THE ULTIMATE UK ROAD TRIP 2026

With our flight scheduled to arrive in London in the early afternoon, we should have just enough time to check in to our hotel, off-load all of our luggage, and head out to explore the local area.

Accommodation: Novotel London Bridge or The LaLit London

Dinner: We’ll kick off our UK Road Trip with dinner in a local pub, possibly The King’s Arms

A full morning to explore the foodie paradise of the Borough Market, followed by a visit to the Tate Modern Art Gallery in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Novotel London Bridge or The Lalit London

Dinner: Kanishka by Atul Kochhar for a modern take on Northern Indian food.

Today we pick up a hire car and leave London, heading in a roughly northwesterly direction towards the town of Chipping Norton, located in Oxfordshire and just a stone’s throw away from the famous Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Along the way we’ll stop for a few hours to take a wander around the university city of Oxford. Then it’s on to Chipping Norton, where we will be based for the next three nights.

Accommodation: The Fox, Chipping Norton

Dinner: The Fox, Chipping Norton

Our first full day in the Cotswolds will see us quite literally doing Diddly-squat; the farm shop that is, made famous by the TV series Clarkson’s Farm. Then it’s on to do a tour of some of the most beautiful villages in the UK, including (but not limited to) Burford, Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Upper and Lower Slaughter, and Bourton-on-the-Water. Speaking of Clarkson’s Farm, Jeremy’s pub, The Farmer’s Dog, is a short drive from Burford and looks to be the perfect spot for a pub lunch, specialising in British produce and Clarkson’s own Hawkstone Ales.

Accommodation: The Fox, Chipping Norton

Dinner: The Blue Boar, Chipping Norton

– William Shakespeare, As You Like It

A mere 35 minute’s drive north of Chipping Norton lies Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of one William Shakespeare. This morning we’ll head there for a bit of cultural immersion, before heading back to Chipping Norton the long way, through more scenic Cotswold villages such as Chipping Camden, Broadway (home of the Broadway Tower folly), Snowshill and Moreton-on-Marsh, stopping somewhere along the way for a pub lunch. Dinner tonight is something a little bit special; a Michelin-starred gastro pub in the village of Kingham, about 4 miles southwest of Chipping Norton.

Accommodation: The Fox, Chipping Norton

Dinner: The Wild Rabbit, Kingham

Today we head for Wales, but not before having one last sampling of the beautiful villages of the Cotswolds. This time it’s Castle Combe, often described as England’s most beautiful village. From there we travel through the outskirts of Bristol, across the Severn Estuary and into Wales, where eventually we’ll make our way to the seaside town of Tenby, Pembrokeshire.

Accommodation: Croyland Guest House, Tenby

Dinner: The Cove, Tenby

There are a number of beautiful towns and villages in Pembrokeshire, and today the plan is to see a few of them. Our first stop is the fishing village of Solva, where the River Solva meets the sea. There are some incredibly beautiful areas of coastline here, and there is a café by the water (Café on the Quay) that has good views and equally good reviews, which might make for a good spot for morning tea. Next it’s on to St Davids, the UK’s smallest city, where we’ll stop to admire one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the country. Then it’s on to Fishguard, for a spot of lunch at The Royal Oak, a pub with a rich history. Finally, it’s back to Tenby for dinner.

Accommodation: Croyland Guest House, Tenby.

Dinner: The Links, Tenby

Today we leave the coast for a couple of nights while we head inland to the market town of Welshpool, where we’ll be staying in an 18th Century Gothic Revivalist mansion, Llanerchydol Hall. We’ll start the day off with a little diversion to the coastal town of Saundersfoot (just a few miles north of Tenby), before re-joining the motorway north. Our journey then takes us through some of the most picturesque parts of Wales, skirting the northern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, where we’ll stop for brunch in the pretty market town of Llandovery. Then it’s on through the heart of Wales and up to Welshpool. Llanerchydol Hall is located about a mile outside of the town to the west.

Accommodation: Llanerchydol Hall

Dinner: The Cornstore, Welshpool

Today we’ll catch up with a bit of history on both sides of the Wales/England border, starting with a quick drive across the border to the historic market town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The town centre has a largely undisturbed medieval street plan with over 660 listed buildings. After stopping for brunch, we’ll head back to Welshpool to check out the amazing Powis Castle and Gardens. Then, if the steam trains are running, we’ll climb aboard an afternoon train for a return trip on the Welshpool to Llanfair Caereinion Light Railway, winding through the stunning Welsh landscape. If we’re not too full from afternoon tea in Llanfair Caereinion, we can head across the road back at Welshpool to the Raven Inn for a few pints and an early dinner.

