How 3,300 miles of coastlines, mountains and solitude reminded me that adventure doesn’t always mean leaving home
Words & photography by Pete Rudd
Reading time 9 minutes – Updated August 2026
A solo road trip around the UK had never really crossed my mind. Before COVID, I spent years chasing the furthest corners of the world, always believing the greatest experiences were found on another continent. It wasn’t until the end of the summer in 2022 that I realised I’d overlooked the extraordinary beauty waiting on my own doorstep.
So I packed my camera, loaded up the van and set off alone on a 3,300-mile road trip around the UK. My goal was simple: hike between 5 and 10 miles every day to prepare for my upcoming Everest Base Camp trek, reconnect with nature, and hopefully find a little inner peace along the way.
Planning a Solo Road Trip UK (or Why I Chose a Solo Road Trip UK)
At a glance
Distance
3300 miles
Landscape Photography
Duration
3 Weeks
Starting point
Kent, England
This 3,300-mile journey took me from the white cliffs of Kent to the wild roads of the Scottish Highlands. I’ve marked every major stop below so you can follow the exact route and discover the places that shaped the trip.
My Solo Road Trip Around the UK: The Route
- 1.Dover Castle
- Beachy Head
- Dorset
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Pembrokeshire
- Snowdonia
- Glencoe
- Isle of Skye
- NC500
Learning to enjoy my own company
Travelling with friends is something I’ll always love, but solo travel offers a completely different experience.
There are no compromises, no schedules and no conversations filling the silence. Just the sound of the wind, early morning coffee outside the van and long days walking through places that make you feel wonderfully small.
Some of my favourite photographs from this trip weren’t planned at all—they happened because I had the freedom to stop whenever something caught my eye.
The places that stayed with me
Beachy Head
The first sunrise of the trip reminded me that extraordinary landscapes don’t always require a passport. Watching the light spill across the white cliffs just a few hours from home completely changed how I viewed the UK.
Glencoe
If one place defined this journey, it was Glencoe.
I found myself returning to the same viewpoints over and over again, not because I hadn’t captured the photograph, but because the landscape never looked the same twice. One moment the mountains disappeared into mist; the next, shafts of light broke through the clouds and transformed the entire valley.
It reminded me that slowing down often reveals far more than rushing to the next destination.
The official VisitScotland Glencoe guide is a great resource for planning hiking trails, nearby villages and the best time to visit.
Isle of Skye
Skye deserves an article of its own. Between the Quiraing, Neist Point and the Old Man of Storr, it’s one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever visited. If you’re planning a trip, I’ve put together my complete Isle of Skye travel guide.
The NC500
The North Coast 500 is often described as Scotland’s Route 66, but it’s far more than a single road. The official North Coast 500 interactive route guide is invaluable for planning fuel stops, viewpoints, accommodation and driving the route responsibly.
What I Learned From Travelling Solo Around the UK
The biggest surprise of the trip wasn’t the distance I covered or the places I photographed. It was how quickly I became comfortable travelling alone.
There were mornings when I’d wake up with no real plan beyond finding somewhere beautiful to walk and making a coffee outside the van. Other days involved long drives, changing weather and stopping whenever the landscape caught my eye.
Travelling solo also gave me the freedom to slow down. I could spend an entire morning in one place if the light was good, turn around and drive somewhere completely different, or simply sit and watch the landscape without worrying about what anyone else wanted to do.
The trip also taught me that you don’t always need to travel thousands of miles from home to find adventure. The UK has an incredible mix of coastline, mountains, forests and remote roads, and sometimes the best experiences are much closer than you think.
For me, that became one of the biggest lessons of the journey: adventure isn’t always about how far you go. Sometimes it’s about giving yourself the time and freedom to properly notice where you already are.
More than a road trip
Looking back, this wasn’t really about driving 3,300 miles.
It was about discovering that peace doesn’t always exist on the other side of the world. Sometimes it’s found in the quiet moments between destinations—the morning walks, the unexpected conversations and the freedom that comes from travelling alone.
This journey also laid the foundations for one of my biggest adventures yet: hiking to Everest Base Camp, something I’d been quietly training for every day on these trails.
You might also enjoy
If this story inspired you, these articles continue the journey:
- Skye deserves an article of its own. Between the Quiraing, Neist Point and the Old Man of Storr, it remains one of the most photogenic places I’ve visited. If you’re planning your own trip, I’ve put together a complete Isle of Skye travel guide covering the best places to visit and photograph.
- How Travelling Changed My Life – The personal story behind 15 years of travel
- Photography was one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed travelling this way. If you’re interested in the gear I use to photograph landscapes, hotels and adventures, you can see my travel photography kit here.
Work with Pete
Planning a campaign or looking for photography for your hotel, travel or outdoor brand? Get in touch with Pete.
