10 Epic Road Trips in England
Looking for the best road trips in England for your next trip? Keep reading to find out our selection of the best England road trips.
Given the most recent health crisis around the world, staying close to home will be on most people’s agenda this summer. One of the most popular ways to travel nowadays is by private vehicle, so if you’ve always dreamed of taking a road trip, or embarking on your own road trip in England and exploring new corners this is your chance.
Not only do road trips allow you to see many places from the comfort of your own car, but they also let you explore places you probably couldn’t reach by public transportation while also allowing you to have your own personal and private space.
I guess England isn’t the first place that springs to mind upon hearing the words ‘road trip’. Normally I personally think of the USA or Australia or even New Zealand when it comes to road trips but don’t be fooled, England also has some promising road trip potential.
Unlike the United States, itineraries are a lot shorter, allowing you to combine some or even all of the following road trips in England for the perfect little summer vacation. Never has there been a better time to explore England on four wheels.
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Top Tips for England Road Trips
↠ In some areas, petrol stations are few and far between. Make sure you use apps like Google Maps that tell you where they are. If you’re going somewhere remote make sure you have an extra tank in the car.
↠ Fuel up! With all the exploring that awaits you, make sure you have some awesome snack bars in the car ready for when hunger strikes. I always make sure to have plenty of Macro bars, they are healthy, delicious and perfect on-the-go.
↠ Some areas of England, especially in National Parks, don’t have much phone signal, so don’t just rely on internet-based map apps. I highly recommend downloading Maps.me which allows you to access maps offline too as well as a physical paper map for those truly off-the-beaten-path destinations. Google Maps for offline use is also a good idea.
↠ Drinking water is available plentifully in petrol stations, cafes and even bathrooms so make sure you have a reusable, refillable water bottle for your road trip. If you don’t have one yet, get yours on Amazon here. Please consider the planet before buying plastic bottles.
↠ The right playlists make for the best road trips. Make sure you’re prepared and downloaded all your favourite songs or made the perfect playlist for your drive.
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Top Road Trips in England
Cotswolds Road Trip
One of the best road trips in England, for many, is village hopping in the Cotswolds.
Covering a large area sandwiched between Wales and Oxford, the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Beauty allows you to drive from village to village, exploring the sensational hundreds-of-years old thatched cottages, stone bridges and the lush British countryside.
Start your road trip in Oxford and then proceed onto villages like Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Upper and Lower Slaughter, Burford and Castle Combe as well as large market towns like Tetbury and Cirencester.
After driving in a north to south direction, finish your road trip in Bath, one of the finest cities in England.
Read more: The Ultimate Cotswold Itinerary for the Perfect Weekend Trip | The Prettiest Cotswold Villages- 5 Villages You Have To Visit
The Atlantic Corridor: North Devon to Cornwall
This stretch of the Atlantic Corridor is probably one of England’s finest coastal drives, particularly the Barnstaple to Newquay part along the A39. There are so many places to stop and explore along this route that realistically this driving tour should take about 3-4 days to drive the 130 miles.
My suggestion would be to start in Bristol or Bath before turning onto the A39 and making a stop in Chedder to drive through the jaw-dropping Cheddar Gorge.
Next, head towards Bridgwater and then through the Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park stopping to do a few short coastal walks along the cliffs.
From Barnstaple, take a brief detour to Croyde and explore Croyde Bay, one of the most unique and beautiful beaches in England.
Continue on your driving tour south along the A39 stopping anywhere the journey takes you. Make sure to check out Tintagel Castle, the believed birthplace of King Arthur before arriving in Newquay, Cornwall, England’s surf capital.
Peak District National Park
Located in the North of England between Manchester and Sheffield, the Peak District is an area of sheer beauty and history. It’s the perfect place in England for a short yet adventurous driving tour.
Here you can spend hours driving around, exploring British history and heritage through ancient castles and charming country manors as well as really getting a dose of Mother Nature through the countless opportunities for hiking and trekking in the hills.
Some of the best places to hike include Winnats Pass, Cave Dale, Dovestone Reservoir, Kinder Scout and Dovedale. Also make sure to check out the sublime Chatsworth House – an English mansion from the 1600s, Haddon Hall and Peveril Castle, a ruined Norman fort surrounded by limestone cliffs and rolling green hills.
Read more: The Mam Tor Walk Guide – 4 Picturesque Mam Tor Walks For All Abilities
Lake District National Park
There’s plenty to do and see in England’s most popular national park and just like the Peak District, it’s packed with culture, quintessentially British villages and rolling green hills.
Not only that, as its name might suggest the main draw to this area are its lakes, deep blue reservoirs that go on for miles, dotting the landscape with beauty and natural artistry.
Spend your time road tripping around the park, stopping off to admire lakes and viewpoints, for a traditional English lunch and a pint in a pub and of course of the occasional hike.
Don’t miss climbing Scafell Pike- England’s highest peak as well as Lake Windermere, Ullswater, Beatrix Potter’s 17th Century cottage, Ambleside and Grasmere just to name a few of the abundant highlights.
