Roadlegs

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The best road trips in the UK and Ireland

Driving on the left, single-track roads and weather that changes every hour. Still the home of some of the best road trips in Europe, especially out of the summer holidays.

Published 6 October 2026 · facts fetched from Wikipedia on 6 October 2026

Plan this trip

  1. 1 North Coast 500

    North Coast 500
    Photo by Reboelje, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The North Coast 500 is a 516-mile (830 km) scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle. Wikipedia

    Five days around the Highlands. The west coast is the reason; the east is the way back.

    Written about in 7 languagesStart a trip here

  2. 2 Wild Atlantic Way

    Wild Atlantic Way
    Photo by Jim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The Wild Atlantic Way is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. Wikipedia

    Pick a week of it: Kerry and Clare in the south, or Connemara, Mayo and Donegal in the north.

    Written about in 11 languagesStart a trip here

  3. 3 Ring of Kerry

    Ring of Kerry
    Photo by Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The Ring of Kerry is a 179-kilometre-long (111-mile) circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland. Wikipedia

    One day, anticlockwise, with the Gap of Dunloe on foot or by pony trap.

    Written about in 16 languagesStart a trip here

  4. 4 Lake District

    Lake District
    Photo by User:Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region and national park in Cumbria, North West England. Wikipedia

    Hardknott and Wrynose are the steepest roads in England. Keswick and Ambleside as bases.

    Written about in 54 languagesStart a trip here

  5. 5 Snowdonia

    Snowdonia
    Photo by Scott Wylie from UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Snowdonia, or Eryri, is a mountainous region and national park in North Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales over 3000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), which is 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) tall. Wikipedia

    The Llanberis Pass and the road to Betws-y-Coed. Then the Llŷn peninsula for the coast.

    Written about in 42 languagesStart a trip here

  6. 6 Cornwall

    Cornwall
    Photo by Werner Wilmes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Cornwall is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. Wikipedia

    The A30 to Land's End, then the north coast back by St Ives and Padstow. Tiny lanes; a small car.

    Written about in 113 languagesStart a trip here

  7. 7 Causeway Coastal Route

    Causeway Coastal Route
    Photo by D.de.loinsigh at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The A2 is a major road in Northern Ireland, a considerable length of which is often referred to the Antrim Coast Road because much of it follows the scenic coastline of County Antrim; other parts of the road follow the coasts in Counties Down and Londonderry. Wikipedia

    Belfast to Derry by the Antrim coast and the Giant's Causeway. Two days.

    Written about in 4 languagesStart a trip here

Riding or driving it

Distances are short and the roads are slow, so plan by hours, not kilometres: in Roadlegs set a 4-hour day and the plan comes out right.

Open the plan in Roadlegs How the planner handles this vehicle.

About the facts and photos

The descriptions in italics are the opening sentences of the Wikipedia article for each place, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, fetched on 6 October 2026. Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licence named beside each one. "Written about in N languages" counts the Wikipedia editions that have an article, from Wikidata; it is a measure of how well known a place is, not a rating. Everything else is the author's own opinion. Roads close with the seasons: check before you go.

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