A two-week loop that starts on foot in London, then heads off by car from Heathrow to Oxford, the Peak District, the Cotswold villages, Stonehenge and Bath, before making for the tip of Cornwall and returning across the moorland of Dartmoor. You drive on the left, often on narrow roads lined with hedges or dry-stone walls, and the car comes into its own where the train doesn't go: golden-stone villages, stone circles, Peak passes and moorland roads.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | London | Start |
| Day 4 | Oxford | 112 km · 1h50 |
| Days 5 to 6 | Bakewell | 220 km · 3h10 |
| Days 7 to 8 | Stow-on-the-Wold | 183 km · 2h40 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Bath | 180 km · 2h50 |
| Days 11 to 12 | St Ives | 317 km · 4h05 |
| Day 13 | Moretonhampstead | 162 km · 2h20 |
| Day 14 | Back to London | 306 km · 4h |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May to September, when the days are long and the gardens of the stately homes are in flower. In winter, short days and frequent rain, and snow can hit the high ground of the Peak District and Dartmoor.
🚗 112 km · 1h50 of driving from London
Car collected at Heathrow as you leave London, M4, A404 via Windsor, then M40. In Oxford, park at the Park & Ride.
🚗 220 km · 3h10 of driving from Oxford
A34 and M40 north to Warwick, M42, then the tolled M6 Toll (or the free A38), B5056 and A6.
🚗 183 km · 2h40 of driving from Bakewell
A6 and A38 south, M6 Toll or M42, M40 to Stratford, then minor Cotswold roads via Chipping Campden.
🚗 180 km · 2h50 of driving from Stow-on-the-Wold
Country roads via Bibury, A4361 towards Avebury, A345 and A303 to Stonehenge, then A36 to Bath.
🚗 317 km · 4h05 of driving from Bath
B3135 through Cheddar Gorge, gradients up to 16%, then M5 and A30 across Bodmin Moor. Long day, set off early.
🚗 162 km · 2h20 of driving from St Ives
A30 to Launceston, B3362 towards Tavistock, then across Dartmoor via Two Bridges (B3357) and Postbridge (B3212). Ponies on the road.
🚗 306 km · 4h of driving from Moretonhampstead
Keep the historic heart: London (2 nights), Oxford (1), Stow-on-the-Wold (2), then Bath (1) via Avebury and Stonehenge, and back to Heathrow on the M4. The Peak District, Cornwall and Dartmoor need another week.
| August, Heathrow | ≈ €28 a day |
|---|---|
| January, cheapest month | ≈ €18 a day |
| December, most expensive month | ≈ €37 a day |
| Source | Kayak averages, September 2026 |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: the roads of the Cotswolds, Cornwall and Dartmoor are narrow, between hedges and dry-stone walls. |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | Usually manual: book an automatic early if changing gear with your left hand bothers you. |
| Where to pick it up | At Heathrow on the day you leave London, outside the Congestion Charge zone. It's a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Insurance | Standalone excess insurance from £3.49 a day (RAC, 2026). |
| Age | Arnold Clark: 23 (licence held 1 year), 21-22 (4 years). £25 a day under 25. |
| Bank card | Card in the driver's name, security deposit of up to £150 at Arnold Clark. |
⚠️ Don't keep the car in central London: £18 a day Congestion Charge, £180 fine if you forget.
Enough without an International Driving Permit, for 12 months after entering Great Britain (GOV.UK). Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Right-hand drive, overtake on the right. Roundabouts go clockwise, give way to the right.
30 mph (48 km/h) in built-up areas, 70 mph (112 km/h) on dual carriageways and motorways. Signs in miles.
80 mg per 100 ml of blood, 35 µg per 100 ml of breath. Stricter in Scotland (0.5 g/l).
ID cards refused since October 2021. ETA required for EU visitors since 2 April 2025, valid for two years.
Central London, 07:00-18:00 on weekdays, 12:00-18:00 at weekends. £21 if paid within the following three days.
All of Greater London, Heathrow included, 24 hours a day. Petrol Euro 4, diesel Euro 6 minimum. £180 fine.
Six camera points from 28 September 2026, no option to pay. Park & Ride: £3, bus included.
Single-track roads in the Cotswolds and Cornwall. Ponies and sheep roam free on Dartmoor.
≈ €2.00 per litre of unleaded (172 pence), €2.27 diesel (195.5 pence)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,480 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €210 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
UK average, week of 21 September 2026, at €1.16 to the pound. Fill up before Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor.
| Motorways | Free, except the M6 Toll north of Birmingham |
|---|---|
| M6 Toll, car | £6.90 to £12 depending on the section, avoidable via the A38 |
| London Congestion Charge | £18 a day, £21 if paid afterwards |
| ULEZ (Greater London) | £12.50 a day for a non-compliant car |
| Oxford Park & Ride | £3: 16 hours of parking and return bus for up to five people |
| Stonehenge car park | £4 for non-members of English Heritage, RingGo app |
| Oxford traffic filters | Cars without a permit banned from 28 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Winnats Pass (Castleton) | Closed all year to coaches and vehicles over 7.5 tonnes |
| St Michael's Mount causeway | Passable only from mid-tide to low tide |
| ULEZ | Active every day except 25 December |
| London Congestion Charge | Not charged from Christmas Day to New Year's Day inclusive |
| Dartmoor roads (B3212, B3357) | Snow possible in winter, around twenty days a year |
Allow 10 to 14 days for this loop of 7 stages and 13 nights: three days in London without a car, then Oxford, the Peak District, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge and Bath, Cornwall and Dartmoor. In 7 days, stick to London, Oxford, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge and Bath.
No: the Tube and buses are enough, and a car is expensive. The centre is subject to a Congestion Charge of £18 a day, and all of Greater London to the ULEZ (£12.50 for a non-compliant car), with a £180 fine if you forget. Rent the car at Heathrow on the day you leave the city.
No: a valid EU licence lets you drive in Great Britain for 12 months after entry. You do, however, need a passport, as ID cards have not been accepted since October 2021, and a £20 Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), valid for two years.
Rental: about €28 a day in August at Heathrow, so nearly €300 for 10 days. Loop of about 1,500 km: 90 litres at 6 l/100 km, nearly €180 of unleaded at September 2026 prices. Add a few pounds for tolls and parking, plus admission to the sites.
The first few hours call for attention, especially at roundabouts, taken clockwise while giving way to the right. Setting off from Heathrow on the M4 and M40 gives you time to get used to it. The trickiest part comes later: single-track roads between hedges in the Cotswolds and Cornwall.
Yes, but since 28 September 2026, six camera points are closed to cars without a permit: £70 fine (£35 within 21 days), just a warning the first time for six months. The simplest option: the Park & Ride, £3 for parking up to 16 hours and the return bus, for up to five people.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/england · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
