As motorists across the country are packing their suitcases, we’re predicting a seven per cent increase in breakdowns during summer. That means around 150,000 callouts for our mechanics to provide support over the summer.
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If you’re thinking about your next long weekend, a road trip in Northern Ireland could be right up your street. Castles, nature, and culture, it’s full of places and experiences to explore, all at your own pace.
Here are some recommendations for anyone heading on a road trip to Northern Ireland.
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As the weather gets warmer, you may be thinking about a holiday road trip. Whether you just want to relax or fancy a bit of an adventure, we’re here to help you.
Here are some hidden gems for your next long-weekend road trip.
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The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations are on the first weekend in June. Ahead of it, Britain is basking in the knowledge that we get a four-day weekend to help Her Majesty celebrate. But what are you going to do during it?
Below we outline five great motoring ways to spend the long bank holiday weekend.
The new Premier League season kicks off on 13 August, and fans all over the country are eager to see their teams live again.
As excited as people are to get back into their home stadiums, a lot of fans will be hitting the road for away matches. This got us thinking: which Premier League supporters will travel the farthest to see their team play away from home? And, importantly, how much will that cost in petrol?
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With continued uncertainty over whether we’ll be allowed to go abroad without extensive quarantining, 2021 is looking like the year of the staycation. And that means rather than letting the plane take the strain, a lot of drivers will be turning to their cars.
Here we look at what you need to ensure you have a dream holiday rather than a trip from hell. The key is planning. If you carry out our checks the week before you go away, it gives you options to act on them. Do them the day before your holiday and it might result in more stress than you need.
And because a lot of people will be taking their motorhome or caravan away, we’re including those too.
Don’t try to fix it yourself. Read our five dos and five don’ts for stopping on a motorway hard shoulder
A motorway hard shoulder can be a dangerous place to spend time. That’s why all our technicians receive comprehensive training on what to do and how to behave on the hard shoulder. While it’s part of their job to spend time at the side of the motorway, it’s also something every driver could have to face at some point in their car-owning career.
For that reason, I’ve compiled five dos and fives don’ts for the motorway hard shoulder.
Pets can bring an enormous amount of pleasure to their owners. But car travel with pets can be as stressful for the humans as it is for the animals. Whether it’s with man’s best friend or a family feline favourite, travelling with pets in a car requires careful planning to keep people and pets safe.
For those that haven’t driven with pets in the car before, this beginner’s guide is aimed at covering all the basics for national and international travel. If any seasoned travellers have more tips for keeping pets safe in a car, please share them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Our proud nation produces more than its fair share of proud drivers: car owners who like to think they’re handy behind the wheel and know it all when it comes to the rules of the road. But how many of us really know the true meaning of the huge number of British road signs that we have to identify to stay safe?
After all, it may be decades since you took your driving test, and years since you last looked at the Highway Code.
So why not step up to the challenge and try identifying these 10 common British road signs?
