The Ultimate Itinerary For A South West England Road Trip

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England’s pretty country lanes are made for road tripping! In this post, we plot out an epic route filled with castles, villages, ancient places, moors and jaw-dropping coastlines on a 10-14 day south west England road trip.

Normally, I get a huge kick out of researching and creating a road trip itinerary. England, however, with its beautiful landscapes, quaint villages and tantalising layer cake of visible history, is a special kind of torture for the conscientious itinerary builder. Why? Because I want to see everything.

So it is that our looping road trip from London is something of a tour de force. It packs a lot in, but it’s been designed as a taster of some of the best places to visit in south west England.

We’ve set it out as a 10 day itinerary, but you could easily stretch it to 14 days or more, with extra time in any of the locations this UK road trip planner visits. We’ll certainly be returning to them all to explore more.

Read on for our day-by-day itinerary, along with our learnings, take-outs and tips.

This road trip through the south west of England is one of the entries on our Bucket List of 100 Ultimate Road Trips Around the World. Check out what else is on the list here.

Our South West England Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – London to Winchester

Total driving distance appx. 120 km / 75 miles (depending on your starting point)
Total driving time appx. 1.5 hours

The irony of any road trip from London is that much of the initial journey is just getting out of London itself! Once you’re clear of the urban sprawl though, you’ll make good time.

We have two historic stops on the first morning of our south west England road trip, as we travel en route to the ancient city of Winchester.

Farnham Castle

Our first stop is Farnham Castle, an imposing motte and ‘shell keep’ ruin attached to a beautifully preserved medieval house in Surrey. It usually opens between 9-10am (check ahead when you visit), so time your arrival for opening, or head into the charming little village for a coffee first.

Farnham Castle was home to Winchester’s bishops in the 12th and 13th centuries, and it’s been occupied almost ever since. The keep can be visited every day, or you might consider joining a guided tour of the Bishop’s Palace and keep.

We opt to wander through the keep on our own. If you’re lucky, you’ll have the ruins and their wonderful views all to yourself. Even the ghostly presence rumoured to hang around the old stones has better things to do on the day we visit.

John stands in the entryway to the ruins of Farnham Castle, first stop on our road trip from London.
First stop on our road trip from London: the haunted ruins of Farnham Castle.

Waverley Abbey

Just 10-minutes down the road, and well worth the detour, are the wonderfully evocative ruins of Waverley Abbey. The site is open during daylight hours. Park up at the abbey carpark and wander through the fields for around five minutes to the ruins.

Spread out over a field next to the pretty River Wey, this ambient site was home to the first Cistercian monastery in Britain, founded in the early 12th century.

While recent rains have turned the field into a muddy marsh for our visit, we’re delighted by the fine remains of the vaulted refectory and surrounding buildings, if not the state of our shoes afterwards.

Tip: If it’s been raining, bring wellington boots. In the warmer months, consider packing a picnic or picking up some lunch stuffs in Farnham, and enjoying a lunch stop at this pretty spot.

Winchester

From the abbey, it’s an easy 45-minute drive to the cathedral city of Winchester, ancient capital of Wessex and England’s premier town until the Normans arrived in 1066. The history here goes back thousands of years, and the city is imbued with a sense of this long and varied past.  

Download this self-guided walking tour brochure before you go, or pick up a copy at the tourist info centre in town, and set off on an afternoon meander around the main sites and highlights of the old town.

Time of year often dictates what you can and can’t do when you road trip England. When we visit Winchester on a weekday in late winter, not everything on the map is open and sunset is quite early. So we end up spending a good amount of time at beautiful Winchester Cathedral, which closes at 4pm, rather than trying to squeeze in too much here.

There’s plenty to do and see in Winchester, and while our itinerary spends just an afternoon and evening here, you might consider staying longer and exploring more. Or return another time – Winchester is a great short road trip from London!

There are extensive options for eating and accommodation in Winchester itself. We opt to spend our first night at the charming Bugle Inn at Twyford, 10 minutes down the road.

