Lady’s 5 Best UK Road Trips

If ever there was a season for UK road trips, this is it. Whether you go in a car or a camper van, the open road beckons. So today I want to bring you my guide to the best road trips in the UK. From England to Scotland, Wales to Northern Ireland, these are my favorite places to get out on the open road.

UK Road Trips

There are a lot of great options for a UK road trip itinerary. Whether you like wild highland scenery in Scotland or coastal gems in Northern Ireland, there’s a perfect adventure waiting for you.

I’ve compiled my list from personal experience. I’ve taken all the road trips in this blog post and can personally vouch for how good they are. If you get a chance to take one or more, I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

They’re great ways to get outdoors and see the United Kingdom, and they offer a chance to get to places that are hard to access by public transport.

1. Scotland Road Trip

I’ll start my list of the best UK road trips up north in Scotland. My legendary Scotland road trip itinerary begins and ends in Edinburgh.

In between, it will take you everywhere from lochs to some of the best islands to visit in Scotland. Starting just north of Edinburgh, this UK road trip goes through Fife. Places like Kellie Castle, Falkland, and St Andrews are highlights here.

From Fife, this British road trip goes through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Natural scenery abounds here, and it’s a great place to do some walking and hiking.

Continuing north, the road trip itinerary goes through the stunning hills of Glen Coe en route to Fort William.

The journey continues west in Mallaig and Oban, coastal towns with beautiful countryside in between. From Oban, there’s an optional jaunt into the Scottish Hebrides, where I’ve enjoyed sailing trips in the past.

Heading back inland, the Scottish road trip itinerary will take you along the atmospheric Loch Etive, along the western shore of Loch Lomond, and into Glasgow.

This underrated city in Britain is one of my favorite places in Scotland, and it’s worth spending a few days exploring it.

Between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the road trip will bring you to Stirling Castle and The Kelpies, the world’s largest equine sculptures.

Back in Edinburgh, you can finish this British road trip with some rest and relaxation (or if you’re me, more sightseeing).

If you want to do this trip, you can see the full itinerary with photos and a map here.

2. North Wales Road Trip

Next on my list of the best UK road trips is one in Wales. My road trip in North Wales will take you to some of the most beautiful places to visit in the UK.

This road trip starts in Denbigh, where there are castle ruins and pretty streets to explore. Great views across the town and surrounding countryside are highlights here.

From Denbigh this UK road trip continues into North Wales with a stop in Snowdonia National Park. This is one of the most famous places to get outdoors in Wales. It’s a mecca for hikers, walkers, and ramblers.

Whether you want to climb Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, or walk around Llyn Idwal, a bucolic lake, there are lots of places to take in the scenery in this part of the UK.

The road trip itinerary continues with a stop at Penrhyn Castle, a 19th-century number that’s impressive inside and out, before continuing out to Anglesey.

Anglesey is an island just off the coast of Wales, and it’s known for its beautiful beaches, stunning stately homes, and remote feel. It’s a great place to get away from it all.

After Anglesey, this North Wales road trip will take you to Caernarfon. This town is known for its stunning castle, which dominates the center and has spectacular views from the towers.

Leaving Caernarfon, you’ll come to my favorite place in North Wales: Portmeirion. This colorful coastal village looks like Portofino, what with its pastel buildings climbing the hillside. It’s a great place to spend a day or two.

The last stop on this British road trip is Powis Castle. It’s one of the most beautiful castles in Wales, and its topiary yews and historic interiors make it worth a visit.

If you want to follow this road trip itinerary, you can find the highlights here.

3. England and Wales Road Trip

Next on my list of the best UK road trips is a great British road trip in England and Wales. I did this one over 5 weeks in a camper van, and it was one of the best trips I’ve taken in the UK.

This driving adventure will bring you from Gretna Green on the Scottish border down into the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Chester, Wales, Wiltshire, London, the Cotswolds, Nottingham, the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, Robin Hood’s Bay, and Durham.

It’s an amazing route that will show you everything from cities and towns to coast and countryside.

If you want to get a broad overview of what England and Wales have to offer, it’s a great itinerary to follow. You can find the road trip route and map here.

4. Northern Ireland Road Trip

Over in Northern Ireland, the next of my UK road trips is on the Causeway Coastal Route in County Antrim. I did this Northern Ireland tour while I was visiting Belfast, and I loved it.

The Causeway Coastal Route has been rated one of the top 5 road trips in the world, placing it among the best places to drive in the UK.

On the itinerary are gorgeous coves, stunning seascapes, and lots of spots to pull over and soak up the scenery. The trip starts in Belfast, then stops at Carrickfergus Castle, which sits stately over a harbor on the coast.

It continues a the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, a narrow footbridge that connects the Irish mainland to the tiny island of Carrickared across two volcanic cliffs. It’s surrounded by stunning coastal scenery and is a great place for a walk.

This road trip itinerary has its next stop at the Bushmills Irish whiskey distillery, where you can take a tour and do a tasting.

Next comes the Giant’s Causeway, an area with 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns. They’re 60 million years old and they’re stunning to see on the waterfront.

This UK road trip culminates at Dunluce Castle, a ruined medieval fortress on the sea. It’s a haunting sight, and a beautiful place to end a day.

If you want to do this road trip, you can read about it here. There are lots of tours you can do, too, so it’s a great choice if you don’t want to drive yourself.

5. Cotswolds Road Trip

While most of the UK road trips on this list are multi-day ones, I want to share one that can be done as a day trip from London by car for those that are in the UK capital and pressed for time.

This Cotswolds day trip itinerary will show you a great 1-day road trip from London to some of the most beautiful Cotswolds villages.

This UK road trip starts in Burford, a town that’s often referred to as the Gateway to the Cotswolds. With a pretty high street, a historic church, and lots of restaurants and shops, it’s the perfect place to start a trip to the Cotswolds.

If you like walking, there’s a great Burford circular walk you can do while you’re here. It’s a fun way to see the Windrush Valley and surrounding villages.

The next stop on the itinerary is Bourton-on-the-Water. As the name implies, this charming village is bisected by a river. It’s home to beautiful cottages, several small museums, and lots of pretty footbridges.

From Bourton-on-the-Water, you can leave the car behind and walk to Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter. These two tiny villages are bursting with charm, and they’re great places to take in idyllic Cotswold stone houses and scenery.

Last on this UK road trip itinerary is Bibury. The village is home to Arlington Row, one of the most photographed streets in England. The line of historic weavers’ cottages is picture-pretty and draws visitors from all over the world.

If you want to do this English road trip, you can find the itinerary and photos here.

If you have an extra day, I’ve also written about weekend road trips to the Cotswolds. From a spring weekend in the Cotswolds to an autumn weekend in the Cotswolds and a winter weekend in the Cotswolds, they’re great road trips to take in different seasons.

Best Road Trips in the UK

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of UK road trips and that it’s inspired you to get behind the wheel and drive through Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

If you want more, I’ve written about road trips in England’s Cornwall, Hampshire, and Norfolk. I’ve also published my road trip packing tips, a list of scenic drives near London with maps, and an England road trip itinerary.

Wherever you go, I hope your travels make you fall in love with this country as much as I have. Happy driving!

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