London to Edinburgh road trip: top stopovers & camps

It’s one of the most awesome # vanlife adventures and one of our top in the UK – the London to Edinburgh road trip! Driving from England to Scotland’s capital makes for an adventure-filled and stunningly scenic trip that suits any type of traveller.

Families can stop off at attractions like Chessington World of Adventures and Alton Towers, while couples might prefer romantic destinations like the Laknbvnbv v sfdfe District. Groups of friends could plan a journey of various day trips, stopping off to wander the cobbled streets of York or sightsee in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Whatever way you want to drive from London to Edinburgh, we’ve got your stopovers covered! Here’s how to do it and where to park up along the way.

How long to drive from London to Edinburgh?

The most direct route from London to Edinburgh is just over 400 miles along the M1 and A1, driving north towards Derby and Nottingham and skirting the Peak District National Park to arrive at Leeds. From there, the route passes between the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors national parks, past Newcastle and Durham, and arrives in Scotland via the Northumberland coast and Berwick-upon-Tweed. It’s just under 60 miles from there to Edinburgh.

You’ll pass loads of heritage sites, lively cities and beautiful countryside on this direct route, which you can drive in two or three days – or even seven or eight hours. But of course you might want to take a few detours! Our London to Edinburgh road trip itinerary covers ten days and is packed with stunning sights to see on the way. We’ve broken it down into manageable sections so there are no very long driving days: feel free to skip any destination if you want to take it easy.

Days 1 and 2: London

Britain’s capital city is your oyster when it comes to sightseeing and things to do. Visit the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace or the London Eye, take a sightseeing bus tour or a boat along the Thames, or visit one of the many London museums or markets.

We recommendhiring a motorhome or campervan in or near London, finding a London campsite, then travelling into the heart of the city by public transport for two days’ worth of London attractions. These campsites should see you sorted:

Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site

A well-maintained park in London’s Crystal Palace/SE19 area, set among trees and greenery in a huge park with a boating lake, playgrounds and a café. Cycle into London via the National Cycle Network’s Route 23 starting in Dulwich, or take the nearby No 3 bus to Oxford Street via Brixton and Trafalgar Square.

Walton on Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Stay close to Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park at this west London campsite with plenty of beautiful spots close by along the River Thames. Pets are welcome. To get into the city centre, take the No 461 (Kingston) bus to Hampton Court Station, then the South Western Railways service from Hampton Court to Waterloo.

Day 3: London to Windsor Castle (25 miles) and Stonehenge (70 miles)

We highly recommend going west rather than north on your first day out of London, to see the two world-famous attractions of Windsor Castle and ancient Stonehenge. Leave early to spend the morning at Windsor Castle (bookings essential; buy well in advance), then drive the 70 miles from there for an afternoon at Stonehenge.

Camp near Stonehenge

Stonehenge Campsite and Glamping Pods is a multi-award winning family-run site just 10 minutes’ drive from the Stonehenge World Heritage Centre. A farm and village shop plus two pubs are within walking distance.

Day 4: Stonehenge to Bath (34 miles) and the Cotswolds (50-70 miles)

The fourth day of our itinerary takes in a morning’s sightseeing and lunch in the Georgian spa city of Bath. In the afternoon, drive to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cirencester (35 miles), Bourton-on-the-Water (50 miles) and Chipping Campden (70 miles) are all doable options from Bath.

Camp in the Cotswolds

Cotswold Carp Farm at Bourton-on-the-Water has lakeside pitches on a small family-run 10 minutes’ walk into the centre of the village. Dogs stay free, but please note that as a lakeside site the park is open to adults only.

Day 5: The Cotswolds to Cheltenham (15 miles) or Gloucester (23 miles), then on to Stratford-upon-Avon (30-40 miles)

The morning of Day 5 is for city sightseeing – opt for Cheltenham to see its beautiful architecture or drop in on one of its many festivals; or Gloucester for its famous cathedral used in scenes in three of the Harry Potter films. Have lunch on the road to reach Stratford-upon-Avon by early afternoon and spend time at its top sights including Shakespeare's Birthplace and Anne Hathaway's Cottage.

Camp near Stratford-upon-Avon

Dodwell Park is a well-established Stratford campsite just two miles from Stratford town. It’s award-winning and well equipped, with free hot showers, Calor and Campingaz sales, and a

shop and off-licence.

Day 6: Stratford to the Peak District (approx. 100 miles)

Set off early from Stratford to drive two hours to the Peak District National Park (head for Ashbourne then Buxton or Bakewell) and spend the rest of the day there. Highlights include the park’s four show caves (Peak Cavern, Blue John, Treak Cliff and Speedwell), over 1,800 miles of network of public footpaths and long-distance trails, and famous old homes like Chatsworth House.

