London to Edinburgh Road Trip

[Cruiser Elite]

Anybody driven this journey? Looking for suggestions for routing and ‘must sees’ enroute?

Google search had brought up a few suggestions but all seems so confusing when you are starting from scratch - any input greatly appreciated

 

[andye]

I've never done the journey but if I did, was anticipating a few diversions and stops on the way (and hadn't been to those places before) I'd suggest going via:
Oxford
Stratford-upon-Avon
Chatsworth House
York
Durham
Lindisfarne
(Don't go to Hartlepool unless you must visit a maritime museum )

Oxford and Stratford would be the largest diversions from the direct route that would add time if you are constrained

 

[kevrosmith]

We are driving London to York to Edinburgh in May. Will be direct London to York, but might do some detours to Edinburgh. Can try to provide some feedback after if I remember and ours not too late.

 

[Scarlett]

I assume you’re planning to head up the A1 CE?

If so, Lincoln always does it for me as a lovely place to break the journey. When you first see the front of the cathedral it is a bit of wow moment.

Then (and I’m biased, having lived there for a few years) Northumberland has so much to see that you could spend a week there alone and not do it justice. But depends how much or how far you want to get off the main road.

- Hadrians Wall and Roman fort ruins near Newcastle.
- Angel of the North. (a bit weird but interesting and can be a five minute stop if you wish)
- Get off the A1 just north of Newcastle and head to the coast to pass through Warkworth, Alnmouth, Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh. Castles galore…

If you’re travelling on a weekday you could travel via the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Conningsby, although it’s a little off the way.

 

[Scash]

I've never done the journey but if I did, was anticipating a few diversions and stops on the way (and hadn't been to those places before) I'd suggest going via:
Oxford
Stratford-upon-Avon
Chatsworth House
York
Durham
Lindisfarne
(Don't go to Hartlepool unless you must visit a maritime museum )

Oxford and Stratford would be the largest diversions from the direct route that would add time if you are constrained

Also Newcastle Upon Tyne. Great city and also great coughtail bars. Spent a bit of time at Be At One coughtail Bar (Be At One Newcastle | coughtail bar). They make amazing coughtails and have two for one happy hour (which goes for three hours!).

 

[Mwenenzi]

Anybody driven this journey? Looking for suggestions for routing and ‘must sees’ enroute?

Google search had brought up a few suggestions but all seems so confusing when you are starting from scratch - any input greatly appreciated

Over how many days? Once off the motorways can be slow driving. Compared to AU not many miles, but a lot to see-visit.
Can go up the west or east.
Do go via the centre M1. M1 motorway - Wikipedia

A1(M) motorway - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yes sorry for scant info but ATPIT only just started to think about it - open to all route suggestions - so far figuring Windsor Castle and Stonehenge early in journey but that’s about all so far.

Narrow windy back roads are not a worry considering where I grew up and was kinda thinking a 3, 4 or 5 day journey to get there

 

[andye]

Yes sorry for scant info but ATPIT only just started to think about it - open to all route suggestions - so far figuring Windsor Castle and Stonehenge early in journey but that’s about all so far.

Narrow windy back roads are not a worry considering where I grew up and was kinda thinking a 3, 4 or 5 day journey to get there

If you are going to Stonehenge, I'd strongly consider Bath and Cotswolds on way back up to Birmingham

 

[SYD]

I was just about to ask how long do you have? And what interests you?

Sticking to the east side, there’s Newcastle, Durham, York, Lincoln and down through Cambridge.

The West has Hadrians wall (can also be done a zig zag from the east), Lakes District, Chester, Cotswolds, Bath, Salisbury (and Stonehenge) but you’re heading further south by then.

Edit: oh, my lists are EDI to LON! Just reverse the lists!

We did a circle route recently, EDI to NCL via Hadrians Wall, Lakes District, across Yorkshire, Durham to NCL then fast train to LON.

Years ago we did LON-LON via Salisbury, Stonehenge, Bath, Cotswolds, Chester, York, Lincoln, Norwich and Cambridge.

 

[Askance]

Stonehenge is kinda in the wrong direction if youre heading to Edinburgh but if you want to take a loop to see Stonehenge I do recommend visiting a Cotswold village or two

 

[RooFlyer]

Narrow windy back roads are not a worry considering where I grew up and was kinda thinking a 3, 4 or 5 day journey to get there

If you’re going that way then visiting some country pubs for an overnight stay is a fantastic experience. A lot of them have gone sort of gourmet but it’s more the atmosphere that’s memorable. @VPS may have some good suggestions

If if you make it as far west as Wells, I would thoroughly recommend the Ancient Gatehouse hotel with full window views of magnificent Wells Cathedral right in front of you.

