhome or campervan, you may want to combine this with a NC500 motorhome tour which goes along the northern coast.

Stop at places like Sango Sands or Dunnet Bay near John o’Groats, but ideally you’ll want to get even further north. Orkney is easily accessible on a road trip, even if you just visit for a couple of days.

The best time to see the Northern Lights is between October and March. If you’re hoping to see them from Scotland or some of the northern Isles, November to February is your best bet. Just make sure to wrap up warmly- the best nights to see them are clear and cold!

If you’re in a motorhome or campervan, these are the North Coast 500 campsites open all year.

If you’d like to explore more , here’s the only NC500 itinerary and route planner you need.

If you’re up in Scotland, you can also visit the Cairngorms, home to Aviemore- the UK’s best ski and snowboarding resort

The best UK winter road trip ideas for Christmas Markets

We’re lucky that there is a decent Christmas Market in almost every big UK town or city.

Rather than visit your local one again, why not make a weekend of it and visit some further afield?

Nearly all have a campsite open all year nearby for motorhome holidays or campervan tours, or there are bed and breakfasts in every place for you to stay on your road trip.

Most UK Christmas Markets are open from last November, but some don’t open until mid-December, so be sure to check before you start your winter road trip.

Three UK road trip routes to see Christmas Markets

SOUTH CENTRAL

Start in Winchester (the Winchester Christmas Market is one of the best in England) and enjoy exploring the city.
Then head to Salisbury, where you’ll find another fantastic Christmas Market
From here, you can head to the Cotswolds, which are some of the most picturesque villages in the UK, or you can visit Bath, which is glorious at any time but especially good at Christmas.
Start at the Christmas Market in Birmingham, which is one of the biggest Christmas markets in the UK and the biggest authentic German market outside of Austria or Germany. Don’t forget your skates so you can ice skate on one of the rinks in the city.
From here, continue your England road trip and head to Stratford upon Avon, Warwick or Royal Leamington Spa for more traditional Christmas celebrations, or head to Lincoln, home of the oldest Christmas Market in the UK.
Edinburgh is one of the best cities to visit around Christmas time- the markets here are legendary.
Although this is a great place to stop on a Scotland road trip , you could also use it as the northern point of your winter road trip route, and head south to Newcastle or Durham.
After exploring these wonderful cities, head to Leeds, Manchester or Liverpool for more huge festivities.

Of course, you could easily spend a weekend road trip just in London, exploring the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park and all the smaller Christmas Markets around the city.

Best Winter road trips for hiking and outdoors

The UK has some fabulous National Parks, which are open all year. During summer months, they can get very crowded, but during winter you can often have places all to yourself!

If you’re living in a van over winter , don’t forget that many National Parks have overnight parking restrictions, so be sure to follow those. Here’s how to find places to stay overnight.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Winter Road Trip

Total Distance: 220 miles

Recommended No. of Days: 2-3 days

Best time to visit: November, December, January, February, March

The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the best winter road trips in Northern Ireland. Highlights include:

Giants Causeway
Carrick-a-rede rope bridge
Dunluce Castle
Dark Hedges

Winter road trip route idea

Start your Ireland road trip by visiting the famous Giants Causeway. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Belfast and try to get there as early as possible.
Visit nearby Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. In summer the queues can be lengthy, but in winter you shouldn’t have to wait long.
Another unique stop is the clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle which hang above the sea below.
Don’t miss the Dark Hedges. This road features in Game of Thrones and is one of the most beautiful roads in Ireland. It was surprisingly badly signposted when we visited, so don’t miss it. If you’re motorhoming in Ireland you can’t drive down it- 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. You can actually do it in a day if you really push. Don’t miss the Titanic museum in Belfast- it’s incredible.

Want to visit southern Ireland? See ideas for the best winter road trips in Europe

Yorkshire Moors

Yorkshire is the perfect winter road trip destination. The moors look magical covered in snow but there are still plenty of places open all year.

Highlights of a Yorkshire road trip include :

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

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

Yorkshire Road Trip Itinerary ideas

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

Visit the waterfalls of Ingleton, Aysgarth Falls or Hardraw Force- England’s highest single-drop waterfall. These are even more impressive in winter with the increased rainfall.

Before leaving the Dales, visit the incredible monastic ruins and landscaped gardens of Fountains Abbey.

Next, head to the city of York. You can visit Viking, Roman, Georgian and Victorian sites all in one day! Don’t miss a stroll along the cobbled Shambles, which has often been voted the ‘Best Street in Britain.’

Lastly, head out onto the moors. Stop at Goathland train station (Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter movies.)

Alternatively, stretch your legs with a hike at the Hole of Horcum, a huge ancient natural amphitheatre.

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 in winter- epic winter road trip ideas

Snowdonia is actually part of two of the Wales Way driving routes – North and Cambrian and it’s easy to see why.

Pretty much everything in Snowdonia involves being outdoors, so make sure you bring appropriate clothing for the time of year. In winter, you’re likely to get rain, cold and very possibly snow.

There are plenty of great roads with spectacular scenery and the stars at night are unreal, especially on a crisp Winter night.

Planning a trip to Wales?

Grab your FREE guide to the Wales Way road trip routes, including:

suggested routes around Wales
best places to see on your trip
campsites to stay at along the way
and other tips for touring Wales

The best winter road trip routes for popular UK destinations

Winter is the perfect time to visit places which are usually crazy busy.

Places like Cornwall, Devon, the Lake District and the Cotswolds are much quieter and easier to explore on the road trip.

Here are our favourite road trip ideas:

Cornwall is one of our favourite places to road trip in England. I spent 2 years living there whilst I was in the Navy, and have been back many times since. There are plenty of things to do in Cornwall , but there are some important tips you need to know before you arrive!

Why is Cornwall one of the best England road trips?

If you want cute villages, incredible beaches and more history than you can shake a stick at, Cornwall is perfect. Although some places do close in winter, many of the main attractions remain open all year, and the lack of crowds makes it even better.

How long should you spend roadtripping Cornwall?

How long is a piece of string!! But, as you can see on our Cornish road trip itinerary , we recommend 7-10 days minimum to see all the best places.

Where are the best places to visit in Cornwall on a road trip?

Some of my absolute favourite places in Cornwall include:

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

Even in Winter, Devon is a fantastic road trip destination. It’s still full of cute villages, beautiful hills and beaches and plenty of cafes!

Highlights and best places to visit in Devon

My parents live here, so I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the county. Some of my favourite include:

Dartmouth- one of the best towns in the county. Hire a boat and explore the river.
Paignton- the beach with the red sand
Exmouth with its beautiful painted houses
Saunton Sands
Fish and Chips from Squires in Braunton
Salcombe Harbour
Dulverton- head to the Copper Kettle tea room; you won’t regret it!

See the full list of my favourite Devon road trip ideas here.

Lake District

The Lake District National Park is a perfect UK winter road trip idea. It has some of the worlds best scenic drives and a trip along the Honister Pass and Kirkstone Pass are a must- although if it’s snowed heavily they may be closed.

The Castlerigg stone circle is also worth a stop, as are the pretty towns of Keswick and Cockermouth.

In the South Lakes, Grasmere (home of William Wordsworth) is worth visiting and if you love Beatrix Potter, you can visit her home in Hawkshead. There is also Beatrix Potter World in Bowness- on- Windermere.

Some other highlights for winter road trips include:

The largest natural lake in the UK, Lake Windermere. Some boat tours run all year but wrap up warmly
The Punch Bowl Inn in Crosthwaite.
Aira Force Waterfall
The views at Derwentwater

Cotswolds – a magical UK winter road trip

The Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Wales and it looks SPECTACULAR in winter.

Highlights & Best places to visit in the Cotswolds and surrounding area

The beautiful stone villages of the Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water is one of my personal favourites)
visit the historic city of Bath
marvel at the mysterious ancient stones of Stonehenge
stop at the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral.

Wiltshire & Cotswolds winter road trip itinerary

Ideally, spend 3-4 days exploring as many lovely little towns and villages of the Cotswolds as you wish to. Some of the prettiest villages include Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water and Castle Combe.
The historic city of Bath is only a 30-minute drive from the village of Castle Combe- well worth a visit. Don’t miss visiting the Roman baths and having a cream tea in the tea rooms there.
If you have time, head East to Stonehenge. If you’re in a motorhome or camper, you can camp overnight at Stonehenge (This is where we saw the most INCREDIBLE sunrise we’ve EVER seen. (Seriously, watch the video. It’s breathtaking)
From Stonehenge, it’s only a 20-minute drive into the medieval town of Salisbury, where you can explore Salisbury Cathedral which has the tallest spire in all of Britain!

If you’re planning a UK road trip, you might find these posts helpful:

How to plan a UK road trip
The BEST UK road trips
17 incredible motorhome destinations in the UK
One week in England- awesome itinerary ideas

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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One comment.

I have been thinking of taking a road trip for a long time but wasn’t able to finalize it. This blog has made it easy for me. The Dales and The Lakes have impressed me a lot and I will start my journey from here.

The 14 most brrrilliant winter getaways in the UK

Reindeer, Rick Stein and the aurora borealis: check out our top picks for the best winter getaways in the UK for 2023

It's time to wrap up, folks: winter is just around the corner, and to the eternally optimistic folks here at Time Out, it means rosy cheeks, romantic walks and zip-lining through massive caves in North Wales . We never claimed to be normal.

Don those extra layers, hats, scarves and gloves, and get ready to enjoy all the glorious winteriness that the UK has to offer. You can head out in search of the Northern Lights , reindeer, Rick Stein’s finest creations and more — there is a lot to love in the UK, but winter shimmers brightest in these spots. Check out our top picks for the best winter getaways in the UK.

RECOMMENDED: 🌳The most amazing treehouses in the UK you can actually stay in 🚘 The best road trips in the UK 🏰The best castles in the UK 🧙‍♂️The best magical places to visit in the UK

At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines . This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines .

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Best winter getaways in the UK

1. Cornwall

Make plans for a Cornwall road trip this winter, and your heart will almost certainly grow in size. Not literally, that would be dangerous, but the procession of quaint fishing villages and sweeping walks are the stuff winter dreams are made of. Indulge in all the Rick Stein food you can find in Padstow before falling head over heels in love with St Ives , Mousehole and the rest.

📍 Check out the best things to do in Cornwall

2. North Wales

One way to keep warm during the winter months is to get the adrenaline flowing, and there are plenty of opportunities to do just that. North Wales offers a cavalcade of the things, from underground zip-lining in Llechwedd to rugged mountain biking in the wilds of Snowdonia National Park. The northern coast is gorgeous during the winter months, and towns like Conwy, Wrexham and Bangor come alive with frenzied conversation and plenty of pints.

📍Check out t he best things to do in North Wales

3. York

The Yorkshire marvel is a fantastic city all year round, and the brilliant roster of museums, restaurants and experiences make it a top-notch spot during winter. The National Railway Museum is arguably the best travel-centric museum in the country, while York ’s Viking history is most alive at this time of year. Hit up the Jorvik Viking Centre and learn about those brutal times, before heading on an evening ghost tour of this most fascinating city.

