THE LONGEST ROAD OUT
MOTORISTS HANDBOOKCONTENTS
STEP IGET INSPIRED
Driving experiences05

Where to find inspiration

06

Seasonal info

08

Budget breakdown

10

STEP II

PLAN YOUR TRIP
Accommodation options

13

Precautions

16

Packing list

17

Customs and traditions

19

STEP IIIHIT THE ROAD

02

Using a GPX file23

Backroad driving

24

Food & drink

27

Sightseeing tips

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INTRODUCTION

The Longest Road Out is the road trip of a lifetime. Driving it gave us, without
doubt, some of our favourite memories: from sampling succulent oysters ona sun-drenched Guernsey beach, to seeing our trusty Morgan hoisted onto
a ferry bound for the archipelago’s most remote inhabited island, totraversing some of Ireland’s most precarious mountain passes in stormy
weather – the list goes on. Truly, there are few things more exciting thanexperiential exploration.
Planning the expedition was almost as thrilling, though. We spent countlessevenings scrutinising old maps in our neighbourhood pub, went on field trips
to reconnoitre, and immersed ourselves in the stories of intrepid motorists
who’d roamed the backroads before us. Every bit of planning brought us
closer to the start of our adventure.
Now, to help you plan your own superlative road trip, we’ve written thishandbook as an accompaniment to our travelogue, route map, and digitalnavigation tool. Based on a decade of rigorous research, three years offervent planning, and lessons learned during a hundred incredible days on
the road, it’ll take you from the drawing board to the road in just a fraction of
the time it took us.
As with the rest of our concept, this handbook is divided into three parts:
inspiration, organisation, and navigation. The advice and information ineach chapter will help you decide which part of the route is right for you,how much money you’ll need, which bits of your itinerary you’ll need to bookand in what order, what sort of items you should pack, and how to navigate
Britain and Ireland’s scenic backroads.

Bon voyage!
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STEP IGET INSPIRED“Determine
which part of theroute you’ll drive
and work out
your budget.”04

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Start your journey in a comfortable armchair. Brew yourself a cup of steaming,
milky tea or pour yourself a heart-warming dram. The route is rather extensive– it’d take you roughly half a year to drive it all in one go – so the first partof planning your own trip is determining which parts of it suit you best. Thatway, as opposed to seeing all of it superficially, you’ll return home with betterand more personal stories. Of course, you could just throw a dart at ourcustom-made route map and be done with it, but we recommend you opt
for a slightly more attentive approach. It’s best to start this phase at least six
months before the start of your trip, if you’ve set a date already, or sooner.
First, read our travelogue, which will acquaint you with the route and ourway of travel. In it, we trace our 100-day motoring expedition through Britain
and Ireland. We’ve curated some of our fondest memories and captured
them through engaging anecdotes, inspiring interviews, and captivating
photographs taken en route. Let our stories fuel your aspirations.
Then, consider what type of experience you’re looking for. Perhaps you’re
someone who prefers to tour at a leisurely pace, stopping often. Or maybe
you’re an avid motorist looking for wild and invigorating drives. It’s importantyou pinpoint this before contemplating where you’d like to go, or you’ll
inevitably be drawn toward more prosaic places. By putting experiences first,
you’ll be more open to places you hadn’t considered before – and that’s what
The Longest Road Out is about.

DRIVING EXPERIENCES
It can be overwhelming to contemplate what sort of driving experience
you’re after exactly – let alone determine where to find it. To makethings simple for you, we’ve divided the route into three types of driving:
there’s coastal, upland, and inland. Of course, you can combine theseas you like. You’ll find them indicated on the route map and featured in
our travelogue. Depending on where you are in Britain or Ireland, theseexperiences may vary a bit. Still, this should help you get your bearings.

CoastalWith several thousand miles of coastline and innumerable outlying
islands, there’s great coastal driving to be done all around Britain and
Ireland. Along these parts of the route you’ll find concealed coves,deserted beaches, picturesque ports and – of course – superb seafood
such as lobster and scallops. The narrow and twisty roads make fordelightful driving and they’re not terribly difficult. As distances between
destinations are relatively short, even inexperienced drivers should be
able to manage, though perhaps with a little bit of practice.

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Upland
Much of the route’s interior sections are defined by rugged terrain. These
uplands make for invigorating motoring and should appeal especially tomore ardent motorists. The elevation is modest (the highest road being
the Cairnwell Pass in the Scottish Highlands at 670m / 2199ft) and, for themost part, these sections of the route aren’t too toilsome. However, there
are some precarious mountain passes – including the steepest one in
the archipelago at one-in-three – which may be too demanding forsome. If you’re in any way unsure, just find a detour. En route, you’ll travel
through breath-taking landscapes and at the end of an intense day’s
driving you can put up your feet with a glass of whisky and a roaring firein a remote pub.

InlandLastly, there are the postcard-like inland parts of the route. Characterisedby undulating farmland and forests, bucolic amber-stoned and halftimbered towns, and landmarks such as country houses and castles,
these make for leisurely touring. There are no more than a few miles
between places of interest and along the way there are many places
to stop for picnics or walks, as well as comfortable roadside inns, whichmake this type of driving experience particularly appropriate for lessintrepid drivers. Occasionally, though, the route comes through larger
towns and cities, where traffic may be a little bit more hectic.

Once you’ve decided which experiences you’re after, unfold our route map
onto a table or pin it to a wall. Do further research and jot all the things you
like down on the map – perhaps use pencils so you can remove anything
superfluous later. You’ll find that over time, as you add more points of interest,
clusters will start to form. Based on these, you can see which regions – and,
consequently, which parts of the route – you’re most drawn to. Compare theseclusters to see which ones best overlap with your preferred types of motoring.

WHERE TO FIND INSPIRATION
We’ve found that the more solid the groundwork, the better and more
personal the road trip will be. With knowledge, you can make a solid
plan – and recognise when to deviate from it. That means you needoutstanding information, so where do you find that? Well, of course ourtravelogue makes for essential reading. Once you’ve read that, look

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for other high-quality publications such as journals and (old) novels,
which are often thorough in their research and provide niche insights.
For additional inspiration, carefully scour online sources including social
media accounts and blogs.

