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Route planner

Hitting a UK road / French route / German stra ß e?

Wherever the stra ß e takes you, we’ve got you covered .

You’ve got your route covered .

Now, what about your vehicle?

Route? Check .

Passport? Check .

Breakdown cover? Check it out .

If you’ve got a journey ahead, whether it’s small or large, the Green Flag Route Planner can help you get there with minimal fuss.

The route planner isn’t limited to the UK. You can get accurate directions across Europe. Remember that European breakdown is worth considering if you’re heading to the continent, because repairs and getting back can be costly and ruin your trip.

Once you enter your start point and destination the route finder will map out the best routes for your journey, giving you an estimation of time and an accurate mileage count. It’s easy to add waypoints, so if you know you need to take a detour en route then you don’t need to workout separate journeys.

The route planner will give you a list of directions to your destination, and each individual direction has its own mileage, helping you to keep on track and stay clear of wrong turnings.

Before you head out make sure you’re covered with breakdown cover so you can get back on the road if anything should happen on the way.

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Advanced Route Planner for Car Travellers

Craft your perfect road trip with our free route planner. Discover new routes, enjoy seamless travel planning, and embark on adventures with ease and excitement.

This distance calculator, covering Great Britain, Europe, and worldwide, is your go-to tool for planning routes efficiently. Simply enter your starting point and destination in the "From" and "To" fields, which accept city names, addresses, or GPS coordinates. Clicking the crosshair icon allows you to pinpoint locations on the map directly. After inputting your details, press "Calculate" to see your route.

Utilize the "Fuel consumption" and "Fuel price" fields for an accurate estimate of your journey's fuel costs. For a tailored travel experience, explore the "Advanced options" to include stops or adjust speeds, ensuring your drive is perfectly aligned with your preferences.

Examples of Routes Between Cities in Great Britain

• Distance from Newcastle to Sunderland
• Distance from Dublin to Belfast
• Distance from Glasgow to Oban
• Distance from Ipswich to Norwich
• Distance from Manchester to Derby
• Distance from Manchester to Wolverhampton
• Distance from Preston to Bolton
• Distance from Scarborough to Bridlington
• Distance from Stirling to Dundee
• Distance from Liverpool to Manchester

What Can You Do with This Route Planner

Family Holiday Planning : Families can utilise the distance calculator for orchestrating summer holiday journeys by car. It enables the estimation of total travel distance, facilitating budget planning through the calculation of fuel expenses, based on the vehicle's fuel consumption and the prevailing average fuel price per litre.

Business Travel Organisation : Professionals planning car trips for business purposes can benefit from this tool by identifying the most efficient routes, thereby optimising travel schedules and estimating travel expenditures, including fuel costs.

Logistics and Freight Management : For logistics companies and freight forwarders, the distance calculator is indispensable for mapping out routes, calculating distances between cities, and estimating transportation costs in line with company tariffs, thus enhancing the accuracy of freight quotations.

Coordinating Midpoint Meetings : The tool also proves valuable for friends planning meetups, allowing them to calculate a halfway point between different cities, making it simpler to arrange gatherings that are convenient for all parties involved.

Distance Between Cities Calculator

Changes in infrastructure, such as new roads, highways, and bridges, mean that distances between cities may vary from year to year.

Our Distance Between Cities Calculator is the perfect partner to your preferred GPS navigator , enabling you to plot your journey ahead of time while your GPS takes over the navigation.

Drawing on OSM data, our calculator offers all the familiar features of Google Maps , including:

• Visualising your route on a map for a clear overview of your journey.
• Interactive map controls such as zoom, drag-and-drop, and a full-screen option.
• Route adjustment by relocating map markers or adding waypoints with addresses.
• Option to calculate distances in kilometres or miles, with a simple adjustment available in the top-right menu.

Unique to our calculator are several standout features:

• Options to print, save as PDF/PNG, or export your route in formats compatible with GIS systems and GPS navigators, such as GPX, KML, and GeoJSON .
• A route outline that provides a sequence of cities and timings for intermediate cities, a succinct alternative to lengthy turn-by-turn directions for longer trips.
• Fuel cost estimations that accommodate various types of fuel, including petrol, diesel, and LPG. Users simply input their fuel efficiency.
• The ability to freely generate distance matrices, which can be saved in Excel format for further analysis or planning.

Great Britain, Europe and Worldwide

34,689 localities covered in United Kingdom. 1,971,411 localities worldwide.

This service measures the distance between cities around the world and is available in several languages:

• English www.drivebestway.com Calculate drive across USA cities
• English ca.drivebestway.com Distance to Canadian Cities Tool
• Spanish www.mejoresrutas.com Herramienta de cálculo de distancias México
• Portuguese www.melhoresrotas.com Distância intercidades no Brasil
• English au.drivebestway.com Australia Road Distance Finder
• Spanish es.mejoresrutas.com Distancia entre capitales de provincia españolas
• Spanish ar.mejoresrutas.com Medir distancias en rutas argentinas
• Spanish co.mejoresrutas.com Medir distancias en rutas de Colombia
• Spanish us.mejoresrutas.com Distancia entre estados de EE. UU.
• Spanish cl.mejoresrutas.com Medir km de viaje en Chile
• Spanish pe.mejoresrutas.com Medir distancias entre pueblos peruanos
• Spanish ve.mejoresrutas.com Calculador de distancias entre ciudades venezolanas
• Spanish br.mejoresrutas.com Ruta de viaje en Brasil
• Portuguese pt.melhoresrotas.com Distância intercidades em Portugal
• French www.bonnesroutes.com Outil de distance urbaine FR
• French ca.bonnesroutes.com Calcul de route nationale Canadienne
• German www.besterouten.com DE Streckenplaner
• Polish www.najlepszetrasy.com Oblicz trasę w Polsce
• Czech www.dobracesta.com Autem mezi českými městy vzdálenost
• Italian www.percorsomigliore.com Percorsi stradali in Italia
• Malay www.pandujalanterbaik.com Alat ukur jarak antara tempat di Malaysia
• Dutch www.besteroutes.com KM berekenen in Nederland
• Turkish www.duzgunyolusec.com Yolculuk mesafe hesaplama Türkiye
• Dutch be.besteroutes.com Van punt naar punt in België
• German be.besterouten.com Routenplaner kostenlos BE
• French be.bonnesroutes.com Planificateur de trajet belge
• French ch.bonnesroutes.com Outil suisse de calcul des distances
• German ch.besterouten.com Routenplaner gratis CH
• German at.besterouten.com Routenplaner kostenlos AT