📍Check out the best things to do in York

4. Bath

Bath is one of the most architecturally delightful cities in England, but there is something about a thin layer of snow that brings new characters out of the many constructions here. The Somerset stunner embraces the festive period like few other places, with a packed calendar of events and more romance than you can shake your fist at. Bath is plenty romantic all year round, but the feeling is taken to a new level during winter. The Christmas Market in Bath opens on November 24 and runs until December 11, so don’t miss that.

📍Check out the best things to do in Bath

5. Giant’s Causeway

The epic nature of the Giant’s Causeway shouldn’t lend itself to a simple experience, right? Visit Northern Ireland ’s legendary interlocking columns when the air is crisp, the winds high and the temperature low, and put yourself in the boots of a hardy warrior from years gone by. Watch your step, obviously, and visit safe knowing that the warmth of the Bushmills distillery is only a couple of miles down the road.

📍Check out the best things to do in Northern Ireland

6. Glasgow

The best music scene in the UK? Many cities will put their hands up with that one, but Glasgow might just pip them all to the prize. The gigs ramp up during the colder months as music fans across the city head for the warmth of the venues in search of the next Mogwai, Primal Scream or Belle & Sebastian. Hardy souls with excellent hats and scarves can take advantage of the idyllic green spaces, and the Glasgow Botanic Gardens are a celebration of flora that rival anything across the country.

📍Check out the best things to do in Glasgow

7. Orkney Islands

Of course, there is no guarantee when it comes to seeing the Northern Lights , but you still need to put yourself in the best position to see the phenomenon. In the UK, that means a trip to the stunning Orkney Islands, where the lights are referred to as the Merry Dancers. The aurora borealis is a fixture on many a bucket list, so head north during the colder months and hope the space particles are moving in your favour. Even if the colourful sky doesn’t materialise, the peace and tranquillity of Orkney is something to behold.

8. Pembrokeshire

No, you won’t find scorching winter temperatures anywhere during the winter here, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid the beach. Something is soothing about a beach during winter, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Pembrokeshire. This region in West Wales is all quaint villages and sweeping views, with brilliant walks and cosy pubs all over the place. If you’ve ever wanted to have an entire beach to yourself, Pembrokeshire in winter offers just that.

9. Cairngorms National Park

Is there an animal more tied to winter than the magnificent reindeer? Santa’s faithful chauffeurs can be seen in several places across the UK, but Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park is the only place where they run free as nature intended. You can see the handsome beasts all year round, but, come on, reindeer and Christmas are a match made in heaven. The national park is a stunner in its own right. Be sure to read Nan Shepherd’s ‘The Living Mountain’ before you go to amp up the excitement.

📍Check out the most beautiful national parks in the UK

10. Norwich

It always feels somewhat dangerous to throw such accolades around, but Norwich might be the most underrated city in the UK. A fabulous collection of bars and restaurants accentuate a long history and an atmosphere that is all of its own. It also makes a great base for exploring the Norfolk coast, where seals come to rest in winter. Blakeney Point Nature Reserve (a 40-minute drive from Norwich) is the place to see those beauties.

📍Check out the best things to do in Norwich

11. Ards Peninsula

Peace, tranquillity, serenity. Yes, they all essentially mean the same thing, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be seeking them out at every turn. Northern Ireland ’s Ards Peninsula is a hub of quietude in winter, with a wide range of beautiful walking spots that reward the hardy ambler with stunning views and all the romance one could need. Just wear a decent windbreaker because the winds get pretty rambunctious in these parts.

12. Hay-on-Wye

Book lovers have long known that Hay-on-Wye is the place to be, but even literary cynics will find plenty to sink their teeth into here during winter. The Hay Festival Winter Weekend takes place at the end of November (24 to 27 this year), and the entire extravaganza is a celebration of storytelling that will breathe new life into sceptical souls. The festival coincides with turning on the Christmas lights in town, which is always a cheerful occasion.

13. New Forest

Ponies racing over crackling leaves and snow-covered ground will never not be a gorgeous image, and New Forest National Park is the place to go for such scenes. You’ll have to find the ponies first, of course, and treat them with the utmost respect, but there is plenty more to entice when the temperature is low. The park is at its quietest during the winter months, with fewer cars and general traffic, making for beautiful strolls and some of the finest sunsets the UK has to offer.

📍Check out the best things to do in the New Forest

14. Ayr

Burns Night is a big deal, but where is the best place to celebrate it? Right in the heart of Burns Country, of course. Robert Burns was born in the village of Alloway, and the nearby town of Ayr is a hive of activity when the Scottish poet’s night comes along. That is January 25, for the record. Ayr is a medium-sized town with fewer than 50,000 people, but the appreciation of Burns here is second to none. You might as well make the pilgrimage to Alloway for the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum while in the area.

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The best winter road trips in the UK

By Discover More UK

Published: 26 August 2022

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Love it or hate it, winter in the UK can make travelling difficult. With shorter days, biting weather and a whole load of rain (or maybe even snow!) winter road trips in the Uk might not be the first thing that comes to mind.

But thanks to the UK’s great infrastructure, some of the best road trips UK has to offer can also be completed in the winter months too.

Whether you’re looking for winter day trips from London, the best places to drive in UK winters, or just some UK in winter travel inspiration, we’ve asked travel bloggers to contribute their best winter road trips in the UK to help you decide.

A quick safety note: Being properly prepared is essential for any winter driving. You should always have your recovery and breakdown details to hand should you become stranded. Carry snow chains if necessary. Always carry extra layers, food and water. Always let someone know where you’re going and make sure your car is in good condition to travel.

Read on to discover the best road trips for winter travel in the UK.

A winding road leading through a large rocky gorge. Rocks are sharp and covered in moss

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. While clicking these links won’t cost you anything, they will help us to keep this site up and running! See the full disclosure policy for more details.

Winter road trips in England

North yorkshire road trip.

The ruins are a large abbey, looking eerie and imposing in the sunset light, surrounded by grass

North Yorkshire is a seriously underrated option if you’re looking for fun winter road trips in the UK.

With well-maintained roads connecting major towns and the A171 connecting the coast from Scarborough to Whitby and beyond, this is a great option for seeing the delights of the North Yorkshire Coast and Moors without the summer crowds!

Start in Scarborough where you can enjoy this traditional seaside town. Although it’s a bit too cold for the beach and swimming in the sea, the coast is still beautiful and there’s plenty of family friendly indoor activities like arcades, Luna Park and Scarborough Castle.

Head up the coast and stop by the famous smuggler’s village, Robin Hoods Bay. Enjoy hot tea and scones in a cafe, or brave some fresh fish and chips by the beach which is great for a stroll when the tide is low.

From here, it’s just a short drive to Whitby, the famous inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula! The ruins of Whitby Abbey are open all year round but even if you don’t pay to go inside, the eerie silhouette at the top of the hill is spooky to see in the short winter days! Don’t miss the 199 steps, colourful beach huts and fantastic array of shops and restaurants in Whitby too.

Further up the coast you’ll also find the charming coastal town of Staithes. Or you can choose to head inland and drive through the dramatic Yorkshire Moors. Although roads are generally kept clear here, please take precautions, have car recovery options and take extra food, drinks and layers!

In the Moors you could visit Goathland Station, famous as the station from the Harry Potter movies. Or explore the charming villages in North Yorkshire too.

If you’re looking for a city base to explore the area more, or if you’re planning another stop on your journey, consider Leeds, York or Harrogate. Alternatively Durham is a beautiful stop if you continue your journey north.

Helena of Discover More UK

Dorset Jurassic Coast road trip

Looking down a grassy bank to a beach below with turquoise see and a stone archway in the water.

Known to be one of the best winter road trips in Europe thanks to its easy accessibility, dramatic coastline and variety of attractions, the Jurassic Coast is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in England in winter.

The beauty of Dorset for UK winter road trips is how easy it is to explore. Choose a base such as Swanage, Wareham, West Lulworth, Dorchester or Weymouth, and discover the many amazing Dorset day trips you can take.

Explore the Isle of Portland, enjoy fresh crab at the Crab House cafe and head to Portland Bill. Or enjoy famous spots like Durdle Door, Man O’War Beach, Lulworth Cove or Old Harry Rocks without the summer crowds.

Take shelter in the charming coastal towns of Weymouth or Swanage to enjoy great restaurants, bars or cafes.

Or if the weather is too bad, head to the world famous Tank Museum for a day out the whole family can enjoy. With spectacular displays, interactive exhibitions and plenty of history.

Helena from Discover More UK

Bath to Glastonbury road trip and the Somerset Levels

A large grassy lawn with an old stone building partially in ruins, built in red stone with large windows like a church

This road trip starts in the Georgian city of Bath and takes you across the stunning Mendip Hills and down Cheddar Gorge.

The route then follows the edge of the Somerset Levels to the smallest city in England of Wells before ending in Glastonbury.

It is then possible to return to Bath or continue to explore Somerset and further west.

The route can be completed in a day but is much better spread over two days with a night in Wells.

It is ideal for a winter road trip as it starts in an easily accessible city and while the Mendip Hills are wild and remote it is easy to adjust the route to miss any difficult road conditions.

The Mendips can be very icy in the winter and very foggy, but there are main roads to Cheddar, Wells and Glastonbury from Bath.

Along the route you will drive down Cheddar Gorge with its high cliffs and deep caves. Just a little further along from Cheddar is the Wookey Hole caves complex which is deeper than the caves at Cheddar.

Wells is a beautiful small city with the Cathedral and adjacent Bishop’s Palace. Even in the winter months the Palace gardens are worth exploring.

Glastonbury has an eclectic mix of shops and cafes as well as the well known Tor which is a good walk whatever the weather although it can be windy at the tower in the winter.

Glastonbury also has haunting abbey ruins which are believed to be the resting place of King Arthur and Guinevere.

Suzanne from Meandering Wild

Brighton winter day trip

A clear sunny day on a pier with a sign that reads 'brighton pier'. Union jack flags are flying

If you’re eager to plan a winter day trip from London, then look no further than Brighton. Which is just a short, easy drive by car or easily reached by train in just 1 hour, definitely one of the best day trips from London in winter.

With plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to suit whatever the weather, don’t miss the Brighton Pier, fish & chips on the beach (a must for any time of year!), the Royal Pavilion and the independent shops and boutiques in Brighton Lanes.

For indoor activities, don’t miss Sealife, the i360 tower’s epic views, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and the House of Illusions.

Speaking of illusions, don’t forget to look out for the famous Brighton Upsidedown house!

If you do plan to stay in Brighton longer, it’s also a great base to see other beautiful areas of the south coast, including the Seven Sisters Cliffs, South Downs National Park, Arundel Castle, Hastings or Camber Sands.

Winter road trips in Wales

North wales expressway road trip.