Journals, magazines & guidebooks
Head to your local bookshop and ask them to recommend some
worthwhile journals and guidebooks. We draw inspiration from, among
others, Ernest, Sidetracked, and Another Escape, in which you’ll often findengrossing stories of unusual people and places. Even when such texts
aren’t about Britain or Ireland, they can help you understand your own
inclinations better. For instance, when preparing for our trip we read apiece on the Faroe Islands, which made us realise we could find similarlandscapes and culture in Shetland. That, then, made us consider Fair Isle
– which turned out to be phenomenal.

NovelsIf you can, source some vintage travel books or novels. Our concept was
sparked by a book from the late 1940s called The British Countryside in
Pictures, which we found at a small antiques market in a Welsh country
town. We were also influenced by books such as the In Search of … series,
which were written in the late 20s and early 30s by H.V. Morton. If you’re
unable to track down any such books locally, you can get them online.
You’ll find that while many of the places and travel styles in those books
have changed since they were written, they still make for good reading
and much inspiration can be drawn from the stories in them – and someplaces and customs have since been forgotten and are just waiting to
be re-discovered!

Social media
Through social media such as Pinterest and Instagram, it’s easier thanever to find inspiration. Whenever we’re on a bus or train, we spend a
few minutes scrolling through our feeds to see if there’s anything we
don’t know about yet and later save the things we like to add to ourroute map. We recommend you follow local people as they will often
have comprehensive knowledge of an area and the places and sights
there. To find them, browse accounts such as those of Visit Scotland,
Visit England, and Tourism Ireland, find content that appeals to you, andwork out who originally posted it. On Instagram, we regularly re-sharecontent we like through our Stories. Do note, however, that (especially on
Pinterest), descriptions and locations aren’t always correct so make sure
to doublecheck your finds before pencilling them onto your map.

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BlogsLastly, there are good old blogs. Some people who undertake road trips
will not just post photos online but write about them as well. However,there are a lot of blogs out there – not all of them high-quality – andit’d take a lot of time to go through even a fraction of them. So, use yourpreferred search engine selectively to find blogs about specific things
you’re developing an interest in, such as the most scenic roads in
County Kerry, the prettiest beaches in Cornwall, or the quaintest
places to stay in Yorkshire.

Furthermore, there’s the time of year. Of course, as any motoring enthusiast
will impress on you, you can have a phenomenal road trip in any kind of
weather – provided your car’s got a roof. But as the seasons do have a major
impact on what your trip will be like, we recommend you take a moment towork out when the right time for you to travel is, or which parts of the routeare best for the months in which you intend to undertake your expedition.
Again, link your findings to the clusters on the map and your preferredexperiences and then, once you’ve weighed your options, pick whicheverpart of the route you like best.

SEASONAL INFOAs Britain and Ireland have a mild climate, you can have a superb road trip
there any time of year – to an extent, the adage ‘there’s no such thing as bad
weather, only inadequate clothing’ is all the information you need. But even so,
there’s still a lot of variety: in summer, it can be remarkably hot while in winter,parts could be blanketed in snow. Disclaimer: you may well get ‘four seasons
in one day’ at whichever time of year you opt for, so you’re never guaranteed
either good or bad weather.

SpringApril, May, and June are great months to explore Britain and Ireland. Except for
Easter and a few bank holidays, there shouldn’t be any crowds and while theweather can be a little unpredictable early on in the season it’ll most likely bereasonably pleasant overall. Spring is when many flowers bloom, sheep haveadorable little lambs, and tourist attractions open their doors again after theirwinter hiatus. If you intend for your road trip to take more than a few weeks,
we recommend you drive south to north for optimal weather throughout.
Personally, we feel the southern parts of the British Isles are best during this time
– but frankly anywhere is fine.

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SummerJuly, August, and September are the warmest and driest months – andconsequently they are also when everyone wants to travel. Undeniably, theweather is best this time of year, but because of the crowds it’s best to either
try and avoid the school holidays (which vary by region) or seek out more
remote and/or lesser visited areas. Summer is a time of festivals and traditional
events, such as the Highland Games in Scotland and agricultural shows andcountry fairs all around England. At this time of year, we prefer southern andwestern Ireland, and the eastern border regions of Scotland and England.

AutumnOctober, November, and December are, perhaps strangely, our favourite
months for visiting Britain and Ireland – and northern Scotland in particular.
Autumn sees the trees turn warm shades of red and gold, and in upland areas
the mountains will change to an atmospheric palette of tan, amber, andbrowns. Eventually, these are complemented by white-capped peaks. Stunning,moody skies and a perpetually low sun make for phenomenal photographs.
That said, we do recommend you opt for the earlier months of the season as
attractions will still be open and (most) ferries will still sail regularly. Toward theend, it gets wetter, stormier, and colder.

WinterJanuary, February, and March tend to be damp and cold. Not many people
would opt for a road trip during these months and, to be fair, it’s not ourfavourite season either. However, if you bring some blankets and plenty ofwarm clothing you can still have a great time: it’ll be quiet on the road, themoorlands will be poignantly bleak, and you’ll have the beaches to yourself(although you may prefer not to swim). Very occasionally, you can see aurora
borealis in the north and if you’re in Scotland at the end of January there’s
Burns Night to attend. Be aware, though, that (some) mountain passes may beclosed, and roads may be flooded or slick with mud – you’ll need good driving
skills.

Once you’ve decided on which part of Britain and/or Ireland you’re going to
explore, you’ll just need to assess what it’ll cost you. Perhaps you want to know
how far your current savings can take you, or how much more you need to savefor your perfect road trip. On our route map, there are arrows to help you work out
the number of days required – and subsequently you can calculate how much it’ll
all cost. Do note that if travelling to remote islands you’ll need to add a day or two
more, to err on the side of caution as ferries and aircraft may be delayed. Notethat there will be flexible costs (such as accommodation, provisions, vehicle hire)
but also fixed costs (such as flights, ferries).