Facade of Winchester Cathedral, a must-see on a south England road trip.
Winchester Cathedral: A highlight of day one of our south west England road trip.

Day 2 – Winchester to Exeter

Total driving distance appx. 240 km / 150 miles
Total driving time appx. 4.5 hours

Day two of our south west England road trip involves a good bit of driving, but we’ll be stopping often as we travel along England’s spectacular Jurassic Coast.

Named for the extraordinary geological record packed into its landscape, rock layers and fossils, the natural history captured of this stretch of coast spans 185 million years. The Jurassic Coast is so special, it’s been listed as World Heritage.

Old Harry Rocks Walk

The Jurassic Coast stretches from Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in Dorset, to Orcombe Point in Exmouth, Devon.

So the striking, chalky stacks of Old Harry Rocks are our first stop today. You’ll need to make an early start as it’s a 90-minute drive from Winchester to this easternmost point of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

You can park up at the South Beach carpark in Studland and enjoy an easy walk of around 5.6 km (3.5 miles) to take in this impressive time-worn coastline. Set aside a couple of hours for the return journey.

If you’re an early riser, then this is a perfect way to start the day. If you’re not a morning person, or you’d prefer a less busy agenda, skip this stop and linger over breakfast a little longer. Make for the next destination instead.

Corfe Castle

On the same route to Old Harry Rocks, but around 10 minutes short of Swanage, you’ll find Corfe Castle, perhaps one of the most hauntingly evocative ruins in England and definitely one of our favourite sites on this itinerary – it’s a must for any south England road trip.

Perched dramatically on a hill, the castle has been watching over the countryside in one form or another for over a thousand years. It looks every bit as old as it is.

Corfe’s dark history of murder, siege and treachery lends the collapsed hunks of stone and brick a strong sense of melancholy, especially on a day as grey and gloomy as when we visit. If ghosts hang out anywhere, they hang out here.

UK road trip planner: The melancholy ruins of Corfe Castle.
Moody Corfe Castle rises above the surrounding landscape.

Jurassic Coast Durdle Door

Half-an-hour to the west of Corfe Castle is another spectacular geological showcase of the Jurassic Coast, the quirkily named Durdle Door.

If it sounds like the gateway to somewhere magical, it’s because it is: Durdle Door is an impressive limestone arch embracing crystal clear waters and a lovely crescent of beach. Striking white chalk cliffs rise and fall away to the west.

It’s a steep walk down from the carpark to the viewpoint and the beach, but worth it. Enjoy a walk along the cliff path here or, if the weather’s nice, maybe stop for a picnic on the beach and a (chilly) swim.

Durdle Door is near the village of West Lulworth. There’s a carpark, and coastal walking tracks weaving off in both directions.

West Bay

Our choice of lunch stop today is a nod to binge-worthy TV series Broadchurch (the UK version!), a crime drama set in the real seaside village of West Bay, an hour west of Durdle Door.

A popular seaside holiday spot in summer, West Bay (which is also known as Bridport Harbour) is quiet when we visit in winter. The sea is choppy and chocolate-milky but it certainly doesn’t diminish the Jurassic Coast view we’ve come to see. West Bay’s striking east cliff is a sheer, mustard-coloured sandstone rise, and could not be more different from the white chalk cliffs we’ve just come from.

Pop by one of the fish and chip kiosks if they’re open, or settle in for a ploughman’s lunch in one of the town’s seaside pubs.

UK Road Trip Itinerary: The yellow east cliffs of West Bay rise above the beach.
The striking cliffs of West Bay make this one of the coolest places to visit in the south of England.

Monmouth Beach

Our next stop is 25-minutes down the road from West Bay. We’re headed to Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis, which is world-renowned for its Jurassic Coast fossil treasure-trove and the pioneering work of palaeontologist Mary Anning.

