AFTER a year under Covid restrictions you have probably exhausted all local walks. As travel rules ease, we look at where North-East residents can go on a road trip this summer.
Many of you may be keen to plan a road trip in place of a sunny holiday now that the road map out of lockdown is well and truly underway.
Whether you are looking for a day out or a weekend away, these routes are treasure troves of delights showcasing the North's beauty and are sure to please everyone.
One route even goes through a village 'famous for all kinds of wickedness'.
With self-contained accommodation set to reopen on April 12, which includes caravans, motorhome owners can hit the road while others may opt to stay in a few countryside cottages along the way.
Here are some ideas of where to go this summer:
Alnmouth to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland
This 30-mile route captures everything that makes the North-East special, with fantastic views of coast and country embedded in rich history.
The picturesque village of Alnmouth, once an important trading port involved in the export of grain and in smuggling, is the perfect setting-off point for the North-East road trip.
Church leader John Wesley is famously reported to have described the place as "a small sea-port town, famous for all kinds of wickedness".
As castles are dotted around the region, one will likely always be on the horizon when driving this route. Once you join the B1339 at Longhoughton, winding through the rural lanes to Windyside Hill, you will be able to see the ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle to the North.
Stopping in at Seahouses and Bamburgh, head back on the A1 up to Lindisfarne. If you cross over to Holy Island, don't forget to check the tide times as you may well get stuck there, wutith high tied masking the causeway.
North Coast 500, Scotland
The North Coast 500 is a popular coastal route, aptly named due to its 500-mile length. Its sweeping twirling and turning roads will take you up around the northern parts of Scotland.
The route is a great choice for any dreamy driving holiday, especially as Scotland allows wild camping. For huge stretches of the route, there won't be anything but picturesque countryside in sight.
However, please remember that Scotland has its own coronavirus restrictions so check ahead before planning a trip.
North York Moors lap, North Yorkshire
This 90-mile loop around the North York Moors offers up views of Helmsley, Rievaulx and its abbey, Danby, Whitby, Scalby and Rosedale Abbey. There are vast forests, woodlands, hills and hidden dales on this route, as well as busy harbour streets.
While you can certainly do this in a day, including grabbing fish and chips in Whitby, there are plenty of quintessential cottages or cosy bed and breakfasts around North Yorkshire if you are looking to extend your stay.
A686 from Penrith to Haydon Bridge, Northumberland
Depending on where you are setting off from in the North-East, it may not make sense to head to Penrith for this route, so why not do the reverse? Haydon Bridge is just 28 miles west of Newcastle.
You could set off in Middleton in Teesdale, Stanhope or Blanchland and head to Haydon Bridge before making your way past Langley Castle, Alston and Hartside to Penrith.
The A686 is a melody of twists, turns and moorland that is packed full of history on either end. This deserted A road changes from farmland to abrupt slope and offers up glorious views of the North Pennines and Lake District, making the great day out or weekend adventure.
Buttermere, Newlands Pass to Hardknott Pass, The Lake District
The Lake District is not short of beauty spots with dramatic backdrops, and some roads really make you earn the view. Despite being a journey in itself from the North-East, we couldn't write about great road trips without mentioning the Lakes.
Newlands Pass is a three-mile-long road running along a ledge above the Newlands valley, from Buttermere to Braithwaite, near Keswick.
Driving down past Helvellyn, Grasmere, Rydal and Ambleside, you can enjoy the idyllic countryside before heading back west.
The challenging Hardknott Pass then zigzags up a steep hill which competes with Rosedale Chimney in North Yorkshire for the title of steepest road in England, with both achieving a gradient of 1 in 3 (about 33 per cent).
You can trace some routes right back to the Romans can still see the remains of the Hardknott Fort to the western end of the pass. Anyone wishing to extend the drive further could head to Eskdale and continue to a circular route.
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