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BUDGET BREAKDOWN
How much your road trip will cost depends on what sort of traveller you are. If
you, like us, are more of a venturesome type you can make do for rather little. But
if you prefer a bit more comfort – or even outright opulence – you’ll need a moresignificant budget. Either way, we recommend you make a rough calculation so
you know what you’ll have to work with, and then keep track of costs as you build
your itinerary so that you can make adjustments if and where needed. Estimates
listed in this article are per person (per night/day) unless otherwise indicated.

International travel and transport
If you don’t live in Britain or Ireland, you’ll need to arrange transport to and fromthe islands. You may want to bring your own car, in which case you’ll need totake a ferry from mainland Europe or between Britain and Ireland.
These vary in price each way from about £75 to more than £500, depending on
the connection. If you’re not bringing your car, the cheapest option is probably
flying (anywhere between £30 and £3000), or you could consider taking thetrain through the channel tunnel. You’d in that case also need to book a vehicle(somewhere between £30 and £300 per day). As you can see, prices varyimmensely and depend on a multitude of factors, so check online for reliable
estimates.

Accommodation
Inexpensive options include hostels and wild camping (which isn’t allowed
everywhere, so make sure to look into the rules). These will cost you anywherefrom £0-30. For a bit more comfort, consider places such as bed and breakfast
establishments and inns. For these, you’ll likely spend between £30-£100. Top-tieraccommodation, such as luxury hotels, are well upwards of £100. Of course, you
can opt for a combination, and go wild camping one day and sleep in a castle
the next. We prefer to do this. During our trip we spent, on average, about £60
per night on accommodation for the two of us. For more information, see theorganisation chapter.

Food
During our trip, we ate mostly in (gastro)pubs and smaller restaurants. At suchplaces, you’ll pay roughly £15-£25 for a main course, with another £5-£10 eachfor starters and desserts. Of course, if you opt for multi-course dinners at a luxury
restaurant you may have to work with prices upwards of £50. As for drinks: theaverage price of a pint of beer is now about £4. Breakfast is often included withyour accommodation, but if it isn’t it’ll cost somewhere between £8-£15. The
price of lunch is usually similar, or slightly more. That said, for both we prefer topurchase some fresh local produce at markets or farm shops in the morning,or the day before, and make a picnic of it if the weather allows. That should cost
about the same, or possibly a little less. For more information, see the navigation
chapter.

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FuelProvided you adhere to what we consider a reasonable daily driving
distance (as indicated by the arrows on the route map), fuel should cost
about £10-15 per car each day. Of course, if you drive something like a Land
Rover that estimate will be higher and if you drive an electric vehicle it’ll be
zero (but note you may need to carefully plan charging stops in remoteareas). Fuel prices are higher in remote areas and near highways. Alongthe route, there are a few remaining independent petrol stations, and werecommend you fill up there to support local entrepreneurs directly. Often,
you’ll get better service there also.

Sightseeing
The best things in life are almost free. Spending the afternoon at the beach,taking a scenic walk, and having tea with strangers are all good ways tosavour Britain and Ireland – and they hardly cost a penny. But there arealso plenty of places worth paying for, such as museums and attractions.
Entry fees are usually between £10-£15 but for well-known places it may be
as much as £25. If you intend to visit a lot of attractions, consider buying a(regional) pass, which could save you money. Have a look at our navigation
chapter for more sightseeing tips.

Ferries
The route includes dozens of ferries, often scenic. Some take hundredsof cars across the sea overnight, while others carry at most three acrossa small river within minutes. A reasonable estimate for the bigger ferries– such as the ones to Shetland and the Channel Islands – is about £100£400 each way, depending on whether you’re sleeping on board, how longthe crossing is, and the vehicle you bring. For smaller ferries, expect to pay
about £5-£25 – often in cash only, so make sure to have some to hand.

Other
Then there’s a few other bits and bobs to take into account – although theyshouldn’t really have a significant effect on your budget. The route doesn’t
include many toll bridges and roads, but if you do come across one theprice is usually about £1-£3. Parking may cost money also: about £2 per hour
/ £8 per day at National Trust sites if you’re not a member and more in cities,of course. Specifically, for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man you’ll needto purchase a special parking disc. Lastly, and this won’t go for everyone
but it’d be a shame if you’d get fined for it: if you’re driving through central
London between Monday-Friday 7am-10pm you’ll have to pay a congestion
charge, and from October most older and diesel cars will be charged for
driving in London. There’s more information about that online.

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STEP II

PLAN YOUR TRIP

“Build youritinerary andmake essential
preparations foryour road trip.”12

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Having developed a solid framework for your road trip of a lifetime, you canbegin to work on your itinerary. We recommend you start this phase about
five months before your planned start date, and if all goes well you shouldhave it finished about two months before. During this phase you’ll find our map
particularly useful: use the front to further visualise your trip – adding hotels you
want to stay at, sights you want to see, roads you want to drive – and use theback to structure the organisation process. One tip: plan to drive just after sunrise
and just before sunset, during dinner time. It’ll be quiet on the road and the low
light will cast long shadows, which make for breath-taking photographs.
Start with the essentials and do so as soon as you can. First, book your transport
to and from Britain and/or Ireland (either flights, ferries, or the train) if you don’t
live there and arrange a visa if required. Please note that as Britain has leftthe European Union, requirements have changed and we recommend you
consult government websites carefully to see which documents you need.
Next, you should hire a vehicle if you’re not bringing your own (you may needan international driving licence). For an optimal experience we wholeheartedly
recommend you drive at least part of the route in a Morgan, like we did: there
are few cars more suitable for sophisticated backroad touring. Alternatively, you
can hire a vehicle at any reputable rental company in advance, to pick up at
your point of arrival. After this, make reservations for domestic ferry crossings if
your route includes any (they may ask for your vehicle details) – our route map
indicates the ones that require booking in advance.
With all that sorted, you can ease up a little. The next task in building your itinerary
is finding and booking accommodation. Take your time to get this right, as it’s
an important aspect of your road trip experience. To facilitate exploration andchance encounters, you may like to leave some nights unbooked, and instead
find something on the day. Often this works (look for signs saying ‘vacancies’) but
be aware that in the high season or in voguish areas it can be nigh impossible
to find something. We strongly recommend you do book accommodation in the
more remote areas or on outlying islands as soon as possible – there’s usually
not much and you don’t want to be left with nowhere to stay! Also make sure tobook unique or exclusive places early as these will get booked up almost any
time of year as well. Whenever you book accommodation, try to do so throughtheir own websites and, every so often, stay in the same place for two nights. Thisway, you’ll benefit your hosts and the local economy, and you’ll have more time
to appreciate the area you’re in.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONSForget about big unappealing hotels. Whether you prefer opulence orsimplicity, our advice is that you stay at a variety of places that add
to the driving experience you decided on earlier. Book a few nights

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at a solitary lighthouse as part of a coastal drive, forsake comfort fora day and wake up to glorious mountain views in a bothy during an
upland trip, or stay at an age-old roadside inn while touring the inland
countryside. Opt for places that encourage socialisation: you neverknow what opportunities an amiable chat with hosts or fellow travellers
might yield!

