Nice places to drive through near me

Today I want to bring you my guide to the best scenic drives near London. If you’re looking to get out of the UK capital and see some beautiful coast and countryside, these are just the drives for you.

Whether you’re interested in day trips from London by car or just want to get out on the open road in the English countryside, there’s a scenic drive near London you’ll love.

From coastal drives in Kent to mini road trips through the Cotswolds, this list will have you itching to get behind the wheel and out of the city.

You can spend the whole time in the car, or make stops at villages, towns, and landmarks along the way.

You can even make multi-day UK road trips out of them or build in country walks near London. Whatever way you choose to travel, I hope you enjoy these drives.

1. Scenic Drive from London to the Cotswolds

Given how much I love the Cotswolds, I’ll start my list of scenic drives near London with this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Whether you cruise through Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, or Worcestershire, you can’t go wrong here.

But if I had to choose a favorite route, it would be the one starting in London and going through the Chiltern Hills and Oxford en route to Burford. This pretty town is often referred to as the gateway to the Cotswolds.

Once in Burford, I’d make a big loop through the northern part of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stopping by some of my favorite Cotswolds villages and towns along the way.

I’d go through Kingham, Chipping Campden, Broadway (and Broadway Tower), Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower Slaughter, Upper Slaughter, Bibury, and Cirencester before driving back to London through the North Wessex Downs.

2. Scenic Drive from London to the Surrey Hills

Next on my list of the best scenic drives near London is the Surrey Hills. Like the Cotswolds, this is another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England. It’s also close to London, which makes it ideal for shorter drives.

There are lots of places to visit in Surrey, but my favorite scenic drive starts in London and goes to Shere via Newlands Corner, a nature reserve with great views from the trails.

Shere is one of the most beautiful villages in England. It’s been used as a filming location for everything from the Bridget Jones movies to The Holiday. It also has good local pubs, so it’s a great place to stop for a mid-drive meal.

From Shere, this scenic drive near London goes to Peaslake, another beautiful village in Surrey. It then continues to Leith Hill Tower. Built in 1765, it was designed to be “a place for people to enjoy the glory of the English countryside”.

Climbing the 78 steps of the spiral staircase will reward you with views from the telescopes. The top of Leith Hill Tower is the highest point in southeast England, and you’ll be able to see all the way to the English Channel and Big Ben from it.

From Leith Hill Tower, this scenic drive near London will take you to Box Hill, a summit of the North Downs in Surrey. There are great walks and stunning views from the top of the hill, so it’s worth getting out of the car for a hike here.

From Box Hill, this drive will take you past Norbury Park nature reserve as you make your way back to London.

3. Scenic Drive from London to the South Coast

Next on my list of scenic drives near London is one that will take you from the UK capital to the south coast. From London, the route goes through the Surrey Hills, High Weald, and South Downs to get to the seaside in Brighton.

From Brighton, the drive goes back through the South Downs to get to Hastings, another coastal town on the English Channel. It’s famous for its castle, colorful streets, and beaches.

From Hastings the drive will take you to Rye, one of my favorite towns in England. Rye and the Sussex countryside around it are some of the most beautiful places in England.

Leaving Rye, this scenic drive will bring you to Battle, a historic town in East Sussex where the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066. You can stop to tour the battlefield and adjacent abbey if you want to.

From Battle, you’ll drive through the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to get to Sevenoaks, a pretty town in Kent.

It’s worth getting out of the car here to see Knole, a famous stately home near London with a pretty deer park surrounding it.

From Sevenoaks, it’s a short drive back to London, where this scenic drive ends.

4. Scenic Drive from London to Cambridge

Next on my list of the best scenic drives near London is a road trip to Cambridge.

This university city to the north of the capital is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK. There are a lot of pretty places to drive through on the way to and from it, too.

Starting in London, the scenic drive will take you through the beautiful woodland of Epping Forest in Essex. From there, the route continues north to some of the prettiest villages in England.

From Wendens Ambo to Arkesden, they’re packed with thatched-roof cottages and idyllic pubs. If you feel like a leg stretch, there are great Essex walks around here.