How Is the Distance Between Cities and Points Calculated?

Distance and travel time calculation algorithm.

This calculator determines routes using shortest path search algorithms within a weighted road graph, employing algorithms such as Dijkstra, A-Star, and Contraction Hierarchies . Unlike other calculators that prioritize distance or travel time, this tool optimizes drive time for cars, favoring routes along higher-class roads.

The road graph is built from OpenStreetMap data, with road segment distances calculated using the haversine formula , based on exact GPS coordinates. This approach calculates "air distance," which differs from road distance due to roads having curves and varying directions. The road is modeled as a series of straight segments, for each of which the haversine formula is applied, allowing for accurate road distance calculations between any two points.

Cities are not single points but span large areas. Thus, the calculator selects central points within cities for distance calculations. Routes can be customized away from city centers by entering specific addresses or selecting points on a map, with the option to adjust the route's start and end points directly on the map.

Travel time calculations break the route into segments, assessing the maximum speed allowed on each to estimate the quickest possible journey time.

It is important to remember that route calculations are based on computer models, which are not infallible. Always plan with contingencies in mind .

Other Methods of Calculating Distances

One straightforward method to calculate distances involves using a highway atlas to visually plot a route. By utilising a curvimeter along this plotted route, one can obtain an estimated distance. For time estimation, it's common to consider an average speed of 80 km/h on major intercity roads. Though these estimates may be approximate, their simplicity is a key advantage.

Should a curvimeter be unavailable, a ruler can be a practical alternative. Begin by aligning the ruler's zero mark with the starting point of your route, carefully navigating it along the road's contours. The measured length can then be converted into kilometres or miles, in accordance with the atlas's map scale, which is typically indicated on each page.

For a more streamlined approach, consider utilising pre-calculated distance tables for Great Britain available on various websites, atlases, and guidebooks. This method is especially convenient for planning trips between major cities, though it's worth noting smaller towns might not be covered.

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Route Planner

Driving directions.

The route deemed to be the safest and simplest with minimal scope for error along the way. The default recommended route from Michelin.

The route offering the shortest distance to a destination via the most accessible roads. Journey times for this option will tend to be longer.

The most fuel-efficient route that also avoids toll roads.

My cost options

• B7 (Diesel)
• E5 (Unleaded)
• E85 (superethanol)
• CNG (Biomethane)
• H2 (Hydrogen)

My route options

• E5 (Unleaded) €1.700
• Route : Fast
• Distance in : Kilometres
• No restrictions
• Route from this place
• Directions to this place
• Route via this place
• Nearby hotels
• Nearby restaurants

Keep in contact

My michelin account.

Work in progress.

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Best online route planners 2022

Which web-based journey planner makes the most sense.

With the summer holidays fast approaching, the number of British drivers hitting the road to travel to family, friends and beach resorts is only set to increase – and this means an inevitable rise in traffic and congestion.

One way to avoid being stuck in nose-to-tail hold-ups is to use a route planner ahead of time, so you can see where traffic hotspots might be, plot any lunchtime stop-offs, and even plan for any electric-vehicle charging needs.

Over the years, in the era of built-in sat-navs and smartphones, these pre-journey web planners have become less important. However, many providers have pivoted their model to allow you to plan in advance and then transfer to an integrated companion app. This is in addition to calculating journey times based not only on live traffic, but also on what the traffic is likely to be based on your chosen departure time.

For those travelling to remote parts where signal might be at a premium, the ability to print off hard copies of turn-by-turn instructions still has its uses, too.

We put eight route planners – all of them free to use – to the test, to see which one you should load up before your next road trip.

How we tested them

We put the eight route finders to the test with a journey from the Auto Express headquarters in central London, out through north-western suburbs, to the home of UK motoring: the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire. 

This allowed us to test city, A-road and motorway route planning, with each planner graded for accuracy, live traffic alerts and route options. 

Also taken into consideration during the test was the ability to print out turn-by-turn directions, how easy the planner was to link to an app and any other useful extra features offered.

Previous test winner Google Maps comes out on top again because it really does do everything you need, and in an easy and intuitive way. Waze and Bing Maps join it on the podium, and are great alternatives if you prefer the user interface. 

Google Maps

• Website: maps.google.co.uk
• Rating: 5 stars

Google Maps has long been our favourite route finder, doing everything simply, quickly and easily. This is the fifth time that we’ve awarded it top spot in this test, and for good reason. 

Searching is easy, and the planner has a wealth of options for fine-tuning your trip including live traffic, predicted traffic and app sharing. A bonus is the ability to switch between satellite imagery and a traditional map, as well as using Street View.

