SIXT’s free guide Europe’s Best Road Trips, Part 1: The British Isles maps eight road trips across Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, from day trips out of 12 UK cities to an 18-day Scottish tour. Its Scottish loop, the North Coast 500, covers 830 kilometres (516 miles). Late spring to early autumn suits most routes.
Every route comes with distances, days to allow, the best season and the driving rules you need, checked against official sources in October 2026. Download the SIXT “British Isles Road Trips” free guide and pick up your car hire when you are ready to go.
Key takeaways:
- The North Coast 500 is an 830-kilometre (516-mile) loop from Inverness; VisitScotland says most visitors spend 5 to 7 days on it.[1]
- Ireland works as a 5-day loop from Dublin of about 680 kilometres (420 miles) or a 10-day loop of about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) along parts of the Wild Atlantic Way.
- SIXT’s guide lists 71 day trips by car from 12 UK cities, most of them 15 to 110 kilometres (10 to 70 miles) away.
- Drive on the left everywhere in the British Isles; speed limits are in mph in the UK and in km/h in the Republic of Ireland.[4]
What are the best road trips in the UK and Ireland?
SIXT’s guide picks eight road trips, from a day out of the city to an 18-day tour of Scotland:
| Road trip | Distance | Time to allow | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Coast 500 (loop from Inverness) | 830 km (516 mi) | 5 to 7 days; about 9 to 10 with stops | May to June, September |
| Classic Scotland: Edinburgh to Glasgow via the Highlands and Skye | About 1,020 km (635 mi) | About 18 days | Late spring to early autumn |
| Ireland: loops from Dublin | About 680 km / 1,000 km | 5 or 10 days | May and June |
| Southern England: London to Cornwall | About 750 km (465 mi) | 8 days | Late spring to early autumn |
| Norman castles and England’s oldest pubs | About 457 km / 505 km | 4 to 5 days each | April to October |
| England’s national parks | 65 to 200 km per drive | 1 to 2 days per drive | Depends on the park |
| Wales: Eryri and Bannau Brycheiniog | 39 to 152 km per drive | Half a day to 4 days | Late spring and early autumn |
| Day trips from 12 UK cities | Usually 15 to 110 km one way | 1 day each | All year |
Source: SIXT, Europe’s Best Road Trips, Part 1: The British Isles, 2026. Single-track and mountain roads take longer than the distance suggests.
How many days do you need for a road trip in the UK?
From one day to four weeks. Choose a city day trip or one national park drive for a day; Ireland’s 5-day loop or the 8-day southern England route for a week; the North Coast 500 for 10 days; and the Classic Scotland route for 2 to 3 weeks.
When is the best time for a road trip in the British Isles?
Late spring to early autumn, when days are long and seasonal sights are open. In the Scottish Highlands, midges are active from May to October and peak in mid-summer,[2] so May to June and September are best. In Ireland, May and June are the sunniest months.[3]
What driving rules do you need to know?
- Drive on the left in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.[4]
- In Wales, the default limit on restricted roads has been 20 mph since September 2023.[5]
- On Dartmoor, keep below 40 mph on moorland roads: ponies, sheep and cattle roam freely.[6]
- London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone covers all London boroughs, 24 hours a day, except Christmas Day.[7]
- On single-track roads in the Scottish Highlands, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite one on your right.
UK road trips: frequently asked questions
What is the best road trip in the UK?
It depends on what you want: for wild coast, SIXT’s British Isles guide picks the North Coast 500, an 830-kilometre (516-mile) loop from Inverness. For villages and history, it recommends an 8-day route from London to Cornwall. For mountains, it suggests the Eryri (Snowdonia) drives in north Wales.
How many days do you need for the North Coast 500?
VisitScotland says most visitors spend 5 to 7 days on the North Coast 500. Allow nearer 10 days if you want time for walks and stops. The 5-stage plan in SIXT’s guide takes about 9 days, because single-track roads are slower than the distance suggests.
How many days do you need for a road trip in Ireland?
Five days are enough for a loop from Dublin to Limerick, Cork and back, about 680 kilometres (420 miles). With 10 days you can add Waterford, Dingle, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), and drive parts of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Which side of the road do you drive on in Ireland?
On the left, in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Speed limits are shown in km/h in the Republic, for example 120 km/h on motorways. In Northern Ireland they are in mph, for example 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways.
Is Snowdonia now called Eryri?
Yes. The national park authority voted to use the Welsh names Eryri (Snowdonia) and Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in English as well as Welsh. The Brecon Beacons National Park followed in April 2023, when it took the Welsh name Bannau Brycheiniog.
Download the free British Isles road-trip guide
The 82-page guide has every stage, distance, detour and driving tip for all eight routes, with a source list for each chapter: download Europe’s Best Road Trips, Part 1: The British Isles. Pick up your car at a local branch or the airport, and find more ideas on our road trip pages.
Sources
[1] VisitScotland: North Coast 500
[2] VisitScotland: A guide to midges and ticks in Scotland
[4] nidirect: Driving in Northern Ireland, road safety for visitors
[5] Welsh Government: Introducing default 20mph speed limits
[6] Dartmoor National Park Authority: Travel information
[7] Transport for London: Ultra Low Emission Zone
Methodology
The routes come from SIXT’s ebook Europe’s Best Road Trips, Part 1: The British Isles (2026, 82 pages), based on SIXT Magazine’s road-trip articles. Every chapter was fact-checked in October 2026 against official sources such as governments, national park authorities, tourism boards and road authorities. Route distances marked “about” were calculated with OpenStreetMap routing and cross-checked with a second routing engine. Road rules and opening times can change, so check them before you travel.
AI transparency: this page was drafted with the help of AI tools. Every text was reviewed, fact-checked and approved by the SIXT editorial team before publication.