Accommodation: Llanerchydol Hall

Dinner: Raven Inn, Welshpool

Today we’re off to the seaside resort of Llandudno, but not before a quick stop to view the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, where we may be lucky enough to spot a narrowboat or two crossing high above the River Dee. We then make another stop in the city of Wrexham, made famous recently in the TV series Welcome to Wrexham, featuring Ryan Reynolds and Rob Rob McElhenney. Will any celebrities be in town?.. we’ll just have to wait and see. After that, we head back to the coast to Llandudno. This afternoon we might take the Great Orme Tramway or the Llandudno Cable Car, to check out the summit of The Great Orme that overlooks the town.

Accommodation: The Grafton Guest House, Llandudno

Dinner: The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno

There are a number of well preserved castles along our route this morning, the first one being the magnificent 13th Century Conwy Castle and Town Wall. Just 10 or so minutes drive from Llandudno, Conwy is a beautiful town situated on the Conwy River. From there we follow the coast around to another walled town, Caernarfon, which also features a well-preserved 13th Century castle. Cutting inland slightly, we make our way to beautiful Beddgelert for some amazing photo opportunities before heading downstream to another port town at Porthmadog. Lastly, we visit the least Welsh of all Welsh villages, the famous Italianate village of Portmeirion. Then it’s back to base via the breath-taking scenery of Snowdonia.

Accommodation: The Grafton Guest House, Llandudno

Dinner: A pub meal – perhaps at the King’s Head, the oldest pub in Llandudno?

As we say goodbye to Wales, this morning the focus is on a bit of Roman history, with our first stop being the walled city of Chester, once home to a 1st Century AD Roman fortress. We’ll then skirt around the edge of Manchester before stopping for lunch at The Rams Head at Disley, a gastropub on the edge of the Peak District National Park. The road then follows the Peak Forest Canal for quite a way – we’ll make a short stop at Bugsworth Basin to check out the narrowboats there, before we eventually reach The Peacock at Rowsley, our home for the next two nights.

Accommodation: The Peacock at Rowsley

Dinner: The Peacock at Rowsley

Today’s activities are centred around the market town of Bakewell. Should time and weather permit, the accommodation we’re staying at has fishing rights to several beats along the River Wye and the River Derwent, all catch and release and mostly dry flies (although nymphs are permitted on the Derwent). As the access is via Bakewell, it would be a shame not to stop in at a bakery for some delicious Bakewell Tarts while we’re there. Later in the day, we’ll head up the road to visit Chatsworth House, home of the Cavendish family, the Dukes and Duchesses of Cavendish. After that we’ll travel through some of the estate’s villages as we head back to our accommodation – then we’ll make a short pit stop in the village of Winster (where the name Greatorex is quite common to hear) and on to Matlock for dinner.

Accommodation: The Peacock at Rowsley

Dinner: Stones, Matlock

As we reach the halfway point of the trip, it’s fitting that we find ourselves in the middle of the UK, traversing from the Peak District and on to York, before eventually making our way down to the North York Moors for a couple of nights. Our first stop today is the city of York, where we plan to spend most of the day catching up on things we missed during our last visit. There’s the JORVIK Viking Centre (which was closed last time due to flood damage) as well as the York Minster. We’ll also have some time to check out The Shambles once again, before heading on to Whitby for some of the best fish & chips around.

Accommodation: Ruswarp Hall, Ruswarp

Dinner: Trenchers Restaurant, Whitby

Today we will travel just a short distance up and down the coast of North Yorkshire, but along the way there are several beautiful harbour villages to see, as well as some dramatic clifftop views. Our first stop is Robin Hood’s Bay, about 10km south of Whitby. While any link to the real Robin Hood is dubious at best, it does have a long history of smuggling items like tea, gin, rum, brandy and tobacco from mainland Europe into Yorkshire, and there are rumoured to be a network of secret tunnels connecting the houses. After leaving here, we travel north to the town of Saltburn-by-the-sea, where the Saltburn Cliff-lift, a water-powered funicular, provides access up and down the cliff face from the town to the pier below. Next on the agenda is Staithes, a fishing village clinging to the sides of the narrow Staithes Beck. There are a couple of pubs in Staithes that get rave reviews, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find somewhere for lunch. Finally, we return to Whitby, where there are plenty of sights to see as well, including the former abbey, and the Larpool viaduct, just a short walk from our accommodation on the Esk River.

