The UK is a historical treasure trove, and an extremely diverse one at that. The nation has picked up pieces of a great many cultures and civilisations that moved through it over the past five millennia, practically all of which are right there to be discovered.
The impressive preservation of Britain’s eclectic history is a godsend for history lovers and the perfect pretence around which to build the perfect road trip. But how might such a trip come together?
Planning Your Trip
A good historically-inclined road trip can only be achieved through some good planning. This means thinking carefully about a number of factors besides your favourite historical periods! Of course, the locations you would like to visit should be foundational to the make-up of your trip, but concessions and compromises may need to be made for the betterment of your experience.
For one, some sites may simply be inaccessible, depending on the needs of your travel party. Are there provisions for disabled access, and is the site close enough to the car park for those that might have mobility issues?
More generally, there won’t be a road trip without the right transport to facilitate it. Trains and buses aren’t always a reliable way to reach sites, particularly remote ones. You might already have a car for getting around, but is it suitable for a road trip? You’ll need something both reliable and comfortable; a pre-owned Lexus might fit the bill without exploding your budget if a friend or family member doesn’t already have a suitable car to bring you along in.
Ancient Britain
Britain’s palaeolithic past is an extremely rich tapestry all of its own and could form the basis of myriad cultural explorations – from the near-sublime majesty of Stonehenge to the Bronze-Age artefacts of the Outer Hebrides. As a bona fide early history road trip, you might trace a patch along the north-east coast, and inwards to Northumberland National Park for the hillforts and burial mounds of Lordenshaw.
Shooting forward some three millennia, and Britain looks altogether different. The Roman occupation of Britain changed it irrevocably, and fascinatingly – leaving behind all manner of astoundments and curiosities. You might road trip over to Bath for a weekend of soaking in both the sights and the thermae; alternatively, you might track along Hadrian’s Wall to visit the fortifications that held a shaky line between the Romans and Caledonia.
Castles and Countryside
Of course, much of Britain’s bizarre cultural identity was forged after the Roman conquest, with the Middle Ages and the successive conquerings that brought us castles, knights and a fascinating era of internecine warfare. With this era of history, you could pick blindly from the vast tracts of countryside within the British Isles and happen upon something glorious – whether the beauty of Conwy Castle against the vistas of Snowdonia, or the Scottish majesty of Stirling Castle.