Of course, it’s embedded with the full power of Google, so you can find landmarks and other useful locations on your route extremely easily. It’s hard to see how it won’t always be the best of the bunch.

View Google Maps

• Website: waze.com/livemap
• Rating: 4.5 stars

Once the new kid on the block, Waze is now well established as a super route planner. Last time we ran this test, we were pleased to see the web-based journey planner had been updated to fall in line with the quality of the app, making use of the community-based traffic data. Journeys are accurate and timings based on live data. 

The website is fully integrated with the award-winning app, with intuitive buttons to let you transfer your journey to a smartphone. We were also impressed by the ability to schedule a journey with a desired arrival time, and Waze will prompt you when it’s time to set off based on traffic at that moment.

• Website: bing.com/maps

Microsoft’s version of Google is not far off our winner. Place searching and nav are intuitive, and you can easily add rest stops. Traffic is colour coded, and there’s a clear way to print. One frustration is that there’s no obvious way to share your planning with an app – a shame in a connected world. 

Not seen elsewhere is live Highways England traffic-camera feeds, showing flow at that location – really useful in bad-traffic areas.

View Bing Maps

• Website: wego.here.com
• Rating: 4 stars

Here’s a top company that provides software for car makers’ own sat-navs, and its WeGo route finder is impressive. It looks more advanced than Bing or Google, but is actually a bit less intuitive. That said, all the core functionality is there, although whether it’s accounting for live traffic isn’t all that clear. It is easy to transfer a planned route to the HERE app or print directions.

View HERE WeGo

TomTom MyDrive

• Website: mydrive.tomtom.com

This online route finder started life as a companion site for those who owned a TomTom sat-nav, but now it’s transitioned to work just as well for those without. Functionality matches its rivals’, too. 

A unique feature is the Thrill option, to give a more scenic route based on how hilly or winding you want it to be. We also like the motorcycle-friendly route option. If you own a TomTom, you can share your progress directly to your device, too, or just with your smartphone to turn it into a sat-nav. 

View TomTom MyDrive

Via Michelin

• Website: viamichelin.co.uk/web/routes
• Rating: 3.5 stars

A bright spot here is a function to calculate the cost of a journey and then generate an expense receipt. The planning functionality is solid, with accurate routes and the option to take current traffic into account. 

Yet while the options to tailor your journey are quite extensive, it’s a shame most are hidden behind complex and cluttered filters. You can print directions easily, but again there’s no option to share with an app.

View Via Michelin

AA Route Planner

• Website: theaa.com/route-planner
• Rating: 3 stars

The AA is better known for breakdown cover than route planning. Its online offering falls behind some of the tech-based firms’, with a slightly outdated site and functionality. But the basics are all there and you can use the AA’s library of live traffic alerts to tailor your journey to avoid jams. 

However, it’s quite clunky to use and the adverts make it messy – especially when compared to the simplicity of our top-ranked sites. While you can print directions, there’s no way to share with a paired app.

View AA Route Planner

RAC Route Planner

• Website: rac.co.uk/route-planner

As with the AA, the core function of getting from A to B is there, with accurate routes, yet the user interface is not as smooth as our winner’s. Location look-up could be a lot better and there’s no way to use predicted traffic for future departures. Again, printing directions is easy, but there’s no app. Importantly, the RAC offers the option to calculate how much the trip will cost in fuel.

View RAC Route Planner

Now read our list of the best sat-nav apps ...

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Route planner

Driving directions.

The route deemed to be the safest and simplest with minimal scope for error along the way. The default recommended route from Michelin.

The route offering the shortest distance to a destination via the most accessible roads. Journey times for this option will tend to be longer.

The most fuel-efficient route that also avoids toll roads.

My cost options

• B7 (Diesel)
• E5 (Unleaded)
• E85 (superethanol)
• CNG (Biomethane)
• H2 (Hydrogen)

My route options

• E5 (Unleaded) €1.700
• Route : Fast
• Distance in : Kilometres
• No restrictions
• Route from this place
• Directions to this place
• Route via this place
• Nearby hotels
• Nearby restaurants

Arrive at %{address} Organise your trip

Accommodation, other services, restaurants at %{address}.

• See restaurants from the Michelin selection

Tourist Attractions at %{address}

• View the must-see tourist sites

Renting a car, an attractive proposition for the holidays

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Eco-mobility

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Get directions and show routes

You can get directions for driving, public transport, walking, ride sharing, cycling, flights or motorcycling on Google Maps. If there are multiple routes, the best route to your destination is blue, all other routes are grey. Some directions in Google Maps are in development and may have limited availability. 

Important: Stay alert when you use directions on Google Maps. Always be aware of your surroundings to ensure the safety of yourself and others. When in doubt, follow actual traffic regulations and confirm signage from the road or path that you’re on.

• On your computer, open Google Maps .

• Click points on the map, type an address or add a place name.
• Choose your mode of transportation.

Tip: To choose another route in any transportation mode, select it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

Google Maps transportation modes

You can get directions for different modes of transportation in Google Maps. Learn about the differences in features and availability between each mode:

• If you want to change a driving route, click and hold a spot on the route and drag it to a new spot on the map.

• Not all cities have public transport directions in Google Maps. Before you can get public transport directions, your local transport operator needs to add their route info to Google Maps.

• If you want directions in an area with ride or taxi services, you can compare ride services with public transport and walking directions. Find out how to request a ride .

• Directions to multiple destinations, or waypoints, aren’t available for public transport or flight searches.
• Learn more about how to search for flights .

• Learn how to get directions for motorcycles .