Bed and Breakfasts
Common across Britain and Ireland, bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) aremost often private homes where some rooms are rented out totravellers. In rural areas, some farms run a B&B on the side. Sometimes,
the accommodation is separate from the hosts’ living space, but othertimes you may share the kitchen or living room. As your hosts will be
locals, staying at B&Bs is a great way to learn more about an area.
Occasionally, you may come across purposely converted (historic)buildings that can be more like small boutique hotels. B&Bs can usually
be booked online, through their own websites or through sites such as
Airbnb, but rarely you may have to phone them directly.

Inns
Roadside inns have been around for hundreds of years, both as
refuges for travellers and for locals to have a pint and socialise. As
the route traces many historic thoroughfares, you’re sure to comeacross one of these every so many miles. In the more traditional inns,
there’ll be a roaring fire and comfortable chairs, as well as simple
but wholesome food and local ales waiting for you to unwind after along day’s exploring. As in most pubs, it’s normal to talk to strangers
and you might be invited by some locals to join them for a drink. The
rooms, upstairs or at the back of the inn, are usually unembellished but
comfortable enough – although some inns have evolved into morehigh-end establishments.

HotelsExclusive to the people staying in them and run solely as a business,
hotels make for comfortable but often more impersonal alternatives
to B&Bs and inns. We recommend that, if you choose to stay at hotels,
you opt for smaller places as these are – in our experience – more
homely. Look for unusual places such as restored castles and country
houses, converted windmills, or charming townhouses. One benefit ofhotels, if you’re not very venturesomely inclined, is that they are often
able to assist in booking tours or further accommodation.

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Hostels
Stereotypically preferred by twenty-somethings with little to spend,
hostels are a low-budget alternative to hotels. If you’re willing tosacrifice a little comfort and privacy, these places are great for finding
unusual escapades: there’s often a common room where travellers
come together to socialise and share stories, and if you join in you
may be asked to tag along for a hike or a tour someplace. That said,
hostels can be hit-or-miss but some, particularly rural ones such as
the Gatliff Trust’s restored crofts scattered around the Outer Hebrides,
are truly outstanding.

Cabins / Bothies
Speaking of rural accommodation, in the countryside you’ll alsofind shepherds’ huts and cabins. These are typically quite small andbasic, but they allow you to be close to nature while maintaining areasonable degree of comfort and privacy. In some more remoteplaces, you’ll also find bothies, which are much more austere. Theseare essentially ruins restored to a basic standard and they haveno amenities beside a fireplace, a raised platform, and a shovel– so you’d have to bring your own sleeping bag. As they’re meant
predominantly for hikers, you may have to walk a fair bit to get to one
and often you share the room with strangers. But seeing the sun rise
above the mountains is a sight for which you may be willing to put up
with all that.

Wild camping
If you’re willing to opt for an even more rudimentary approach toaccommodation, you could try wild camping. This isn’t for everyone,
but it’s undoubtedly one of the most memorable ways to experience
Britain and Ireland – and if you’ve never done it before we recommend
you give it a try. It’s not legal everywhere and most land is privately
owned, so if you’re thinking of pitching a tent somewhere make sure
you adhere to the wild camping etiquette and ensure you have thelandlord’s consent. Of course, make sure to erase all traces of yourstay when you depart.

Complete your itinerary by adding attractions and points of interest, if
preferred. Make sure to make arrangements for any tours you really want to
go on – especially if they’re exclusive ones such as those to Skellig Michaelor St Kilda – as these can book out months in advance. For others, you canjust show up on the day or phone a few days beforehand to see if you
can tag along. Attractions don’t generally require booking unless there’s a

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special exhibition or similar. For the most part, we suggest you leave this thisbit of the itinerary blank: we’ve found it’s much more gratifying to discoversights along the way. After all, The Longest Road Out is all about explorationand personal memories. If you do add sights to your itinerary, plan to see
only one thing each day so that you can explore it properly and so there’s
ample time left to detour. You’ll find more information on places you canstop at along the way in the next chapter.
With your itinerary settled, you should have a bit of time left before the startof your road trip. Use it to arrange appropriate insurance if you haven’t
already, and read up on local customs and traditions and learn a bit of thelocal lingo (as there are other languages than English spoken in parts ofBritain and Ireland). And, of course, make sure to write up a comprehensive
packing list as there’s only so much space for luggage.

PRECAUTIONS
Although it’s admittedly not the most thrilling part of planning a roadtrip, preparing for accidents is particularly important. You wouldn’t
want to get into trouble without knowing what to do. Of course, we
hope that nothing bad will happen to you, but you can’t rule out things
such as punctured tires, collisions, or theft. Emergency and medical
services are of high standard and reliable throughout Britain and
Ireland, and usually there’ll be a garage not too far away, but evenso you’ll want to make sure you’re covered and perhaps take somecourses so that you can solve minor issues yourself.

Insurance
Should something happen to you or the people you travel with, the lastthing you will want to be worrying about is money. It’s essential you’re
able to receive whatever care you need, as fast as possible. So, yourtop priority should be to ensure you’re covered by proper insurance
for the duration of your road trip. Contact an insurance provider inyour home country to take out personal travel insurance, which usually
covers stolen and damaged property and medical bills. Also consider
insuring your car. If you’re hiring one, this can be done through therental company, but do check with your personal insurance provider
first to see if you need it. Our preference in all cases is to get full cover– we gladly pay a bit more to leave these worries behind.