From the villages, you’ll continue north to Cambridge, where it’s worth exploring the city and taking in the beautiful buildings of the University of Cambridge.

Back in the car, this scenic drive near London heads south again. If it’s summer, it’s worth stopping in Hitchin to visit the beautiful lavender field there.

If not, you can continue driving to St Albans, one of the best cities in England. It’s home to a historic cathedral and lots of impressive Roman ruins.

After St Albans, this scenic drive will take you back into London.

5. Scenic Drive from London to Wiltshire

The next of my scenic drives near London is to Wiltshire. This one is great for history lovers, as it will take you to some of the best historic sites in England.

After departing London, this driving route will take you through the English countryside to Stonehenge. It’s worth getting out of the car to visit the famous prehistoric landmark on Salisbury Plain and learn about its mysterious origins.

After Stonehenge, this scenic drive will take you to Salisbury. This medieval city in Wiltshire is a great place to stop and take in everything from the cathedral to Magna Carta (it’s one of the last four originals from 1215).

From Salisbury, this scenic drive goes to Winchester. Another famous cathedral city, it’s home to beautiful streets, secret gardens, and the Round Table of King Arthur fame.

If you’re in need of a leg stretch, you can even walk some of the South Downs Way from here. Either way, when you leave Winchester the route will take you back to central London.

6. Scenic Drive from London to Wiltshire and Somerest

Next on my list of scenic drives near London is one to Wiltshire and Somerest. This one covers some of the prettiest villages in Wilshire and some of the best cities in Somerset.

This scenic driving route starts by taking you through the North Wessex Downs to Avebury. It’s famous for its Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial sites. Avebury also has a pretty village to admire.

From Avebury, the drive will take you to Lacock. It’s worth getting out of the car to walk through the pretty streets of this village.

Lacock and its abbey have been used as filming locations for everything from Downton Abbey to the Harry Potter movies.

After exploring Lacock, this scenic drive will take you into the Cotswolds to the village of Castle Combe. It’s one of the prettiest towns and villages in Britain, and its chocolate-box beauty is sure to win you over.

From Castle Combe, it’s a short drive to Bath in Somerset. This city is famous for its beautiful historic architecture, ancient Roman baths, and Jane Austen sites.

From Bath, it’s not far to Wells. One of the smallest cities in the country, it’s also one of the most underrated UK cities.

Wells is known for its stunning cathedral. It’s also home to Vicars Close, a 14th-century street that’s said to be the oldest residential street with original surviving buildings in Europe.

After Wells, this driving route continues back through the English countryside to London.

7. Scenic Drive from London to Kent

Last on my list of scenic drives near London is one to the coast in Kent. This one covers some of the best places to go to the seaside near London.

From the UK capital, the driving route goes along the northern edge of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, past Faversham, and out to Whitstable.

Whitstable is a great place to stop for a seafood lunch or walk on the beach. There’s even an annual Whitstable Oyster Festival here in the summer.

From Whitstable, the drive continues to Margate, another popular coastal destination in Kent.

Often referred to as Shoreditch-on-Sea, Margate is a hipster paradise complete with vintage shops and an amusement park. There’s a great contemporary art gallery in town, too.

After Margate, this driving route goes through Broadstairs to Ramsgate. This coastal town is home to the only royal harbor in the United Kingdom. It’s worth popping down to admire the boats.

After Ramsgate, this scenic drive from London will take you to Deal and Walmer Castle. The former is a historic smuggling town with pretty streets and a wide beach. The latter is a historic castle with beautiful gardens.

From Walmer Castle, you’ll continue along the coast to Dover, where it’s worth stopping to admire the famous white cliffs and hilltop castle.

From there you’ll drive to Folkestone, where there are great coastal views and pretty shopping streets. If you make a longer trip of it, you can even do a coastal walk from Folkestone to Dover.

After Folkestone, you’ll drive back through the Kent countryside to London.

Scenic Drives Near London

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the best scenic drives near London. They’re great ways to get out of the city and into the countryside, and fun excuses to explore England.

If you want more, my great British road trip itinerary will show you a longer trip you can take. Happy driving!

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