Trip around UK, suggestions on routes with nice scenery?

[Th3G33k]

Hello everyone!

In about 2 weeks 2 friends and myself will be going to the UK and travelling around with a rental car. Here's a rough itinerary of where we'll stop along the way:

1. London
2. Bath
3. Snowdonia (going through cotswolds while heading there)
4. Liverpool
5. Fort William (going through lake district/Yorkshire Dales while heading there)
6. Isle of Skye
7. Inverness
8. Edinburgh(detour by Cairngorms national park while heading there)
9. Newcastle
10. Back to London

We are looking for a few detours here and there to enjoy the scenery while driving around. Any suggestions between any of these stops would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[oothef]

I prefer scenery to cities, if you're heading down the east coast, I'd recommend calling in to Whitby, and just down the coast, Robin Hoods Bay, good fish&chips, buns and in both.If you go to Robin Hoods Bay don't just walk up and down the main (v. steep!) hill, turn off and explore the small ginnels through all the cottages.If you hit them midweek there'll be fewer folk.
Hope you have some weather

[Warthog]

Pembrokeshire is very picturesque, too.

[dave ett]

On your leg from London to Bath, dive off the M4 at junction 15 and head up to the Uffington White Horse. Great views over large chunks of Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. You can also ride some of the Ridgeway down to Avebury stone circle if you have a bike capable of gravel tracks.

Uffington White Horse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Avebury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Selous]

you don't say how long for?
Surprised you have decided to not go Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Cornwall & Devon

However I agree with all the above, whitby (home of Dracula) there is the Brecon and the Beacons, just on the welsh borders a pop over from Hereford, I personally would bin Liverpool & Newcastle.

you also have Tintern Abbey Stonehenge in the south

The Lakes yes ullswater Coniston wonderful bike places wouldn't wast my time in a car stuck in traffic!
As for the fish & Chips different counties regions cook it differently.
some have Gravy others have Mushy Peas or just plain, with only Salt & Vinegar

of course if a da Vinci code fan then a trip to Roslyn Chapel Scotland near Dundee, or Temple Church London

[oothef]

Bin Newcastle and Liverpool? A night out in either could be life changing!
Drac was from Transylvania, arrived in Whitby as a big black dog during a storm on a ship with only a corpse tied to the wheel, can still be seen on dark stormy nights........
Personally I'd spend more time on Skye and miss out Inverness.
The Clachaig inn at the bottom of Glen Coe has always been a good place for getting a hangover, and the hills outside a great place to walk it off.

[GasUp]

2 weeks!!!

You are going to be spending lots of time in the car. You are proposing to travel a long way, on slow roads. Many of the roads you are looking at are a wide as one of your lanes..... and that's for traffic both ways!

Liverpool (not sure why, as a citybreak geat, but a road trip?) to Fort William through the Dales & Lakes - it doesn't look far on a map, but it will take around three days unless you are looking at motorway (freeway), and then you'll not see anything worth seeing.

I'd jump out of Wales (Snowdonia) and take the motorways and A rodas into Yorkshire. Places like the RibbleHead Viaduct are popular but busy. Again the raods are slow, narrow and twisty. Then head over to the Lakes you can use the A65, which is acceptable.... Consider your average speed in the Lakes to be around 20MPH, many of the roads have a maximum speed of 20MPH, so don't expect to be able to cover large distances in good time.

Windermere and Ambleside are the busiest places, followed by Coniston. consider taking the A592 north out of Windermere (Kirkstone Pass) following alongside Ulswater, if you are pushed for time this is probably the best trip in the lakes to take, and you'll be heading in the right direction too.

There is nothing wrong with Inverness, but as previously suggested I'd give it a miss. Take in a bit more of Skye (it will take you a day to driver around the isle) and consider a trip over the Pass 'O ' Cattle to Applecross, this is the highest road in the UK and a good challange to drive! the views are pretty good to.

From ther I'd head down to Edinburgh, taking the route around the north cape will take a long day on a bike, 1 to 1 1/2 in a car, and there's nothing much to see, all the views become the same after the forst hundren miles or so!! John O Groats isn't worth the trip, unless you want to say 'I've been to JOG', and that's about it!

As an overnight stopover, Newcastle is one of the better cities to stay, the people are friendly (it's a northern thing) and it is worth a look. Although a night out will leave you needing therapy..... and never, ever wear a coat or the women will laugh at you (no matter what the weather).

I think you are pushing it a little to try to see all of what you plan. Perhaps pick out three or four areas and hit the motorways between them. Some of what I woudl consider 'must see' places -:

Snowdonia;
Yorkshire Dales;
Lake District;
Skye;

Edit - It's a pity you are coming when you are, I'd have been happy to show you some of the less visited places in the Lakes, but while you are enjoying Britian, I'll be enjoying your country, albeit the west coast.