Accident toolkit
When you have an accident, you can wait for help, but there aremany minor issues you can easily solve yourself – you’ll be glad to16

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be able to change a tyre yourself instead of having to wait for hours.
We recommend you bring some basic tools to fix your car if it breaks
down (although if it’s a rental, you may not be allowed to) and compile
a simple first-aid kit to treat minor physical injuries. If you do this, you’ll
need to know how to use them of course, so take a few courses if
needed before your trip. Make sure to bring at least a warning triangle
and a high-visibility vest to warn other road users if you get into
trouble and your car poses an obstacle: it’s often difficult to look far
ahead on single-track roads and without these items other drivers
may spot you too late.

Emergency services
Write down and bring a list of numbers you can call in case of
emergency – on paper and digitally, to ensure you’ll always haveaccess to it. In both Britain and Ireland, you can call 112 or 999 free ofcharge in case of life-threatening situations. Via these numbers you
can reach the police, ambulance services, coastguard, mountainrescue, and more. Always remain calm and follow the operator’s
instructions. If you need help but it’s not urgent, call a local Garda
station in Ireland or in the UK dial 111 (medical services) or 101 (police). In
more remote areas, it can take time for the emergency services to get
to you and your phone signal may be weak there, so we recommend
you also make a note of the nearest hospitals and police stations todrive to. Lastly, put a card in your wallet with the details of someone
you trust whom the emergency services can call in case something
happens to you.

PACKING LIST
During a road trip, how much luggage you can bring depends on
what you can fit in the boot (or on the roof or back) of your vehicle.
Usually, that means you can only bring a few suitcases at best. So thinkcarefully about what you want to pack. For our 100-day trip, we brought
just two weeks’ worth of clothes and washed them whenever we wereable. We recommend you use the back of the route map to make acomprehensive packing list, to ensure you’ll have everything you needwhile on the road.

Rucksack
Make sure to bring a sturdy yet lightweight rucksack. We bought asailcloth one during our trip and it proved invaluable: we used it every

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time when going to the beach or for a walk, but we also put our daily
essentials in it so that we wouldn’t have to rummage through ourcumbersome suitcase or lug one up staircases all the time. If you’rea keen photographer, you may like to bring a specialist bag withcompartments so you can organise your equipment.

LayersAs the weather can change suddenly, it’s best to bring clothes
you can layer – including at least one warm wool jumper. Wearthese over a cotton shirt when it gets colder, and whenever it rains
add a lightweight rain jacket over it. If you don’t have a good wool
jumper, consider buying one of Mati Ventrillon’s, whose story is in our
travelogue: they are both fashionable and made to last. Don’t forget tobring plenty of cotton socks and underwear and – as strange as thismay sound – sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat for bright days.

Footwear
We recommend you bring three types of shoes. For driving, we prefer
to wear light shoes with thin soles, which are also great for urban
environments and sunny days. For more strenuous walks, or for whenthings get wet or muddy, bring some sturdier walking boots. Lastly, we
recommend flip-flops, for instance for (public) bathrooms or days on
the beach.

SwimwearSpeaking of the beach, unless you prefer skinny-dipping don’t forget
to bring swimwear – especially if you’re going to the south coast ofeither Britain or Ireland where there are many tempting beaches. You’ll
need a bathing suit or shorts and some large towels, of course, but
you could also pack snorkelling equipment or even a wetsuit if you’re
into surfing or for when the water’s cold. Oh, and don’t forget to bring abottle of sunscreen!

Picnic set
For our trip, we didn’t put together a picnic set and we really wish wehad. Essentially, if you buy provisions locally you just need a water
resistant picnic blanket and a basket (or use the rucksack) andperhaps a vacuum flask and tins to put your food and drink in. But wealso recommend you bring a little stove, a kettle and some mugs to
make tea – it makes a difference! Alternatively, browse some antiquemarkets along the way to source a cutesy vintage set. For more
information, see the navigation chapter.

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CameraUnless you’re an avid photographer or aim to become one, a camera
isn’t essential – most smartphones take great pictures these days.
If you do intend on bringing one, make sure you know how to get
the best from it– take a course or watch some tutorials online if you
don’t. We use a rather basic Fuji XT-3 with a short-range zoom lens.
As it’s small and lightweight, it doesn’t take up a whole lot of space
and we can easily take it anywhere. We recommend that you bring
only what you really need as spending too much time on setting up
photography equipment can detract from the experience itself.

Music
Your road trip of a lifetime needs an appropriate soundtrack. To
complement it, we’ve curated an eclectic selection of music by only
British and Irish artists, available through Spotify. If your vehicle doesn’t
have an adequate sound system, bring an external (Bluetooth)speaker. We recommend you don’t keep the music on all the time,
though: the best soundtrack is still the squawking of gulls, the raintapping on the roof of your car, and the wild howling around themountaintops.

Important documents and tools
Last, but most assuredly not least, don’t forget to bring the necessary
legal documents – such as your passport, driver’s licence, insurance
policy, and car papers. We recommend that, along with these
documents, you also make sure to always have £100 in cash on you
for small expenses such as ferries and hedge-veg. It’s best to keep
all this in your jacket’s inside pockets or the car’s glove compartment
so you can access them at all times. Then, as per our earlier
recommendation, pack a set of basic tools and a first-aid kit, andthat’s you good to go.

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
Britain and Ireland aren’t monolithic entities. Behind the façade ofoverarching national cultures, there’s much regional variation worth
exploring. Experience traditional and contemporary music at a pub,spend a day at a local event to soak up the atmosphere, and makepeople laugh by pronouncing all the sounds of their minority language
wrong. Of course, you can learn about these facets of British and Irish

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19culture while on the road, but we recommend you read up a bit about
them beforehand, so that you know what to look for – and many locals
will appreciate you taking an interest.

Events
One the best ways to experience local culture is to attend events –which are mostly held during the summer months. For instance, many
places across Scotland organise ‘Highland Games’ to showcase
traditional sports, music, food, and crafts. In Ireland, horse racing iscommon still. Around much of England you’ll find agricultural shows
and country fairs where farmers and locals present their livestock andproduce. And then there are stranger events, such as the one where
people chase a wheel of cheese down a hill. You’ll often encounter an
event or two along the way, but we prefer to add a few of them to ouritinerary to avoid missing out.

