With the sun finally shining in the UK, many people are planning a spring getaway in the car with their loved ones. Google searches for ‘UK road trip’ have seen a 46% increase in the last three months. 

Not only this, demand for ‘detour destinations’ has grown by 100% in the UK, as more Brits look to refine the art of ‘getting lost’ on their travels. This type of getaway is the perfect way to see the UK whilst remaining affordable, exciting, and, in some cases, unpredictable.

In a new study, car rental experts SIXT uncovered the best UK destinations for a detour this spring and summer after analysing various data points – from the number of local activities and bodies of water, to average temperatures and nearby petrol stations.  

Edinburgh named the best city in the UK for a detour

Edinburgh was crowned the best city for a detour, ahead of Glasgow and York, due to its broad spectrum of things to do for all types of road trippers up and down the country.

• The demand for ‘Edinburgh stays’ has increased by 24% in the last month alone in the UK, and with over 49k searches for ‘things to do in Edinburgh’ in the UK in the last month, it shows many are eager to visit the city. 

• Edinburgh is home to more than 65 museums and landmarks, as well as over 240 things to do in and around the city, including iconic attractions such as the Royal Yacht Britannia, the World of Illusions, and the National Galleries.

• Edinburgh has been included in 751 ‘good staycation’ articles on Google in the last six months.

• Searches for ‘wild swimming Scotland’ have increased by 22% over the past year, and Edinburgh offers more than 37 bodies of water, including Portobello Beach and Wardie Bay at Granton. 

• The city has an 18.73 mag/arcsec2 score, meaning you could see bright stars and some major constellations on a detour.

• Edinburgh was also found to be EV friendly, with 101 charging points per 100,000 and 43 nearby petrol stations.

Newquay has been named the best town for a detour in the UK

Alongside one other Cornish town, Bude, Newquay has officially been named the best town across the UK for a detour this spring season for the following reasons:

• There has been a 646% increase in searches for ‘accommodation Newquay’ in the UK in the last year. 

• Newquay has been included in 191 ‘good staycation’ articles on Google over the past six months.

• Newquay is home to over 119 things to do, including three National Trust Sites like Trerice, an Elizabethan manor and Crantock Beach.

• In Cornwall, there are 112 EV (electric vehicle) charging points per 100,000, a very important aspect for those with EVs to consider when spending a lengthy time behind the wheel. 

• The average temperature in Newquay is 16.2ºC in the spring and summer months, and it also has an average sea temperature of 14.4ºC.

• The town has a 20.76 mag/arcsec2 score, meaning you could see bright star clusters and some major constellations on a detour.

Blakeney has been hailed as the best village for a detour in the UK

The small Norfolk parish of Blakeney has been named the best UK village for a detour, just ahead of Port Isaac in Norfolk and Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds—and here’s why: 

• Interest in the village for things to do has increased by +33% over the past year in the UK, highlighting the demand for stays in the village.

• Blakeney has two local National Trust sites including both Blakeney National Nature Reserve and Morston Quay.

• There is an average of just 1.82mm of daily precipitation on average during the spring and summer months, and an average temperature of 16.8ºC.

• Blakeney is home to more than 20 local bodies of water which are perfect for those who enjoy a dip on their travels.

• Popular ‘Blakeney Point’ is just a two-minute drive from the centre of Blakeney and is a 4-mile-long sand and shingle spit found at the Blakeney National Nature Reserve. 

• You have a great chance of seeing some major star constellations, galaxies including Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and zodiacal lines in Blakeney due to its 21.63 mag/acres2 score, considered a very dark sky.

• There are 95.9 EV charges per 100,000 people and a local petrol station, ideal for those taking a detour to recharge.