Five Weekends Where the Getting There Is the Point
Photo by Photo by Ed Wingate on Unsplash on Unsplash
There's a particular kind of magic in a journey that refuses to be rushed. The road that doubles back on itself for no reason other than the view. The train carriage window that turns into a moving postcard. The footpath that makes you late because you kept stopping.
We think the best UK weekends start hours before you arrive. Here are five escapes where the getting there deserves as much of your attention as the tipi waiting at the other end.
1. The Settle–Carlisle Line, Yorkshire
Widely argued about and almost universally loved, this railway is one of Britain's great engineering romances. Ribblehead Viaduct alone — all 24 arches of it striding across the moor — is worth the ticket price. Book a stay on a Yorkshire smallholding or glamping site reachable from one of the quieter stations along the route, and let the train do the work. No motorway services, no parking anxiety. Just three hours of some of the wildest scenery England has to offer.
2. The Bealach na Bà, Scottish Highlands
If you're driving to a Highland escape, take the long way. The Bealach na Bà — the "pass of the cattle" — climbs to over 2,000 feet on the Applecross Peninsula, switchbacking up through bare, otherworldly landscape that feels closer to Norway than Britain. Time it for late afternoon light, allow a good hour for the final stretch, and arrive at your west coast hideout properly wind-blown. Note: it's not one for nervous drivers or caravans. Take your time and give way to the view.
3. The Cambrian Coast Line, Wales
The train from Machynlleth to Pwllheli hugs the Cardigan Bay shoreline for mile after mile, sand dunes on one side, hills on the other. It's the kind of journey where you stop reading your book entirely. Pair it with a stay on the mid-Wales coast or just inland in the Dyfi Valley — a short pedal or walk from a station platform that hasn't changed much in a century.
4. The North York Moors by Steam
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs heritage steam services between Pickering and Whitby, threading through heather moorland and forested ravines. Alight at one of the intermediate stops — Levisham, Goathland (yes, that village from Heartbeat) — and walk the last stretch to your accommodation. A weekend that begins with a steam whistle has a head start on being memorable.
5. The Atlantic Highway, Cornwall and Devon
The A39 gets a bad rap from anyone in a hurry, which is precisely the point. Take it slowly and it becomes one of the finest drives in the country: estuary crossings, cliff-hugging stretches, and sudden views across to Lundy. Detour onto the B-roads toward the north Devon coast or a Cornish hideaway, and you'll understand why nobody down here rushes anywhere.
Make the Journey Part of the Plan
The trick is simple: build in the time. Leave Friday lunch rather than Friday night. Choose the scenic route over the satnav's favourite. Book the train ticket instead of defaulting to the car.
Because a weekend escape shouldn't start when you unzip the tent flap. It should start the moment the landscape starts changing — and if you've planned it right, that's long before you arrive.