A stretch of long sand beach and the sea at lowtide. A path runs along the right side with people walking on it

If you are looking for an amazing coastal road trip in winter, there is no better option than driving North Wales Expressway. It connects Cheshire with North Wales and offers incredible views of the beaches and surrounding mountains.

The North Wales Expressway stretches for over 80 miles and the final destination at Holy Island will take your breath away. The impressive lighthouse Goleudy Ynys Lawd looks so dramatic during winter on the Welsh coast.

This road trip is abundant not only in many natural attractions but also in historic buildings. You can visit the historic castle in Conwy or explore medieval Conwy Town Walls. There are also many other amazing castles nearby such as Penrhyn Castle & Garden.

However, a road trip in Wales without stopping at one of the most beautiful waterfalls cannot be complete. Aber Falls is just a short drive from North Wales Expressway. It is also a perfect place to visit during winter due to the easy and flat walk.

Driving this route from Chester takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, but with so many areas to explore, it is recommended to plan a longer trip. One of the best places to stay is in Conwy or Llandudno. The next day, head off to Anglesey Island where you can find cheaper accommodations during the off-season. It is a very popular destination in summer, so a UK winter road trip will allow you to save money and avoid the crowds.

If you fancy, on your way back stop at one of the beaches to admire beautiful sunsets. Whether it is Conwy Morfa Beach or Colwyn Bay Beach, both of them are set in beautiful scenery.

Paulina from UK Every Day

Pembrokeshire Coast road trip

While your instinct might be to say that this is a summer road trip, the dramatic and beautiful coastline of Pembrokeshire is just as beautiful all year round, plus it remains accessible throughout the year.

An added bonus is that you can see famous spots like St Davids, Tenby or Saundersfoot without the crowds.

Enjoy the colourful town of Tenby with its beautiful beaches and array of restaurants and independent shops and boutiques. Discover South Wales hidden gems such as St Govans Chapel or the Blue Lagoon, both easily accessible from car parks off the coastal roads.

You could choose to start in Cardiff for a longer route and include the stunning Gower Peninsula, or base yourself in Tenby to take a few day trips in the area.

Although roads in Pembrokeshire are narrow and windy, most are well-maintained for local access throughout the year.

The Wales coast path is a brilliant easy option for winter walks in Wales and the winter weather means it’s the perfect opportunity to stop by a cosy country pub for a warm meal and a drink by the fire.

Snowdonia road trip

Snowdonia National Park in North Wales is an inspiring UK destination that attracts adventure lovers, hikers and those who generally just enjoy the outdoors.

If you’re planning a Wales winter road trip around Snowdonia then choosing the right base is essential. While there are many places to choose from, one of the most popular areas is Betws-y-Coed. This start/finish point is a small village but it has trendy and traditional restaurants, bars and boutiques with ample accommodation.

A short drive away is Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales offering several challenging hiking trails. If you tackle this in winter, then you must be prepared. Take the edge of the hike with the Mountain train from Clogwyn station which will take you ¾ of the distance to the summit. Even if you don’t make it to the top, you still have stunning landscapes and viewpoints, and you can explore one of the 100 lakes or hidden waterfalls.

Next up on your road trip is the Italian-inspired village of Portmeirion. Entrance is not free but the architecture and uniqueness of this location is worth the small fee. Expect scenic walks, a visit to the estuary and lots of quirky shops. A short drive north and you can also stop in Porthmadog, a beautiful coastal town.

However, if you want a big dose of adrenaline, then enjoy the thrills of the Snowdonia Zip Wire or mountain go-karts located in Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda. Or if conditions aren’t the best then head to Blaeneufestiniag to experience the underground Zip World Slate Caverns or ‘bounce below’ in an underground cave. If you have your family with you, the Zip Forest has other adventurous activities that are suitable for all ages. Best of all, they’re all within 30 minutes or so of your base.

Give yourself at least 3 days to do this road trip and enjoy what Wales has to offer.

Kerry Hanson from Adrenaline Junkiez

South Wales road trip

Looking down a snowy hillside in Wales. Fields and mountains in the distance

If you are looking for a safe and scenic road trip to do in the Winter in the UK, South Wales is a fantastic option.

Thanks to the M4 corridor connecting the whole of South Wales, you can see so many places, in only a few hours. To see the very best of South Wales, the Cardiff to Carmathern road trip is the best. From ancient castles to rustic pubs to escape the cold, this winter road trip offers something for everyone.

Taking a road trip in Winter can be overwhelming, especially in the harsher icy and darker conditions. This is why driving this route is great for all driving abilities. Not only is this road well maintained and well lit throughout the year but is one of the easiest routes to drive in all winter conditions.

The best way to complete this South Wales road trip is to start in Cardiff and drive along the M4 until you reach Carmarthen. There are lots of stops along the way so you can pick as many or as little as you like.

There are some great things to do on this road trip to get a taste of Wales. Cardiff itself is full of amazing things to do for every type of visitor. One great thing to do here is visit the Castle in the city centre.

As you drive from Cardiff you will have plenty of options to visit some incredible landscapes. For great beaches, you should stop off at Bridgend. If you want to see waterfalls surrounded by snow, Neath has plenty of options. Not far from Neath you will find the Black Mountain road which offers the most amazing views when it has been snowing. And for bespoke gifts and great food options, you have to visit Carmarthen town centre.

If you are looking to do a road trip in little time, this is one of the best in Wales. You could do this Wales road trip in one day or over a few if you choose to spend the night in a few places. No matter your time and budget, this UK Winter road trip is for everyone.

Lowri from Many Other Roads

Winter road trips in Scotland

Scottish highlands road trip.

Very calm surface of a lake like a mirror, trees line the right side and a mountain the distance

The Scottish highlands are beautiful all year round. But in winter, the low sun, snow-capped peaks and chill in the air really add a magical touch.

For those of you who love to make the most of your annual leave allowance, travelling around the new year is a great way to maximise leave. With the possibility of snow, Scotland is the best road trip for Christmas in the UK. And, nowhere celebrates harder than Scotland for Hogmanay (or New Year’s Eve to most of us). It’s then that these sleepy villages in the highlands come alive with street parties. Think live music, dancing, drinking and a heart-warming atmosphere.

And, for most of us Brits, the best way to get to Scotland is a good ol’ road trip. While technically this roughly 1-week Scotland road trip route starts wherever you are, Stirling and Falkirk are good first stops for history and unique sights, such as the Kelpies and Wallace Monument.

From there, continue north into the Cairngorms National Park to bear witness to the best of natural Scottish beauty. Pristine lochs, endless countryside and beautiful views.

Grantown-on-Spey is a good base here and hosts a street party on the main road for Hogmanay, although nearby Aviemore is also popular with more shops, hotels and restaurants (and tourists). Be sure to visit Loch Garten just after sunrise for a majestic view over the still water and snow-capped mountains.

When returning south, Glenfinnan is quite out of the way but is worth the visit, especially for fans of Harry Potter. Alternatively, a night or two in the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is worthwhile for the cool walks, natural beauty and slow pace of life.

Even with the limited hours of daylight, you can still see and experience so much. The roads are well maintained making for easy driving even in less than ideal conditions, although breakdown cover should be considered an essential just in case!

Zoe from Zoe Goes Places

Isle of Skye road trip

Rugged coastline of Isle of Skye with orange grass, blue sea and pink sky at sunset

One of the best road trips in December has got to be to Scotland and the Scottish islands. With the magical landscape even more transformed by the good chance of snow.

Although bad weather means unreliable (or even unreachable!) crossing conditions to reach the islands, the Isle of Skye is fortunate enough to be the only island connected to the mainland in Scotland by a bridge, making it perfect for road trips in winter.

Take the Skye Bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh and explore this stunning island without the summer crowds.

Don’t miss colourful Portree, drive the Trotternish Loop, see the Fairy Glen and the famous Old Man of Storr (although don’t attempt to climb it in poor weather conditions unless you’re very well-prepared).

While it is possible to do an Isle of Skye day trip in the summer when the days are longer, in the winter it’s suggested that you stay overnight on the Isle of Skye and make the most of the quieter and cheaper accommodation!

Winter road trips in Northern Ireland

Causeway coast road trip.

hexagonal basalt columns of rock at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland with a green cliff in the background

The Causeway Coast driving route is one of the best road trips for winter, whether you’re planning for the best road trips in February or November, this popular road is well-maintained and well-travelled throughout the year.

Being well connected to Belfast, Londonderry and many other coastal towns and villages in between, this is the perfect easygoing winter road trip UK countries have to offer!

Of course you can’t miss Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO Heritage site, the Giant’s Causeway, there’s also plenty more North Ireland attractions. Don’t miss Downhill Beach, Mussenden Temple, Portrush, Dunluce Castle ruins and the famous Dark Hedges.

You need at least a couple of days on the Causeway route, depending on how many stops you do. There are plenty of places to stay along the way, or you could base yourself in Belfast and take day trips to some of the main coastal attractions.

Summary: Winter road trips in UK

As you can see, there are plenty of good winter road trips in the UK and hopefully this guide has given you some inspiration for your UK winter trips this year as well as some ideas for places to visit in the UK in winter.

Despite the shorter days, travelling in the winter also comes with cheaper accommodation prices, less crowds and an opportunity to see landscapes in a completely new way – maybe even with snow!

Of course being properly prepared is essential for any winter driving. Make sure you have your recovery details to hand should you breakdown, always carry extra layers, food and water. Always let someone know where you’re going, carry snow chains if necessary and make sure your car is in good condition to travel.

Pin for later to plan your future trip!

Pinnable image with 4 images of Isle of Skye, North Yorkshire, Giants Causeway and Cheddar Gorge. Overlay text reads 'Top 10 UK winter road trip routes'

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5 Best Winter Road Trips in the UK

Can you go campervanning in britain’s winter months of course with so many varied landscapes, coastal regions and national parks are beautiful at any time of year, opting for a winter road trip in the uk makes exploring them extra special. with fewer people on the road and low season accommodation prices, winter is the perfect time to take a trip. all you need to do is choose a suitable vehicle from our campervan hire in the uk listings, wrap up warm, and hit the road, 5 best winter road trips in the uk: routes you can’t miss, 1. the northern lights, 2. christmas markets.

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6 of the best road trips in the UK

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written by Mike MacEacheran

updated 16.11.2023

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

Prepping for your trip

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

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

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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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.

Visiting the UK in winter (Ultimate guide + top tips)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: June 8, 2023

Are you visiting the UK in winter (or considering it!) and want to know the best places to visit and must-do experiences? We have you covered with UK winter travel inspiration plus practical tips to make the most of your trip wherever you go.

Many people assume that the UK is nothing but rain and chilly weather during winter. However, it’s actually one of the best times to visit. The UK in the colder months of winter can be magical with picture-perfect landscapes, festive activities and cosy pubs where you can warm up with a hot drink or enjoy a delicious meal after spending the day making the most of your UK holiday.

In this article, discover the advantages (and disadvantages) of planning a winter vacation in the UK, the best places to visit (and must-do experiences to include in your UK itinerary), the best places to stay plus answers to frequently answered questions. We have also included practical tips to ensure your visit is as comfortable as possible.