The ancient town of Chester is another good option which is more on your route.

Small town pubs are great; the smaller the better. Watch out if staying at larger towns or a city as parking may be very difficult.

Stonehenge is kinda in the wrong direction if youre heading to Edinburgh but if you want to take a loop to see Stonehenge I do recommend visiting a Cotswold village or two

Upper and Lower Slaughter?

 

[VPS]

What sort of places are you interested in. Is it a couple or family. Lots of suggestions so will post later

 

[Cruiser Elite]

What sort of places are you interested in. Is it a couple or family. Lots of suggestions so will post later

Couple - scenic small villages rather than churches and castles although Windsor Castle will get a run - historical landmarks - pretty open to any suggestions

 

[jase05]

Have driven extensively around the UK and there are some absolute gems along the way. My favourite scenic villages are Castle Combe, Upper and Lower Slaughter and Bibury and you can see all of them in a day in what is just a beautiful drive. Plenty of stunning scenery along the way and although I’ve driven it much quicker I’d allow 3-4 days to enjoy the sights

 

[Happy Dude]

Really depends on what are your interests. I drove it (and back) in a weekend in 1999 to see Scotland play a RWC game at Murrayfield. It was against SAF but still remains one of my all time favourite sport watching experiences.

Whitby is a rather interesting place to visit due to its outsized impact on the world. In fact you could hug the east coast and have a great time in Skegness, Scarborough and xx_x-at-sea "resorts", whatever your kinks. Angel of the North is most definitely worth a visit. Remarkable visual treat.
I recommend timing visits to cathedrals with choral performances. Check out Hadfield near Manchester too. The League of Gentleman was filmed there!

 

[Denali]

In May we're arriving in Manchester (because I wanted to avoid Heathrowe) and doing a side trip to Chester before we head north to Scotland for 3 weeks. We're castle ruins & temple people and Mr Denali wants to see Hadrians Wall. I want to see Rossyln Chapel

 

[kookaburra75]

A lot of good suggestions here, but +1 for Lincoln and York.

Having done a lot of miles in the UK would suggest using the back roads and keeping off the motorways. All you need is an accident and you can be stuck between exits for a couple of hours.

If things like Stonehenge interest you, give Stonehenge a miss. It's overcrowded and you can't get close to the stones anyway. Try Avebury instead where you can hug the stones and sit out of the front of the pub looking at them. From Avebury you can loop up through Cirencester and up the Cotswolds, and then amble up to Lincoln, and head north from there.

 

[jase05]

In May we're arriving in Manchester (because I wanted to avoid Heathrowe) and doing a side trip to Chester before we head north to Scotland for 3 weeks. We're castle ruins & temple people and Mr Denali wants to see Hadrians Wall. I want to see Rossyln Chapel

For Rosslyn I’ve found that the crowds tend to be there in the mornings and the groups are usually gone by early arvo. The tickets allow 90 minutes inside the chapel but unlimited outside and in the grounds but if it is quiet they staff don’t even bother enforcing the time limit inside either. No photos allowed inside the chapel but snap away outside, the grounds are great. It’s really a beautiful spot. We have been there twice now and I’d go back again.

 

[kevrosmith]

In May we're arriving in Manchester (because I wanted to avoid Heathrowe) and doing a side trip to Chester before we head north to Scotland for 3 weeks. We're castle ruins & temple people and Mr Denali wants to see Hadrians Wall. I want to see Rossyln Chapel

You can sign up with Historic Scotland, either an annual membership or Explorer Pass, depending on the value you perceive, and get entry to various places and discounts on parking and gifts shops. Provides some discounts at Heritage England places too.

Another member (such as me ) could buy you a Gift Membership at discounted rates too. (PM if interested. Not quite as easy as a referral link, sorry.)

 

[NM]

A few of my favourites - obviously depending on the route chosen

• Duxford Imperial War Museum (Concorde, VC10 and lots of WW2 aircraft being restored etc.)
• York (Castle Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre, Railway Museum, The Shambles)
• Durham (Castle Tour, Cathedral, weir and shops)
• Darlington (and Stockton-on-Tees for the railway history)
• Beamish (open-air museum - great in summer, not so great in winter)
• Lock Katrine - a little north-west of Edinburgh, but well worth the excursion and a ride on the Sir Walter Scott steam boat.
• Holy Island (check the tide times)