We spend an hour here trailing through the beach pebbles searching for fossils, which emerge and trickle down from the eroding cliffs above. There’s also an extraordinary ‘ammonite graveyard’, which you can see at low tide around a 15-minute walk west of the carpark along the beach. Just be sure to check tide times before you visit and don’t attempt the walk while the tide is in.

Tip: If you have time today, or if the tide is in when you visit, head to Lyme Regis Museum for a full immersion in the local fossil world. Guided fossil walks on the beach can also be organised through the museum. There’s also a 2021 film about Mary Anning called ‘Ammonite’.

Exeter

In a bid to get a head start on tomorrow’s south west UK road trip itinerary, we overnight in Exeter, which is around an hour from Monmouth Beach.

After checking in to our hotel (we opt for the centrally located Jury’s Inn for our brief stay), we wind down with craft beer at a cool little joint called Beer Cellar, and dinner overlooking the town’s striking gothic cathedral.

Exeter Cathedral is one of England’s oldest, and it is beautifully ambient in the soft glow of its night lights. If it’s open when you visit, be sure to head inside to see its magnificent ceiling – the longest stretch of unbroken Gothic vaulting in the world.

Exeter is another city with a long past and plenty of historical sites, as well as the by-all-accounts very excellent Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM). You could easily while away an extra day or two here. We’ve got it on the list for a future weekend road trip from London.

Day 3 – Exeter to Polperro

Total driving distance appx. 160 km / 100 miles
Total driving time: up to 3 hours

Start your morning with an early wander back to Cathedral Yard to see beautiful Exeter Cathedral in the daylight (unless it’s winter, in which case it’ll still be dark). Find coffee then get back on the road.

Totnes Castle

It’s a 40-minute drive to our first stop today, Totnes. This quirky market town, which dates back to Saxon times, is known for its large artistic community, and thousand-year-old Totnes Castle.

The tiny hilltop fortress is renowned as one of the best preserved examples of a Norman motte (hill) and bailey (lower yard) earthworks still in existence.

Climb up to the stone keep and you’ll be rewarded with captivating views over the valley to the River Dart, and a garderobe (a medieval loo) still in situ. Wander the bailey below and keep an eye out for the tree graffiti left by prisoners held on site during WWII. Aim to spend an hour tops here.

South West England Road Trip: Views over rooftops towards the River Dart from Totnes Castle.
Tiny Totnes Castle has been watching over the valley for a thousand years.

Dartmouth

From Totnes, we take on the narrow laneways that wind down to the riverside castle at Dartmouth, 30 minutes to the south.

Lauded as one of England’s most picturesque fortifications, Dartmouth Castle has stood vigil over the entrance to the Dart Estuary in one form or another since the late 14th century.  

The Castle’s passages and walkways offer stunning views and fascinating insights into its defensive history right up till WWII, including the set-up for the huge chain that could once be pulled up to block off the estuary mouth.

Dartmouth easily fills a couple of hours; more if you decide to park up in town and walk the section of South West Coast Path to the castle. There’s also a ferry that runs to and from town to the fort.

We spend around two hours here and grab some lunch before making our way to our final stop for today.

Polperro

Take note as you cross the River Tamar on the western edge of Plymouth – this is the ancient eastern boundary of Cornwall, set by King Athelstan in the mid-10th century to separate the feisty Celtic people in that part of the island from the newly-united state of Wessex.

It’s a good 1.5-hour drive to Polperro. This is a designated conservation area, and it really does feel like wandering into another, older time – winding lanes and picture-perfect cottages snuggle around a wee harbour where swans nap between the boats at low-tide.

You’ll need to leave your car at the public car park at the top of the hill and make the 10-minute stroll down to the village. Once you’ve checked into your stay (be sure to book well ahead), wander the pretty streets of this former smuggler’s haunt and stop by the tiny Polperro Harbour Heritage Museum to learn more about its past. Then enjoy dinner in one of the village’s charming old pubs or restaurants.