Beaumaris Castle has been called an unfinished masterpiece (Picture © CADW)
Where? Around Anglesey
When to drive it? Spring/summer
Essential stop? Red Wharf Bay
Perfect stay: Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris
In Great British Drives Anglesey is a must. All the drives in our series feature dramatic scenery but North Wales moves breath-taking to a new level. The combination of mountainous countryside and only light traffic means the roads are relatively deserted and the views spectacular. However, rather than the obvious choice of driving through the Snowdonia National Park – it is beautiful and the roads are well worth sampling – we’ve gone for Anglesey. Continue reading
Bourton-on-the-Water has been described as the Venice of the Cotswolds ( (Picture © Cotswolds District Council)
Where? Bourton-on-the-Water to Chipping Campden
When to drive it? Spring/Summer
Essential stop? Broadway Tower
Perfect Stay: Charingworth Manor, Chipping Campden
If anywhere wants to claim to be one of the most beautiful Great British Drives it will have to do battle with the Cotswolds. This route takes in some of the most picturesque towns and countryside in the British Isles with a combination of quiet and secluded valleys, streams of crystal water and high streets that will make visitors feel they’re on the set of a period drama. Continue reading
Cromer is famous for its beach, pier and of course crabs. It’s a great drive getting there too. (Picture © North Norfolk District Council)
Where? Boston to Cromer
When to drive it? Winter/Spring
Essential stop? Henry Blogg Museum
Perfect Stay: Captains House, Cromer, Norfolk
Say Boston and many will instantly think of the city on the US east coast. However, it gets its name from Boston in Lincolnshire, the starting point for a version of Great British Drives that takes in the beautiful coastline of The Wash. Continue reading
Amazing views are guaranteed in the Yorkshire Dales. (Picture courtesy of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority)
Where? Settle to Richmond
When to drive it? Winter
Essential stop? Buttertubs Pass
Perfect stay: The Punchbowl Inn, Low Row, North Yorks
To see another side of our green and pleasant land, try a Great British Drive in the Yorkshire Dales in the winter months. The mornings can be crisp and the winds chill but you’ll catch sight of some of nature’s most inspired efforts and arguably, some of man’s too. Continue reading
Plenty of views to be had whether it’s inland or at the coast. This is Porlock. (Picture © ENPA)
Where? Somerset
When to drive it? Summer/Autumn
Essential stop? Tropiquaria
Perfect Stay: The Langbury, Blue Anchor Bay, Minehead
Being an island makes Britain unique among its European siblings in many ways. One of them is that it’s possible to drive from coast to coast with ease in multiple parts of the country. For a combination of things to do and beauty head to the south west and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. However, few drives in Somerset have the all-round family appeal of one that actually starts in Dorset, at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis. Continue reading
Step back in time at Lavenham Guildhall (Picture © Lavenham Photographic)
Where: Suffolk
When to drive it: Autumn
Essential stop: Fishing for crabs at Southwold
Perfect stay: The Crown, Southwold
As our Indian Summer continues and the sun heads off the more typical grey autumnal days, Suffolk is the perfect destination for families who want to unwind and grab some precious, undivided time together. Continue reading
Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness (Picture © Shutterstock)
Where: Inverness
When to drive it: Summer or autumn
Essential stop: The Cairngorms and Loch Ness
Perfect stay: The Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore
Sat in the northern reaches of Scotland, Inverness may look like it’s a long way from anywhere but it’s actually the gateway to some of the most scenic spots Scotland has to offer. Continue reading
(Picture © Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water)
Where Elan valley: Breathtaking beauty, wildlife and the dambusters
When to drive it Summer and winter
Essential stop Elan Valley Visitor centre
Perfect stay Brynafon Country House Hotel
The Elan Valley is a driver’s delight while still offering plenty for all the family in one compact package. Set in the rugged Cambrian Mountains, Elan is one of the most stunning, unspoilt and diverse landscapes in the British Isles. A site of Special Scientific Interest because of its flora and fauna, it also has a ribbon of tarmac that will enable the keen driver to put their car through its paces.
View out to sea from Beachy Head (Picture © VisitEastbourne.com)
Where: Sussex, where the South Downs roll into the sea
When to drive it: Any season
Essential stop: Brighton Pier and Chichester
Perfect stay: Crab & Lobster, Pagham Harbour
If your idea of a great drive requires a good view, then the perfect drive in Sussex has to begin at one of the most majestic coastline vistas of all: Beachy Head. Continue reading
Where: Cumbria – Bluebells, Romans and railways
When to drive it: Spring
Essential stop: Allen Banks
Perfect stay: Crown Hotel, Wetheral, Carlisle
In our Great British Drives series we’ll be showcasing fantastic family days out by car. In this first piece we go to the north Pennines, Cumbria and Northumberland for a 70-mile round trip that takes in some of the most dramatic scenery in the British isles, along with a few attractions to keep the kids amused… Continue reading
holbox / Shutterstock
It’s easy to forget just how boring long drives can be for kids. I distinctly remember half-term journeys with my parents where the only thing to do was fidget. And in those pre-DVD days, a TV/VHS combo was just too big to strap onto my mum’s headrest.
Not everyone wants to simply plug in a DVD player or hand over their mobile though, so here’s our top 10 (screen-free) ways to keep the kids entertained in the car. Continue reading