With many of us choosing to get to know good ole’ blighty a little more, there really is no better way to explore than by jumping in your car and heading out on a road trip to see what our wonderful country has to offer - if nothing else, at least it beats binge watching The Crown for the umpteenth time (however much you love it)!
There are many reasons why a road trip around the UK is a great idea, but we’re here to show why planning a boozy road trip is the way to go. Here are some of our favourite places to visit depending on what tipple tickles your fancy, from whiskey in Scotland to gin in Hampshire… start planning your boozy road trip today (but remember not to booze & road trip in the same day!)
Channel your inner hipster with a visit to a Hackney brewery
Image Credit: @CrateBrewery
Make your getaway a ‘hoppy’ one with a visit to the many breweries dotted around Hackney. We might not be able to enjoy an actual flight, but a flight of beers is definitely doable. Just east of Hackney Central, there are four breweries stacked next to each other: ‘Hackney Church Brew Co’, ‘Pressure Drop and Verdant’s The Experiment’, ‘Deviant & Dandy’ and ‘Brew Club’ - you can even sign up to brew your own beer. However, one of the coolest places to hang out is Crate in Hackney Wick; tuck into stone baked pizzas and delicious IPAs as you sit by the canal.
Become a master of gin in Hampshire
Discover the secrets of Bombay Sapphire, recognised by its distinctive blue bottle at their distillery at Laverstoke Mill 60 miles southwest of London in Whitchurch.
The working distillery is open daily and visitors get to see the Glasshouses and Botanical Dry Room. There's also a dedicated tasting room on-site and a complimentary drink, or if you have the time, you can join one of the special gin cocktail masterclasses - cheers to that!
Sip on cider in Somerset
While the rest of the country is busy brewing beer, the West Country has long been known for its cider, and nowhere more so than in rural Somerset. A very different drink to the mass-produced stuff (there’s no Strongbow here), the cider here is made from local apples and is bloody delicious. Visit some of the many orchards and cider houses open to visitors and learn all about cider making and, of course, call into a few local pubs to sample for yourself.
Grab a cheeky pint of the ‘black stuff’ in Dublin
There are many, many, many reasons why a trip to Dublin should be on your road trip wander list, but today we’re here for the booze. The black stuff, Irish champagne, ebony nectar, black custard, a pint of plain - all superb nicknames for a pint of Guinness. I mean have you really been to Dublin, or Ireland for that matter, if you don’t have a pint of this much loved Irish institution?! A visit to the Guinness Storehouse to experience the history, heart, and soul of Ireland's most iconic beer is a must!
Head to Wales’ oldest vineyard for a glass of the good stuff
Image Credit: Glyndŵr Vineyard
Glyndŵr Vineyard is the oldest and largest established vineyard in Wales and a must visit on your boozy road trip. This beautiful vineyard produces a range of fine, award-winning wines which have been carefully blended and fermented by their skilled winemaker for over a quarter of a century. Surrounded by beautiful Welsh countryside, visitors can also stay overnight in the charming self-catered accommodation, as long as you’re okay with having some friendly llamas as your neighbours for the night.
Indulge in a dram of Whisky in Bonny Scotland
Learn about the process of whisky making, from barley to bottle, through talks, exhibits, and demonstrations at a scotch whisky experience in the wonderful city of Edinburgh. One tour in particular will allow you to see the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection, the largest whisky collection in the world with an estimated 3,384 bottles - now that’s a lot of whisky; enough to sample one a day for more than 9 years, in fact! Learn how the weather and geography combine to create the perfect, unique flavour of single malt whisky. If you’re a true or aspiring Scotch whisky connoisseur, you need to head to Scotland.
If you like the sound of this boozy road trip, why not check out our foodie road trip too, after all, you may need some food to line your stomach in amongst all the beverages you’ll consume.
(We’re sure it goes without saying that you do not drink and drive, and that you should always drink responsibly.)
