The daily commute isn’t always inspiring.
In fact, when you’re stuck behind the wheel in gridlocked traffic, it’s easy to forget that the UK is home to some scenic and exciting driving routes that will reignite your passion for the road.
So we’ve teamed up with Halfords to pick out six of the best places to drive that offer great destinations too.
They range from the stunning Scottish Lochs to the ever-beautiful Lake District National Park - but which will take your fancy?
Scotland, The Scottish Lochs
The Scottish countryside is stunning, the roads offer both the excitement of tight turns and the amazing natural beauty of the Scottish Lochs.
Drive along the A82 from Dumbarton and you'll pass Loch Lomond first, then Loch Lunnhe, before eventually hitting Loch Ness.
There are campsites all over the region including many along the route in Luss, Inveruglass and with a bit of a diversion Oban.
If your little ones don't much care for the views then consider Halfords’ Nextbase dual DVD players, seen here. They can watch a movie wearing optional wireless headphones while the adults take in the beauty of nature.
If you plan to camp, don't forget to give yourself a bit more storage space for the tent, sleeping bags and all your warm clothes.
A Halfords Exodus 470 litre roof box, above, will help maximise the amount of things you can take along with you, as well as improving comfort for the loved ones in the car by moving clutter elsewhere.
Wales, Cardiff to the Brecon Beacons National Park
From Cardiff, head north along the A470 until you reach the amazing Brecon Beacons.
The Welsh national park is so unbelievably beautiful that you probably won't believe it.
There are loads of campsites within the park, so make sure you pack a tent and book a pitch.
Halfords has plenty of camping gear to make your stay as enjoyable as possible – and there are great guides to choosing the right stuff to take with you as well as recipe ideas for your camping trip.
If you're driving somewhere new, it's well worth upgrading to the latest sat nav.
From getting you from A to B through to helping you find local points of interest these devices can save you time and frustration when you're on a road trip by providing up-to-date traffic information and automatic route adjustments.
Right now, Halfords has savings of 20 per cent on selected sat navs and the Garmin Drive, above, is now just £79 and comes with free, lifetime map updates and traffic camera alerts.
England, Penrith to Haydon Bridge
The A686 between Penrith and Haydon Bridge starts at the edge of the stunning Lake District National Park.
As well as being a reasonably short drive – around 35 miles – this route also gives you plenty of camping options, with a wealth of hotel options for those who don't fancy staying outdoors.
Cornwall, Newquay to Padstow
Approach Cornwall with a view to a slow, relaxing drive through some of the UK's most beautiful landscapes and it becomes a thing of joy.
Yes, tractors are a possibility, but set out with plenty of time to spare and you'll love the character of Cornwall and its village feel.
Head up the B3276 with the smell of the sea in your nose and drive through Porth, Trevarrian.
Take some time to stop off for clotted cream and scones or go on to Mawgan Porth to sneak a look at the sea before you start seeing signs for Padstow.
You can either carry on up the coast and take a longer, more scenic route, or get on the A3059 to get to Padstow more quickly.
Every journey is better with music too, so make sure you've loaded up some summery tunes on your streaming playlist.
Pop into Halfords for some expert advice and consider a Pioneer DAB car stereo, above, which connects to an iPhone or Android device and allows you to stream your own music from apps like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as offering you access to a selection of apps like Google Maps and Waze for navigation.
Isle of Man, any road you like
Your life isn't complete until you've had a drive around the Isle of Man. Famed for its TT road race this lovely island has plenty of interesting roads to drive on.
Take the A2 from Douglas up to Ramsey, from there head west on the A3 before heading south on the A4, a scenic coastal road on the island. The windswept island will, by now, have won you over and you can pitch a tent at one of the many campsites.
Remember that driving is much better without distractions, so make sure you pop in to Halfords to buy a Supertooth Buddy Bluetooth visor car kit. It can connect to any Bluetooth phone, and will let you take calls safely, while navigating the Isle of Man's slender road system.
England, Guildford to Box Hill
Just a little bit south of the M25 is Box Hill, in the Surrey Hills.
If you start in Guildford, heading south to Shalford before taking the A248 and then the A25, you'll be getting close to some of the nicest scenery in Surrey.
Single lane roads are on offer here, if you care to take a diversion – perhaps relying on that Garmin Drive sat nav to help you to navigate your way around.
Before you set out on any of these suggested road trips, or any long drive it's important to make sure you car is road safe. A FREE Summer Car Check performed by Halfords experts, will put your mind at rest.
Book online or just pop-in to a store and trained colleagues will carry out a free car bulb check and check your battery, wiper blades, engine oil level, air conditioning and check for any windscreen chips. They’ll even give you a free screen wash top-up too.
Halfords’ in-store experts can also fit anything from wiper blades to roofboxes. Pop in-store or find out more about We Fit, Halfords' fitting service, here.
- Make sure you are Really Ready For Summer with Halfords. Visit www.halfords.com or go in-store for full details on all offers and services. Prices correct at time of print. Offers end August 5, 2018.