Food and drink
While traditional British and Irish cuisine isn’t known for its finesse,
we still recommend you sample some local foods – many of which
are rather peculiar. Of course, there are well-known victuals such as
fish and chips, haggis, and whisk(e)y. But there are also many otherregional dishes and foods you may not have heard of and which are
actually incredibly good. So, skip the supermarket and ask locally tofind out what sort of things you should try – and read the section in thenavigation chapter for some suggestions.

Music
No matter where you find yourself, there’s a good chance of
encountering a live band in a pub or even outside on the street.
Often – particularly rurally – you’ll find folk music being played on
instruments such as fiddles and (smaller) bagpipes. There’s a lot ofregional variance, so you’ll find that the music differs by degrees fromone place to the next. Sometimes, music is accompanied by dancing– such as with cèilidhs in Scotland and Ireland. We recommend you
give more modern British and Irish music a chance too, though: theplaylist we’ve curated features mostly local contemporary artists andsome of the tracks have distinct traditional influences.

Language
Although almost everyone in Britain and Ireland speaks English, there
are several other regional languages, dialects and accents. You’re notat all expected to be conversational in them, but locals will appreciate
you making an effort. Importantly, there’s Welsh, which is spoken across20

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Wales and particularly in the north-west. Irish (also known as Gaelic),
despite being the official language of Ireland, remains prevalent as
a first language only in a number of small linguistic enclaves, which
together are called the ‘Gaeltacht’. Similarly, in the far north-west of
Scotland, there’s the ‘Gàidhealtachd’, where Scots Gaelic is still used
regularly by mostly the people of the Outer Hebrides. Besides theselanguages, there are also many regional dialects and accents – someyou may have a little trouble understanding. Use the back of our map
to write down a few words of sentences you think will be useful.

Sensitivities
In our experience, most people – especially in rural areas – are friendly
and welcoming to visitors and they won’t expect you to know about
local sensitivities or sentiments, let alone have an opinion on them.
Still, we think it’s worth having a basic understanding of them – if only
to avoid awkward mishaps (like telling a Scotsman he’s English). Some
important issues include the situation in Northern Ireland, Scottish
separatism, and continuing divisions relating to Brexit. If there’s
something you don’t know, ask politely and people will generally bewilling to explain.

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STEP IIIHIT THE ROAD

“Stay on track &make the mostof your time on
the road.”

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Just before your trip begins, there should be only a few things left to do,
and one of those is to make sure you have suitable navigation tools, both
analogue and digital. To ensure you can easily keep to the route and don’t
get lost (we did, a few times), and to allow you to digitise your itinerary, we
have fine-tuned our route and converted it into a lightweight GPX track.
Download it through our website and transfer it to your smartphone ornavigation device to drive the route.

USING A GPX FILE
Perhaps you’ve heard of – or even used – GPX files before. Essentially,they’re nothing more than simple text files containing many different
coordinates, connected by straight lines to form a route. As it’s a socalled ‘open standard’ file, you can import those routes – including
ours – into whichever app or device you prefer to navigate with. We
recommend you opt for one that supports offline maps, as this willsave you data and internet can be intermittent or absent altogether
in more remote areas. GPX files can also be opened using other tools
and software, to personalise it or digitise your itinerary before your trip.

Navigating using a GPX track
There are numerous apps – both free and paid – that support GPX
files. You should also be able to open the route with newer navigation
systems. Note that if you download the route onto a different device,
you’ll have to transfer it before you can use it. Which tool you use tonavigate it is up to you. We ourselves mostly use and recommend an
app called OsmAnd. It has a lot of useful features including turn-byturn navigation, which will make it easier for you to stay on track, andit works offline by default (so don’t forget to download the maps youneed before your trip). To open the GPX file, just click the menu icon
and select ‘plan a route’. If this app seems a little too complex to you,there are more basic alternatives you can use (such as GPX Viewer),
but these often require that you keep track of where you are manually,
and they may charge for additional features (such as offline maps).

Personalising the route
You can also edit the GPX track to personalise the route. For this, you’ll
need to download software such as Basecamp (by Garmin) onto adesktop device, with which you can add and remove coordinates(called waypoints). That way, you can adjust the route itself, add
detours, and draw further tracks to link different parts of the route
together. If you’ve never used such tools before, don’t hesitate to try,
but don’t forget to make back-ups and note that we’re not responsible

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for any issues resulting from the use of an adjusted or damaged
GPX file. Also keep in mind that you’re not allowed to distribute youradjusted GPX track, as part of our terms of use.

Digitising your itinerary
Lastly, you can use the GPX file to make a digital visualisation of yourroad trip and itinerary. Of course, you’ll have your annotated route
map but sometimes it’s more convenient to have an online version
with more detail as well – for instance when you need to find youraccommodation. If you want to do this, we recommend you overlay
the route onto a Google My Maps map. You can create one whenlogged into your Google Drive, much as you would a Google Sheet or
Google Doc. Use the first layer to import the GPX file and add further
layers to mark points of interest, and other relevant details. Please
note that you’ll need an active internet connection to open and use
your customised Google My Maps map and that you cannot makeadjustments to the route this way.

Don’t start your engine just yet, though. Take some time to acquaint yourself
with the etiquette for backroad driving. Britain and Ireland’s scenic singletrack roads make for great touring, but they can be testing for those
not used to driving them. More than once during our 100-day expedition,
we came across some travellers who were out of their depth, and who
consequently got themselves (or us) into unfortunate situations. Granted,
those situations eventually made for good stories – read about them in
our travelogue – but things could just as easily have been worse! So, study
the information below thoroughly and consult the Highway Code if needed.
If you need a quick recap, you’ll find some diagrams detailing importantmanoeuvres on the back of the route map.