Advantages of visiting the UK in winter

Disadvantages of visiting the uk in winter, the lake district , peak district, scottish highlands, the cotswolds.

Bannau Brycheiniog (formally known as the Brecon Beacons)

Northumberland

Dartmoor national park, when is winter in the uk, how many hours of daylight are there in the uk in winter, is it better to visit the uk in winter or during other times of the year, how cold is the uk in winter, what to pack for the uk in winter, how can i travel around the uk in winter.

If you're planning a trip to the UK in winter add these experiences to your bucket list.

Planning your UK trip

Visiting the uk in winter.

For those on a budget visiting the UK during the winter months is ideal. From about November through to February (excluding December, Christmas, and New Year) is considered low season with accommodation cheaper than at other times of the year.
In the winter major attractions are not as busy. For example, you’ll often be able to enjoy iconic London attractions such as the London Eye or Buckingham Palace without the long queues.
Many UK cities, towns and villages have a festive feel with Christmas lights, decorations and other seasonal treats including traditional foods such as mince pies which you can enjoy without the hustle and bustle of large crowds.
Many towns and cities in the United Kingdom hold specific activities to celebrate the festive season. York, Edinburgh, and Birmingham are among the numerous cities that feature an annual Christmas market where you can sample traditional cuisine, crafts, and entertainment.
You can cosy up in a friendly fire-lit pub with a glass of mulled wine or craft beer.
If you want to experience a genuine English Christmas with roast dinners, family time walks in the snow, and seasonal markets, visiting the UK during the winter is a must.
The winter months provide a unique atmosphere to the countryside, with frost-covered fields and often clear bright blue skies.
There is the possibility of taking part in special events such as Hogmanay in Edinburgh.
The days are shorter. If you don’t like getting up early or staying out late, then visiting during the winter period (November – February) may not be for you. In addition, many attractions (including National Trust properties ) close or have shorter opening hours. This means you may not be able to see and do as much as you want.
The weather can be cold especially if you are visiting places in northern England, Scotland or other parts of the UK where snowfalls are common during winter.
Winter is the rainiest season of the year so car journeys can take longer due to poor visibility.
Snow and ice make road travel more challenging and may make it harder for you to get around.

Best places to visit in the UK in winter

Edinburgh fireworks at Hogmanay is a popular event in the UK in winter.

Edinburgh is one of the best destinations to visit in the UK in winter and particularly during the festive period. The Scottish capital hosts numerous events and activities in the build-up to Christmas including a fantastic light show on Princes Street Gardens where more than 1,000 fairy lights are switched on for the Festival of Lights.

Every year in early December the Edinburgh International Christmas Market in nearby George Street welcomes visitors from all over Europe to sample a variety of festive treats and enjoy live entertainment.

In addition, the city’s streets are adorned with beautiful wreaths and garlands, while families travel from far and wide to see one of the largest decorated trees in the UK in the centre of the city.

The start of a new year is heralded with one of the best street parties on earth at Hogmanay, the world-renowned Scottish New Year.

The city centre is closed to traffic for the huge street party on 31 December where up to 100,000 people join in a mass rendition of Auld Lang Syne (the New Year song) at the stroke of midnight.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations continue until mid-morning with a family fireworks display and live music.

Bannau Brycheiniog ( formally known as the Brecon Beacons )

Bannau Brycheiniog in Wales is one of the UK’s top walking destinations and with over 900 miles of footpaths visitors can enjoy exploring the beautiful countryside on foot. Well-maintained trails include the popular Beacons Way which follows the path of a disused railway line and takes about 6 days to complete.

There are also numerous activities offered in the region including mountain biking, caving, kayaking and canoeing. Visitors can enjoy New Year’s Eve at Cardiff City Hall with an evening of food and entertainment followed by a spectacular fireworks display over the bay.

Winter view over Northumberland landscape.

Northumberland National Park is England’s largest national park covering some 21% of this north eastern county of England. Visitors come to enjoy its stunning scenery, dramatic coastline and peaceful rural villages .

The park is perfect for outdoor activities including walking, cycling (road or mountain), climbing, running or horse riding across the beautiful landscape. The area also has a vibrant culture and tradition with numerous creative industries on offer throughout the winter including art, craft and music plus an exciting calendar of festive events.

Take a drive along the Northumberland coastal route and stop along the way at some of the beautiful seaside towns, villages and castles. Pop into the famous Barter Books in Alnwick with its open fires and comfy chairs – perfect on a cold winter’s day.

Northern Ireland is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole of the UK with rolling hills, coastal shores and lush countryside.

In Belfast, visitors can enjoy celebrations such as festivals, markets and events over the festive period including ice skating at City Hall Square (Boutique Winter Festival), Belfast’s Christmas boat parade on the River Lagan and a spectacular firework display at Titanic Slipways.

In winter, Belfast has a packed events calendar with everything from live entertainment, markets and food festivals to culture and theatre.

Dartmoor is a vast expanse of unspoilt and stunning countryside in South Devon. Visitors enjoy walking, cycling and horseriding over the rolling landscape as well as exploring local villages and towns including historic Okehampton and picturesque Tavistock.

The area is also home to Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre which offers award-winning exhibitions about Dartmoor’s fascinating wildlife (including the famous ponies which roam Dartmoor), landscapes and cultural heritage. The site boasts a café, shop and free exhibition galleries packed with interactive exhibits for all the family to enjoy.

For an unforgettable New Year celebration in Dartmoor why not join one of the Bronze Age Nights themed events where guests can enjoy storytelling around a campfire, horseriding and marshmallow toasting. These events take place throughout the winter season so visitors can enjoy experiencing time-honoured festivities from years gone by!

FAQs – Visiting the UK in winter

Red phone boxes covered in snow in London.

Winter officially runs from 1 December to 31 March. During December, January and February you are more likely to experience colder weather than at other times of the year.

During December the UK gets an average of only 8 hours of daylight. In Scotland, the shortest day has just under 7 hours of daylight.

It depends on what you want your holiday experience to be like. Travelling during summer will give you a chance to enjoy warm temperatures and take advantage of long sunny days.

Visiting between spring and autumn provides a better chance of nice weather and you’ll avoid the crowds. But there’s something truly special about visiting the UK at Christmas time plus of course it has the added benefits of lower costs and fewer tourists!

Read more – When is the best time to visit the UK?

If you’re visiting the United Kingdom in the winter (the coldest months), you should prepare for cold and damp with temperatures averaging around 5°C (41°F) but as low as -4°C (25°F) in northern parts of Scotland.

Expect more than the odd rainy day (after all it is the UK!)

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.” (Alfred Wainwright) It can get pretty chilly in the UK in winter so packing a waterproof winter coat and boots, warm clothes and a hat, scarf and gloves are all recommended.

We recommend wearing layers so you can adjust your clothing to suit the environment as it can be stifling in shops and on public transport in winter.

Read more – What to pack for the UK (all seasons)

If you’re planning to hire a car for your UK winter visit, check the weather forecast beforehand so that you know what conditions to expect. Driving in winter can be challenging especially on wet roads or if there’s ice and snow.

If you are travelling by train and there is an adverse weather forecast check the status of your train on the National Rail Enquiries website.

If you’re planning a trip to the UK in winter add these experiences to your bucket list.

See a pantomime dame perform as your favourite festive character. There are pantomimes at theatres across the country, from London’s West End to small village halls.
Take a walk in one of England’s national parks: choose Snowdonia in Wales or the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales in northern England for snowy landscapes and mountains capped with white snow – perfect if you like walking and winter sports.
Spend Boxing Day (Dec 26) shopping in the sales. If you’re a fan of bargain hunting and limited edition, luxury pieces – it’s the one day to take advantage of great discounts.
Try out your ice skating skills at Somerset House in London, Manchester’s Platt Fields Park or Hyde Park in Leeds.
Visit the world’s most festive capital city, where everything is beautifully lit up with Christmas lights. Spend an afternoon wandering around Oxford Street to see the window displays in department stores.
Visit some of the UK’s Christmas markets for local crafts, food and gifts for family and friends.
Try mulled wine or hot chocolate with homemade mince pies.
Snuggle up in a warm cosy pub with an open fire.
Go to a carol service or even sing in one if you are brave enough. Singing is not mandatory but it does add to the festive spirit of the occasion!
Go to the New Year’s Eve party in Edinburgh.
See Edinburgh, Bath, York or other UK cities illuminated with festive lights.

Night in London with snow and twinkling lights in the trees.

If you want to drink mulled cider (or wine) in a cosy pub, toast marshmallows over an open fire and enjoy some festive cheer then the winter (and especially December) is the perfect time to visit the UK!

When to visit – Guide to UK seasons
UK travel inspiration – Staycation guide
Planning – Plan your UK trip in 10 easy steps
Accommodation – Where to stay
Book your trip – Best UK booking sites

Visiting the UK (seasonal guides)

UK in autumn (fall)
UK in summer
UK in spring

Visiting London (monthly & seasonal guides)

London in winter
London in spring
London in December (and podcast)
London in January
London in February
London in March
London in April

UK Road Trip – 18 Unmissable Routes

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

Top United Kingdom Road Trip Ideas

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

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

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

Getting to the UK

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

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

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

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

Best Time to Take a UK Road Trip

December to february.

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

March to May

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

June to August

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

September to November

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

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

UK Road Trip Planner

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

UK Road Trip Map

England Road Trips

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

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

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

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

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

The Camel Estuary

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

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

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

Porthcurno & Around

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

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

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

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

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

Fishing boats in Padstow harbour on a Great Britain road trip

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

The Cotswolds

Burford – cheltenham – painswick – bath.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Swanage & Around

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

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

Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door

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

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

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

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

Chesil Beach & Around

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

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

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

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

Stunning Durdle Door arch and beach during a road trip south west England

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

The Lake District

Ullswater – keswick – grasmere – ambleside – windermere.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Honister Slate Mine

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

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

The New Forest

Fordingbridge – lyndhurst – brockenhurst – lymington.

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

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

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

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

Brockenhurst

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

New Forest Water Park

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

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

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

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

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

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

RELATED POST: Top 16 New Forest Outdoor Adventures

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sandringham

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

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

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Wherry sailing barge and windmill in the Norfolk Broads

Northumberland Coast Route

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

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

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

Alnwick Castle

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

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

Coastal Villages

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

Lindisfarne Holy Island

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

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

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

The Peak District

Chesterfield – bakewell – buxton – castleton – glossop.