Alternative overnight stop in Falmouth

If you don’t mind driving at night and you’re keen to get a head start on tomorrow’s itinerary, an alternative overnighter to Polperro is the larger port town of Falmouth, which is a further 1.5 hour (50 mile) drive. This is what we did originally, but with hindsight, it puts an unnecessary rush on today’s travels so if you can, we recommend staying in or around Polperro.

Day 4 – Polperro to Porthleven

Total driving distance appx. 150 km / 95 miles
Total driving time appx. 3 hours

Today we’re exploring Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula, known simply as, The Lizard. It’s an absolute must for any Cornwall itinerary worth its pasty, and a highlight of our south west England road trip, even though the weather doesn’t come to the party (not unusual).

If you have an extra couple of days up your sleeve, consider whiling them away here on The Lizard. The best way to experience this ruggedly beautiful stretch of Cornwall coastline is on foot.

Lizard Point

After a fortifying Full English breakfast, we hit the road for Lizard Point, the southernmost tip of Lizard peninsula (and the UK in fact). It’s a drive of around 1hr45 so an early start is recommended.

We’re stretching our legs this morning on a 6.5 km (4 mile) loop walk of Lizard Point. This is part of the South West Coast Path, and starts and finishes in the village of Lizard.

For us, the drive to Lizard is accompanied by dark clouds brewing to the east; a storm which ultimately prevents us actually making the full loop walk, but only once we’re drenched and the wind starts threatening to send us flying out over the Atlantic.

The weather is exhilarating though and seriously ramps up the wild beauty of the cape. It’s  little wonder the sea off this lethal headland has been a graveyard for ships for centuries. Our takeout: Be ready for all weather when you go.

Dark skies brood over striking Lizard peninsula, highlight of a Cornwall itinerary.
Stormy skies add another layer to spectacular Lizard peninsula, one of our favourite places to visit in south west England.

We head back to Polpeor Café at the point and watch the storm roil as we drip dry into the biggest scones we’ve ever seen.

How do you cream tea?

It’s an oh-so-British debate, but there’s a very real divide in the UK about the etiquette of the cream tea, and whether jam or cream goes on the scone first. We personally follow the Cornish tradition: jam first followed by dollop of cream. And really, if you’re in Cornwall…

Kynance Cove

From Lizard village, we set out to explore the rest of the peninsula by car, starting with the legendary Kynance Cove, a dramatic landscape of rocky outcrops, white sand and crystal clear water. It’s often described as one of the world’s best beaches, and we’re keen to get up close with the famous red and green serpentine rock to be found here.

It’s a steep and rocky path down to the beach from the carpark, but Kynance doesn’t disappoint. Be sure to check the tides if you visit as the beach can disappear completely under a high tide.

Places to visit in south west England: Dark clouds over rocky Kynance Cove on The Lizard.
Beautiful Kynance Cove on The Lizard is a must for a Cornwall itinerary.

Cadgwith & Gweek

From Kynance Cove, we zip back across the peninsula to check out the charming fishing village of Cadgwith. Then we head north to visit the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, a rescue centre for rehabilitating sick and injured seal pups.

This is a delightful place to linger, set on 40 acres by the picturesque River Helford. In addition to plenty of opportunities to see and learn about the recovering and resident seals and penguins, it offers peaceful woodland walks by the tidal estuary.

Helston

By now, it’s definitely beer o’clock, so we make for the Lizard’s largest town, Helston, and a seriously old pub called the Blue Anchor Inn – Cornwall’s oldest, in fact. The brewery here has been in operation since the 15th century and we’re keen to try the legendary medieval ‘Spingo Ales’.

We easily while away a couple of hours here yarning with the locals before easing on to our overnight stay in the lovely little fishing village of Porthleven, 4 km (2.5 miles) down the road. Get a good sleep, tomorrow’s itinerary is even more epic.

Day 5 – Porthleven to Zennor

Total driving distance appx. 80 km / 50 miles
Total driving time appx. 2 hours

We’re up early (again) today for a time travel through the Penwith peninsula, home to one of Europe’s largest concentrations of ancient sites, and a Cornwall road trip showcase.

