Driving is a big thing in our family. I mean a seriously big thing. Not in a “we need to get to from A to B” type of way but more of a “where can we make B this weekend?”
As an example, twelve years ago my dad decided, with a group of mates, to drive to Sydney. Yes. That Sydney. From London. It would take them three months and through some of the most amazing countries in the world. Some of those countries now on a list of places that you really wouldn’t want to visit for your own safety, like Afghanistan. I don’t even know how the conversation came up with my mum. Or the insurance company. Can you imagine?
Hi, I would like vintage car insurance please
Certainly Sir, what’s the vehichle?
It’s a Jaguar XK140, made in 1957
Lovely, where are you going and for how long?
Europe, Asia, three weeks through China, Singapore and eventually the length of Australia. Three months in total
<cue silence>
When I come up with an A to B drive, the B is invariably within a few hours of home because it is done in a day, and we have covered quite a few parts of the South East now. Especially if the destination includes a National Trust house (oh the flapjack!) but this summer I am thinking that maybe we can start further afield and making a weekend of it. Now the teens are happy for us to disappear overnight, leaving them in charge, I have been thinking about where we might go, and I have come up with a list of top five places.
Skye
Admittedly this might need more than a weekend but I would love to explore Skye. And in particular Dunvegan Castle who I follow on Twitter. Rosie, a photographer friend, lives on Skye and the photos that she posts are some of the most incredible scenes I think I have ever seen. It is also possible to see the Northern Lights and that is definitely on my bucket list. And easier to drive to than Iceland!
The Lakes
This would be another one that would need more than a weekend and would need repeated visits I think as there is just so much to see. But the lakes, and the peaks too, are stunning. And the idea of driving around them, with a walk in the morning and a pub lunch is just too inviting to put off for much longer.
Bibury
This one isn’t very far away from us at all, and maybe a town you haven’t heard of. But there is a row of weaver’s cottages in the village that is famous for one reason and I guarantee you will have seen them, probably without knowing it. Arlington Row is the row of homes shown on the inside cover of every UK passport. It is owned by the National Trust and people queue to take their own version of the picture!
St Ives to St Just
The coastal road between these two towns in Cornwall is only 13 miles so in theory the drive can be done in half an hour. But I would love to head down there for the weekend and make this a day long drive, stopping off with a picnic on the way.
Horsham to Winchester
This might sound like an odd one to include but this is relatively local to us and the A272 is a lovely road, as is the A264 as it passes through the South Downs National Park. There are lots of places to stop off for lunch, or a coffee, and the last time we did it I didnt have my camera so I would love to go back and do it again. It would also mean we could stop off at Petworth House which is glorious in the summer.
Now, anyone know where I can get my own classic car as it would be so much more fun than my A class!