Add multiple destinations

You can get directions to multiple destinations for all modes of transportation except public transport or flight.

• Add a starting point and a destination.

• You can add up to nine stops.
• Click on a route to get the directions.

Tip : You can search for places along your route.

To change the order of your stops: 

• Find the destination that you want to move. 
• Drag the destination.

Preview directions in Street View

• On your computer, under the route you want, click Details.

• Point to a step in the directions. If Street View is available, you get a preview photo.
• To get Street View for other steps in the route, in the bottom-left box, click Previous step or Next step.

Customise your route

• Choose Options .
• Tick the box next to 'Tolls' or 'Motorways'.
• Get directions.
• After you get your directions, click Leave now .
• To change your travel dates or times, select Depart at or Arrive by .

When you enter a destination in Google Maps, we show you how to get there using different travel modes, like driving, cycling or walking. 

Sometimes, the transport options that we show you are ranked according to a combination of objective factors designed to help you find relevant and useful information. These factors can include duration, distance, price, your mode preference or the relevance of a mode to your query. Generally, the most important factors are your mode preference, trip durations and sometimes price.

Where available, we also show you other mobility services like public transport, scooter or bicycle rentals and vehicle ride services. These mobility services are provided by third parties who have made their transport data publicly available or who have a partner agreement with us. Any partnerships or business relationships that we may have with any transport service providers do not influence the ranking of these services.

Related resources

• Get traffic or search for places along the way
• Plan your commute or trip

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UK Road Trip Itinerary Planner | The 7 Best Routes

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: January 29, 2024

If you love to take to the wheel and you’ll be visiting the UK at some point in the future, then you need to find the perfect UK road trip itinerary! 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 showcases the very best that the UK has to offer. 

Don’t plan a road trip in the UK without reading this first! From the Scottish Highlands to the sunny south coast of England and wild, unspoiled Wales, here are seven of the best UK road trip itineraries. But first, a few pointers on how to use this guide.

Cherry-picking

Pace yourself, the great british weather, driving in the uk, 1. the cotswolds and the south of england, 2. wonderful wales, 3. the english countryside, 4. the south to north circular, 5. capital to capital (london to edinburgh), 6. devon and cornwall, 7. bonnie scotland, which uk road trip itinerary will you follow, how to use this uk road trip itinerary planner.

You could follow these itineraries over whatever period of time you have at your disposal, but we’d say you need at least a week.

A fortnight means you can spend more time in each place, while ten days means having to rush around a little less than when you have only 7 nights to spare. 

The key thing to remember here is that it’s your UK road trip, not ours! So you can of course cherry pick where you want to go and leave out anywhere that doesn’t really interest you. 

If you think about it, doing that means you could fit in two of these itineraries, back-to-back, over a fortnight. Rather than just one. Having said that…

A holiday is all about having fun. Or at least it should be. For that reason, we urge you not to try to pack too much in. Pace yourself and you might just enjoy yourself a whole lot more. 

When you’re not sure about where you really want to go, ask yourself this. Would you be really disappointed if you missed out on visiting this place? Or are you not really all that bothered? If you’re not feeling the love and aren’t too fussed about it, then is it really worth spending the time and money on going there? 

Wherever you go, be prepared for the weather to take over. British people often seem to talk about little else. Whether you’re in northern Scotland, west Wales or central England, the maritime climate of the British Isles means that the weather can be very changeable. 

Dress in layers, take along a packable rain jacket and an umbrella, pick the right footwear and you’ll be prepared for anything. 

Before you draw up that UK road trip map, you’ll need to think about driving around the country. Booking car hire before you go is always advisable, especially if you want a particular kind of vehicle. Such as an automatic – cars with manual transmission are still the norm in the UK. 

In the UK they drive on the left. Cars are thus right hand drive. Meaning that the steering wheel is on the right hand side of the car. If you’re from North America, Europe or any other area that drives on the left, then this may feel very different from what you’re used to!

Roads in the UK are generally well-maintained. Signs measure distances in miles rather than kilometres. In the interests of safety, it’s a good idea to look at the Highway Code before you set off, as this will familiarise you with the rules of the road in the UK.

We recommend preparing to drive in the UK with Tripiamo which is the most comprehensive guide for Americans driving abroad.

Their guides include instructional videos and interactive 360-degree driving tours and will teach you everything you need to know about driving abroad, from reading road signs to avoiding fines. Drive safely and confidently in the UK with the help of Tripiamo.

7 best UK road trip itineraries

This suggested road trip itinerary for the UK commences in Oxford. If you make all the stops, you’ll visit the Cotswolds, Bath, Salisbury, Stonehenge , Portsmouth, Winchester, Brighton, Dover and Canterbury. 

• Heathrow/Oxford -> The Cotswolds -> Bath -> Salisbury & Stonehenge -> optional Portsmouth and/or Winchester -> Brighton -> Dover -> Canterbury 

Depending on whether you want to embark on your road trip right away or spend some time in London first, you can collect a hire car for this Cotswolds and southern England road trip either at Heathrow Airport or in Oxford.

Don’t bother trying to drive in central London – it’s congested, expensive and almost completely devoid of any parking whatsoever!

Here’s where to stop when you want to explore the Cotswolds and the south of England. As well as five of the best things to do in each of these locations.

If you choose to begin in Oxford , this historic and academic city has lots to offer. It’s packed with very old buildings, including the many colleges making up the prestigious University of Oxford. Some of these were featured in the Harry Potter movies . 

Oxford also offers the Ashmolean Museum, which focuses on art and archaeology. You can also take a river cruise on the Thames, which is a lovely way to see the city. The Oxford Botanic Gardens and Arboretum are also well worth a look. 