We start with an early morning stroll around Porthleven’s harbour, and a stint watching the local surfers brave the freezing waves.

We also pick up a giant pasty to go from what is now Philps Pasty Shop. Whatever else you do, do this. In fact, get two. It will go down as one of our great regrets in life that we only bought one and had to share it.

St Michael’s Mount

We’re on a tidal timetable again today so be sure to check the tides before you travel and plan today’s Cornwall itinerary to suit.

The reason for this is that we’re visiting St Michael’s Mount offshore from Marazion, and we’re timing it for low-tide so we can walk across the causeway.

You can also take a boat to St Michael’s if you want this to be your first stop today and the tide is in. But there’s something special about walking the cobbled causeway across to this ancient offshore rock before climbing the steep path to explore the castle.

If the castle looks well-kept, it’s because it is: while starting life as a priory around the 11th century, for the last four hundred years or so, the castle has been the seat of the St Aubyn family and they still live there today.

Cornwall road trip: Looking across the sand and tidal causeway to St Michael's Mount.
Wait for the tide to go out and walk across to the rocky outcrop of St Michael’s Mount.

Penzance

From Marazion, we make our way to popular Penzance. You could dedicate a couple of hours to wandering Penzance’s backstreets and gardens, and searching out the less touristy corners of this historic town. Be forewarned though, it can get ridiculously busy. In fact, it was so crowded when we went, we weren’t able to find parking anywhere near town, so we ended up driving on.

If Penzance is a must-see for your trip, consider adding a day to your itinerary and staying in or around the town. You might also consider basing yourself here or near tonight so you can come back and explore later.

Merry Maidens

Our next stop is the Merry Maidens Stone Circle, which we find in a field by the side of the B3315 road around 6 km (4 miles) south of Penzance.

The 19 standing stones were erected here in the mists of time, somewhere between 3,500 and 4,500 years ago. When we visit, we have the ambient Neolithic ring all to ourselves (almost, anyway…any inkling I might have had about stripping off and dancing through the circle was dashed by a friendly old farmer hanging out by the boundary hedge).

To access the stone circle, you can park on the grass verge at the top of the field, or in the small car park at the bottom of the field.

Places to visit in south west England: a circle of ancient stones stand in a field under a blue sky.
Neolithic monuments like the Merry Maidens are a major feature of our Cornwall road trip leg.

Minack Theatre

From the Merry Maidens, it’s a short drive to stunning Minack Theatre, the single-minded creation of the extraordinary Rowena Cade, and possibly one of the most spectacularly-sited open-air theatres since the ancient Greeks and Romans were in the business.

The 750-seat theatre built into the rocky cliffs is impressive enough on its own, but if you can, try and time your visit for a performance. We’ll definitely be back to do that.

Land’s End

If you feel compelled to make a stop at England’s most westerly point, then next make your way north-west of Minack to renowned Land’s End.

The Atlantic views here are spectacular, but be prepared for the crowded theme park it is. Fun for kids perhaps, but we quickly bypassed the ‘attractions’ and gift shops and made for the clifftop walk.

There’s a lovely 6.3 km (3.9 mile) loop walk starting and finishing here, which you might consider if you’re spending longer in the Penwith Pensinsula. Otherwise, take a short stroll along the cliffs and soak up the views instead.

You may have opted for a bite to eat sooner in today’s itinerary, but we haul up at a picnic table overlooking the ocean here for the glorious experience of eating our (one) Cornish pasty. There are plenty of food options at Land’s End though if you don’t have the-best-pasty-in-the-world to hand.

Penwith’s Ancient Villages

One of the challenges of a south-west England road trip is deciding which ancient sites to visit, and it gets particularly tricky in this part of our Cornwall itinerary.

There are two excellent ancient settlement sites on the Penwith peninsula. Aim to visit one today and, if you’re keen, the other tomorrow.

