View of the coastline from Tintagel castle, Cornwall, England. Exmoor and Dartmoor in Devon and Cornwall offer a scenic road trip spanning 500km, featuring fishing villages, traditional pubs, and stunning landscapes. Photo / 123rf
View of the coastline from Tintagel castle, Cornwall, England. Exmoor and Dartmoor in Devon and Cornwall offer a scenic road trip spanning 500km, featuring fishing villages, traditional pubs, and stunning landscapes. Photo / 123rf
On these five road trips, drivers are rewarded with the best of England’s countryside, national parks, heritage sites and coastal scenery. Take your time; there’s lots to see, writes Claire Naylor.
Take a coastal tour of Devon and Cornwall highlights
Exmoor to Dartmoor; 500km
Quaint fishing villages, traditional pubs and stunning coastal landscapes draw people to the two counties of Devon and Cornwall. Start on the north Devon coast, exploring the epic Exmoor National Park, home to roaming ponies and atmospheric Victorian towns like Lynton and Lynmouth. Heading east on the A39, you’ll cross into Cornwall where Tintagel – a clifftop ruined castle steeped in the legend of King Arthur – is worth your time. Linger in the hip surf town Newquay and the arty hub of St Ives, before hopping across to the south coast of Cornwall at Penzance, where the impressive island of St Michael’s Mount reached on foot by a causeway at low tide dominates the seascape. Walk the rugged beaches at the Lizard Peninsula and learn all about conservation and our earth at the world-class Eden Project, before ending with a hike through craggy hills in Dartmoor.
Top tip: Beware of hiring a large camper or caravan – it won’t be easy to negotiate the narrow country lanes, particularly in summer when they’re busy with other drivers.
Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck (not an island!), makes a good base for exploring the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site for its unique rock formations, landscapes and fossils. Stop by the 1000-year-old Corfe Castle, before making your way to the New Forest (not “new” or a “forest”!). This national park of heath, farms and woodland is a top spot for cycling, hiking and eating in traditional pubs serving locally sourced menus. From there, go east to explore the castle and cathedral of the market town of Arundel. The final stop is Brighton, England’s number one LGBTIQ destination with legendary nightlife and an award-winning pier packed with arcades.
Jurassic Coast scenery in Dorset, England. The Jurassic Coast of Dorset, a Unesco World Heritage Site known for its unique rock formations and fossils, is a key attraction on the Swanage to Brighton route. Photo / 123rf
Pick your interest in the Lake District
Windermere to Keswick; 70km
Start your exploration of England’s favourite national park at Brockhole on Windermere, one of the four visitor centres (there are others at Keswick, Ullswater and Bowness) to pick up a wealth of information about walking trails, cycling routes and water sports. Between hikes, rides and sailing trips, stop by the World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness-on-Windermere to see how the local landscapes inspired one of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors; visit Grasmere for local gingerbread, the Wordsworth museum and superb independent restaurants; and buy supplies in Keswick at the many shops selling outdoor gear.
Top tip: Hardknott Pass is one of the steepest roads in the UK, a single track winding through the hills east–west, and only for experienced, confident drivers. Also, carry some change; not all car parks have internet connection so you may need to pay with coins instead of via an app.
Beautiful Bowness Bay seen from the bank of Windermere at Bowness-on-Windermere. Photo / 123rf
Loop the Yorkshire Moors
York to York; 200km
Get to know thousands of years of local history on the atmospheric streets of York, with its Viking settlements and impressive Gothic Minster. Then head north towards the North York Moors National Park where you can tramp along trails across heather-clad moorland. Make a night-time visit to Dalby Forest for stargazing (the national park is designated an International Dark Skies Reserve) and take any Harry Potter enthusiasts to Goathland – the station was the filming location for Hogsmeade in the films. Runswick Bay, a beautiful beach village of stone fishermen’s cottages at the north of the park, is worth a visit, then head southeast to Whitby where you’ll want to linger for a couple of days. Used as a setting in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, the town is steeped in legend, with a ruined medieval abbey on one side of the River Esk, and a classic Georgian town on the other. Stop to wander the alleys of historic smugglers’ village Robin Hood’s Bay before returning to York.
The Yorkshire Moors offer heather-clad moorland, stargazing in Dalby Forest, and a touch of Harry Potter magic at Goathland station. Photo / 123rf
Cruise through history in the northeast
Newcastle to Bamburgh; 200km
Newcastle, a busy student city, has a reputation for great nightlife as well as a large arts and culture scene. It marks the beginning and end of the Roman-era coast-to-coast Hadrian’s Wall – learn about it at Segedunum Fort before heading west into Northumberland National Park. Stay overnight for stargazing: Kielder Observatory runs events and astronomy classes. Once you’ve had your fill of hiking rugged landscapes, head northeast to Alnwick, a beautiful coastal town with a medieval castle and stunning gardens. Bamburgh is your final stop, with seemingly endless coastal walking trails in the shadow of a vast clifftop castle with a history dating back 1400 years.
Alnwick boasts a medieval castle and stunning gardens, making it a must-visit on your northeast road trip. Photo / 123rf