BACKROAD DRIVING
To begin with, you’ll need to get used to driving on the left if that’s
something you’ve not done before. In normal traffic, it’s quite
straightforward but do pay attention when turning onto empty country
roads! Then there are some further essential motoring skills to work on.
Among other things, you must be able to use passing places properly,
tackle mountain roads, and move livestock off the road – yes, really.
But don’t worry, with a bit of practice you’ll be adept soon enough. And
remember: if at any point a pass is too steep or a ford too deep, justtake it slow or find a detour.

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Passing places
Most backroads are single-track and too narrow for two cars to passeach other. That’s why there are wider sections called passing places.
These are usually indicated by signs and, as their name suggests,
they’re where you pass oncoming traffic. Here’s how it works: when you
see someone driving towards you, look for a passing place – and notethat the closest one may be behind you. If it’s on the left, pull into it. If
it’s on the right, stop opposite it. Wait for the other car to pass you andthen continue. With some experience, you may not even need to stopand instead you can pass one another at low speed. If the other car
stops further up the road and flashes its headlights at you, it means
they’ve already found a good passing place and you should proceed.
Passing places are also for overtaking. Throughout your trip, always
drive at a speed you’re comfortable with. Often, you’ll drive slower thanlocals who know the roads well. They may have places to be – such as
ferries or even a hospital appointment – so keep an eye on your rearview mirror and if you see someone approaching behind you pull intoa passing place (on your left; make sure to use your indicator) when
you can, to let them past. The other driver may flash their emergency
lights twice: this means ‘thank you’.
Please don’t use passing places to park, as this will impede traffic –people may have to reverse for up to half a mile to find another one.
Just look for parking spots instead; there are usually plenty. If you reallymust stop, park your car on a wider stretch of road instead, partly
in the verge if you can but not in front of a gate, and ensure othervehicles can pass it with ease.

Mountain roads
Much of the route passes through mountainous areas and you may
come across parts where there are significant changes in elevation.
These roads, also single-track, may be twisty and it can be hard to look
far ahead in such circumstances. That’s why there are some additionalrules. Most importantly, uphill traffic has the right of way. It’s advisable
to stop at the bottom of a pass for a bit if you can, to see if there’s
any traffic coming down. If so, it can be worthwhile to let it pass first so
the road is clear when you begin your ascent, as there are usually not
many passing places on mountain passes. Keep in low gear and, whengoing downhill again allow engine braking to avoid overheating thebrakes. Don’t push the car too far, but don’t be too afraid of high RPM
either. This said, some of the passes on the route are extremely steep
or tight and if you’re not an experienced and confident driver it may
be better to take a detour instead – you’ve nothing to prove.

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Gates
You may occasionally come across a gated public road in a ruralarea. Unless there’s a sign telling you otherwise, these barriers aren’t
there to keep you out. Rather, they’re meant to keep livestock insidea large fenced area. Where these fences intersect with roads, there’ll
usually be cattle grids but sometimes there’ll be a gate instead. If youcome to one, simply stop and open the gate, drive through, and thenclose the gate behind you. It’s important you do this with care so thatthe animals don’t escape – lest you ruin a local farmer’s day.

Livestock
Once you’ve driven through such a gate, or crossed a cattle grid, you
may encounter a flock of sheep or a herd of cattle on the road. Often,
the animals will move when they see or hear you approaching, butsometimes they’re stubborn. In such cases, there isn’t much to do but
drive slowly forward and wait for them to get out of the way. Note thatanimals will run away from danger – which may mean away fromyou, up the road. If that’s the case, drive further to the side of the road(but make sure there’s no oncoming traffic) to persuade them into theverge. If they won’t move at all, stick your head out of the car, tap theside of the car rhythmically, and tell the animals to move. With sheep,
this usually works – somehow, they don’t understand there’s people incars and once they notice they’ll scatter. With cows, it may not suffice:avoid using your headlights and sound your horn instead of tapping.
Don’t ever hit an animal (with your car or otherwise) and preferably
don’t get out of your vehicle, especially if the cows have calves.

Fords
During your road trip, it’s likely you’ll encounter some fords. These areplaces where the road runs through a small river, or another shallow
body of water, and you’ll have to drive through. If there are other cars
similar to yours and they make it to the other side, you can assume
that you’ll be fine too. However, if your car is particularly low, or if thecurrent is strong, or if you have doubts for any other reason, recce first.
If there’s a footbridge, have a look from that as well as from both sidesof the ford. Look for any large holes or protruding rocks, which you’ll
need to avoid. If it looks safe, drive slowly but steadily through the ford.
Stay in your lowest gear and try to keep the tailpipe out of the water.
Do not stop and do not reverse – especially if the tailpipe is underwater. If you’re uncomfortable with driving through any particular ford,
just back up and find a detour.

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Potholes
Some backroads are in a bad state of repair. We noted down any
we came across during our 100-day trip and removed them fromthe route, but you may still encounter potholes at times. Drive slowly
on such roads, as they can be hard to spot and hitting a potholeat speed will result in major damage to your vehicle. If you havesomeone with you, ask them to get out if the pothole is large, to help
you drive across it. If it’s been raining and a pothole is flooded, don’t
drive through it without gauging how deep it is first.

Then, all there’s left to do is hit the road and make unforgettable memories.
Along the way, there are innumerable sights to see, compelling things to try,and delectable foods to sample. When stocking up on provisions, avoid thesupermarkets and support local communities. Stop and ask around locally tofind out what’s on and when and learn about off-the-beaten-track attractions.
Immerse yourself and savour it all, but always remember you’re a guest andbehave responsibly: take your trash home with you, don’t disturb animals or
people, don’t trespass, don’t light fires in places where it’s not allowed, andleave places the way you found them – or preferably cleaner.

FOOD & DRINK
People don’t generally visit Britain and Ireland for the food. They’reconvinced that the local cuisine offers nothing but potatoes andmutton. And to an extent, that’s true – traditional pub food is often
rather simple. But that’s not all there is. In truth, you can now findfabulously flavourful victuals all around: from locally caught lobster
and scallop, to raw milk and piquant cheeses straight from the farm,and even good sparkling wine. So make food and drink an integral partof your road trip – not least because every proper road trip needs atleast one good picnic.

