England Self Drive Holiday: a 7-Day Countryside Tour
This 7-day England self drive holiday takes you from the capital to classic countryside landscapes. Expect historic towns, Cotswold villages, ancient sites and gentle northern dales, while staying based in key cities for comfort and convenience.
-
Begin your England self drive holiday with arrival into London. Explore a few classic sites on foot — from riverside paths to leafy neighbourhoods — and collect your hire car in the afternoon outside central London to avoid busy traffic. Overnight in London sets you up for an early departure to the countryside the next day.
Overnight: London
-
Leave London behind heading west towards Oxford. Enjoy wandering historic college quads, some of which are familiar from major films. Continue through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds with stops in quintessential rural villages, stone cottages and country lanes, finishing your day in Bath.
Overnight: Bath
-
Explore Bath’s Georgian architecture and Roman heritage before heading out to iconic Stonehenge. After the prehistoric circle, visit Lacock — its medieval streets have appeared in Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. Finish the day driving through the quiet Wiltshire countryside back to Bath for the night.
Overnight: Bath
-
Make your way east, stopping at Highclere Castle set in elegant parkland, famed as the setting for Downton Abbey. Continue across gentle farmland and classic English scenery until you reach the university city of Cambridge, where riverside walks offer a relaxed finish to the day.
Overnight: Cambridge
-
Depart Cambridge and head north across central England’s patchwork fields. You’ll notice the landscape changing as you travel towards northern England, with rolling farmland gradually giving way to broader horizons. Arrive in York to explore its medieval streets and historic city walls before settling in for the night.
Overnight: York
-
Spend the day exploring the Yorkshire Dales, where wilder hills, deep valleys and dry-stone walls define some of England’s most pastoral countryside. Enjoy scenic drives, short walks and viewpoints as you move through villages and open landscapes.
Overnight: Near Yorkshire Dales or Leeds
-
Leave the Dales behind and drive southwest through the Peak District’s upland scenery. End your England self drive holiday in Manchester, where historic streets and Victorian architecture provide a contrasting final stop to the countryside-heavy journey.
Overnight: Manchester (or depart onwards)