Accommodation: Ruswarp Hall, Ruswarp

Dinner: Magpie Café, Whitby

It’s time to say goodbye to England for now, as we head north into Scotland and to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. It’s a bit of a drive from Whitby, but we should have plenty of time to stop for a bit of lunch along the way at Berwick-upon-Tweed, just south of the Scottish border. There are plenty of pubs in this picturesque town, although many of them don’t seem to offer any meals – the Cross Inn Pub and Kitchen seems to be a welcome exception though. Our accommodation for the next few nights is quite unique, The Ocean Mist, a luxury yacht converted into a floating hotel in the Port of Leith.

Accommodation: The Ocean Mist, Leith

Dinner: Teuchters Landing, Leith

Auld Reekie (Old Smoky) as it is affectionately known, Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, and our day today is devoted to getting to know the city. Highlights include Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Mile, Victoria Street, Old Town and New Town. One highly recommended tour is the hour-long The Real Mary King’s Close Tour. From our hotel, Leith Walk heads directly into the city, but it’s a bit of a walk for sure – there are trams that run along the same route though, so it should be easy enough to get to and from our accommodation. Tonight’s dinner is a treat – the Michelin-starred restaurant The Kitchin, a mere 3-minute walk from our hotel.

Accommodation: The Ocean Mist, Leith

Dinner: The Kitchin, Leith

A second day to spend in Edinburgh, because one day is just not enough. This morning we’ll focus on catching up on any places in the city that we may have missed or that we want to revisit, while the afternoon will give us time to explore the vibrant area around Leith, as well as perhaps catching up on some laundry, before we depart for Edinburgh in the morning. Highlights in the area include a possible tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Getting to dinner tonight is as simple as crossing the street.

Accommodation: The Ocean Mist, Leith

Dinner: The King’s Wark, Leith

We leave Edinburgh today for the northern city of Inverness, at the mouth of the River Ness. Along the way we will stop at the village of Dalwhinnie to visit the whisky distillery there, before making our way north again to Inverness. At the time of writing this, it is too far out to predict where we will be staying, as most of the more desirable guesthouses are already booked out for May 2025, making it difficult to get an accurate idea of what 2026 pricing and availability might be. Suffice to say, that after our indulgence in Edinburgh, a nice country pub, guesthouse, or simple but elegant B&B would be on the cards, especially if it also has access to a restaurant within walking distance. After arriving in Inverness sometime in the midafternoon, we should have plenty of time to wander around the town center before dinner.

Accommodation: tbc, possibly The Heathmount Hotel

Dinner: tbc, possibly The Corriegarth Hotel

As we leave Inverness, our journey takes us along the shoreline of Loch Ness, where I expect we’ll have a keen eye on the water, just in case Nessie should make an appearance. We then skirt around the base of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain, before stopping in the village of Glencoe. For the descendants of the McDonald clan, this place holds special significance, as it was here in 1692 that around 30 members of the Glencoe MacDonalds were massacred by forces led by Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, at the behest of King William III (William of Orange) for failing to swear allegiance to the crown. Luckily, life in Glencoe these days is a lot more sedate, and we should be able to get a meal and a pint at the highly recommended Clachaig Inn without losing our heads, after we’ve paid our respects at the Macdonald memorial of course. Then it’s on again, through Glasgow, to the market town of Strathaven, where we’ll stop for the night.

Accommodation: The Strathaven Hotel, Strathaven

Dinner: The Strathaven Hotel, Strathaven

At the end of our third week, we say goodbye to Scotland this morning and make our way down to the Lake District in northern England. Our first stop is Carlisle, a city just across the border that began as a settlement to support the Roman fortification of Hadrian’s Wall. We’ll actually take a short detour just on the outskirts of the city to Brampton, to see some a Roman fort and several watchtowers that have been excavated, before returning to check out Carlisle Castle, itself built on the site of a Roman fort. Then it’s off to the Lake District, where we will be staying in a gorgeous 17th Century pub in the village of Hawkshead.

