Before you go

places to road trip to, If you’re driving your own car, it’s worth a trip to the garage to make sure it’s in good working order before you go. Make sure you have all of your vehicle paperwork and a spare tyre in the back. Just in case, it’s also a good idea to include a first-aid kit and some non-perishable refreshments. Take out breakdown insurance and make a note of the emergency phone number.

Norfolk Coast

A drive across Norfolk will give you a taste of England’s eastern shore. Head east into The Broads after soaking up the provincial bustle of Norwich (the 11th century cathedral is a must-see). It’s certainly worth spending a few additional days on a boat, with gorgeous rivers and a diverse range of animals.

Take the coastal roads north from there to Cromer, a historic seaside village with the UK’s only surviving end-of-the-pier variety performance. Windswept beaches like Brancaster Beach, located further along the coast, are ideal for a peaceful afternoon by the water.

North Norfolk has more sandy beaches than any other region in the UK, with more than 40 miles and six Blue Flag beaches. Blakeney Point is home to England’s largest seal population, which enjoys the golden beaches.

Norwich, the mediaeval city, is a hidden treasure and a must-see if you’re in Norfolk. Norwich, the UK’s finest preserved mediaeval city, boasts a beautiful Norman cathedral with England’s second highest spire, a vibrant and well-respected pub and restaurant scene, and the Norwich Lanes, a maze of pedestrian lanes filled with independent shops and boutiques.

Sandringham Estate

The royal estate of Sandringham is located south of The Wash. You may also tour the house, grounds, and transport museum before visiting the St Mary Magdalene church, where the Queen attends services when she is at Sandringham. Farmers markets and craft festivals are common occurrences in this area.

Blakeney

Blakeney is reached by following the shoreline north from the Broads. This charming seaside hamlet is located in a region of great natural beauty, including a nature reserve with expansive vistas, salt marshes, sand dunes, and horizons that reach far out to sea. Take a journey out to Blakeney Point to observe the Common and Grey seals that nest here in the winter, or practise your crabbing abilities in the harbour.

Peak District

This trip to the Peak District, one of the country’s most cherished national parks, is next on our agenda of places to road trip to. Begin at Glossop, east of Manchester, and go across the Pennines via the renowned Snake Pass, one of the UK’s major mountain passes, reaching a height of 510 metres above sea level.

From there, continue south to the reservoirs surrounding the renowned Derwent Dam, which provide excellent hiking possibilities. A short diversion to the west will lead you to the Blue John Cavern, an underground network of caverns with guided tours – perfect if you want to avoid hill trekking on your route south.

If you wish to go deeper into the cave, the Heights of Abraham near Matlock provides excursions that allow you to follow in the footsteps of the Great Masson Cavern’s miners. Alternatively, go to the sky in the Derwent Valley’s famed cable car.

The Dark Peak is characterised by exposed moorland and gritstone ‘edges’ to the north, while the White Peak is mainly up of undulating limestone dales to the south. The Peak District’s varied and towering vistas provide for some pretty fantastic driving, making it one of England’s greatest places to road trip to.

Chatsworth house

This massive stately mansion is three miles northeast of Bakewell, known as the “Palace of the Peak,” has been the family residence of sixteen generations of earls and dukes of Devonshire. Inside, valuable artworks and antique furnishings adorn the opulent flats and mural-painted chambers.

Peak district caves and caverns

Caves and caverns abound in the Peak District, some of which are totally natural and others which were formed as a result of previous mining activities.

Peak Cavern near Castleton is the Peak District’s largest cave system, and it’s virtually totally natural. The cave dubbed the “Devil’s Arse,” was home to rope-making cave dwellers until the early twentieth century, when 40 families resided in two rows of cottages at the cave mouth, along with stables, a bar, and a few tiny businesses! Castleton is also home to Speedwell Cavern, Blue John Cavern, and Treak Cliff Cavern.

The Heights of Abraham is one of England’s oldest tourist attractions, having opened in 1780. Two 350 million year old caves, Rutland Caverns and Great Masson are located beside the cable car journey and parks with many attractions, where you may experience lead mining in the 17th century.