[oothef]

Totally agree gasup except I'd say you can wear a coat on a night out, then everyone will know you're a tourist. When I saw the first post I thought a month would do it but it would be two weeks of travelling to places and no time to be there, and most of them rammed with tourists. Just east of the lakes is the forest of bowland, when it's shoulder to shoulder int' lakes it's often all but empty.

[steved1969]

Unfortunate also that the timing of the visit is in the middle of the school holidays.

One thing I would suggest, if it's an option, for the extremely busy places such as the Lake District, if you can get there early (as in sun up early) the traffic will be a lot lighter and the experience should be a lot more enjoyable, indeed if you get there early enough you should even be able to take in the likes of Hardknott Pass, something that you definitely will find less enjoyable if you try and travel it when it's busy.

[Eirinn]

Originally Posted by Selous

a trip to Roslyn Chapel Scotland near Dundee,

ehm.. Rosslyn is just south of Ebinburgh, not near Dundee
talking about Scotland, I'd spend more days on the north-west coast (from Glen Coe/Oban up to Ullapool/Lochinver, Skye obviously included).
As someone already said you can skip Inverness although is a good base to visit the highland area. John o' groats is overrated, but near you can find Duncansby head which imho is worth the visit.

[lambchop]

Cairgorms to edinburgh - take the long way through the spital of glenshee... good road on a bike...

[Th3G33k]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I wouldn't mind skipping a few places depending on what happens...2 weeks is indeed damn fast, so we might actually need to cut corners (ie Newcastle) and we will all be driving so thanks for the advice Steve...will try to drive as early as possible!

[rambrose]

This is the route I did a little while ago.
Depart late afternoon on Fri 28th May.
Quick blast down to Lands End for photo with the sign and then back home (178 miles).

Sat 29th May. Leave Plymouth about 9am, up the motorway to arrive at Barnsoul Farm Campsite, Dumfries about 6pm (437 miles).
Barnsoul Farm Caravan Park - Welcome

Sun 30th May. Depart 10am. A76 – B797 Mennock to Abington then back on the M74 to Glasgow.
A82 along Loch Lomond stopping at the Inveruglas Visitor Centre\Cafe. A visit to the Falls of Falloch then on to the Bridge of Orchy and Loch Tulla. There’s a biker haunt at the Green Welly at Tyndrum between the Falls of Falloch – Bridge of Orchy.
Through Glencoe, along the edge of Loch Linnhe stopping at Fort William for a bit.
Staying on the A82 we’ll travel alongside Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, arriving at Borlum Farm Campsite (Loch Ness) around 5:15pm (236 miles)
Camping & Caravan Park

Mon 31st May. Depart 10am. Carry on the A82 to Inverness then taking the A9 coast road
With a slight detour on the B9176 from Alness via Bonar Bridge.
http://www.bestbikingroads.com/motorcyc ... code=47310 . Arriving at John O’Groats around 1pm. Visit Duncansby Head then on to Stroma View Campsite 3:30pm (143 miles)
stroma view (not much of a website!)

Tue 1st June. A836 along the north coast, through Tongue to Lairg. Then on the A839 –A837 – A835 back through Inverness onto the A9. Stopping at Dalwhinnie for a bit of wild camping just after 3pm (255miles)

Wed 2nd June. A9 - B846 – A827 –A84 through the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park to Stirling. Back on the motorway M80 – M74 – M6 jumping off at Penrith. A592 past Ullswater staying at Side Farm Campsite 3pm ish (246 miles)
Campsite-Side Farm Campsite
Lakes are pretty but far too busy for bikers

Thur 3rd June. Breakfast stop at Darryl’s Café then the blast home arriving in Plymouth just after 5pm. (372 miles)

Scotland was fantastic and I wish I had more time up there.

[RobRoy]

I have a Google Map where I collect itinerary ideas for the UK. You may find it useful for some segments of your trip, particularly the Cotswolds through to Snowdonia, Lake District and Skye (don't miss the north bit, especially the "Quirang"). All must-see areas.

Go to UK Itinerary Ideas - Google Maps

[Thefastone]

Originally Posted by Selous

you don't say how long for?
Surprised you have decided to not go Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Cornwall & Devon

However I agree with all the above, whitby (home of Dracula) there is the Brecon and the Beacons, just on the welsh borders a pop over from Hereford, I personally would bin Liverpool & Newcastle.

you also have Tintern Abbey Stonehenge in the south

The Lakes yes ullswater Coniston wonderful bike places wouldn't wast my time in a car stuck in traffic!
As for the fish & Chips different counties regions cook it differently.
some have Gravy others have Mushy Peas or just plain, with only Salt & Vinegar

of course if a da Vinci code fan then a trip to Roslyn Chapel Scotland near Dundee, or Temple Church London

Why bin Liverpool, think the bikes might get nicked, cause they do doe, dont day doe, LOL.
Give wales a miss the police are still a pain in the rear.

Thefastone
Steve