• Oxford University and city walking tour
• Ashmolean Museum of art and archaeology
• Sightseeing river cruise on a small electric boat
• Harry Potter tour of Oxford filming locations
• Oxford Botanic Gardens & Arboretum

If you’re spending time in southern England, then you must visit the Cotswolds . This designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is all greenery and honey-toned local stone, and dotted with appealing towns and villages. 

Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water are the two most popular spots, but there are so many villages you can visit. Check out the 10 best Cotswolds villages in this post, or use the suggestions below.

Find things to do and places to stay in the Cotswolds in our complete guides.

• Stow-on-the-Wold Market town with traditional pubs and antique shops
• Bourton-on-the-Water On the River Windrush with honey-toned stone buildings
• Lacock Home to Harry Potter filming locations and beautiful, ancient buildings 
• Bibury Timeless village where you can find photogenic and historic Arlington Row
• Painswick The Queen of the Cotswolds with Rococo gardens and a grand churchyard

Bath is a spa city in the west of England. It’s world famous for its original Roman Baths, handsome Georgian architecture and the Bath bun. Other top places to visit in Bath include Pulteney Bridge and the luxurious Thermae Bath Spa. 

Discover a Bath itinerary , where to stay and what to do in our Bath guides.

• City walking tour with Roman Baths entry
• Pulteney Bridge
• Thermae Bath Spa
• The Royal Crescent 
• Bath Bun at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House and Museum

Salisbury & Stonehenge

So many visitors to the UK want to see Stonehenge. The mysterious stone circle can be found close to Salisbury , making it easy to visit both. 

Salisbury is a small city with a magnificent cathedral, a good museum and a bi-weekly market. You can also enjoy views of the city from Old Sarum, two miles away. 

• Stonehenge World Heritage Site
• Salisbury Cathedral and the Magna Carta
• Salisbury Charter Market | Tuesdays and Saturdays
• The Salisbury Museum | Stonehenge and local archaeology
• Old Sarum | Deserted hilltop ruins with panoramic city views

Portsmouth – optional

An optional trip to Portsmouth will particularly appeal to anyone interested in maritime history. The city is home to the historic dockyard, the Mary Rose and HMS Victory. Other sights to see include the Spinnaker Tower, and you can shop at the Gunwharf Quays outlet centre too. 

• Spinnaker Tower
• Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
• The Mary Rose
• HMS Victory
• Gunwharf Quays | Outlet shopping

Winchester – optional

Like Salisbury, Winchester is a small cathedral city. There’s an interesting military museum here. Other places to visit include the Winchester Science Centre, the Great Hall and Winchester College.

• Winchester Cathedral
• The Royal Green Jackets Museum
• Winchester College
• The Great Hall
• Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium

Brighton makes a great day trip from London – or you can stay over as part of a road trip around the UK. With a grand pier and a pebble beach, Brighton is Britain’s most popular city by the sea. 

Things to do here include shopping at The Lanes, seeing the Royal Pavilion and going on the i360. The Seal Life Centre is also popular with families. 

• British Airways i360
• The Lanes | Cafes, shops, pubs, boutiques and restaurants
• Brighton Palace Pier
• The Royal Pavilion
• Sea Life Brighton

Dover 

Dover is best known for the iconic white cliffs, but there are other attractions here too. These include St Margarets Bay beach, Dover Castle, the Fan Bay Deep Shelter and the Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery.

• White Cliffs of Dover
• Dover Castle
• St Margarets Bay beach
• Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery
• Fan Bay Deep Shelter

Canterbury is the capital of Kent, the county known as the Garden of England. The cathedral here is a draw, and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the Church of England. 

You can also explore Westgate Gardens here, and visit Howletts Wild Animal Park or The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge with the kids.

• Canterbury Cathedral
• Westgate Gardens
• Official guided walking tour
• Howletts Wild Animal Park
• The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge 

Our wonderful Welsh itinerary begins in Oxford, in England, before heading via the Cotswolds to Bath. You can find out what to do in those locations under the Cotswolds and South of England itinerary above. Or read on to discover all that Wales has to offer. 

• Heathrow or Oxford -> The Cotswolds -> Bath -> Cardiff (optional) -> Brecon Beacons -> Barmouth -> Porthmadog -> Snowdonia -> Caernarfon -> Anglesey -> Llandudno -> Chester -> Liverpool (optional) -> Peak District -> Stratford -> Oxford/Heathrow

Cardiff is the cool capital of Wales. Top things to see here include Cardiff Castle, Bute Park, the Principality Stadium and home of Welsh rugby, and the National Museum. You can also take a Doctor Who walking tour of the city!

• Cardiff Castle
• Principality Stadium
• National Museum
• Doctor Who walking tour

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Bannau Brycheiniog, formally known as the Brecon Beacons, is the ideal place for outdoor sorts to stretch their legs. As well as hiking, you can cycle, try watersports, stargaze or do some rock climbing here.

• Mountain biking
• Watersports
• Rock climbing

The seaside town of Barmouth in northwest Wales is a pretty place to explore. Here you can spend time at Barmouth Beach, walk over Barmouth Bridge, see the harbour, discover Old Barmouth or hike the Taith Ardudwy Way. 

• Barmouth Beach
• Barmouth Harbour
• Taith Ardudwy Way hiking trail
• Old Barmouth
• Barmouth Bridge

Porthmadog is also a coastal town in Gwynedd. Things to do in this Welsh destination include visiting Black Rock Sands, two miles from town. You can also see the harbour village of Borth-y-Gest, Criccieth Castle, take a ride on the famous Blaenau Ffestiniog railway and spend time in the I talianate village of Portmeirion.  