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

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

Chatsworth House

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

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

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

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

Caves and Caverns

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Yorkshire Dales

Harrogate – malham – hawes – richmond.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wensleydale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A lone tree in a green field in Wensleydale, Yorkshire

Northern Ireland Road Trips

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Giants Causeway & Around

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

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

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

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

Portstewart & Portrush

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

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

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

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

Benone Beach & Around

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

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

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

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

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

The Giants Causeway with blue seas and fishing boats

Mourne Coastal Route

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

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

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

Strangford Lough

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

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

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

Stately Homes

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

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

Scotland Road Trips

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

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

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

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

Easdale Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Glenfinnan arched viaduct with a steam train

The North Coast 500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

scottish road into the Highlands in winter

Kyle of Lochalsh – Portree – Duntulm – Dunvegan – Armadale

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

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

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

Dunvegan Castle

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

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

The Sleat Peninsula

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

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

The Trotternish Peninsula

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

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

Ancient three arched bridge over a river on Skye

The South West Coastal 300

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

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

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

Dunure Beach

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

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

Kirkudbright

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

Wales Road Trips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Black Mountain Pass

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

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

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

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

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

Stone cairn at the summit of Pen-y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons Wales

Pembrokeshire

Fishguard – st davids – marloes – pembroke – tenby.

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

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

Coasteering

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

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

Skomer Island

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

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

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

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

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

Tenby with colourful houses, beach and small fishing boats

Snowdonia & Anglesey

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

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

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

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

Betws-y-Coed

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

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

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

Snowdonia National Park

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

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

Newborough Beach & Llanddwyn Island

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

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

UK Road Trip Resources

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

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

Information About Driving in England

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

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

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

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Why do a winter road trip in the UK?

Even better, many motorhome sites or camp grounds have reduced prices, as do many top attractions, so it really is a great time to explore.

All you need to do is make sure your vehicle is suitable for winter road trips, dress up warmly and then head out on your winter adventure!

The best UK winter road trip routes you can’t miss

We all have different priorities. That’s one of the things I love so much about road trips- the freedom to enjoy the things you like.

Even better, the UK has LOADS to enjoy during winter, including world-class Christmas markets, winter festivals, food festivals, snow sports and fantastic walking over moors and hills.

We’ve selected a variety of winter road trip ideas to help you choose the perfect option for you. Of course, you can pick and choose or combine ones to create your perfect winter getaway.

Make planning your next road trip EASY (& fun!)

When you’re planning a road trip, keeping track & organising all your ideas is often the hardest part. Fix that TODAY with our printable pdf road trip planner. Grab yours FREE now

Tips for driving in winter

If you’re planning a winter road trip, there’s not much difference from planning a UK road trip at any other time of the year, but you do need to make sure of a few things.

Make sure your vehicle has been checked/ serviced and is capable of dealing with colder weather If you’re travelling in a van, make sure your motorhome heating is working. Make sure your tyres are safe and suitable for the roads. Even if there’s no snow, you can expect to drive in heavy rain at some point on your trip Check windscreen wipers and screenwash levels Carry drink and snacks with you If you’re not planning a motorhome trip, be sure to carry a thermos of hot drink or a stove and kettle, just in case you get stuck somewhere cold. Also, have a couple of blankets with you too. Make sure your phones are charged and ideally use a proper sat-nav with traffic updates so you can see if a road becomes blocked or closed.

The best winter road trip to see the Northern Lights

UK winter road trip- Northern Lights over Duncansby Stacks, Scotland

One of the best-kept secrets in northern UK is that you can often see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) from up there.

Sure, they’re not as consistent as some of the other best places in Europe to see the Northern Lights, but if they’re on your bucket list, it’s time to head north during winter.

Scotland Northern Lights Winter Road Trip

Total Distance: 516 miles

Recommended No. of Days: 4-5 days

Best time to visit: December, January, February

For the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Scotland, you’ll want to go as far north as possible. The further north you can get on your winter road trip, the better.

If you’re driving a motorhome or campervan, you may want to combine this with a NC500 motorhome tour which goes along the northern coast.

If you’re in a motorhome or campervan, these are the North Coast 500 campsites open all year.

If you’d like to explore more , here’s the only NC500 itinerary and route planner you need.

The best UK winter road trip ideas for Christmas Markets

Best Christmas Markets in the UK

We’re lucky that there is a decent Christmas Market in almost every big UK town or city.

Rather than visit your local one again, why not make a weekend of it and visit some further afield?

Nearly all have a campsite open all year nearby for motorhome holidays or campervan tours, or there are bed and breakfasts in every place for you to stay on your road trip.

Most UK Christmas Markets are open from last November, but some don’t open until mid-December, so be sure to check before you start your winter road trip.

Three UK road trip routes to see Christmas Markets

SOUTH CENTRAL

Start in Winchester (the Winchester Christmas Market is one of the best in England) and enjoy exploring the city. Then head to Salisbury, where you’ll find another fantastic Christmas Market From here, you can head to the Cotswolds, which are some of the most picturesque villages in the UK, or you can visit Bath, which is glorious at any time but especially good at Christmas.

Start at the Christmas Market in Birmingham, which is one of the biggest Christmas markets in the UK and the biggest authentic German market outside of Austria or Germany. From here, continue your England road trip and head to Stratford upon Avon, Warwick or Royal Leamington Spa for more traditional Christmas celebrations, or head to Lincoln, home of the oldest Christmas Market in the UK.

Edinburgh is one of the best cities to visit around Christmas time- the markets here are legendary. Although this is a great place to stop on a Scotland road trip, you could also use it as the northern point of your winter road trip route, and head south to Newcastle or Durham. After exploring these wonderful cities, head to Leeds, Manchester or Liverpool for more huge festivities.

Of course, you could easily spend a weekend road trip just in London, exploring the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park and all the smaller Christmas Markets around the city.

Best Winter road trips for hiking and outdoors

The UK has some fabulous National Parks, which are open all year. During summer months, they can get very crowded, but during winter you can often have places all to yourself!

If you’re living in a van over winter, don’t forget that many National Parks have overnight parking restrictions, so be sure to follow those. Here’s how to find places to stay overnight.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Winter Road Trip

Total Distance: 220 miles

Recommended No. of Days: 2-3 days

Best time to visit: November, December, January, February, March

The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the best winter road trips in Northern Ireland. Highlights include:

Giants Causeway Carrick-a-rede rope bridge Dunluce Castle Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges- beautiful all year

Winter road trip route idea

Start your Ireland road trip by visiting the famous Giants Causeway. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Belfast and try to get there as early as possible. Visit nearby Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. In summer the queues can be lengthy, but in winter you shouldn’t have to wait long. Another unique stop is the clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle which hang above the sea below. Don’t miss the Dark Hedges. This road features in Game of Thrones and is one of the most beautiful roads in Ireland. It was surprisingly badly signposted when we visited, so don’t miss it. If you’re motorhoming in Ireland you can’t drive down it- I’m not even sure you’ll make it in a campervan!

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

Want to visit southern Ireland? See ideas for the best winter road trips in Europe

Yorkshire Moors

Yorkshire is the perfect winter road trip destination. The moors look magical covered in snow but there are still plenty of places open all year.

Highlights of a Yorkshire road trip include:

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

Ribblehead Viaduct- a perfect stop on a Yorkshire road trip

Yorkshire Road Trip Itinerary ideas

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

Visit the waterfalls of Ingleton, Aysgarth Falls or Hardraw Force- England’s highest single-drop waterfall. These are even more impressive in winter with the increased rainfall.

Before leaving the Dales, visit the incredible monastic ruins and landscaped gardens of Fountains Abbey.

Lastly, head out onto the moors. Stop at Goathland train station (Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter movies.)

Alternatively, stretch your legs with a hike at the Hole of Horcum, a huge ancient natural amphitheatre.

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 in winter- epic winter road trip ideas

Snowdonia is actually part of two of the Wales Way driving routes– North and Cambrian and it’s easy to see why.

Pretty much everything in Snowdonia involves being outdoors, so make sure you bring appropriate clothing for the time of year. In winter, you’re likely to get rain, cold and very possibly snow.

There are plenty of great roads with spectacular scenery and the stars at night are unreal, especially on a crisp Winter night.

The best winter road trip routes for popular UK destinations

Winter is the perfect time to visit places which are usually crazy busy.

Places like Cornwall, Devon, the Lake District and the Cotswolds are much quieter and easier to explore on the road trip.

Here are our favourite road trip ideas:

Cornwall is one of our favourite places to road trip in England. I spent 2 years living there whilst I was in the Navy, and have been back many times since. There are plenty of things to do in Cornwall, but there are some important tips you need to know before you arrive!

Why is Cornwall one of the best England road trips?

How long should you spend roadtripping Cornwall?

How long is a piece of string!! But, as you can see on our Cornish road trip itinerary, we recommend 7-10 days minimum to see all the best places.

Where are the best places to visit in Cornwall on a road trip?

Some of my absolute favourite places in Cornwall include:

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

Even in Winter, Devon is a fantastic road trip destination. It’s still full of cute villages, beautiful hills and beaches and plenty of cafes!

Highlights and best places to visit in Devon

My parents live here, so I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the county. Some of my favourite include:

Dartmouth- one of the best towns in the county. Hire a boat and explore the river. Paignton- the beach with the red sand Exmouth with its beautiful painted houses Dartmoor Saunton Sands Fish and Chips from Squires in Braunton Salcombe Harbour Dulverton- head to the Copper Kettle tea room; you won’t regret it!

See the full list of my favourite Devon road trip ideas here.

Lake District

The Castlerigg stone circle is also worth a stop, as are the pretty towns of Keswick and Cockermouth.

Some other highlights for winter road trips include:

The largest natural lake in the UK, Lake Windermere. Some boat tours run all year but wrap up warmly The Punch Bowl Inn in Crosthwaite. Aira Force Waterfall The views at Derwentwater

Cotswolds – a magical UK winter road trip

Cotswolds in Winter

The Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Wales and it looks SPECTACULAR in winter.

Highlights & Best places to visit in the Cotswolds and surrounding area

The beautiful stone villages of the Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water is one of my personal favourites) visit the historic city of Bath marvel at the mysterious ancient stones of Stonehenge stop at the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral.

Wiltshire & Cotswolds winter road trip itinerary

Ideally, spend 3-4 days exploring as many lovely little towns and villages of the Cotswolds as you wish to. Some of the prettiest villages include Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Lower Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water and Castle Combe. The historic city of Bath is only a 30-minute drive from the village of Castle Combe- well worth a visit. Don’t miss visiting the Roman baths and having a cream tea in the tea rooms there. If you have time, head East to Stonehenge. If you’re in a motorhome or camper, you can camp overnight at Stonehenge (This is where we saw the most INCREDIBLE sunrise we’ve EVER seen. (Seriously, watch the video. It’s breathtaking) From Stonehenge, it’s only a 20-minute drive into the medieval town of Salisbury, where you can explore Salisbury Cathedral which has the tallest spire in all of Britain!

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5 Best UK Destinations for Memorable Winter Road Trips from London

November 16, 2023
Published at 8:55 am

As winter blankets the city in a crisp chill, it can be a great opportunity to get out of the city and explore some other areas on the open road. Embarking on winter road trips from London opens up a lot of options. In the UK we’re blessed with everything from charming countryside villages to epic coastal spots. Join us as we explore the top five winter destinations that promise an unforgettable journey from the heart of London.

