In Great Britain, a road trip can be one of the most flexible ways to travel. Road trips give you time to explore at your own pace, whether you’re planning on packing up the car for a long weekend, heading off on a walking holiday or planning a longer stay in a campervan.
However, some parts of the country are better suited to road trips than others, and it’s not just about finding somewhere scenic. The best road trips balance scenery, convenience and safety. While some counties stand out for their campsites and walking routes, others perform strongly for practical motoring factors such as fuel stations and road safety.
To reveal the best counties for a road trip, Blackcircles analysed counties across Britain, looking at the number of fuel stations, campsites, tourist attractions, walking trails and reported road collisions.
Cumbria is the second best destination in Britain for road trips
Cumbria is second, predominantly for its outstanding outdoor offering, which shouldn’t be surprising given that the county is home to the Lake District.
It’s the sheer number of walking routes that make Cumbria a ramblers’ paradise, with trails like Scafell Pike and Helvellyn among the more challenging. In total, the county has 2,300 of them – the highest number of any county in the study – over 50% more than second-placed Derbyshire (1,519) and 6x more than the average (355).
Cumbria also has 349 campsites and caravan sites, including in popular Lake District destinations like Keswick and Windermere, making it a strong choice for drivers planning a walking holiday, camping trip or longer staycation. It also performs well for road safety, with 155.5 reported road collisions per 100,000 people, which is lower than several other counties in the top 10.
Despite not finishing in the top 20 for fuel stations (116), this is still 45% higher than the average of 80, cementing Cumbria’s place as one of the best road trip destinations in Britain.
North Yorkshire also rated highly
Also accessible from the the Greater Manchester area, North Yorkshire rounds out the top three and has the highest number of campsites and caravan sites in the study, with 512. North Yorkshire also has 344 tourist attractions, including various activities in and around York, like the City Walls, Railway Museum and original filming locations from Harry Potter.
With national parks, market towns, coastal routes and countryside drives, North Yorkshire offers plenty for road trippers to explore. And, with 166 fuel stations, staycationers can plan longer journeys with confidence.
Lancashire & Cheshire also made the top 10
Our neighbour Lancashire took seventh place in the rankings, with plenty of campsites and walking trails to stop off at. Beauty spots include the likes of the Forest of Bowland, Clitheroe and the entry point to the West Pennine Moors, all of which provide a lovely drive, as well as somewhere to admire on foot.
Cheshire just managed to get into the rankings, with a score of 7.28. Its long country roads and stunning views across greenery and spectacular houses makes for a pleasant and easy trip, whilst the county ranks even higher than Lancashire for tourist attractions.
Other top British spots for a road trip
Devon ranks as the best county in Britain for a road trip, with an overall score of 7.85. The county performs strongly across all of the road trip factors, with 388 campsites and caravan sites, 278 tourist attractions, and over 1,000 walking trails, including a large section of the 630-mile Salt Path, which inspired the book and film of the same name.
With coastal routes and countryside drives to national parks and seaside towns, Devon has a strong mix of practical facilities, stop-off points and scenery, like the Valley of Rocks in Exmoor.
Gwynedd is Wales’ best county for a road trip, performing particularly well for campsites and outdoor routes, scoring above average for campsites (329) and walking trails (642). The county also records 71.2 road collisions per 100,000 people, well below the average of 129.9, making it one of the safer counties analysed.
Gwynedd has a strong balance of scenery, including the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, road safety and camping infrastructure – making it a top spot for weekends and longer breaks.
The top 10 best destinations in Britain for a road trip (with overall score)
- Devon – 7.85
- Cumbria – 7.82
- North Yorkshire – 7.79
- Kent – 7.77
- Highland – 7.67
- Hampshire – 7.63
- Lancashire – 7.47
- Cornwall – 7.40
- Somerset – 7.30
- Cheshire – 7.28
You can find the full study here.
