Three of the Best: Places for a Classic Car Road Trip

Now that we finally have some summer weather at last, the prospect of taking to a life of ease on the open roads of Great Britain seems that bit more inviting and blissful.

Indeed, the arrival of warm sunny days is well timed, as we have not long launched a new selection of Self Drive Classic Car Hire packages, which give you the opportunity to drive your choice from a fleet boasting models such as the MG B Roadster, Mercedes 190SL, Jaguar E-Type and Aston Martin V8 from which to explore the countryside either by yourself or with loved ones for a truly unforgettable day out.

But if you're wondering where in the UK deserves to be explored from behind the wheel of a vintage motor, then we've hand-picked three of the very best locations to discover when you're next on the road again…

• Surrey

Lying to the south east of, and with easy links to and from Central London, there is little disputing the appeal of Surrey.

In close proximity to other neighbouring Home Counties such as Kent and East and West Sussex, the county also boasts the Surrey Hills National Landscape, which includes part of the North Downs and Greensand Ridge, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the densest woodland cover in all of England, at 22.4%, as well as Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons, which is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.

And nestling amongst all of this splendid natural beauty are a litany of chocolate-box villages and market towns to discover in a classic set of wheels, including Godalming, Farnham, Shere, Oxshott and Ripley, the picturesque riverside surroundings of Walton-on-Thames, and the historic and bustling town of Guildford, home to a castle that dates back to the 11th Century, and the Neo-Gothic / Art Deco styled Cathedral, the foundations of which were first laid in the 1930s.

• Norfolk

The most northerly of the East Anglian counties, Norfolk has continued to gain in popularity in recent years for day trippers and tourists - and now vintage motorists as well. Well known for its man made broads, it neighbours Cambridgeshire to the west, Suffolk to the south, and Lincolnshire and the Wolds to the north-west.

As well as the spectacular cathedral city of Norwich, there's also The Broads National Park, which offers the very best outdoor activities the broads can offer, from cycling to hiking and bird watching to nature spotting.

And of course, there's a number of fantastic coastal destinations to visit in the county, including Cromer, famous for its crabs and the late Victorian Cromer Pier and end-of-pier Pavilion Theatre, Blakeney Point, which offers the opportunity to spot wild common and grey seals via boat trips from Morston Quay during the summer months, and the charming seaside towns of Hunstanton and Great Yarmouth.

• Hertfordshire

Another spectacular county to discover in a classic car that's easily accessible from Central London is Hertfordshire. Indeed, it holds a special place in the heart of your present writer, as I went to its university in Hatfield, back in the late 00s / early 2010s!

Bordered by Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east and Essex to the east, the county has centuries worth of history, dating back to Roman times. Indeed, the city of St Albans - which is where I graduated from - still has the remains of the ancient town of Verulamium, within the grounds of the Cathedral and Abbey Church, and which is believed to be the site of the first British martyrdom in 293 AD.

Many of the charming towns and villages to discover are so named after their Anglo Saxon origins, including Hertford, Royston and Tring. The county is also well known for its links to the British TV and film industry, in particular the studios at Borehamwood and Elstree.

They have seen everything from the original trilogy of the Star Wars movies to popular soap EastEnders and reality TV stalwart Big Brother filmed there. Warner Bros also have studios at Leavesden near Watford, where much of the Harry Potter films were shot and which you can now visit on guided tours.

Wherever you intend to set out in a Classic Car on a road trip this summer, hopefully our selections have given you an endless possibility of ideas of where to explore!