The more popular site, Chysauster Ancient Village, is a Romano-British settlement around 2,000 years old. There’s an entry fee but it’s been closed for conservation work so check if it’s open.

We visit the other, nearer site, Carn Euny Ancient Village, which is also a real treat (and free). It does, however, require going off-piste through some seriously squelchy fields so wellies are handy.

Carn Euny was inhabited from Iron Age to Roman times, and features stone house foundations and a fascinating, intact underground passage called a fogou. The site boasts spectacular views for miles around.

Zennor

Rather than stay in a busier town, we’ve opted to spend the night at a gorgeous pub stay called The Gurnard’s Head on the west coast, near the village of Zennor. Penwith is relatively small, however, so you could choose instead to stay in nearby St Ives, back in Penzance or another village on the peninsula.

If you’re staying in Zennor and have the energy, stop for an ale by the fire in the tiny medieval Tinner’s Arms pub and recap your day.

Day 6 – Penwith Peninsula

Total driving distance and time up to you.

With so much to see in and around the Penwith Pensinsula, we’ve given a second day to its exploration.

We wake today in Zennor to a view of rolling moors and cows mooing on the road outside. This is one of the most spectacular stretches of Cornwall coastline and with an array of walks winding through moorland and along cliffs scattered with tin mine ruins, you could easily spend the day exploring this area alone.

Or set out to visit some of the other highlights you didn’t make it to yesterday. Head to the other ancient village. Or check out Boscawen Un Stone Circle, another impressive prehistoric ring of monoliths, believed to be a significant ceremonial centre in its day. The 5,000 year-old Lanyon Quoit is a classic stone dolmen thought to have been a burial chamber covered in earth once upon a time. Near the quoit, you’ll find Chûn Castle, a 2,500 year-old circular Iron Age hillfort.

People have been digging metals out of the earth here for 4,000 years, and historic mining sites pockmark the region. Mining is such an important part of the Cornish story that it’s been declared World Heritage, and there are a number of sites that can be visited, like Botallack, where you can get your Poldark on.

There are also a ton of opportunities to get outdoors and explore on foot. The epic South West Coast Path traverses the entire coastline, while hundreds and hundreds more kilometres trail across the region. Alternatively, jump ahead a day in the itinerary and visit the popular seaside escape of St Ives.

Head here for more ideas on what to do in delightful Penwith.

Cornwall Itinerary: The ruins of a stone tin mine building overlook fields to the sea.
Road tripping the Penwith coast: one of the most beautiful places to visit in south west England.

Day 7 – Zennor to Padstow

Total driving distance appx. 80 km / 50 miles
Total driving time appx. 2 hours

We’re already a week into our road trip through the south west of England! From Zennor, it’s a 10-minute drive to the world-famous village of St Ives, and we’re keen to stop by and see what all the fuss is about.

St Ives

Summer in fishing-village-turned-art-hub St Ives can be chaotic but we’ve heard it can be a ghost town in winter. Not so on the day we visit. The sun’s out and by mid-morning, the harbour-front is humming with people and the small beach is filling up.

We pop into a tiny, side-street café for a coffee and then wander the busy streets. There’s no shortage of pubs, bakeries, knick knack shops, museums and galleries (including a Tate gallery of modern art) here, plus boat trips to nearby Seal Island to visit the local seal colony.

We’ve marked St Ives for a longer future visit, so once we’ve had a wander, we make for the next stop on our UK road trip itinerary. This one’s a bit of a detour for serious castle lovers and fans of folklore, so if that doesn’t sound like you, or if you’re keen to slow today’s pace, you might consider spending more time today exploring St Ives.

UK Road Trip Itinerary: View over the rooftops of St Ives.
Slate roofs slope down to the cute harbour of St Ives.

Tintagel Castle

Otherwise, we’re off to visit the legendary birthplace of King Arthur, Tintagel Castle. It’s a drive of around 1.5 hours and 95 km (60 miles), and turns out to be one of our favourite places to visit in south west England.