Need to hire a car for the journey? CitiRental provides flexible, affordable car rental services, straight from our premises in Swiss Cottage, North London. Learn more here.

Our 5 Picks for a UK winter road trip from London

1. Oxford: A Scholarly Winter Haven

Nestled just northwest of London, Oxford transforms into a bit of a winter haven during the colder months. The historical streets and rich history make for charming walks around the city. If you take a short winter road trip from London to Oxford, then one thing that you must do is check out the charming colleges, each with its unique character. The Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera take on a different allure against the winter backdrop.

Tip: Plan your visit during the Oxford Christmas Market for a festive touch to your winter adventure.

Cotswolds cute village with thatched roofs in winter

2. The Cotswolds: Classic Countryside Winter Charm

Escape the urban chaos of London and take your car northwest to the Cotswolds, where honey-coloured cottages and rolling hills await! The Cotswolds are full of picturesque villages like Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury, offering the quintessential charm of a winter retreat. The Cotswolds, being only a couple of hours from London, is well equipped to deal with tourists throughout the year. You’ll find no shortage of traditional pubs, restaurants and entertainment options.

Tip: Visit the city of Bath and take in a tour of the Roman Baths

Lake district view during a winter road trip from London

3. The Lake District: Rolling hills & Walking Trials

Head north from London to the Lake District, where winter can (if you’re lucky) change the already serene landscapes into a bit of white snowy haven.

Being the UK, snow is never guaranteed unfortunately. However, head to the lakes during the Winter months and there is a fair chance you’ll come across some snow capped mountains. A winter road trip from London to the Lake District allows you to really ‘get away from it all’. Yes it will be cold, but it’s a beautiful part of the country and a great place to escape to.

Tip: Take a scenic drive along Lake Windermere and visit Ambleside for a taste of Lakeland charm.

4. Edinburgh: Scotland’s Capital

Edinburgh, just north of the Scottish border, is a bit further than the other options on this list of winter road trip destinations. That said, it’s more than worthy of it’s place here.

The Scottish capital, with its historic charm and stunning architecture, is one of the best places to go in Winter for several reasons. Firstly, the Castle, the Christmas Markets and the surroundings create a really cosy, festive atmosphere. Secondly, if you are a keen adventurer, you can take your hire car only a short drive from the city and you’ll be in the highlands, where you can really ‘get lost’.

One other idea would be to take a walk up to Arthur’s Seat. Choose a clear, crisp winters day and you’ll be rewarded at the top with fantastic, long reaching views of the city and it’s surroundings.

Tip: Don’t miss the Edinburgh Christmas Market for festive treats and handmade crafts.

Snowdonia national park during winter with snow capped peaks

5. Snowdonia National Park: A Classic Winter Road Trip from London!

When it comes to ‘adventure’, Snowdonia National Park probably wins out.

North West from London, you’ll be driving for a good 4 or 5 hours to get here, so ideally you’ll want to plan a winter road trip from London that lasts for at least a few nights. Once you’re there, you’ll be in arguably the UK’s best adventure destination.

Snowdonia has been well adapted to tourism, particularly from road users, for a long time now. The most popular mountains to climb (such as Snowdon) all have clearly marked trials, tourist buses and dedicated hotels & hostels. Check out Visit Snowdonia for up to date information on the area.

When you’re in the car, you’ll find some of the best driving roads in the country. Long, sweeping bends through valleys and over mountains (just be careful in the snow)!

Tip: Consider a winter hike or take the Snowdon Mountain Railway for panoramic views.

Conclusion:

From the historic charm of Oxford to the winter adventures of Snowdonia, these five destinations give you a good foundation for planning your next winter road trip from London. So, fuel up, pack your winter essentials, and set out on a journey that combines the thrill of the open road with the magic of the winter season.

Safe travels on your winter road adventures!

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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.

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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.

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

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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 🙁

5 of the best winter drives in Scotland

From stunning lochs to spectacular mountains, Scotland's scenery makes for a unique road trip.

Edinburgh to St Andrews

First up, the trip from Edinburgh to St Andrews. This short drive that packs an impressive punch.

The route begins by taking you over the incredible Forth Road Bridge that crosses the Firth of Forth estuary. Once on the other side, head towards the beautiful Loch Leven and the Lomond Hills Regional Park where you join the A91 and travel towards the impressive St Andrews, whilst marvelling at the pretty countryside.

Drive time: around 1 hour, 30 mins

Fort William to Mallaig

Take the A830 from Fort William along the Road to the Isles towards Mallaig. After leaving the shores of Loch Eil you'll soon reach Glenfinnan where you can make a quick stop to marvel at the gargantuan scale of the Glenfinnan viaduct - the one featured in the Harry Potter films.

Carry on along the A830, past the shores of Loch Shiel, towards the coastal village of Mallaig, where you can get a ferry to the Isle of Skye if you'd like to continue your journey.

Drive time: 1 hour, 5 mins

From Glencoe to Applecross

Like hairpin bends? Well, this one's for you! This route is utterly awe-inspiring.

From start to finish, you're treated to dramatic views as far as the eye can see. From Glencoe, head off on the A82 towards Fort William, wave to Ben Nevis and then take the A87 where you'll whizz past imposing mountains and stunning lochs that'll take your breath away.

The ultimate geographical masterpiece that marks the end to this heroic drive is Applecross Pass – a serpent of a road that weaves through the valley to deliver you to the coastal village of Applecross. Known as Bealach Na Bà, or Pass of the Cattle, this is one legendary road you really need to see with your own eyes.

Drive time: 3 hours, 15 mins

MORE: This Scottish island is home to more miniature horses than it is humans

Glasgow to Lochgilphead, via Loch Lomond

Lochs, hills and picturesque coastlines aplenty, this route has all the ingredients for an incredible drive through beautiful Scottish scenery. Head out from Glasgow on the A82 towards Loch Lomond – be sure to keep a look out for Ben Lomond, towering over the east side of the loch.

Then, take the A83 to traverse the hills down to Arrochbar where you'll see the first of the sea lochs. As you meander past Inverary towards Lochgilphead, you'll be treated to a series of magnificent vistas.

Drive time: 2 hours, 5 mins

Ullapool to Durness

Starting on the A835, this route is hailed by many as one of the most spectacular in Scotland as it covers some of the wildest, quietest and most scenic surroundings that Scotland has to offer. Combining pretty lochs, epic mountains and a crisp coast, this is a drive like no other.

It's hard to highlight specific parts of the route as there's no dull moment for the eyes. But make sure you keep a look out for Ardvreck Castle in the middle of Loch Assynt, Scourie and Kyle of Durness – all effortlessly beautiful.

Drive time: 1 hour, 45 mins

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Wander-Lush

Where to Go on a Winter Road Trip in Europe: 13 Winter-approved Itinerary Ideas

Winter might not be everyone’s top choice for a driving holiday in Europe – but driving in the off-season is a great strategy for beating the crowds and taking advantage of low car rental prices.

An abundance of festive events, winter sports and other special experiences on offer makes winter the perfect time to explore parts of Europe by road.

Whether you’re searching for a chilled escape in the winter sunshine or a full ice-and-snow immersion, this list of the best winter road trip routes in Europe has something for you. Discover Christmas markets, fairytale villages and castles, frozen waterfalls, truffle-hunting, winter hiking and skiing, and more!

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Quick tips for planning a winter road trip in Europe

Make sure your car is winter-ready. Winter tires or snow tires are mandatory in some European countries (including Romania, Germany and Norway), and it’s a good idea to have tires with a deep tread regardless. If you’re travelling with your own car, make sure you know how to properly fit your tires in advance. If you’re renting a car , most agents include a winter set in the price.

Account for shorter days when planning your itinerary. Daylight hours are obviously more limited in winter, and you’ll want to avoid driving at night whenever possible. This means you’ll need to do a bit more pre-planning to make sure you get your timing right. You should also add 20-30% more time onto each travel leg to account for driving at slower speeds.

Avoid driving in snow and ice. Some major roads and highways are gritted overnight and by morning, they can be icy and slippery. Wherever possible, try to start your drive in the mid-morning or early afternoon after the roads have had a chance to warm up a bit.

Always check weather conditions before you set out. It’s no fun driving through a snowstorm or battling icy rain – in fact, it can be dangerous, especially if you don’t have a lot of winter driving experience. Research the best local channels for checking the weather and stay abreast of changes to avoid getting caught out.

Know when to leave the car behind. Remember, you don’t always have to drive. If there’s a place you want to visit but don’t feel comfortable driving yourself (such as a mountain region), you can always leave your car somewhere safe and take the train instead .

Hiring a car in winter in Europe

One of the best things about hiring a car in winter is lower prices. You’ll also find that many destinations have a greater availability of vehicles in winter.

For destinations in the Balkans including Montenegro , Bulgaria and Greece plus Spain, Portugal and Iceland, I recommend using Local Rent to find a car. This platform offers budget-friendly cars from local agents with lots of perks.

→ Check rates for your destination on Local Rent

For other destinations around Europe, I recommend using Discover Cars to search and compare rates from international car hire companies.

→ Compare prices for your destination on Discover Cars

13 epic winter road trips in Europe

Transylvania winter road trip for ethereal castles & winter sports.

Transylvania in winter, with a view of Bran Castle in the Carpathian mountains.

When it comes to dreamy winter destinations in Europe, it doesn’t get much better than Transylvania. Make no mistake, Romania is cold in winter – but if you can brave the chilly conditions, you’ll be treated to vistas of the snowy Carpathian Mountains, romantic cities , ethereally beautiful hilltop castles and fortified churches, winter hiking opportunities, and even skiing.

December is an ideal month to drive in Romania. The famously windy Transfagarasan Highway is closed from November due to snow, but you’ll find all major highways are accessible. Remember to ensure your car is winter-ready and always check conditions before you set out. For ease, it’s best to stick to the centre of the country and avoid the high mountains. Allow yourself 7-10 days to explore.

Before hitting the road, give yourself a couple of nights in the capital to experience Bucharest in winter . Enjoy the quiet streets, indulge in life-affirming Romanian food, and warm up with a day at Therme, Europe’s largest spa.

Make a loop around Transylvania, first visiting Brasov and Sinaia Castle. If winter sports are your thing, there are 14 km of ski and snowboard runs at Poiana Brasov in the hills above the city. Continue to the fortified towns of Sibiu, Alba Iulia and Sighisoara , each with its own beautiful town square that is lit up with Christmas decorations and markets throughout December.

Be sure to include a few of Romania’s iconic medieval fortresses on your itinerary too, including the must-see Bran Castle.

Driving the Iceland Ring Road in Winter for Frozen Waterfalls & the Northern Lights

Driving Iceland's Ring Road in winter, with snow-capped mountains and the Northern Lights.

One of the best winter road trips in Europe can be found in Iceland on the Ring Road from Reykjavik to Hofn. Although you can drive around the entire island on the Ring Road, the northern part of this drive can be unsafe in the winter. For this reason, it is recommended that you stick to the southern half.

