Drivers AtlasThe world's best roads

Two weeks · England

Two weeks driving in England

The Lakes, the Peaks, the Dales and the Moors, all reachable from most of the country in a morning.

Two weeks changes the shape of the trip. Move every second day rather than every day, and treat the long transit legs as the price of the good ones.

Days

14 days, 13 nights

Rough distance

2609.8 mi

Daily average

186.4 mi

Best months

April to October, with the Lakes best midweek

Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk

Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Daily distances are set for enjoyable driving rather than maximum ground covered. How we score roads.

Last reviewed 7 June 2026

Day by day

How the trip breaks up

Day 1

Hardknott Pass and Honister Pass

  • Hardknott Pass · 3.1 mi · 9.5 / 10. England's steepest road gradient, a brutal one in three climb over Roman ruins.
  • Honister Pass · 4 mi · 9.3 / 10. A steep slate quarry pass squeezed between towering fells above Buttermere.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 29 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 2

Wrynose Pass and Buttertubs Pass

  • Wrynose Pass · 4 mi · 9.1 / 10. Narrow single track linking Langdale to Duddon Valley over the ancient Three Shire Stone.
  • Buttertubs Pass · 6.8 mi · 9.1 / 10. Tour de France famous climb past limestone potholes between two classic dale villages.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 35 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 3

Hartside Pass and Snake Pass

  • Hartside Pass · 8.1 mi · 9.1 / 10. A biker's classic with wide open views across the Eden Valley to the Lakeland fells.
  • Snake Pass · 9.9 mi · 8.9 / 10. Sweeping moorland A road that rolls and dips across the wild Pennine spine.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 40 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 4

Cat and Fiddle Road and Trough of Bowland

  • Cat and Fiddle Road · 7.1 mi · 8.9 / 10. A biker and driver favourite of fast open curves past England's second highest pub.
  • Trough of Bowland · 6.2 mi · 8.9 / 10. A ribbon of tarmac threading heather fells said to mark the centre of Britain.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 36 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 5

Kirkstone Pass and Long Preston to Slaidburn

  • Kirkstone Pass · 6.8 mi · 8.7 / 10. The highest road pass in the Lakes open to through traffic, with sweeping fell views.
  • Long Preston to Slaidburn · 8.7 mi · 8.3 / 10. An overlooked back road across rolling limestone fells with almost no traffic.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 34 min behind the wheel including transit.

Day 6

Military Road and Goyt Valley Road

  • Military Road · 19.9 mi · 8.3 / 10. An arrow straight Roman era road that rolls dramatically beside Hadrian's Wall.
  • Goyt Valley Road · 5 mi · 8.2 / 10. A quiet forested run past reservoirs favoured by locals over the busier Cat and Fiddle.

About 186.4 mi and 4 hr 30 min behind the wheel including transit.

Practical

Where to start and what it costs

Base yourself

Manchester, Kendal or Sheffield

Nights to book

13 nights. On anything longer than five days, book two nights in the best base rather than moving hotel every evening.

Fuel and tolls

Budget for roughly 2609.8 miles of driving plus any vignettes or tunnel fees for the countries you cross.

Other lengths

More time, or less, in England