| Important Information about London to Edinburgh Trip Via M1 & A1 | |
|---|---|
| Duration of Trip | 3 Days |
| Best Time to visit | March – November |
| Type of Trip | Road Trip |
| Total Distance | 647.4 km |
| What is Edinburgh Famous for | Art, history, cafes & punting |
A self-drive road trip is the best way to travel to the UK with the perfect combination of freedom and relaxation. Not only it allows you to stay clear of bus and train schedules, it gives you full control of the journey. As they say, a holiday is not going from one place to another (& it should never be) – holidays are made of experiences you gain while on the journey. With a bus or a train ride, you will not have the pleasure of stopping at places (of your choice) and making memories, and just looking at the scenery as it passes you by can hardly be called an experience.
Note that in this post, we are covering the fastest route from London to Edinburgh via M1 and A1 (covering Cambridge, Nottingham, Peak District, York, Durham and Lindisfarne). In case you are visiting friends or relatives in the UK who have their own cars, you can plan it well with their help. But if you are traveling alone with no links in the UK whatsoever, it is better you rent a car. Many people book rental cars in advance and pick them from whatever airport they are using (usually Heathrow Airport) to get into England.
Day 1 Trip : London to Cambridge by Car Rental
After breakfast in London, start your vacation road trip with a big smile. The drive from London to Cambridge is a scenic one and what you have in store as you reach Cambridge should be enough to put a smile on your face – Cambridge is a dream! The 1.5 hour drive from London to Cambridge will be done before you know and you will be free to roam the beautiful city which has been the home to University of Cambridge and its many colleges.
How to spend a morning in Cambridge
Go on a walking tour of Cambridge’s colleges:
- Start your Cambridge tour at the heart of the city – its colleges! Though there are 31 colleges, narrow it down to the BIG three – King’s, Trinity and St John’s.
- Highlights: While King’s Colleges has a very popular Gothic Chapel, Trinity is known for the Wren Library which is home to the manuscript of Winnie-the-pooh and Isaac Newton’s notebook. St John’s has the Bridge of sighs and beautiful grounds where The Theory of Everything movie was filmed.
Spend the perfect afternoon in Cambridge
Have lunch at Michaelhouse café which was actually a church in the medieval times. Its menu changes daily and you will be able to try a lot here from cakes to soups, sandwiches and casseroles. After that make your way to Bene’t Street and grab an ice-cream from Jack’s Gelato.
Go punting and visit Fitzwilliam Museum (or Great St Mary’s Church)
A trip to Cambridge is never complete without a punting experience on River Cam or cycling through its 80 miles of cycle route. Visit Scudamore – the oldest Punt hire service in Cambridge or use one of their many tours. If you would rather go on a cycling tour, you can hire one from Rutland Cycling (located at Cambridge train station).
Before hitting the road, either visit Fitzwilliam Museum, or Great St Mary’s Church. If you would like to have a panoramic view of the colleges from the top, a visit to Great St Mary’s Church seems to be a better option.
Leave for Nottingham from Cambridge
Nottingham is 1.5 hour’s drive from Cambridge by car via route A1. You will reach Nottingham by early evening.
How to spend an evening in Nottingham
There are a lot of locations in Nottingham where you can spend a good evening. Theatres and live music venues are abundant.
Spend the evening watching a new movie
If you enjoy watching new movies, you can catch a new movie at the Courthouse – it is located in the city’s center. If not that, visit Broadway – another great place to watch a new release; it is located in the historic center of Hockley.
Dine like a local in Nottingham
The best place for a great music-night filled with drinks and delicious food is the Alchemist at The Hockley Arts Club. It is the most happening place in Nottingham; if you by chance are visiting on a Wednesday, there is usually a Salsa night that goes on till 2 AM.
OR, visit the Alea Casino which is home to places like Spanish Bar Esquina & Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill.
Where to stay in Nottingham
Holiday Inn Nottingham and Travelodge Nottingham Central are good budget lodging options where you can stay the night.
Day 2 Trip: Discover Nottingham in the morning
(Look for the cafe or restaurant that opens around 7 or 8 AM (like Granger & Co.) for an early breakfast and be on the way to Market Porter Pub.)