• Blaenau Ffestiniog railway
• Black Rock Sands beach
• Borth-y-Gest village
• Criccieth Castle
• Portmeirion village

Snowdonia ( Eryri )

This mountainous part of northwest Wales is home to Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), Wales’s highest mountain.

The area is popular among hikers, and also known for the historic Snowdon Mountain Railway. Apart from exploring Eryri (Snowdonia National Park), taking a train ride and conquering the peak, you can also visit the National Slate Museum or go to Harlech beach and castle.   

• Scale Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon)
• National Slate Museum
• Snowdon Mountain Railway
• Harlech Castle and beach
• Eryri (Snowdonia National Park)

Caernarfon is known for its majestic castle, but there are other absorbing places to visit in this royal Gwynedd town. These include Gypsy Wood Park, the Beacon Climbing Centre and the picturesque village of Beddgelert. You can also find the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum at the castle. 

• Caernarfon Castle
• Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum
• Gypsy Wood Park
• Beacon Climbing Centre
• Beddgelert village

Anglesey is an island off the northwest coast of Wales. It offers the mediaeval capital of Beaumaris, historic sites and beautiful beaches.

You can also see the Menai Suspension Bridge built by Thomas Telford, trek the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, head to Llanddwyn Island and beach, or explore Plas Newydd House and Gardens.

• Mediaeval Beaumaris
• Menai Suspension Bridge
• Llanddwyn Island
• Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path
• Plas Newydd House and Gardens

Llandudno is a popular Welsh resort town . It has everything you’d expect from a British seaside spot, including a pier, gaming arcades, beaches and more. Here you can also add the Great Orme Tramway, North Shore Beach, Great Orme Mines and Rhiwledyn nature reserve to your to-do list. 

• North Shore Beach
• Great Orme Tramway
• Llandudno Pier
• Great Orme Mines
• Rhiwledyn nature reserve

Chester is a historic city with many Roman remains. It’s actually in England, but just a short hop over the border. Things to do here include shopping at The Rows, seeing the Roman walls and amphitheatre, visiting Chester Racecourse – which is the oldest in the UK – and ancient Chester Cathedral. 

• Roman walls
• Chester Cathedral
• The Rows shopping
• Chester Racecourse
• Roman amphitheatre

Liverpool – optional

There is so much to see and do in Liverpool . The most famous band in the world bar none came from the English city in northwestern England, and you can trace the tale of their success by visiting The Beatles Story or taking a Magical Mystery tour by bus. 

Two cathedrals, a major football stadium with a museum and the River Mersey are also musts. You can also find more things to do and places to stay in our Liverpool articles. 

• River Mersey sightseeing cruise
• Beatles Magical Mystery bus tour
• Liverpool Football Club stadium and museum
• Anglican and Catholic cathedrals
• The Beatles Story

Peak District

The Peak District National Park is another of those outdoor spaces that offer so much scope for active people. Here you can hike or bike, or follow the Pennine Bridleway on horseback. 

Visit the lovely spa town of Buxton, too, and don’t miss out on trying a Bakewell pudding in the town of the same name. This sweet treat is more widely known as a Bakewell tart, but locally is always called Bakewell pudding!

Discover where to stay in the Peak District here

• Horse riding
• Hiking the trails
• Try Bakewell pudding in Bakewell

Stratford-upon-Avon

The birthplace of William Shakespeare – the most famous playwright who ever lived – is a pretty town on the banks of the Avon river. Packed with historic and literary attractions, things to do here include seeing a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). 

You can also visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford , plus Anne Hathaway’s thatched, half-timbered cottage, or go to Stratford Butterfly Farm and the MAD (Mechanical Art & Design) Museum.

• Shakespeare’s birthplace
• Stratford Butterfly Farm
• Anne Hathaway’s cottage
• Royal Shakespeare Theatre 

England is known as “this green and pleasant land”, so seeing the countryside can be a real highlight of touring the UK. While our itinerary includes a few cities, they are small and picturesque picks that complement the countryside. 

Places to include are the Peak District, Yorkshire, the Lake District and the Cotswolds. See the above itineraries, too, for a more in-depth look at locations already featured in this guide.

• Heathrow -> Cambridge -> Peak District -> York and Yorkshire -> Lake District -> Liverpool -> Chester -> Cotswolds (and Bath) -> Salisbury/Stonehenge -> Heathrow 

Academia and punting along the River Cam are what spring to mind when anyone thinks of Cambridge . You can tour the colleges here, including King’s, and also absorb all the history on a guided walking tour. The Fitzwilliam Museum of Art and Gin Laboratory are also popular.  

• University of Cambridge tour
• The Fitzwilliam Museum
• Punting on the Cam
• Cambridge Gin Laboratory
• Historic walking tour

York and Yorkshire

The city of York and the large northern county of Yorkshire have so much to offer visitors from the UK and overseas. Head to the city for history and urban beauty, or go to the Yorkshire dales and moors to see swathes of unspoiled countryside. 

If you do visit York, don’t miss the Minster, or wandering among the shops and cafes of The Shambles. The Chocolate Story is also great for fans of the sweet stuff (and who isn’t?)

You can also find out what to do in Yorkshire and where to stay in York in our guides.

• York Minster
• Yorkshire Moors
• The Shambles | Cafes, restaurants and shops
• Yorkshire Dales
• York’s Chocolate Story

Lake District

The Lake District in Cumbria is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The area is known for its dramatic bodies of water, and it is dotted with historic market towns. The Lakes also has literary associations, a thriving foodie scene and lots of camping shops. 

