Experience Britain’s Most Beautiful Road Trips
By PAGE Editor
93% of the UK is covered in the countryside, yet 80% of families live in urban environments. This means that you and your family could be missing out on some of the spectacular beauty that Britain has to offer.
While there are trains and buses that can take you through our greatest national parks, driving will give you the ultimate experience. You’ll be able to traverse the twists and turns of mountain passes and visit the UK’s top locations. Here are three scenic road trips in Scotland, England, and Wales to show your children the incredible diversity of British nature.
Inverness to Cawdor Castle, Scotland
It’s just a 30-minute drive, but traveling between Inverness and Cawdor Castle could be one of the best ways to spend half an hour on Britain's roads. Inverness is the UK’s fourth most visited city, meaning that you’ll have plenty to keep the family entertained before you set off. From there, drive up the staggering coastline, past castles and ancient ruins, and into the Cairngorms National Park. Popularised by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Cawdor Castle is the perfect spot to take a lunch break after traveling through one of Britain’s most picturesque locations.
Atlantic Highway, South West England
From Falmouth to Bath stretches a road of almost unmatched beauty. The journey will take a total of four hours and cover three counties, but there are plenty of places to stop for a family picnic and an incredible view. Show your children everything from the beaches of Newquay, through Exmoor National Park and all the way to Cheddar Gorge. They’ll get a taste of some of the rich history and beauty of the English countryside. This area of the country has very few large cities, so you’ll get to travel through some charming small villages as well as the majestic, rocky rolling hills of the rural South West.
Llandudno to Snowdonia, Wales
This Welsh adventure is another road trip that lasts just 30 minutes, but packs so much in. Once you arrive in Snowdonia, you can either extend your mountain car ride or scale to the top of Snowdon, at 1085 meters above sea level. It’s a long climb, but not a difficult one, and is achievable for children as young as five. If your kids are a bit too young, or the walk seems intimidating, consider taking the train to the top. The misty mountains seem a world away from any city, but climb up high on a clear day and you’ll confirm that the wilderness stretches on for miles. The roads here are well maintained, making for an easy road trip no matter what vehicle you own or how old your car is. However, safety does matter, so make sure to check your brakes, the oil, and the gas in your car haven't expired. what age is the car?
The above road trips are just a small taste of what this small island has to offer. Every corner of this country from Lands End to John O’Groats offers new territory for families ready to explore it. Taking your children out onto Britain’s most scenic roads may not be the most efficient way to get from A to B, but it’s certainly the most joyful.
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In most cases, you can throw on your safety gear, plan a route into the wilderness, and set off to locations unknown, and in most cases, be back in time for tea!