You will likely start your trip from the Reykjavik area. There are many neat things to see and do in the capital including Hallgrímskirkja, The Sun Voyager, and Harpa Concert Hall. In winter, you must your accommodation in Reykjavik wisely, being sure to stay somewhere central.

After leaving the city and heading south on Route 1, the next major stop you will come to is Vik, Iceland. If time allows, plan to spend 1-2 days in this area.

A few of the best things to do near Vik, Iceland include Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Dyrhólaey, the DC3 plane wreck, and Yoda cave. This is also an excellent location to view the Northern Lights.

Continuing towards Hofn, you will find several lovely stops including Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, and Vatnajökull National Park. There are also countless incredible waterfalls along this route. If the weather allows, consider stopping for a few hikes along the way. The views are hard to beat!

Driving in Iceland is relatively stress-free compared to many other countries. The traffic outside of the major cities is very light, and you will often have long stretches of the road to yourself – especially in winter.

Always be aware of the weather. Keep an eye on any storms brewing in the area, and be aware that during high winds, it can be unsafe to drive at all. Have a backup plan in mind in case the weather impacts your travels.

By Janae from Adventures With TuckNae

Winter Road Trip from Bergen for Colourful Houses & Norwegian Fjords

Houses on the water in Bergen, Norway, the perfect place to start a winter Europe road trip.

A fantastic winter road trip for those used to driving in snow is the fjords of Western Norway. The fjords are heavily visited in the summer months, but few embark on the journey between November and March. This is a great time to hit the roads and see the scenery for yourself!

There are a few factors to consider when visiting Western Norway in winter. The first is that winter tires are mandatory when driving. If you are bringing your own car, they must be on as soon as you cross into Norway. If you’re renting a car, they will already have them ready to go. Secondly, daylight hours are far shorter in winter than in summer, so you should be prepared for nighttime driving or staying overnight on the road.

An ideal starting point for your winter adventure is Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city. The city is milder than other Norwegian cities in the winter, and if you’re there in December, you will have a chance to check out the world’s largest gingerbread village at Pepperkakebyen! Be sure to also eat some pinnekjøtt, fiskesuppe, and raspeballer when visiting Bergen during the colder months.

From Bergen, you have plenty of options for road trips, but the most beautiful one will take you to Flåm and the Aurlandsfjord. Some of the best stops along the way are Voss (Norway’s adventure sports’ capital), Stalheim (for the famous hotel as well as one of the curviest roads in Europe called Stalheimskleiva), Gudvangen (home of Viking Valley), and finally Flåm. If you venture a little further, you can check out the famous Stegastein viewpoint.

This road trip would only take 2 hours and 45 minutes during the summer months, but will likely take around 4 hours or more in the winter. There are also plenty of waterfalls and attractions along the way that you’ll likely want to stop at. Flåm has a few accommodation options, and the Fretheim Hotel is a historic Norwegian hotel with affordable prices during the winter.

The great thing about using Bergen as a base for a road trip is that you can find at least four different (and extremely diverse!) routes to drive.

By Megan from Megan Starr

Alsace Winter Road Trip for Europe’s Best Christmas Markets & Fairytale French Villages

Colourful half timber houses in Alsace, France in winter.

This road trip takes you through the historical region of Alsace in eastern France. While wine country is stunning at any time of the year, it is perfect for winter since Alsace does Christmas like no other region in France.

Featuring some of the most picturesque, fairytale-like villages and exquisite Christmas markets, this itinerary is perfect for every Christmas lover and anyone interested in culture and history.

The Alsace region is not too big, so this itinerary can be a long weekend road trip.

Start your journey with one day in Strasbourg , the self-proclaimed capital of Christmas. Grab some mulled wine to keep you warm and start exploring the city! Admire the impressive Strasbourg Cathedral, stroll the cobblestone streets of La Petite France, and browse the Christmas Market on Kleber Square.

On your second day, you will drive along the oldest wine road in France, the Alsace Wine Route. Your first stop will be Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, the best preserved medieval castle in Alsace.

Alsace villages along the route are as fairytale-like as it gets – they inspired Disney’s Beauty and the Beast , after all. Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé feel untouched and sparkle in the winter light.

Next up is Colmar, where Cobblestone streets and half-timbered, colourful houses look magical when decorated for Christmas.

Finally, if you want to spend a day in nature, make a detour to Lac Blanc. The lake is stunning, and you can see it from the road. This is a fantastic place for hiking or winter sports such as skiing and sledging, if you happen to catch a snowy day!

By Natali from She’s Abroad Again

Winter Road Trip on Portugal’s Silver Coast for Palaces & Cities

The Portugal Silver Coast is one of the best winter road trips in Europe. This 400 km scenic route runs from Lisbon to Porto and is dotted with charming towns and villages. While the entire trip is only a 4-hour drive, take at least a few days to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.

Start your trip by checking into one of Lisbon’s best boutique hotels then explore the city, seeing famous sites such as Belem Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Tram 28 up to Alfama, the LX factory shops and restaurants and festive Christmas markets like Wonderland Lisboa and Campo Pequeno.

As you start your road trip, spend a half day in the castle filled hilltop town of Sintra visiting Pena Palace and Castle of the Moors. Then drive 30 minutes to the charming white washed village of Ericeira, where you can wander the cobblestone streets, enjoy a delicious meal and admire the stunning coastline.

Nearby, the historic walled town of Obidos is transformed into the cutest Christmas village complete with a ferris wheel, concerts, ice skating, and more. A true highlight of the silver coast are the massive winter waves Nazaré, made famous by the 100-Foot Wave Documentary.

Finally make your way to the stunning city of Porto, Portugal . Do your holiday shopping, sample Port wine, take a cruise on the Douro River and soak in the magic of Portugal .

By Jenifer from The Evolista

Southern Spain Winter Road Trip for Sunshine & White Villages

Winter at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

If you’re looking for a place to escape the chill this winter, Southern Spain’s mild temperatures and blue-sky days make it an ideal road trip destination. It might be too brisk for the beaches, but there is no shortage of other things to do in Spain in the colder months, especially if you have the freedom to explore with your own car .

A convenient plan is to make a loop from Madrid, starting with a day in historic Toledo before heading to coastal Andalusia. See the late-blooming orange trees and bask in the winter sunshine in Valencia before making your way down the coast to historic Cartagena, an often overlooked port town with incredible Roman ruins. There are dozens of sweet towns and fishing villages where you can stop along the way.

The culture-packed cities of Cordoba, Granada (for the Alhambra) and finally Seville are all worthwhile winter destinations. For something adventurous, take an optional detour into the Las Alpujarras for mountain scenery and to visit the White Villages.

While you could easily spend a month or more in Southern Spain, a week is a fair amount of time for driving in winter.

Winter Road Trip on the Peloponnese Peninsula for Archaeological Sites Sans Summer Crowds

Leafy trees at Olympia, an archaeological site in Greece.

If you’re looking for a road trip to forget that it’s winter in Europe, look no further than Greece’s Peloponnese Peninsula . The Peloponnese forms the southern tip of mainland Greece. Its location on the Mediterranean leads to mild, pleasant, and often sunny winters. With average high temperatures ranging from about 15-18 degrees Celsius (59-65 F) along the coast, a winter dip in the sea along the Peloponnese coast is not unusual.

The Peloponnese is known for having beautiful beaches and stunning mountains, but the main draw here – especially in winter – is the archaeological sites. The peninsula is home to some of the most famous historical sites on the planet, including Olympia, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Messene, Mystras, Sparta, Acrocorinth, and let’s include Delphi too since it’s easy to hit on a road trip even though it’s on the other side of the Gulf of Corinth. In the winter these amazing sites are practically empty due to the lack of other tourists and they’re also half-price to enter (until the end of March).

On top of these archaeological sites, there are endless beautiful coastal villages to explore, such as Limeni and the ridiculously charming medieval city of Monemvasia.

The downside of road tripping around the Peloponnese in the winter is that many restaurants will be closed and of course the daylight hours are limited. But should you make the road trip around the Peloponnese in the off-season, you will be rewarded with endless beauty nearly all to yourself.

By Chris from Around the World With Me

Tip: Find more Greece road trip ideas here .

Crete Winter Road Trip for Ancient Villages, Quiet Fishing Harbours & Hiking Trails

Winter is the perfect time to head to the Greek islands, hire a car, and set off on a Crete road trip of between 1-2 weeks. The temperature sits between 19C/66F degrees in November to 14C/57F degrees in March, and the 5 million tourists who arrive by plane each summer are nowhere to be seen!

Crete is a large island, and a road trip makes sense as there are several major towns to see but the other main sites are scattered around the countryside. These include Minoan ruins, tombs and cemeteries and excellent hiking trails alongside beaches, through ancient villages, and along the bottom of gorges.

The second most visited site in Greece is Knossos Palace where the legendary Minotaur was trapped below the Palace in Daedalus’ labyrinth. It’s a large outdoor site that is uncrowded. In winter you can spend time ambling around without the sun beating down on you.

The main towns of Chania, Heraklion, and Rethymno are also worth a few days. Their old harbours have waterfront cafes and tavernas that stay open during the winter months and there are phenomenal museums to visit such as the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. The Venetian harbour and old town of Chania is a must to explore and hiking the Samaria Gorge is an unforgettable experience.

By Monique from Trip Anthropologist

Isle of Skye Winter Road Trip for Highland History & Dark Sky Discoveries

The famous Fairy Pools in the Scottish Highlands in winter.

Famous for its rugged coastline, unparalleled vistas, abundance of wildlife and intriguing Highland history, the Isle of Skye is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. From chasing waterfalls to distillery tours , there is an abundance of things to do on the Isle of Skye .

In winter, snow lingers in the higher mountains, making the landscapes beautiful and moody. It is much less crowded than in the peak season. The island is home to nine Dark Sky Discovery Sites in Britain, making it one of the best places in Scotland for stargazing in winter. You can even spot the Northern Lights here.

Start your road trip from Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands and allow at least 3-4 days to explore the main sights of Skye.

One of the must-visit attractions in Skye is the picturesque Fairy Pools, a web of small waterfalls renowned for their clear turquoise blue waters against the backdrop of the majestic Cuillin Mountains.

Take a look inside the 800-year-old Dunvegan Castle and Gardens, the ancestral house of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Visit the colourful houses of Portree, the largest town on the island. Portree has many restaurants, cafes and hotels and serves as a great base to explore Skye.

By Moumita & Sankha from Chasing the Long Road

Want to extend your Scotland road trip? Check out this 14 day North Coast 500 itinerary for more ideas.

Winter Road Trip Along the Causeway Coast for Moody Landscapes & Wild Beaches

Ireland's Giant's Causeway rock formation in winter.

Northern Ireland is a relatively small country with lots of close-knit tourist attractions, which makes it ideal for a road trip. The main attraction, however, is the Causeway Coastal Route, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Antrim coast dotted with quaint coastal villages, cliffside castles, sandy beaches, and plenty of untamed coastal beauty.