Have breakfast at The Oldest Inn in England’ and enjoy a day out in Nottingham.
Join Robin Hood tour of the city – it is the quickest way to know about the city’s history and visit its historic pubs, caves and noted sites of the city like the Old Square and the Old County Goal within 2 hours time. Check the official website of the tour and get the tickets of the tour in advance.
After Nottingham, it is time to spend the remaining day in Peak District’s Derbyshire
Peak District is 48 minutes away from Nottingham by car via M1 route.
One can spend days in the Peak district but since we have only 24 hours, let’s just stick to Derbyshire and its nearby attractions. On reaching Derbyshire, the first stop is Castleton where you can start by finding a place for lunch.
Castleton
This is a stunning village where you can spend a good part of the afternoon. Peveril Castle, ruins of Iron Age fort at the top of Mam Tor, and Cave Dale are some of its worth-visiting spots. (Spend 1 to 1.5 hours here)
OR, do a walking tour from Castleton to Hope and back to Castleton which comes highly recommended. So if you are in a mood to walk, take the footpath along the river. During the walk you can climb to reach Peveril Castle and enjoy the beautiful views of the valley from up there.
Monsal Headstone Viaduct
This landmark viaduct is located 25 minutes drive from Castleton and around 30-35 minutes from Hope.
It was built by Midland Railway in 1863 over River Wye and is 300 feet long. It is interesting to note that at the time of the construction it was said that it was destroying the beauty of Dale. (spend 15-20 minutes)
Bakewell
10 minutes drive from Monsal Headstone Viaduct, this place is a much-loved spot by photographers from all around the world.
Make a quick visit to Haddon Hall and Chatsworth House – even if the places are not open, they present beautiful photo ops. All Saints Church and The Old House are also great attractions that you can choose to visit on your brief stop by. (Spend 45-60 minutes)
Camping at the Peak District National Park
Reach the National Park by evening and set camp. In the early morning hike the village trails or go cycling or fishing.
The Lake district National Park remains open to the public at all times, so even if you arrive a bit late no one will stop you as there are no barriers and gates in the national park that bar entry.
Go through the list of campsites that people are permitted to use on the park’s official website. Also, one is not allowed to start a campfire unless they have the permission to do so.
Day 3 Explore York City in the Morning
The drive from Lake District to York is about 2 hours long by car through A66 and A1 routes. So, it will be best if you leave for York early, around 7 or 8 AM.
York is a beautify city with historic cobbled streets, wonky timber houses, pubs and lots of attractions that you can cover in one morning.
- Start with York’s historic center and walk leisurely for a few minutes along its alleys and lanes till you reach York Museum Gardens.
- Next stop is York Minster– the beautiful cathedral of York and the biggest Gothic cathedral located in the north of Alps.
- Have lunch at one of the local spots like Skosh or Partisan. Once your belly is full, go on a shopping spree in The Shambles noted for its daily market.
- Before leaving it is mandatory that you get a drink of the York Tap at the Golden Fleece. And if you love chocolate, do visit Monk Bar Chocolatiers.
Afternoon in Cambridge
After a great morning in York, head towards Durham for the afternoon. It is located 1.5 hours drive by car from York via A1 route.
- Once you are three, it is time for an afternoon stroll. Drive towards Sarah P. Duke Gardens which is just a few minutes away from 9th Street. Best part of the Gardens is the Historic Terrace section.
- From there, next stop is Duke University Campus. It is just a small drive away from the Gardens and Duke Chapel is one of its main highlight.
- Afterwards it’s time to visit downtown Durham’s shopping area. Park your car and walk down the lanes and explore the shops. Dolly’s Vintage and Everyday Magic are some of the noted stores.
- Downtown Durham has great venues like Luna and Pompieri Pizza, where you can have dinner.
Have more time?
Visit Lindisfarne next morning; it is at a distance of 78 miles from Durham.
Lindisfarne Priory, The Wilds of Lindisfarne and Lindisfarne Castle are some of its main attractions. Lindisfarne is popular for Mead – Lindisfarne Mead; visit St Aidens Winery for a taste. In case you want to have something to eat, Pilgrims Coffee is more or less the only place where you will get a good meal.