Lonely Planet best road trips in Britain

As international travel looks ever less likely this summer, many travellers are planning adventures on home turf – with no worries over quarantine or PCR tests.

Drives around northwest Wales, Scotland’s west coast and through Suffolk and Norfolk have been named among the best road trips in Britain by Lonely Planet.

The travel publisher has released Great Britain’s Best Trips, which showcases 36 drives around the island to celebrate the diversity of Britain’s landscapes.

From those 36 drives, Lonely Planet has chosen six of the best in each region of Britain.

The six best drives, across England, Wales and Scotland, were chosen to highlight “less obvious locations” to encourage British staycationers to venture off the beaten track this summer.

In southern and eastern England, the drive from Suffolk to the Norfolk shore was chosen as the top road trip, which mixes a “coastal holiday with history and heritage”.

Winchester to Glastonbury and Bath took the top spot in the south west, to experience England’s “best archaeological and architectural sights”.

In central England, a trip through the Midland’s battlefields and castles via Nottingham, Richard III’s Leicester, Warwick and Lincoln was ranked the best in the region.

Further north, the North York Moors and coast, taking in York and gothic Whitby Abbey, was ranked best in northern England.

Best in Wales was a drive round the northwest, taking in seaside town Llandudno, the towns of Conwy and Caernarfon and the llyn Peninsula’s “rugged cliffs”.

Lastly, in Scotland, Lonely Planet ranks ferry hopping around the “enchanting” islands of the west coast.

“Taking a road trip means you can explore more of the rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and incredible experiences on our doorstep,” said Tom Hall, Lonely Planet’s head of experience.

“Great Britain’s Best Trips covers England, Scotland, and Wales, providing suggestions for alternative destinations to visit, away from the busy tourist hotspots. Combining towns and cities, with coast and countryside, soaking up history, culture and British hospitality along the way to truly get to know our amazing isles.”

Mr Hall adds that “domestic tourism, and our cities in particular” need support this year, and that “2021 is the time to tick off the places you have been meaning to visit and discover somewhere new”.