Accommodation: Queen’s Head Hotel, Hawkshead

Dinner: Queen’s Head Hotel, Hawkshead

We’re hoping for fine weather today as we head south to a spot just outside of the village of Foxton in Leicestershire, where we’ll find the Foxton Locks Inn. Here we can watch the narrowboats climbing up and down the Foxton Locks, a series of ten “staircase” locks, while dining on delicious pub food that includes filled Yorkshire puddings. Then it’s on to nearby Market Harborough, another beautiful town on the Grand Union Canal. Our accommodation and dinner tonight are in a 16th Century coaching inn, where King Charles I chose to stay the day before the famous battle of Naseby – here’s hoping our following day goes better than his did!

Accommodation: Three Swans Hotel, Market Harborough

Dinner: Three Swans Hotel, Market Harborough

Our journey today takes us across the countryside of North Hampshire and on to the market town of Swaffham in Norfolk. We’ll stop along the way in Peterborough to view the cathedral there, before we reach Swaffham around lunchtime. Our intention is to stay the next few nights with family in the wonderful county of Norfolk.

Accommodation: With family

Dinner: tbc

Today we explore some of the beautiful towns and villages that Norfolk has to offer, including a couple of sentimental favourites. The day starts with a short drive north from Swaffham to Castle Acre, with its ruined abbey and castle, followed by another quick drive to the village of Rougham, where Vanessa’s father was born. Then it’s off to the market town of King’s Lynn, which in the 13th Century was considered the most important port in all of England. From King’s Lynn, we head to the seaside resort town of Cromer, but not before we take a slight detour along the way for some photo opportunities in the villages of Little Snoring and Great Snoring 🙂 After Cromer we visit Wroxham, on the Norfolk Broads, before heading to our lunch destination at Water’s Edge Restaurant, just a short drive from the picturesque hamlet of Kirby Bedon. If time permits, we’ll head into Norwich this afternoon for a pint in a local pub before making our way back to Swaffham.

Accommodation: With family

Dinner: tbc

This morning we head south from Swaffham, through the Thetford Forest and across the county border to the beautiful market town of Bury St Edmunds. From there We will travel through a number of towns and villages in Suffolk, with a chance to stop and take some short walks or photo opportunities along the way. As we crisscross our way back and forth across the A134, we’ll pass through Lavenham, Long Melford and Sudbury, before we pass into Essex, and on to the City of Colchester. The first Roman city in Britain, Colchester to this day still has surviving sections of its Roman walls and gates intact. There is also an 11th Century castle with a keep that is largely intact and built over the remains of a Roman temple. Just near the castle is Three Wise Monkeys taproom and smokehouse, an ideal place to stop for lunch. After lunch we head back into Suffolk, visiting Ipswich, before heading on to see the quirky architecture in the seaside village of Thorpeness. Finally, we visit Dunwich, once one of the most important harbours in mediaeval England, now slowly being swallowed by the sea due to several hundred years of fierce seas, before we head back to Swaffham for our final evening with family.

Accommodation: With family

Dinner: tbc

Today we return to London, after a brief stop in Cambridge to check out some of the sights there. After some morning tea and a walk around, we’re then back in the car for our return to London, dropping off the hire car around lunchtime. We then have the rest of the afternoon to explore London at our leisure – maybe a walk up Baker Street to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum, followed by a stroll through Regent’s Park.

Accommodation: Wilde Aparthotels, Paddington

Dinner: The Bear, Paddington

Our final day in London features a walking tour of some of the most famous sights of London. We’ll start with a walk down Regent Street, passing through Oxford Circus before turning left onto Great Marlborough Street and heading into Soho’s famous Carnaby Street. After soaking up the vibes of music history, we’ll then head to the Queen’s Head on Denman Street for some lunch, before ambling our way back through the streets of Mayfair. We can take our time ogling at all of the fine tailors’ stores on Savile Row, then it’s back to Marylebone, either by foot or via the Underground, and our last pub meal in the UK (for this trip at least).

Accommodation: Wilde Aparthotels, Paddington

Dinner: The Larrick, Marylebone

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and this morning we head off to Heathrow to begin the long and arduous journey back home. Time to catch up on some airline lounge luxury and the onboard bar of Emirate’s A380’s Business Class, while we reminisce about the previous 27 days!