You don’t need to go far! The north has the roads you seek
We are based in Blackburn in Lancashire and we love to drive. When it comes to road trips, there is always this expectation that you need to travel miles away to find the perfect place for a road trip. You think you need to find the sunniest country or the frozen roads of a mountain or simply go over to America, the home of the road trip. We are here to tell you that isn’t the case.
The road trip is about making the journey from one place to another and making it special. A normal car journey is usually done out of necessity. We have to commute to work, or visit family or make that weekly shop. Road trips are made with the intention of fun and adventure. You don’t need to go on a road trip. You want to.
There are amazing locations in the North of England for you to travel to over the course of a day or a weekend. You can make a road trip out of it. It is what all those films are about. You find a location and you make an adventure out of it. After all, the definition of an adventure according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “an unusual and exciting or daring experience.”
Find the magic in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Deep in the rolling fields of Yorkshire, there is a small village. It has two pubs, a blacksmith and a corner shop with the casually suspicious owner. It has a small stream running through it with a National Park Centre and a few farms dotted around it. It is called Malham and it sits in the shadow of Malham Cove, a 70 metre high, gently curving limestone amphitheatre.
There are close to a hundred steps leading up to the top of the Cove where you get truly spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. But you also witness the remarkable limestone pavement, which was featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Follow the boy wizard and explore the beauty of Malham Cove.
No matter where you are travelling from, you can turn this magical trip into a true adventure road trip. Use an old fashioned atlas or type “Chapel Gate, Malham BD23 4DA” into your sat-nav.
Continue the magic in Pendle
The North, especially Lancashire has a long history of folklore, myth and magic. If this interests you, then there is one place you must find yourself visiting on your road trip. Pendle is a quaint English village with a dark history of fear, superstition, magic and religious persecution. The people of Pendle have come to accept the image of the broomstick-riding witch as the village’s emblem.
There is Pendle Hill standing tall that offers you a leisurely walk and gorgeous views of the Lancashire countryside.
You have two choices when it comes to the Trail of the Pendle Witches. You can walk through the luscious Forest of Bowland, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and learn the fascinating tale of the ten people executed for witchcraft. You can take a separate Trail that tells the same story, but instead of walking, you can remain in your car and drive it.
The Lancashire Witches Driving Trail takes you from the Pendle Heritage Centre up to Lancaster Castle. It was in those dungeons that the witches were imprisoned before being tried and hung. You have a variety of great choices you can make when you reach Pendle, so get into your car and head out on the road trip towards the Witches village.
Enter “Colne Rd, Barrowford, Burnley BB9 6JQ” into your sat-nav and you are away.
Time to explore the lakes and mountains of Lakeland
Lakeland sounds like it should be a country rather than one of England’s most beautiful areas. The Lake District National Park is one of the most famous national parks in the world, thanks to it being home to some of the most famous mountains and tales of the most renowned artists and writers being inspired by its beauty. William Wordsworth walked the hills of the Lake District and it inspired much of his poetry.
But the Lake District offers more than inspiration to famous and amateur artists. It offers adventure and fun for all. You can hike up some of our nation’s tallest mountains, stroll around the great lakes like Windermere, head out into the Grizedale Forest on mountain bikes and so much more. You can have an adventure on your road trip to the Lake District and have another adventure when you arrive.
There are so many different places to visit and travelling around the Lake District can be a whole road trip in itself.
Who needs the Golden Gate Bridge?
America has the famous Golden Gate Bridge that crosses the Golden Gate Strait, but we have the Humber Bridge and we know which we would prefer. The Humber Bridge was the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge when first built in 1981. It stretches a span of 1,410 metres and is the iconic gateway to the City of Hull, the UK Capital of Culture 2017. There is a £1.50 toll to cross the bridge, but we can say it is well worth ending your road trip crossing such an amazing feat of engineering.
Plus if you head to Hull this year, you will get to experience many of the hundreds of events taking places as part of the Capital of Culture 2017. Keep your eyes peeled for any events that might interest you to set off on that road trip to Hull this year.
Summer is the perfect time for a road trip and the North of England has so much to offer. Take that chance and go for that summer adventure. If you need a suitable car for your road trip, we have a great selection of cheap lease cars available on car leasing. Check out our range and enquire with us. Our dedicated team will make sure you are prepared for your road trip and beyond.