Travelling abroad to see sights and pastures new is always rewarding and exciting, and it can be easy to forget just how many wonderful places and roads can be found at home.
However, with foreign travel likely to be a question mark for some time, this might be the summer to hit the open road in the UK. These are some of the locations that have to be on your hit list.
The Black Mountain Pass, Wales
If you have ever flicked through a motoring magazine or caught a Top Gear re-run, this stretch of road may be familiar.
The pass is a hotspot for motorists who want to get the most out of their steed, running between Llandovery and Gwuan-Cae-Gurwen, and is best taken north to south. As well as being a truly glorious stretch of tarmac, the breathtaking sights of Pont Aber and Herbert’s Pass will punctuate the spectacle of this relatively short road.
The Cotswolds, England
When it comes to quaint villages and rural beauty, very few areas in England can match the Cotswolds.
A trip from the market town of Chipping Campden to Bath is an ideal way to get the best out of the area. The former is a picturesque market town with buildings dating back as far as the 14th century, while Bath is one of the most unique and beautiful cities the British Isles have to offer.
Be sure to take in some of the villages that make the Cotswolds so special, including Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford and Castle Combe.
Lake District, England
Be it Kendal, the home of the hiker-nourishing Mint Cake, Windermere or Ambleside, the Lake District is the perfect place to go with a campervan and some kayaks. Beyond the lakes, the aforementioned villages are a delight in their own right.
A visit to Grasmere’s Dove Cottage is also well worth a look. The cottage was the home of poet William Wordsworth, and his words truly come alive in this pristine slice of the country.
The Atlantic Highway, England
Following on from your trip through the Cotswolds, you could always head South West towards Falmouth on the A39. This long road, alternatively dubbed the Atlantic highway, has some truly picturesque sights as you pass through Devon and Cornwall.
Set aside a little time for the likes of Wadebridge, Newquay and Barnstaple on your way, as well as a cream tea or two!
North Coast 500, Scotland
The Scottish Highlands are an absolute must if you’re planning to go for drives in the UK, and the route from Inverness to the Applecross peninsula, otherwise known as the North Coast 500, is a great place to start.
The 500-mile round-trip adventure takes in Caithness, Wester Ross, Dornock and the Loch Maree, undulating and seemingly topping itself with spectacular views for the entire trip. The cherry on top of a wonderful long-weekend is the Bealach na Bà, a single-track road that mimics the revered tarmac of the Alps.
If you’re looking for a trip where you can almost guarantee being alone with the road, this is the route for you.
Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
No doubt you will have seen and heard much about the spectacular Causeway, but the journey between Belfast and Derry takes in some truly breath-taking scenery elsewhere too, including Dunluce Castle and the Glens of Atrim.
If there is any slice of Northern Ireland that will convince those on the British mainland to catch a ferry sailing west, this stretch of coast is it.
Betws-y-Coed to Anglesey, Wales
You could reasonably place a majority of North Wales on this list, but if you have to boil what the area has to offer into one route, a drive through Snowdonia National Park is a must. The A4086 is a spectacular road within the park that takes you up-close to the mountain and plunges through valleys, and any trip to the park is incomplete without it.
Whether you’re road-tripping in a sportscar or in a motorhome, to camp or to kayak, Snowdonia will bear fruit.