Crowning two dramatic clifftop sites joined by a bridge and a steep staircase, the evocative crumbling ruins of Tintagel hint at the remarkable fortress it once was.

The rocky outcrop on which part of the castle clings is also scattered with the stone remains of a Dark Age settlement. We spend a couple of hours exploring and re-imagining this extraordinary site before driving back south to the village of Padstow (around 45 minutes).

John sits among the slate ruins of Tintagel Castle above the sea.
All that remains of the legend…the ruins of Tintagel Castle.

Padstow

Charming Padstow has its share of highlights, but we’re here for one in particular. In fact, this was originally the catalyst for our south west road trip.

We’re here to eat at the town’s most famous seafood restaurant. As far away as Australia, Rick Stein’s way with fish is legendary. So we’ve decided to come to the source, The Seafood Restaurant. We’re also staying in one of Stein’s nearby hotels tonight.

This is just one of a plethora of awesome eating opportunities in Padstow however; it’s renowned as Cornwall’s foodie capital.

You could easily stay in Padstow another day or two and explore the many attractions that make this pretty, medieval fishing village so popular.

Day 8 – Padstow to Yelverton

Total driving distance appx. 160 km / 100 miles
Total driving time appx. 2 hours 45 mins

Today we farewell Cornwall and start our slow journey back towards London. First up, we’re headed for the epic and mythical landscape of Dartmoor National Park, with some stops en route.

The weather is particularly changeable here (which is saying something when you’re already in England). On our visit, it’s right on brand for a trip to the moors: grey, wet and miserable.

It makes searching out some of our sites a little tricky. If you’re up for the soggy challenge, grab your wet weather gear and go for it, otherwise, play today’s itinerary by ear. It might be better suited to another day in Padstow or a fireside lunch in a traditional old pub in the Dartmoor region.

Hurlers Stone Circles, Liskeard

Our first stop, an hour from Padstow, is the Hurlers Stone Circles, a series of three stone circles in a line, and a unique formation in England. Legend has it the stones are local men who were punished for playing the Cornish game of hurling on a Sunday.

The site is particularly ambient on the day we visit; brooding sarsens on the sodden moor with a couple of wild black ponies watching nearby.

Trevethy Quoit

Our next ancient site, just 10 minutes away, is equally gloomy. Trevethy Quoit is the biggest Neolithic dolmen burial chamber we’ve seen, standing at 2.7 metres high and in good condition.

It’s an impressive monument, if not a little juxtaposed by the private house a couple of feet away, and the quirky ‘Ode to Dog Poo’ nailed to the gate when we visit.

UK road trip planner: The ancient  Trevethy Quoit dolmen stands in a green field.
Ancient stones, like these at Trevethy Quoit, are a common sight on a south west England road trip.

Dartmoor National Park

From Liskeard, we cross the River Tamar and leave Cornwall behind before making our way into the melancholy, tor-scattered moorlands of Dartmoor National Park.

We spend the rest of the day ambling through this wild and ancient place, searching out some of its historic highlights, including the stone rows of the Merrivale Prehistoric Settlement, and the 700-year-old clapper bridge in Postbridge.

Sadly, the weather thwarts our attempts to visit the huge Grimspound Bronze Age Settlement, so we peer at it across the moor from the road. Keep an eye out too for the grim Dartmoor Prison, unmissable in its sombre mass.

There’s a good chance you’ll also meet some of the park’s semi-wild ponies as you cruise about. They ignore us completely.

Dartmoor National Park is renowned for its walking trails, and for a ton of other outdoor activities. So if the weather is good and you’re keen to explore more, consider spending an extra day here, or mark it as yet another future road trip from London.

You could continue on to Exeter for another night in the city, but we round back to stay at a pub in the small moor-edge village of Yelverton.

