The Around Great Britain In 30 days series is about an American let loose on the roads of the United Kingdom. Buckle your seat belts.
I had 30 days to see as much of Great Britain as I could. In September 2012, having finished graduate school, I felt ready to hit the roads and truly experience the country I had lived in for almost a year.
My insane adventure all started on a London-Edinburgh train six months before. Studying archaeology at the University of Leicester, in the Midlands of England, my imminent return to America weighed heavily on my mind. There was no way I could leave my adoptive home (albeit temporarily) without seeing much more of her. You could say I wanted to go out with a bang. This is where the road trip was born. Sitting on that train, watching the North Sea coastline, the idea suddenly dawned on me. At that moment, I knew that I was going to see it all.
Lighthouse at the most North-eastern point on the mainland of Scotland near the little town of John O’Groats.
Sign at Land’s End, Cornwall, the western tip of England, about a week and a half after John O’Groats.
The itinerary: Driving from London to London, the long way around, a trip of well over 4,000 miles (6,400 km). Yep, I drove from London, south to the coast, and then followed it up to the tip of Scotland and back down to the tip of Cornwall, back to London. (I apologize to the rental car company, but it really is your fault for offering unlimited mileage. I could not resist taking advantage of that.)
Map Quest The approximate route I took, very approximate.
In those 30 days, I had the most amazing vistas of my entire life. I explored ruins, walked through countless cathedrals (I seriously lost count.), visited places close to my heart, and found even more attractions I vow to return to. My bucket list was fairly dry by the end of the trip.
Drum Castle, near Aberdeen, Scotland. I am very proud of my Scottish heritage and the day I visited my “clan” castle at Drum, I felt like a true Scot.
I have to warn you, I’m a complete nerd; the places I have visited tend to be a bit nerdy. One great thing about traveling alone is seeing exactly what you want to see.
I found Nessie….in a car park.
I am not one to shop (just ask my friends) so this is not strictly a shopping guide. I am by no means a food critic either, but I can assure the reader that pubs along the way almost always had great food. Stop at a random pub, and you almost can’t go wrong.
The Shakespeare, a pub in Durham, England. They probably had good food.
Around Great Britain in 30 Days focuses on the highlights from my adventures while circling the island of Great Britain. As someone whose friends sought to spring an intervention on for trip planning psychosis, I became a bit obsessed with packing in the attractions. It paid off, BIG TIME. I saw A LOT OF STUFF in 30 days. I follow a timetable when I’m on the road with just me and my car and enjoy seeing everything I can without unnecessary delay. I hate being bored, and there’s nothing like Gothic ruins to remove any sense of boredom, right?
This is Vera, my rental. This car made me want to get a hatchback. Soooo easy to park.
I will admit that not every day turned out the way I wanted it to but given the fact I planned this trip while writing a dissertation, I think I did pretty good. I will never regret going through with this adventure.
This is my story, my adventure. I hope you enjoy my insanity.
Check out Day 1 of this grand adventure: From Gothic cathedrals to Roman palaces, explore the southern coast of England.
Just a bit of the famous Lake District of England.
