London to Lake District road trip: scenic route guide

Driving from London to the Lake District is a brilliant way to have a # vanlife tour in England. Whichever route you take, the journey is packed with unmissable stops along the way… and then you arrive in the stunning Lake District National Park to start another adventure from there! Read on for our expert guide on a road trip from London to the Lake District.

Best road trip from London to the Lake District: 8 places you can’t miss

The quickest way to drive fromLondon to the Lake District is via the M6, a journey length of about 270 miles or five hours’ driving time. But this route can get very busy during holidays or on bank holiday weekends, so avoid it as much as possible by taking our trip instead! Our London to Lakes journey also allows for some gorgeous stop-offs, including the Cotswolds and the Peak District.

Total distance : about 325 miles | Recommended days : 3 to 5 days |

Best time to do the route : between April and September| See route in Google Maps

1. Oxford

The first stop on our trip from London is Oxford, the university town that along with Cambridge is one of the most famous in the UK. The Bodleian Library, Ashmolean Museum, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and Magdalen and Christ Church colleges are just a few of our recommended Oxford sights. The Radcliffe Camera circular reading room is another; it isn’t open to tourists but is an impressive sight. You could also try punting on the river via the Magdalen Bridge Boathouse – pay for a guide or try it for yourself!

Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fans will love a stop in Oxford too. The Hall at Christ Church College was used as the filming location for the Hogwarts Great Hall in the Harry Potter films, while Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien famously frequented The Eagle pub and his former home is at 20 Northmoor Road. Ask at the Oxford Tourist Information Centre about Harry Potter walking tours.

It’s only 56 miles fromLondon to Oxford, driving west from London through the pretty Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

2. The Cotswolds

Another short drive to our next stop now, the 33-mile journey fromOxford to the Cotswolds, arriving in the centre at Bourton-on-the-Water. This AONB is one of the most visited in England because of its rural and peaceful setting, that’s thought of as a typical English landscape. Villages, towns and stately homes throughout the region are built in Cotswold stone, the famous golden limestone that features in many English tourism images.

The best way to see the Cotswolds is to drive around its many picturesque towns and villages. Chipping Campden, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Stroud are all well worth a stop, as are Cheltenham and the market town of Cirencester for shopping, and Gloucester for city sightseeing. There are plenty of farmers’ markets and local produce sales throughout the region, perfect for picking up food, drink and souvenirs.

If you prefer to explore by foot, hike part of the 102-mile Cotswold Way (from Chipping Campden to Bath) for glorious views from the western edge of the Cotswold Hills.

3. Stratford-upon-Avon

Another short drive and another world-famous stop! Drive 25 miles from theCotswolds to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace and hometown of Shakespeare by the River Avon in Warwickshire. It’s one of the most visited destinations in Britain, and one of the leading theatre destinations too as home of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Buy a “The Full Story” multi-ticket from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to see the best of Stratford at the best price. This allows admission into the main five Shakespeare attractions – Shakespeare’s Birthplace; Anne Hathway’s Cottage; Mary Arden’s Farm (the childhood home of Shakespeare's mother); Hall’s Croft, where his daughter Susanna lived with her husband; and New Place, the site of one of Shakespeare’s Stratford homes.

There’s plenty of choice for other Stratford attractions too! Tudor World on Sheep Street re-enacts Tudor life, and the Butterfly Farm on Swans Nest Lane has a tropical rainforest butterfly habitat visitors can walkthrough, as well as Insect City and Arachnoland, home to the world’s biggest spider.

4. Warwick Castle

Stunning Warwick Castle is a must-see when visiting Warwickshire. Built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, this spectacular castle has over 1,000 years of history to explore, plus regular events and displays.

Seasonal exhibits and displays include jousting, archery, historic reenactments such as Wars of the Roses Live, and The Falconer’s Quest, the biggest bird of prey show in the UK. Also, visit the Castle Dungeon and the Horrible Histories maze, or walk around some of the 64 acres of grounds and gardens including a peacock garden and a central courtyard.

This is the shortest leg of our road trip –Stratford-upon-Avon to Warwick Castle is just 9 miles. That should give plenty of time to spend in both these fab destinations!

5. The Peak District

Our next stop is the first national park on the trip, the beautiful Peak District covering much of Derbyshire as well as parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It’s an uplands area at the end of the South Pennines, full of spectacular landscapes including reservoirs, hills, caves and paths for hiking and cycling.

The 94-mile route fromWarwick Castle to the Peak District arrives in the national park at the market town of Buxton. This is a great base for exploring, as it’s easy to reach Peak District highlights like Blue John Cavern (9 miles), the high hill of Mam Tor (10 miles), the market town of Bakewell (12 miles), the former plague village of Eyam (14 miles) and Ladybower Reservoir (17 miles).

Leave plenty of time for this part of the journey, as it’s the leg of our road trip that uses the busy M6, going through Birmingham. And if you can take extra time, we highly recommend a stop in Birmingham too!

6. Manchester

We’re in northwest England by this stage of the trip, making the first stop at the lively city of Manchester. Like its neighbour Liverpool, Manchester is known all around the world for its football – Manchester United play at Old Trafford and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Try to catch a game if you’re in the city at the start of the football season in late August; if you can’t make it to either stadium, any pub near either ground will be an excellent substitute!

Manchester’s also famous for its music, as Britpop and “Madchester” (the Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and others) originated here, as did Oasis, Joy Division and loads more. The Manchester Arena, the Manchester Apollo and the Manchester Academy are all top spots for Manchester live music. For sightseeing, check out the Manchester Museum, Manchester Art Gallery and the Imperial War Museum North.

ThePeak District to Manchester is 31 miles, crossing the eastern edge of the national park.

7. Forest of Bowland

Our final stop before arriving at the Lake District National Park is at another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Forest of Bowland. This ancient region between the Lancashire coast and the Yorkshire Dales National Park is made up of valleys, moorland, rivers and stone fells, popular with hikers, cyclists and anglers.

Make for Beacon Fell Country Park in Bowland’s southwest to pick up info at the AONB visitor centre then to hike around Beacon Fell. The views from here are stupendous: the coastal plain of the Fylde to the west, Morecambe Bay to the northwest, Preston to the south and Pendle Hill to the east.

It’s about 43 miles fromManchester to the Forest of Bowland, arriving at Beacon Fell Country Park.

After Bowland, arrive in the Lake District at Kendal. The drive from theForest of Bowland to the Lake District is 38 miles, but there are plenty of spectacular stops and detours around this part of the country! Head east to the Yorkshire Dales, west to Morecambe Bay, or west then south to the coastline around Blackpool and Lytham St Annes. Then it’s time for the Lakes, for awesome stops like Lake Windermere, Bowness-on-Windermere, the Castlerigg Stone Circle and Honister Slate Mine.

Organise your road trip from London to the Lake District with Camplify

It couldn’t be easier to arrange a London to Lakes road trip! Start by organising campervan hire in London – you can filter results by date, type of van, number of berths and loads more.

Or of course, you could also get the train from London and pick up your van somewhere like Birmingham! Enter your departure town or city into our campervan hire in the UK listings page to get local results.

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