Some of the more famous attractions on the Causeway Coast include the iconic basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Ropebridge, and the Bushmills Distillery. But there are many more lesser-known stops including the Dunluce Castle, Ballintoy Harbour, and the Dark Hedges.

Summer months are by far the busiest time on the coastal route. Locals know the best time to explore is during winter when the crowded coaches are nowhere to be seen, and the weather and coastal landscapes are wild and rugged. Winter is the perfect time to admire scenery that inspired the Game of Thrones franchise, with various filming locations across the Causeway Coast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

The best bits of this road trip can be covered in a weekend, although 4-5 days are recommended with more time for other attractions on the coast, including Rathlin Island.

Also consider a second, newer driving trail in Northern Ireland, the Mourne Coastal Route, which starts in Bangor-by-the-Sea in County Down.

By Allan from It’s Sometimes Sunny in Bangor

Switzerland Winter Road Trip for Glassy Lakes & the Snow-capped Matterhorn Mountain

Snow covered Zermatt Valley with the Matterhorn mountain in the background.

For a stunning Swiss road trip through snow-capped mountains and ice cold lakes, consider driving between the beautiful cities of Basel and Lugano in Switzerland. Taking the quieter roads and avoiding the main highway is best to see the landscape and local villages. Be sure to have safe winter tires and pack plenty of warm clothes for all the pretty pit stops you will make!

Starting in the city of Basel, commence your drive towards the Regional Nature Park Thal, then to the UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch and Lake Lungern. This section of road is absolutely stunning, with snow-topped mountain ranges and gorgeous winding roads. Take your time to enjoy and stop at every viewpoint.

For the next part of the route, head south towards Murmeltierpark Grimselpass and Pizzo Gallina. This section allows you to pass through the canton of Bern, via Valais to the final Ticino canton. For photographers and nature lovers, Valais canton is the place to be in winter, so if you have time, stay a few nights in the area for more local explorations.

For the last section, you have to join the A2 highway, simply since it’s the only way to finish the journey down to Lugano. Lugano in winter does not always have snow, but it’s still magical and very festive with a local Christmas market. Find a grotto restaurant and end your road trip with some delicious local Swiss food and wines.

By Zoe from Together In Switzerland

Snowy Drive on Germany’s Romantic Road for Bavarian Winter Beauty

Christmas decorations in the German town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a must visit on a winter Germany road trip.

The Romantic Road in Germany is a 285-mile (459-kilometre) route in Bavaria, South Germany. This road trip starts in the north in Würzburg and ends in the south near the Austrian border in Füssen.

Known for scenic landscapes and fairytale towns, a snowy drive in these parts is all the more special. Some of the most iconic and authentic Christmas markets happen to be in these regions of Germany , and the towns along the Romantic Road host the most unforgettable festivities . Most are held every day from 10am until late in December.

Start your winter drive on the Romantic Road in the baroque wine city of Würzburg before continuing to the cute and vivid Christmas town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Other highlights along the route include the medieval towns of Feuchtwangen, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, and Augsburg. The last stop in Füssen completes the journey with a visit to the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle.

The Romantic Road is perfect for those looking for snow-covered landscapes, medieval towns and Christmas cheer. It can take anywhere between 3 and 10 days to drive, depending on the chosen stops.

By Paul from Paulmarina

Malta Road Trip for Winter Sunshine & Christmas Cheer

Rocky coast with the skyline of Valletta, Malta in the background.

If you are one that prefers the sun to snow, the best winter road trip is Malta . With great weather, amazing views and super easy roads to navigate, this European gem is a fantastic option.

No matter if you are visiting Malta for one day or one month, you will have plenty of amazing places to see by road. For those wanting to see the best of Malta, it’s recommended to visit for 5-7 days. This is a great route for driving in Winter as you will have brighter days and no winter conditions hindering your trip.

To make the most of your Winter road trip in Malta, fly into Malta international airport and start your journey from there. This will save you money on airport transfers and allow you to start seeing the amazing Maltese views straightaway.

For those travellers who want to see amazing views, Malta is full of them. So have your camera at the ready when you visit. The best views to see by car are Għadira Bay, Mnajdra and the salt pans.

Malta is a very religious country so you will find lots of wonderful things to do during the build up to Christmas. To get yourself in the festive spirit, stop by Valletta for a candle lit service.

By Lowri from Many Other Roads

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Waitrose has become the only supermarket to receive a royal warrant from the King.

The recognition means the company has regularly provided the royal household with products for at least five years.

It also means it can use the King's coat of arms on packaging, as part of advertising or on any stationary it creates.

Waitrose was first granted a royal warrant in 1928 for supplying King George V with groceries and cleaning materials.

"We are honoured and proud that His Majesty has granted us his warrant," James Bailey, executive director of Waitrose, said.

"It means the world to all of us, and our farmers and suppliers. There couldn’t be a more powerful symbol of our commitment to service and quality, and our determination to have the highest environmental and animal welfare standards."

Waitrose was previously granted a royal warrant by the late Queen in 2002 and the King when he was Prince of Wales in 2010.

The Queen has also granted her first royal warrants, picking seven companies, including luxury department store Fortnum & Mason and the florist that supplied her coronation flowers, Shane Connolly & Company.

The royal nod could be bad news for customers, however, with a brand finance expert telling Sky News that having a royal warrant allows firms to charge a price premium.

David Haigh said his company's research estimated this to be "between 10% and 25%".

A royal warrant says a company or a product is luxurious, high quality and sustainable, he explained.

He estimates the scheme is "worth billions to UK companies and… therefore it's a very high value to the UK economy".

"And one of the reasons for that is that a lot of foreign tourists and buyers have a preference for royal warrant holder products. We found that 100% of Chinese buyers would pay in excess of 10% for a royal warrant holder product."

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10 EPIC UK Winter Road Trips You NEED to Drive (2024 edition)
Total Distance: 220 miles. Recommended No. of Days: 2-3 days. Best time to visit: November, December, January, February, March. The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the best winter road trips in Northern Ireland. Highlights include: Giants Causeway. Carrick-a-rede rope bridge.
11 Fantastic UK Winter Road Trip Itineraries
Here are 11 of the best road trip itineraries for exploring the United Kingdom in the winter! Table of Contents. 11 UK winter road trip itineraries. 1. Northern Scotland. 2. Scotland Highlands. 3. Scotland Cities & Lowlands.
14 Best Winter Getaways in the UK 2023
3. York. The Yorkshire marvel is a fantastic city all year round, and the brilliant roster of museums, restaurants and experiences make it a top-notch spot during winter. The National Railway ...
The best winter road trips in the UK
North Yorkshire is a seriously underrated option if you're looking for fun winter road trips in the UK. With well-maintained roads connecting major towns and the A171 connecting the coast from Scarborough to Whitby and beyond, this is a great option for seeing the delights of the North Yorkshire Coast and Moors without the summer crowds!
UK Road Trip Itinerary Planner
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 2 Weeks Itinerary for a UK Road Trip in Winter
Visiting the UK in the Winter Season. If you are considering visiting UK ( England and Wales) in the months of November - February in the year, most people would discourage you due to the less-than-ideal ...
5 Best Winter Road Trips in the UK :: Camplify
Discover the X best winter road trips in the UK with our round up of unmissable routes for the colder months!
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.
5 top UK winter road trips
Here are our 5 top UK winter road trips. Best coastal drives. Dumfries and Galloway has a beautiful coastal drive along the A75 south west from Dumfries to Kirkcudbright, where you will see a quaint harbour with fishing boats, castle ruins and further along the A75 to the A714 to the town of Wigtown. This drive offers safe country roads with an ...
19 Best Road Trips in the UK for Scenic Drives
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. 8. The Snow Roads Scenic Route. If you want a real adventure, this is one of the best road trips in the UK.
Visiting the UK in winter (Ultimate guide + top tips)
Edinburgh is one of the best destinations to visit in the UK in winter and particularly during the festive period.The Scottish capital hosts numerous events and activities in the build-up to Christmas including a fantastic light show on Princes Street Gardens where more than 1,000 fairy lights are switched on for the Festival of Lights.
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 ...
10 EPIC UK Winter Road Trips You NEED to Drive
Planning a winter road trip in the UK? Wondering whether you should head for the Northern Lights in Scotland, the snow-capped peaks in Wales, or use the time to visit popular locations like Cornwall or the Lake District? We've covered the best routes to help you choose your perfect UK winter road trip. Why do […]
5 Best UK Destinations for Memorable Winter Road Trips from London
Our 5 Picks for a UK winter road trip from London. 1. Oxford: A Scholarly Winter Haven. Nestled just northwest of London, Oxford transforms into a bit of a winter haven during the colder months. The historical streets and rich history make for charming walks around the city. If you take a short winter road trip from London to Oxford, then one ...
10 best road trips in the UK and Ireland
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.
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.
2 Weeks in the UK
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 ...
5 of the best winter drives in Scotland
From stunning lochs to spectacular mountains, Scotland's scenery certainly makes for a unique road trip and, after recently winning second place in Rough Guides' top 10 places in the world to visit in 2017, there is no better time to explore this beautiful country.Compiled by Premier Inn, here are the top five drives through this picturesque part of the UK.
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.
Best UK winter drives, from the NC500 to the Black Mountain Road
Best winter road trips in the UK. Drumroll please! Introducing Cuvva's favourite winter road trips. 1. Lake District, England Best for: classic countryside and pub lunches. The route from Keswick to Kendal via Windemere takes you through the heart of the Lake District National Park and along the largest natural lake in the UK, Lake Windermere.
13 Epic Itineraries for a Winter Road Trip in Europe
Heraklion, Crete. Winter is the perfect time to head to the Greek islands, hire a car, and set off on a Crete road trip of between 1-2 weeks. The temperature sits between 19C/66F degrees in November to 14C/57F degrees in March, and the 5 million tourists who arrive by plane each summer are nowhere to be seen!
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Also at play is the view that UK stocks represent good value, as they are cheaper compared to many of their international peers. A few moments ago, the FTSE 100 was trading 6 points lower at 8,423.

10 EPIC UK Winter Road Trips You NEED to Drive

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The 14 most brrrilliant winter getaways in the UK

Best winter getaways in the UK

1. Cornwall

2. North Wales

3. York

4. Bath

5. Giant’s Causeway

6. Glasgow

7. Orkney Islands

8. Pembrokeshire

9. Cairngorms National Park

10. Norwich

11. Ards Peninsula

12. Hay-on-Wye

13. New Forest

14. Ayr

The best winter road trips in the UK

Published: 26 August 2022

Winter road trips in England

Dorset Jurassic Coast road trip

Bath to Glastonbury road trip and the Somerset Levels

Brighton winter day trip

Winter road trips in Wales

Pembrokeshire Coast road trip

Snowdonia road trip

South Wales road trip

Winter road trips in Scotland

Isle of Skye road trip

Winter road trips in Northern Ireland

Summary: Winter road trips in UK

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5 Best Winter Road Trips in the UK

3. Narnia on the Yorkshire Moors

4. Lake District – Windermere

5. Cornwall and Land’s End

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