Day 9 – Yelverton to Wells

Total driving distance appx. 185 km / 115 miles
Total driving time appx. 2 hours 30 mins

While we’re tempted to stay another day and explore more of Dartmoor, the weather is still poor when we wake. So instead, we stick to the itinerary and head north-east to search out another of England’s epic cathedrals, this one in Wells.

Lydford Castle

First, as we make our way around the edge of Dartmoor from Yelverton, we stop at Lydford Castle, a forbidding medieval garrison in the village of Lydford.

A prison and a courthouse rather than a castle, the building gained notoriety in its day for its ‘Lydford Law’, an unfortunate tendency to punish first, judge later. Some would argue death was a better option than languishing in the castle’s dank dungeon.

It’s a good 2-hour drive to Wells from here, so grab a coffee and snack and hit the road.

Wells

We arrive in Wells in the early afternoon, giving us plenty of time to wander and appreciate this lovely little city, England’s smallest. Wells is actually more village than town and is only designated a city thanks to its cathedral.

We search out lunch at one of the pubs in the pretty Market Place, and then enjoy a leisurely afternoon meander in and around the 800-year-old Bishop’s Palace. The path behind through the Palace Fields offers lovely views over the countryside towards Glastonbury Tor.

In the late afternoon, we tour the magnificent Wells Cathedral, just as the sun turns the façade a golden honey colour.

Afterwards, we pop over to marvel at the adjoining Vicars’ Close, claimed to be the oldest original and continually inhabited residential ‘street’ in Europe.

We head back to the vibrant Market Place for dinner before turning in for the night. We’ve opted for a charming little hotel built into the old cathedral walls.

The intricate stone façade of Wells Cathedral.
Take time to marvel at the exquisite stonework of Wells Cathedral.

Day 10 – Wells to London

Total driving distance appx. 225 km / 140 miles
Total driving time up to 3 hours

After 9 days on our south west England road trip, a journey jam-packed with history, nature and culture, we wake to our last day on the road.

Today we’re headed for London, but we have one more stop to break up our journey, and while it’s a tourist magnet, there’s a reason for that: it’s the summit of ancient places to visit in south west England, if not the whole of the UK. We’re talking, of course, about –

Stonehenge

Improvement programs in recent years have changed Stonehenge dramatically since our first visit more than 15 years ago.

Tour the excellent visitor centre and museum and then take the shuttle out to the henge itself, where a redesign of the walkways means you can actually see and photograph the stones without a million people in the background.

Wander back to the visitor centre through the fields and past myriad prehistoric mounds and monuments. Today’s experience is an entirely new and enlightening perspective on this incredibly ancient place and one not to be missed.

Tip: You’ll get even more out of your visit if you download the English Heritage Stonehenge Audio Tour from iTunes or Google Play the night before, or use the free wifi at the visitor centre.

Looking across a green field towards Stonehenge, highlight of a south west England road trip.
Stonehenge is a must for any UK road trip itinerary passing through Wiltshire.

Time for one last classic pub lunch. There are some excellent old pubs in the region around Wiltshire, like the 350-year-old Swan, 20 minutes up the road in Enford.

Back in the car, set the GPS for your London base, and enjoy the remainder of the journey recapping the many, many highlights of this magical taster of England’s incredible south-west.


What would you add to our ultimate south west England road trip itinerary?

6 thoughts on “The Ultimate Itinerary For A South West England Road Trip”

  1. Thanks for sharing amazing information and ideas about road trips and travel in the UK.
    Regards: Lux Transfers UK

    Reply
    • Hi Hedley

      Thanks for your message! You might be able to find organised tours for this kind of trip by searching on TripAdvisor and similar sites. However, if you’re driving your own car or hiring a car, we hope you might find our post useful as a suggested itinerary for travelling this route independently.

      All the best!
      Danielle and John

      Reply
  2. The Wells Cathedral looks beautiful. I would love to explore its architecture from inside out. Another landmark that I dream of exploring is the Stonehenge. I would love to do this road trip.

    Reply

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