Camp in the Peak District

Budget-conscious campervanners will loveMandale Campsite just outside Lathkill Dale, a Peak District farm site with field camping. Bakewell is 10 minutes’ drive away.

Day 7: the Peak District to York (70 miles) and the Yorkshire Dales (65 miles) or North York Moors (42 miles)

Another early start, this time to drive 70 miles from Bakewell for a morning in historic York. From there it’s 65 miles north-west to the centre of the Yorkshire Dales National Park at Hawes, or 42 miles north-east to the North York Moors National Park and Goathland.

Camp in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Hawes Caravan and Motorhome Club Site is between the River Ure and the market town of Hawes in Wensleydale, with walking trails all around including a dog walk trail right from the campsite. A motorhome service point is among its many facilities.

Camp in the North York Moors National Park

Stay by the North Yorkshire coast at Whitby campsiteLong Meadow Farm, just five minutes’ drive from Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay. Grass touring pitches are available all year round; head’s up that the site doesn’t allow large single-sex groups.

Day 8: Yorkshire Dales (73 miles) or North York Moors (72 miles) to Newcastle upon Tyne

Spend the early morning of Day 8 on a final sightsee of Yorkshire’s dales or moors, before a drive of 72-73 miles to arrive at Newcastle upon Tyne for lunch. The Quayside and River Tyne, Tyne Bridge, the Theatre Royal and The Castle are all popular Newcastle sightseeing spots; the city’s famous for its nightlife too.

Camp near Newcastle upon Tyne

Stay atStephenson's Arms Camping and Caravanning Club Site to be within five minutes’ walk of Wylam station and services to Newcastle. The River Tyne is within 100 metres of the site and has fishing available.

Day 9: Newcastle to Berwick-upon-Tweed (63 miles) and Edinburgh (57 miles)

A drive between Northumberland National Park and the Northumberland Coast of Outstanding Natural Beauty will take you to pretty Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England (just 2.5 miles from the Scottish border). There’s lots to see and do in town if you prefer to sightsee and park up for the night; otherwise, spend a couple of hours in Berwick then drive on to Edinburgh.

Camp near Edinburgh

Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park is a four-star campsite on a leafy green parkland estate only four miles from Edinburgh. You can walk through the estate to reach Edinburgh city centre from here, or take the regular bus that the campsite provides.

Day 10: Edinburgh

Your 10-day trip from London to Edinburgh winds up with a full day in the Scottish capital. There are heaps of options to occupy your day, including famous sights and destinations like the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Zoo. Arts and culture fans should visit the National Gallery of Scotland and the National Storytelling Centre of Scotland, while Sandyknowles Beach just outside the city is a great option if you have time.

Getting home – Edinburgh to London road trip

If you’re not in too much of a hurry to get back to London, why not take a leisurely route back? Our suggested route starts with a drive west from Edinburgh to Glasgow rather than south-east towards Northumberland, then back into England again via Dumfries.

From Carlisle south of Dumfries, skirt the Lake District National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, passing Lancaster (optional detour: Blackpool) on the way to either Liverpool or Manchester. Birmingham, Leicester, Worcester and Oxford are all easily accessible from either city on the way back to London.

London to Scotland road trip – two-week itinerary via Birmingham

Alternatively, take a full two weeks for your trip and zigzag from England’s west to east plus drop in on Birmingham:

Days 1 and 2 – London

Day 3 – London to Oxford

Day 4 – Oxford to the Cotswolds

Day 5 – The Cotswolds to Stratford-upon-Avon

Day 6 – Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham

Day 7 – Birmingham to Manchester

Day 8 – Manchester

Day 9 – The Peak District; Peak District to York

Day 10 – York to the Yorkshire Dales

Day 11 – Yorkshire Dales to Newcastle upon Tyne

Day 12 – Newcastle upon Tyne to Bamburgh/the Northumberland coast

Day 13 – Bamburgh to Edinburgh via Berwick-upon-Tweed

Day 14 – Edinburgh

Now that you know where to stop on a London to Edinburgh road trip, it's time to hire a van! While you can start your adventure in London, you could also set off from anywhere in the South East and allow for a day or two in the capital along the way.

Want to continue on your adventure a little while longer? Check out the best campervan spots in Scotland for all of our favourite places to set up camp. Happy travelling!

Why Camplify?

We are proud to be the UK’s fastest-growing campervan, motorhome and caravan sharing community. When you hire a van from our platform, you get lots of advantages:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• 24/7 RAC nationwide breakdown cover

• Dedicated customer support

• All members are verified

By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across the UK in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

Sign up if you want to join our beloved community of van life lovers and receive our most recent news and offers.