Picnics
Let’s talk about these first. In Britain, and to a lesser extent in Ireland,
picnics became an intrinsic part of touring almost as soon as
motoring developed into an affordable pastime, around a century
ago. A picnic needs a decent blanket and a basket for the food anddrink, of course, but otherwise you can keep it as simple or make it asopulent as you like. We prefer things such as unostentatious finger
food with a bottle of locally pressed juice, but you might like to splurge

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and bring a bottle of fizz and smoked salmon sandwiches instead.
Along the route you’ll find plenty of places to picnic but make sure toalways leave these the way you found them, or cleaner if possible, andtake care not to disturb others.

Farmers’ markets
Good places for buying provisions for such picnics include farmers’markets, which are commonly held a few times a month in attractive
historic towns along the route. At these markets, local producers andartisans sell things such as crumbly country cheeses, crusty breads
warm from the oven, savoury game pies, and home-baked cakes. To
make sure you can visit one or two, we recommend you plan ahead alittle and then detour to visit whichever are closest: just have a look at
the websites of nearby towns to find out when they’re held. It’s best togo early in the morning as they can get quite busy, and you can thentake the afternoon to go sightseeing.

Hedge-veg and farm shops
Are you unable to find local produce at a local market? No worries:
as you drive, you’ll likely encounter little stalls along the way, where
you can buy provisions as well. Sometimes, there’s someone there
but other times it’s self-service, in which case there’ll be a box for you
to put the money in. Be honest and pay for what you’ve taken, or thesystem won’t exist for much longer! In addition to these stalls, some
farms have their own shop, usually indicated by signs along the road,where you can buy the food they’ve grown directly.

Seafood shacks
If you’re near the coast, you’ll have the opportunity to add locallycaught (shell)fish to your picnic. In port towns and at coves andbeaches you’ll find seafood shacks. Probably our favourite places to
get a snack, these usually prepare food from whatever was broughtin that morning – think seared scallops, clam chowder, lobster rolls,
or fried fish bites. Sometimes, there are small seating areas but
more often they’re take-out only. Sit at the end of the pier, find a spot
somewhere on the beach, or bring your seafood along for later.

Pubs
Alternatively, you can also sit down for a drink and more substantial
food someplace along the way, such as at pubs and inns. In mostplaces and particularly in rural areas, these have always been – andremain – an integral part of social life and there’s often live music.
Ask around to find out which are good, or just stop at one along the28

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route. Some of these often age-old places have become refined
gastropubs, serving gourmet food and a wide variety of drinks ina more restaurant-like atmosphere, while others remain plain andhave only simple pub grub such as bangers and mash or fish andchips, and some local ales. One of our best memories is of a small,unassuming Welsh pub where it was just us, a roaring fire, and a few
Welsh-speaking locals.
Ordering is usually done at the bar; just wait your turn as it can take awhile when it’s busy. When you hear a bell, it means the place is about
to close and you can order one final round of drinks. Don’t be afraid tostart or ask to join a conversation with strangers: this is normal and you
never know what opportunities it might bring. When with a group, it’scustomary to order and pay for everyone at the same time (a ‘round’).
After you’ve done so, someone else should take the next round and soon. A quick word on alcohol and driving: the legal alcohol limit varies
within Britain and Ireland, so be aware of the rules where you are – or
better still, don’t drive after you’ve had a drink.

Tea rooms
No beverage is more popular across Britain and Ireland than tea.
Dotted along the route and especially in towns and villages you’ll
come across tea rooms. These traditional and usually rather quaintestablishments serve quality (loose-leaf) teas as well as home-baked
treats. Many also have gardens where you can have your cuppa andcake in the sunshine. Tea is usually drunk with milk and sugar (there’s
a persistent debate about whether to put the milk or tea in first). There
are regional variants such as cream tea which is common in the WestCountry (Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset): tea is served in theafternoon along with scones and jam and clotted cream. Good times
to have tea are typically in the late morning (elevenses) and aroundfour (afternoon tea).

SIGHTSEEING TIPS
Depending on how spontaneous you want to be, you may alreadyhave added some tours and sights to your itinerary. Still, you’ll findmany more stunning sights as you drive and we encourage you todetour to explore them. Signs (usually brown) along the road indicate
places of interest and local events are also usually signposted. Some
attractions may charge an entry fee, but other landmarks – especiallynatural ones – will be free. Even if you haven’t bought a visitor pass
to save money on paid attractions, you may still like to support
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organisations such as the National Trust or An Taisce to help preserve
important sites around Britain and Ireland.

Walks & landmarks
The route was designed to be extraordinarily scenic: it traverses
mountain ranges, meanders through the countryside, and traces
the seashore. As such, you’ll regularly come across stunning natural
landmarks such as roaring waterfalls, imposing rock formations, andpoignant forgotten ruins. Many of these make for great picnic spots
and there may be walking trails nearby to stretch your legs after
a long drive. Often these are clearly marked, starting at car parks.
Make sure to put on suitable shoes and bring a light rain jacket if theweather’s changeable – and use your common sense to stay safe.

Museums & attractions
Equally, you’ll come across many museums and attractions. There’s
a lot of variety, from grand castles and stately homes with splendid
gardens, to small remote distilleries producing local spirits, to curious
local museums, cathedrals and other ecclesiastical monuments.
Usually, you’ll have to pay an entry fee to visit these, and most of these
are covered by the major tourist passes. Please note that some ofthese places may be closed for the part of the year outside the tourist
season (so from October through to April).

EventsAs you may already have read in the chapter on organisation, there
are many events held locally throughout the year – and particularlyin the summer months. You may have already included some in youritinerary, but often the smaller ones are the most characterful so ask
around locally to see if there’s anything happening nearby and detouraccordingly.

Tours
By now you will have built up a lot of knowledge about your road trip
and destinations, but some places are better explored with a guide,
whose knowledge and skills will help you explore parts of Britain and
Ireland you wouldn’t have been able to on your own – and who canhelp you understand these better. For instance, up in Shetland it’s
possible to go whale watching, on the Norfolk coast you can explore
the otherwise inaccessible salt marshes, and in Wales local guides cantake you scrambling along the coast or in river gorges. Again, you may
have already booked some of these tours but it’s worth asking around
locally to see what sort of other opportunities there are.

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MOTORISTS HANDBOOK