Things to do include sampling sticky toffee pudding (it was invented here), discovering the history of Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter, walking to Aira Force waterfall and visiting Lake Windermere. 

Discover where to stay in the Lakes and the best towns and villages in our Cumbria articles

• Lake Windermere
• The World of Beatrix Potter
• Aira Force waterfall.
• Try sticky toffee pudding
• Beatrix Potter tour with lake cruise

There is so much to see and do in Liverpool . The most famous band in the world bar none came from the city in northwestern England, and you can trace the tale of their success by visiting The Beatles Story or taking a Magical Mystery tour by bus. 

• Heathrow/Oxford -> Cambridge -> Lincoln -> York and Yorkshire -> Whitby -> Durham -> Northumberland Coast then via Hadrian’s Wall to Lake District -> Yorkshire Dales -> Peak District -> Cotswolds -> optional Bath/Salisbury/Stonehenge -> Heathrow 

Lincoln is a little off the beaten track when it comes to British cities, but it’s a place with so much to offer. The cathedral and castle here are incredible, as are the galleries and museums.

We recommend The Museum of Lincolnshire Life and The Usher Gallery art museum, and a stroll up Steep Hill, which will lead you to the castle via shops, cafes and pubs. 

• Lincoln Cathedral
• Lincoln Castle
• The Usher Gallery
• The Museum of Lincolnshire Life

Fish and chips, colourful beach huts, Whitby Abbey, a fascinating insight into science during Victorian times and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum all await in Whitby. 

Much of the scampi consumed in the UK is caught in the waters here, so sampling fish or seafood and chips is de rigueur. Look out for goths, too, Whitby being a favoured hangout among lovers of black attire and white makeup. 

You can also find more places to go in Whitby here .

• Whitby Abbey
• Fish and chips
• Beach huts at West Cliff beach
• The Museum of Victorian Science
• The Captain Cook Memorial Museum

Durham can be somewhat overlooked, but it’s a delightful and compact university city in the north of England. The castle and cathedral are both outstanding.

Other attractions to visit include Hall Hill Farm, the Oriental Museum at Durham University, and a wander along the banks of the River Wear. 

• Hall Hill Farm
• Durham Cathedral
• Oriental Museum
• Durham Castle
• Walk along the banks of the River Wear

Northumberland

Northumberland is England’s hidden coastal gem. It also has more castles than any other county. Think windswept, near-deserted beaches, cliff-top castles and rolling countryside, and you get the idea.

There are some breathtaking buildings to visit, such as Cragside in Rothbury and the castles. The Alnwick Garden is also well worth your time. 

Also discover the best places to stay and top coastal cottages in Northumberland

• Bamburgh Castle
• Alnwick Castle
• Alnwick Garden
• Northumberland coast

Hadrian’s Wall

The Hadrian’s Wall site of Vindolanda features Roman remains, and is one of the key spots to visit when travelling between Northumberland and Cumbria. The Roman fort at Birdoswald is also worth stopping for. You can also follow various trails in the area, or drop into the Roman Army Museum. 

• The Chesters Trail
• Roman Army Museum
• The Corbridge Trail
• Birdoswald Roman fort

• London -> pick up car at Heathrow -> Cotswolds and Stratford -> Peak District  -> York and Yorkshire -> Durham -> Northumberland -> Edinburgh 

Also, discover the best places to stay and top coastal cottages in Northumberland

Scotland’s capital city is steeped in history, has swathes of glorious Georgian architecture, and scenic parks and squares. There’s also world-class dining and shopping, and the mediaeval Royal Mile. Also not to be missed are Edinburgh Castle and the New Town. You could also take a Harry Potter walking tour or a city tour by hop-on, hop-off bus.

Also find the best ghost tours of Edinburgh , top Edinburgh tips , and great Edinburgh accommodation options

• Edinburgh Castle
• Hop-on, hop-off bus tour
• Royal Mile | The Old Town
• Magical Harry Potter walking tour
• New Town | Elegant Georgian architecture

If you want to explore the sun-drenched (well sometimes) southwest of England, check out our southwest corner road trip itinerary here . 

For 10, 14 and 18-day Scotland road trip itineraries, click here . 

Whether you want to drive around the UK for a week, ten days, a fortnight or longer, we hope this guide has inspired you to visit this glorious land.

With so much to see and do yet relatively short distances between places, you really can pack a lot into a short time when visiting the UK.

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‘Slick with memories and nostalgia’: writers’ favourite UK trips by car, train and bus

A drive to Dundee, a Cornish sleeper train and a £2 bus trip across Yorkshire offer spectacular scenery, rare wildlife and culinary delights

From Glasgow to Dundee by road

The sequence M77, M74, M73, M80, A9, M90, A90 may not sound freighted with emotional weight, but those roads are, for me, associated with the sadness of separation and the pleasure of reunion. It’s the route I drive between our home in Glasgow and Dundee, where our eldest boy now lives, having left for university.

When he moved out, that’s the way we went. When we visit or go to pick him up, that’s how we go. Those motorways are slick with memories. The gantries warn you not to drive while tired. They say nothing about melancholy or sweet nostalgia.

The first thing we look for is deer. The M77 cuts through Pollok Park and there are often roe bucks and does cropping the verges. You see the white rump first; if traffic is slow, there’s time to notice small antlers. The deer feel like a blessing on the journey.

