After escaping London, head west towards Oxford to visit one of the oldest universities. Marvel at the architecture and labyrinth of hidden pubs. Find the Turf Tavern pub and you will be rewarded with a glorious selection of ales in one of the most ancient pubs in Oxford. Next, head further out towards the Cotswolds - an area of outstanding natural beauty with distinctive honey-coloured cottages, picturesque and quaint villages and yet more ancient pubs. If you decide to stay the night, there’s a damn fine campsite near Moreton in Marsh within spitting distance of the town. Hint - if you stay on a Monday night there’s always a weekly market held there on Tuesday mornings. It’s rather atmospheric and the cheeses on offer are to die for!
Day 2: Head south and travel through more Cotswold villages en route – stop in Stow on the Wold and check out the lovely square. Keep driving and you’ll end up in Bath. After a good clean, swing by Wells Cathedral and Glastonbury for some spiritual cleansing before bedding down for the night. The next day, drive through Devon and continue south until you reach Dartmouth, a beautiful town set on the banks of the Dart River. You can reach it via a teeny car ferry. Dartmouth is spectacular and a great place to spend some time. It’s also a good base if you plan to explore the area further.
Day 4 sees you crossing the west country and stopping at Tintagel, a place full of Arthurian legend - you can even visit Merlin’s cave and King Arthur’s castle. Make sure you stop at the lovely fishing village of Padstow, and the legendary (for other reasons) Newquay. Stay the night around here and check out the surf and local beaches to see what all the fuss is about. Whilst you’re in this neck of the woods you might as well spend Day 5 having a look at The Eden Project near St Austell, Cornwall, it really is a very special place. Then head down to Lands End in Cornwall to stand on what it is the most southern tip of England. Spend the afternoon at St Michaels Mount where you can wander out to the mount at low tide and then mosey over to the artist’s mecca of St Ives to spend the night in this eclectic town. After a leisurely morning exploring St Ives on Day 6 start moving east spending the last night near the eerily beautiful Dartmoor National Park (inspiration for Conan Doyle’s ‘Hound of the Baskervilles’) before driving back to London on Day 7 with a pit stop at Stonehenge.
