England to Scotland road trip: ultimate route guide

Who’s up for an England to Scotland road trip? Touring the largest country in Great Britain to its most northerly makes for a wonderful adventure – especially in a campervan or motorhome! From Stonehenge and Bath to Loch Ness and Edinburgh, your journey will take you through some of the United Kingdom’s most incredible attractions.

Not sure where to start, or overwhelmed by choice? Our expert guide covers the best road trip from England to Scotland… and back.

Best road trip from England to Scotland – 10 destinations you can’t miss

Setting out from London, our road trip takes in an incredible landscape, stunning coastline and four national parks among much more, at a complete distance of just over 1,400 miles. Take a few weeks for this one if you can – there’s heaps to see along the way!

Total distance: 1,417 miles | Recommended days: 21 days | Best time to do the route: summer |Route map

1. Stonehenge ****

World-famous Stonehenge is one of the most iconic sights of Britain. Standing on Wiltshire Plain, these standing stones and prehistoric monuments are a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Avebury stones nearby.

London to Stonehenge is 85 miles, leaving west London via Kingston-upon-Thames and cutting under the North Wessex Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Alternatively, veer south when leaving London (taking the A3 rather than M3), for a stop in the South Downs National Park.

1. Bath

Renowned for its architecture, the Georgian city of Bath is also an ancient spa town established as long ago as Roman times. Like Stonehenge, it’s a World Heritage Site and is visited by over four million people a year. The Roman Baths and Pump Room are the must-see attractions, fuelled by England's only mineral hot springs pumping out over a million litres of hot water each day. The Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath Abbey and the Fashion Museum are well worth a look too.

Drive west from Stonehenge to Bath via Warminster (34 miles), skirting along the very top of Cranborne Chase AONB; with an optional detour to stately home Longleat House, the seat of the Marquesses of Bath. You could also stop for a day in Bristol before driving north.

3. Peak District

Almost direct north for our next stop, a 172-mile journey from Bath to the Peak District. There are heaps of optional stop-offs and detours along this part of our England to Scotland trip – Cheltenham, the Cotswolds, Birmingham or Worcester could all be a full day each – before arriving at the Peak District National Park at the visitor centre at Bakewell.

Spend some time in the Peak to get stuck into its huge range of outdoor activities, such as caving at Peak Cavern, sailing, canoeing and fishing at Carsington Water, or walking some of the hundreds of footpaths and long-distance paths including the Pennine Way, the Tissington Trail and the High Peak Trail. Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall are top picks for indoor days.

4. The Lake District ****

From the Peak District to the Lake District now, the biggest national park in England. Its 500 million years of geologic history include the largest and deepest lakes and highest peaks in England; Windermere and Scafell Pike are among the most visited spots. Like the Peak, it’s also easy to get adventurous in the Lakes: it has the highest concentration of outdoor activity centres in the UK.

A 111-mile route to the Lake District from Bakewell arrives at Kendal near Bowness-on-Windermere, passing close to Manchester, Morecambe and the western edge of the Forest of Bowland. A more leisurely option is to drive north rather than west, to the Nidderdale AONB and through the North York Moors National Park, passing Leeds (163 miles;route map).

5. Loch Lomond

Next, it’s over the border to Scotland… and another national park. Loch Lomond is the jewel in the spectacular Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, and as it’s also the biggest lake in Scotland there is loads to do around its shores. Start with a Loch Lomond cruise from Balloch – a great place to begin as it’s the southern gateway to the loch and the setting of its visitor and activity centre Loch Lomond Shores.

The 148-mile journey from the Lake District to Loch Lomond leaves the Lakes at Penrith, then goes northwest to Loch Lomond via Carlisle, Greta Green and Glasgow. Take some time in Glasgow if you can, or double south from the city to visit Kilmarnock.

6. The Isle of Skye ****

The biggest island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides is packed with sightseeing and leisure options, such as exploring Dunvegan Castle and island capital Portree or bagging some of the 12 Munros of the Cuillin Range… or just wandering around the gorgeous coastline. Take a dip in the “Fairy Pools” in Glen Brittle – these deep blue pools are filled with crystal clear water.

Although our trip is suited for two weeks, you could easily take a week just to drive in the Scottish Highlands from Loch Lomond to Skye! The first leg of our 175-mile itinerary drives northwest from Loch Lomond to Fort William, with optional detours to Inveraray, Glen Coe, Oban and the Isle of Mull. Then there’s the option of seeing the Glenfiddich Viaduct just west of Fort William, which the train in the Harry Potter films is shown steaming across. From there, it’s an easy drive to Skye Bridge.

7. Loch Ness ****

Loch Ness a short drive from Inverness is the biggest loch in Scotland after Loch Lomond, and the largest by volume in the British Isles. Its depth (up to 230 metres) and its low water visibility helped establish the loch as the supposed home of Nessie, the famous Loch Ness monster. Delve into the history and legend of the loch at Drumnadrochit’s Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, before taking a boat trip onto the waters or visiting Urquhart Castle on the western shore.

The 100-mile drive from Skye to Loch Ness passes the little village of Kyle of Lochalsh then veers east towards Invergarry. You could also go north to Lochcarron to explore the Applecross Peninsula, then to Loch Ness via Dingwall and Inverness.

8. Edinburgh

Scotland’s capital Edinburgh is world-famous for its sights, history, culture and festivals. Edinburgh Castle and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Edinburgh Old Town are must-sees, as are the National Museum of Scotland and Scottish National Gallery for those interested in history or art. The ancient volcano Arthur’s Seat in royal Holyrood Park is another famous Edinburgh landmark, only about a mile from Edinburgh Castle.

The Loch Ness to Edinburgh stretch of the itinerary crosses almost the whole of Scotland on a journey of 169 miles, passing the western edge of Britain’s biggest national park, the Cairngorms. Stop at Inverness, Aviemore, Pitlochry or Perth along the way, or detour when approaching Edinburgh to visit St Andrews to the east or Falkirk to the west.

9. North York Moors

Back over the border now to visit the third English national park on our road trip, the wild North York Moors. This upland area in north-eastern Yorkshire covers many habitats – heather moorland, high hills, pastureland, woodland and limestone streams among others, as well as the cliffs and bays of the Yorkshire Coast from the Tees to the Humber estuaries. The Cleveland Way, Whitby, Goathland and the seaside towns of Staithes, Runswick Bay and Robin Hood's Bay are just a handful of the park’s many attractions.

The 196-mile route from Edinburgh to the North York Moors passes many other famous and scenic destinations, such as Berwick-upon-Tweed, Eyemouth and Alnwick on the Northumberland coast, and city stops in Newcastle and Durham. It arrives in the national park at Whitby.

10. Cambridge ****

The final destination on our trip is Cambridge, home to one of Britain’s most famous universities. It’s small enough to see on a day trip – we suggest taking a punt along the River Cam before a stroll around the colleges or a visit to Cambridge museums like the Fitzwilliam Museum. Culture and nightlife are also plentiful in this university town, particularly around the Cambridge Corn Exchange.

Our 209-mile North York Moors to Cambridge route goes inland from the coastal landscape at Whitby, for optional stops at York or Leeds.

To reach Cambridge mostly via a coastal route, drive from Whitby to Scarborough and then via Skegness, Cromer and Lowestoft. This is 363 scenic miles; here’s theroute map.

(If you’d also like to see Oxford on your trip, stop off on the first section, to Stonehenge.London to Oxford is 59 miles, andLondon to Stonehenge via Oxford is 129.)

Organise your England to Scotland road trip with Camplify

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