We pass Stirling, admiring the dramatic castle on its great rock. We pass Dunblane where, in 2012, we took the kids to see Andy Murray on walkabout, celebrating his wins at the US Open and Olympics. He signed their tennis balls. Those signatures are faded now, but still there, and so is Andy – and we’ll never forget that day.

The land changes as you travel east, offering agriculture’s pleasing geometry: cylinders, parallel lines, arcs, hay bales, ploughed fields, polytunnels. Along the A9, near Perth, I keep an eye out for a particular field with a particular tree. It must be a chore for the farmer to work around, and yet it has never been cut down. Some superstition no doubt attaches to it; bad luck to he who wields the axe. It gives me the shivers.

A good place to banish the shivers is the Horn Milk Bar, a roadside cafe off the A90. The circular dining room appears unchanged since the 1960s, its cult appeal heightened by the fibreglass cow on the roof. When the Queen’s funeral cortege passed the Horn, on its journey from Balmoral, the cow was draped in a union flag.

Finally, the end of the road: our son’s flat. The light in Dundee is like Billy Mackenzie ’s voice – intense, theatrical, heart-lifting, almost too much. It bounces off the Tay and saturates the city. We pass close to the cemetery where the Associates singer lies, then it’s out of the car for hugs and hellos. Peter Ross

The Night Riviera sleeper from Penzance to London

“You have two minutes on ‘The history of the Great Western Railway in the 19th century’, starting now … ”

The man in the famous black chair was my dad, so as I step on to the Night Riviera sleeper (in its green Great Western Railway livery) my mind spins back 40 years to Mastermind, my dad’s double-decker attic model railway and his vast railway library.

Rail journeys don’t begin on the platform; they begin in the mind. As a diner salivates before a meal, so the night-rail traveller visualises before the journey. My sleeper ticket is never bought anonymously online, but always in person at the greatly valued ticket office at Penzance station: “A cabin on the Night Riviera to London, please.” The night train has run to and from this most westerly railway station in England since 1877: it is as old as Black Beauty, Wimbledon and Boots.

Magnus Magnusson: “What was the very last broad-gauge passenger train to leave Paddington on 9 May 1892?” Dad: “The 5pm to Plymouth.” Magnus Magnusson: “Correct.”

Met on board by a steward with a clipboard, I’m shown to my neat cabin, then have a quiet drink in the lounge car as we pull away from platform one to views of a moonlit sea, and we are off.

The night sleeper from Penzance to London dawdles for 255 miles over eight hours throughout the night. It is the earthbound tortoise to the flying hare alternative, but what the rail service lacks in speed it delivers in spirit. I cannot enter my cabin on the moving night train without conjuring Poirot (Finney, not Branagh) .

I sleep in harmony with the rocking carriage, the rhythm of wheel on rail, a seduction of metal movement and memory. I’m heading to London on business and we arrive at 6am. I raise the blind an inch and spot a bronze bear with a bronze hat leaning on some bronze luggage. There is no commuter stampede on platform one, the night travellers leave as they rise.

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Fifteen hours later I’m back in Paddington to take the 10.45pm Cornish Riviera sleeper to Penzance, my second consecutive night on a train. This, though, is the best of all possible journeys for we are heading west; it is the journey home.

Dad scored 14 points on his specialist subject, beaten, alas, by “Roman emperors of the first and second centuries”. Christopher Morris

The Coastliner from Leeds to Whitby

Golden city walls, flowering woods and heathery moorland shift slowly past the window. The 75-mile trip between Leeds and Whitby takes 3½ hours on the Coastliner 840 bus . It’s not the quickest way to cover this epic stretch of Yorkshire countryside, but it’s my favourite.

This is a route I have travelled in all seasons: when spring daffs line the beck under pink-and-white blossom, and as the August moors turn purple under blazing blue. Autumn sees the Howardian Hills splashed with ochre and the bronze-brackened uplands stretching out towards the sea. And winter brings changeable dramatic skies, sudden sheets of sleet across the windows, and early sunsets silhouetting ruined Whitby Abbey on its cliff above the Esk.

Over the years, I have got off almost everywhere along the route: to eat raspberry gelato in Malton’s Talbot Yard , to admire 15th-century wall paintings in Pickering’s St Peter and St Paul’s church , and to stroll through autumnal larches in Dalby Forest up to the Fox and Rabbit Inn . But it’s the journey that delights me, especially the last hour. In 2018, the route was voted Britain’s most scenic bus ride and an onboard commentary was introduced.

Heading upstairs for the tables and big front windows, I meet other 840 superfans. One says she catches this bus every other day and never gets tired of the views; another likes to travel weekly from Whitby to Malton for “the scenery, a browse in the charity shops and a cheeky half in the Spotted Cow”.

The less scenic stretch between Leeds and York serves schoolchildren, shoppers and commuters. The less-frequent 840 buses beyond Malton might have a handful of passengers in winter, but in summer can fill up with daytrippers clutching towels and deflated lilos.

For those of us who love this journey, the long meditative miles of drystone wall and cow parsley, spacious landscapes and big skies are an end in themselves. Each journey reveals something new: a glimpse of viaduct along the River Wharfe in Tadcaster or the alien pyramid of RAF Fylingdales’ radar system.

The 840 is one of the best bargains created by the £2 bus fare cap , now extended until December 2024. Before this, a day ticket was £19. Matt Burley, commercial manager at Transdev, which runs the Coastliner, tells me the company is proud of Britain’s most scenic bus route and healthy passenger numbers: “With fares no more than £2, we’re seeing lots of customers travelling with us.”

On the top deck, I unwrap my sandwiches and look out at the unfurling vastness of the moors. Phoebe Taplin

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