Slow travel: the best UK road trips for summer 2023

If you’ve heard about the slow travel trend but aren’t sure what it entails or if it’s for you, simply ask yourself a few questions. Are you longing for a travel experience where you can take your time to explore the local history and culture of your chosen destination? Rather than rushing around with crowds of other people, or packing too much into each day with an overly ambitious itinerary that leaves you ragged? Do you dream of a UK road trip or a staycation that offers relaxation, the opportunity to engage with the locals in a meaningful way, to sample new cuisine, discover new activities and to self-reflect? If this is hitting a nerve, you’re far from alone.

In response to the growing demand for more authentic travel experiences that are also kinder to the environment, PoB Hotels has launched PoB Breaks, a series of immersive journeys designed to help you discover the best of the British Isles from a fresh perspective - connect with local culture, attractions and top sights at your own pace with stays at PoB Hotels along the way.

PoB Breaks invites discerning travellers to create their own bespoke journey through an easy and convenient interactive map feature on PoB Hotels’ website or for those looking for inspiration, or are unsure of where to start, PoB Hotels has curated 12 itineraries.

“Slow Travel” is a trend that has become increasingly popular over recent years. It is an approach to travel that emphasises connection to local people, cultures, food and music. It embraces the idea that travel should educate and have an emotional impact, while remaining sustainable for local communities and the environment.

Seeking an alternative slow travel family beach holiday? This eight-night road trip covers 280 miles of England’s Southwestern delights, taking in 13 attractions and stays at six top hotels. The Coast to Coast adventure starts in Dorset where you can explore Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, before walking on Chesil Beach.

You’ll then journey into Devon where highlights include walking on Dartmoor and staying at Bovey Castle [Nestled in the rolling valleys of Dartmoor National Park, this stunning hotel has an 18-hole championship golf course and an array of outdoor fun and games for guests of all ages. While staying at nearby Lewtrenchard Manor, parents can take a vineyard tour and taste local wine and cheese before treating the kids to a boat tour at Dartmouth.

The next stop is the charming seaside town of Salcombe where sampling the locally-made ice cream and relaxing on the soft sand beach is an absolute must, before checking into the Thurlestone Hotel where you can play tennis and croquet, as well as golf. In Cornwall, top attractions include the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project, and you’ll stay at The Nare Hotel. Situated on sandy Carne Beach, here you’ll find a host of great activities for families and children, including two swimming pools, a sea-view hot tub, spa treatments, tennis, croquet, sailing, horse riding, and sea-fishing.

This break also takes you to Cornwall’s best surfing beaches, including Fistral Beach, where older children and teenagers can ride the waves, and the renowned seafood restaurants in Padstow or Port Isaac might just whet your appetite.

The Back to Nature itinerary invites you to explore the most memorable stretches of the glorious Welsh valleys and seaside escapes. This seven-night road trip takes in nine leading attractions while staying at four of PoB Hotels.

Highlights include hiking on the sandstone peaks of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), which offer amazing star gazing opportunities — on clear nights you can see the Milky Way — as well as wonderful walking and cycling trails and pony trekking. You’ll then head west into Pembrokeshire and explore coastal paths and soft sand beaches and visit the Atlantic Puffin colony on the island of Skomer. Pembrokeshire offers a wealth of options for great outdoor pursuits for any adventurer, including wild swimming in a former slate quarry, guided coasteering, rock climbing and caving.

You’ll then drive north along the Cambrian Coast from Cardigan Bay to the Llyn Peninsula, where you can enjoy a boat ride around the bay, and spot the UK’s largest pod of bottlenose dolphins, before arriving in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. You can head to the summit either on foot or take the softer option and jump on the mountain railway.

Your hotels on this unforgettable journey include the tranquil Lake Country House Hotel & Spa situated on the banks of the River Irfon, Grove of Narberth — a country house hotel in the Pembrokeshire countryside celebrated for its fine dining; Palé Hall, a Grade II listed Victorian country house with a Michelin green star restaurant in Snowdonia National Park, and Bodysgallen Hall & Spa, a historic hotel in the lovely coastal town of Llandudno.

Ready for a heady mix of history, food, fashion, and fizz? 11 sophisticated attractions and stays at seven gorgeous hotels in the Southeast of England await you on the Cultural Affair eight-night UK road trip. Your adventure begins in Kent with visits to historic Leeds Castle, which also has a charming open-air cinema and theatre, sculpture walks, and live music, and Hever Castle, once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn where you can explore the unique water maze before heading to the medieval town of Arundel in the South Downs.

Other highlights include watching a polo match with a picnic and sipping Gusbourne English Sparkling Wine in the beautiful Cowdray Park, wandering around the cobbled streets of Winchester or venture to the home to Highclere Castle, the setting for hit TV series, Downton Abbey. Next stop is Henley-on-Thames where you’ll find chic boutiques as well as elegant bars and restaurants before arriving in London for a glittering array of art, music, fashion, and fine dining experiences.

Hotels include two stunning spa hotels in the South Downs: Okenden Manor Hotel & Spa and Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, Park House Hotel & Spa. The Vineyard Hotel in Newbury, The Relais Henley, and The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences in London’s Mayfair.