Road Trip of the UK (Major Cities) | Road Trip Weekend​

Here at Birchwood, we are celebrating Road Trip weekend and to celebrate we have created a route around most of the UK, including most of the Major UK Cities.

Overview

[Start] London (60 miles) > Cambridge

Cambridge (160 miles) > York

York (205 miles) > Edinburgh

Edinburgh (50 miles) > Glasgow

Glasgow (220 miles) > Liverpool

Liverpool (35 miles) > Manchester

Manchester (185 miles) > Cardiff

Cardiff (55 miles) > Bath [End]

London

First stop on the road trip and it’s a big one! We are starting off this trip in the capital of the UK for good reason, London is one of the top voted Cities in the world which means it’s absolutely overflowing with fun activities and attractions to visit.

As you probably know, parking in central London is very expensive, not to mention near on impossible to find, so you’ll probably to park on the outside and catch one of the regular train/tubes into central London.

Must Visit Attractions

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London Eye

If you’ve not already been then you must take a trip around the London eye where you can see unforgettable views of some of London’s most famous attractions.

Buckingham Palace

Enjoy a glimpse into the life of the Queen with a visit to her London royal residence, for a limited time each summer. Wander through the grand State Rooms, discovering many treasures and artefacts, and marvel at a special exhibition.

Madame Tussauds

A great place to take the family, at Madame Tussauds you’ll find hundreds of hyper-realistic wax figures of recognisable celebrities and film characters, designed by expert wax artists, that you can take pictures with .

Other amazing attractions include Tate Modern, Natural History Museum and Science Museum.

Cambridge

A fairly short 60-mile drive form London, Cardiff is next on our tour of the UK. During your time in Cardiff, you’ll find beautiful greenery and mesmerizing architecture.

Must Visit Attractions

Punt down the river

The national pastime of Cambridge and one of the best ways to see the city. And the good news is you don’t even need to work your own arm muscles. You can hire Gondolier like guide of Cambridge.

Other fantastic attractions include the Botanic Gardens, Scott Polar Research Museum, Kings College and the Market Stalls.

York

160 Miles North of Cambridge, York is a stunning city. With hundreds of years of visible history and tours, York is a great location to spend a few days in.

Must Visit Attractions

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York City walls

Roman fortifications that once protected the city. Walking the full length of York’s city walls will take a couple of hours.

Clifford’s Tower

Spectacular views. At the hill’s summit, you’ll be rewarded with unparalleled panoramas over York Minster and the city centre,

Chocolate history

A guided tour through 3,000 years of chocolate history. To get up to speed on some of the most beloved (and delicious) York-made sweeties. Expect to dive deep into the history of Terry’s, Rowntree’s and more.

More exciting attractions include Shambles, York Minister, Ouse River, Brewery Tours and the Giant Maze.

Edinburgh

If you like Medieval history, then Edinburgh is somewhere you must visit! Although it’s a long 200-mile drive from York, the city of Edinburgh is loaded with fascinating history and stunning sights.

Must Visit Attractions

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Edinburgh castle

Being Edinburgh’s top attraction, your trip to Edinburgh isn’t complete until you pay a visit to the most iconic landmark in the city, Edinburgh Castle. You can see it from around the city, as it dominates the Old Town skyline from its position on top of an extinct volcano, Castle Rock.

Edinburgh has many other great attractions worth a visit including Royal Mile, Calton Hill, Holyrood Palace, Scottish National Gallery.

Glasgow

Just 47-miles from Edinburgh, but so different, Glasgow is a great place to visit if you’re interested in art and impressive architecture.

Must Visit Attractions

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Glasgow Cathedral

The city's most significant historic building is the 12th-century Glasgow Cathedral, also known as St. Mungo Cathedral or the High Kirk of Glasgow. Seen from both inside and out, it looks as if it dropped out of a giant mould: the lines are clear, and there's no superfluous ornamentation.

Glasgow’s other great attractions include the Glasgow School of Art, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Museum, George Square and the Merchant District.

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Liverpool

Next on our road trip, we are heading back down South from Scotland back to Liverpool in the UK. This journey is the longest of the trip, but you should be able to make the 220-mile drive in around 4 hours if you manage to avoid rush hour. Liverpool is the birthplace of one of, if not the most famous Rock bands of all time.

Must Visit Attractions

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Cavern Club

Various tours offer fans the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, taking in such famous destinations as Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. Tours also usually include The Beatles Story in Albert Dock and the rebuilt Cavern Club, where they made their debut in 1961.

There are many more awesome things to do in Liverpool, such as visiting the Royal Albert Dock, Tate Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Pier Head and Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Manchester

Just 34-miles East of Liverpool, next on our trip is Manchester. Whether you like Greenery, architecture or music Manchester has something for you.

Must Visit Attractions

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Bridgewater Canal

It was constructed in 1761 to transport coal from the mines at Worsley to Manchester. The many old warehouses that line the canal have been restored and turned into offices, shops, hotels, and restaurants. A trip on one of the Bridgewater tour boats is highly recommended.

Some other attractions that are definitely worth a visit are the Science and Industry Museum, Imperial War Museum North, Manchester Cathedral and Manchester Museum.

Cardiff

Next up we will be travelling from Manchester to Wales, to visit Cardiff City in particular. It may seem a long way, but it will be worth the 185-mile journey when you arrive in Cardiff. Filled with historic heritage including Romanian and Victorian remnants. 

Must Visit Attractions

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Cardiff Castle

Built atop a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman fortification, Cardiff Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Wales. It's also one of the most romantic-and best preserved-of the country's many historic castles, with some of the oldest sections dating back as far as the 10th century.

During your time in Cardiff, you should also visit the Victorian Arcades, Cardiff Bay, Millennium Centre, National Museum Cardiff, Rugby at Principality Stadium and Roath Park.

Bath

Last but not least, we will be ending our tour in Bath, just 55-miles from the City or Cardiff. Being named after its amazing Romanian Baths, so it may seem fairly obvious when I say Bath is a great place to go to relax. 

Must Visit Attractions

Roman Baths

While the ancient Romans are credited for having established Bath's ancient hot springs as a place of relaxation and rejuvenation, legend has it their healing powers were discovered some 500 years earlier by a British king.

If you find the time then some other memorable attractions include Bath Abbey’s Tower, Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge and Thermae Bath Spa.