Areas to drive in the UK

There are many areas that would be well advised . One example would be a favorite for me , The Peak District , and a highlight therein , is the Chatsworth Estate . The nearby villages of Matlock Bath , Bakewell , and Baslow are well worth exploring . Watch this documentary about Chatsworth to whet your appetite - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMTjdOzUUmo

Thanks Steven. We were supposed to go to Chatsworth three years ago and had to cancel. Definitely something we need to do!

What about Northumberland?

I have not explored there , but I have loved all of the areas that I have visited , a few more - Shropshire ( particularly if you are familiar with Housman , North Wales - Colwyn Bay ( Conwy and LLandudno ) , The Cotswolds , of course , Cornwall , rugged , windswept and intriguing . I could go on forever !

I agree with you - so many wonderful areas!! We just finished our 25th trip there! We did this latest one by train only - first time we have not rented a car. It worked, but we missed staying in small villages. We should be looking at doing travel elsewhere, but I just can't give up England. The Vera series has interested me in Northumberland, but I'm not sure about it.

"Vera" is set in Newcastle and the nearby countryside. As you can tell by watching, there are lots of desolate rural roads with spectacular scenery -- and they're not all crime scenes like on TV. Just stay away from the yellow tape. ;-)

Hadrian's Wall is great for driving (near) or walking (beside). The drive north to Alnwick, Lindisfarne, Bambergh and on to Scotland is very attractive. Lindisfarne requires attention to the tides so you don't get stranded or, worse, swept away. Durham Cathedral is one of our favorites, and Hexham is an interesting town with a great old church. We also liked the cathedral at Carlisle.

Another idea would be driving into and out of some of the Yorkshire dales. We took a taxi from Richmond up Swaledale and back because my left-hand driving wasn't up to it -- unfortunately the driver went fast, as taxis are usually supposed to do, wasn't his fault.

Dartmoor, Exmoor, the North York Moors -- just pick any place that has "moor" in it I guess!

My wife and I were last there in May 2013. Most places in England outside of big cities don't have a lot of traffic, but I think you already know that based upon your profile. We found the Dartmoor area in Devon to be very, very empty. Also once we picked up the car in Bath, getting even a little ways outside of town and traffic was nonexistent. We drove into Glastonbury and parked easily. We drove up to the Cotswolds, staying in Chipping Camden, and it all seemed very tame (except for the occasionally crazily low speed limits). We ventured into Wales and drove a bit of the Wye Valley, but the trees were still barren--still no traffic. Drove into Chepstow, unfortunately just as the castle was closing. But still it was very manageable. I guess it got a little busy when we rolled into Salisbury around 5 p.m. later that same day but nothing we could not manage. Based upon my research, I think Cornwall is worth a look, too. Also, Dorset and the Jurassic coast area.

Thanks VS. I'll check into that. I've avoided Cornwall - perhaps it's time to check it out.

Dick, we have been to Hadrian's Wall and Durham but none of the other places you mention. We had done a pretty quick trip through there. In Vera it does look like beautiful country,

Northumberland is criss-crossed by small roads and away from the large conurbations you can easily escape the traffic and encounter quiet country roads.

From the coast head into the Cheviots and explore small valleys such as the Coquet, Breamish and Harthope. The College Valley is particularly car-free, you need a permit to drive its full extent and only 12 are issued per day.

http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/visit

https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/places-to-visit/the-cheviots/

http://www.college-valley.co.uk/car_permits.htm

Or further south you could explore the North Pennines. Open roads through Weardale and Teesdale.

http://www.exploreteesdale.uk/things-to-see-and-do/teesdale-tours/129-perfect-pennine-day

The timing of any visit will have a huge impact on the amount of traffic that you will encounter. Cornwall will be very busy during July and August and during school holidays, so is best avoided then if you don't want to encounter many cars. There are far too many vehicles on the road here, so getting away from traffic isn't easy.

You don't say where you have already been.

Areas that I would recommend include Northumberland - many castles, long (in winter - windswept) sandy beaches, and Holy Island (check times for the causeway to avoid being stranded). Nearby, there is Hadrian's Wall and Beamish historical museum plus Kielder and the Cheviots for good walking. The Scottish border towns are also worth visiting. Take a boat trip out to the Farne Islands.

Rutland - a miniature version of the Cotswolds but without all the traffic. Chocolate box houses and take a boat trip on the reservoir.

The Peak District - as already mentioned.

The Yorkshire Dales for rolling countryside then visit Harrogate, Whitby for some sea air, Fountains Abbey, and York.

The Wye Valley and visit Ross on Wye, Hereford, Ledbury and Hay on Wye, all pretty places with quiet countryside.

North Norfolk - pretty villages such as Cley-next-the-Sea (Cley rhymes with eye), Sandringham, visit Norfolk Lavender, take a boat trip out to see the seals and visit historic Norwich.

The area around Llangollen, Chirk and Oswestry on the English/Welsh borders for canal walks, castles and old black and white timbered villages respectively.

In south Wales, the Gower peninsula and the coastal path around St David's are stunning and as quiet traffic-wise as anywhere I have been.

In Scotland, the Ardnamurchan peninsula for stunning scenery without the crowds.

As a generalisation, avoid south east England, the Lake District, the Cotswolds and Skye if you don't want crowds. I would avoid Devon, the Cotswolds, the Lake District and Cornwall in July and August.

I appreciate the thought you all have given to replying to me. I am seeing some areas we have not been to so this is giving me great ideas. Thanks!

The Gower has some wonderful coastal scenery BUT you usually have to get through congested Swansea to reach the peninsula and it can be very busy on weekends & school holidays. For readers who don’t know where this is - click this map:> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6010919,-4.0694877,23617m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

For more open space driving in Wales - try mid Wales.