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An Epic 10 Day UK Itinerary for England and Wales

There are so many incredible things to see in the United Kingdom, it can be hard to decide what to include on a 10 day UK itinerary. When we first started planning our visit, we spent hours trying to decide whether to visit Scotland, spend the whole time in England, or visit Wales. We put this itinerary together this London to Wales tour based on that research and loved getting to spend some time in London and get out into the countryside for some hiking and exploring.

This 10 day UK itinerary in Wales and England is for you if you want to get a taste of London and then explore the more wild side of Wales including several hikes along the coast finishing with some time a small English countryside town. We did this itinerary as a family of 5 when our kids were 8, 11, and 11, but this would make a great trip with younger kids or just adults.

Some of the highlights of this itinerary include:

  • Seeing the most famous sites in London
  • Stonehenge
  • Windsor Castle
  • Pembrokeshire
  • Hiking and biking in Snowdonia
  • Visiting the Peaks District

Read more below on exactly how to take this 10 day England and Wales itinerary as well as general information to help you plan your visit to the United Kingdom. You can also find suggestions on how to lengthen or shorten this itinerary based on how much time you have. You can easily adjust this to a 9 day UK itinerary or add a few days to make an 11 or 12 day itinerary.

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Overview of 10 Day UK Itinerary for England and Wales

Below is a snapshot of the itinerary broke up into days. This itinerary assumes that you will arrive in England the day before the itinerary starts. It is possible to arrive early on the first day, but you may have to adjust your plans a bit. This Wales and England 10 day itinerary also assumes that you will either leave in the evening of day 10 or the following day.

  • Day 1: London
  • Day 2: London
  • Day 3: Stonehenge to Tenby to Pembrokeshire
  • Day 4: Pembrokeshire, hike,
  • Day 5: hike Drive to Dolgellau
  • Day 6: Hike Cadair Idris
  • Day 7: Morning bike and explore to barmouth
  • Day 8: Drive Dollgelau to Miller’s Dale – stop by Lakes
  • Day 9: Chee Dale Stepping Stones – explore Miller’s Dale
  • Day 10 Windsor Castle
10 Day UK Itinerary: Biking from Dolgellau to Barmouth
10 Day UK Itinerary: Biking from Dolgellau to Barmouth

How to Use this England and Wales Itinerary

You can use this itinerary by booking this exact itinerary or select part of this trip. You can also use just the Wales portion of this trip if you are trying to put together a 5 days in Wales itinerary. This itinerary also assumes you will be visiting during the warmer months, but it is possible adjust to do this in the winter, you will just need to dress appropriately and keep an eye of the weather during your hikes.

Map of 10 Day UK Itinerary in England and Wales

Complete Details of this 10 day UK Itinerary in England and Wales

Day 1 and 2: London

Start your 10 day UK itinerary with 2 full days in London. London is an incredible and large city, and it’s hard to see everything even with a week in town. With 2 days in London, you can see the highlights and most popular sites. Both days are very full, so you may decide to leave off one or more of the sites based on the time and your preference.

See our complete guide to spending 2 Days in London. You can also find suggestions for more activities and attractions to help you plan your visit.

For your first day, start the morning at Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard.

If you have time before the ceremony, you can enjoy some time in Hyde Park. You will want to confirm that the ceremony is happening on the day you are visiting (you can see the schedule here). After the changing of the guard, wander through Trafalgar Square and strop for lunch in Covent Garden. In the afternoon, head towards the Thames and cross Westminster Bridge. There are 4 good sites right nearby. Catch a look at Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Parliament or you can cross the river and take a ride on the London Eye.

At this point it is likely late afternoon. Hop of one of the Thames River cruises for a break from walking and to see some of the more famous sites from the river. Get off at the Tower of London. If there is still time, take a tour of the Tower of London and walk across Tower Bridge before grabbing dinner along the waterfront.

10 Day UK Itinerary: The London Eye views from a Thames River Cruise

For day 2 in London, you will enjoy some of the museums, and markets. Start your day at Camden market before making your way to the British Museum. London has several excellent museums to choose from, many of which are free. The National Gallery is also a great choice.

In the afternoon you can choose from several activities. We suggest trying out one of the London High teas, or if you are visiting with kids you can go to the London Zoo or Harry Potter World or take a Harry Potter tour.

Should you take a tour of London?

To see everything you want to see in London your days will be jam packed. If you want to make sure to see everything and you are willing to pay a little extra, taking a tour of London may be the best option. In fact, most tours will only cost a little more and can actually be a good deal. You can find lots of tours at Viator.

Where to Stay in London

London is large and there are many options for places to stay. The best place to stay with limited time is right downtown. You can search for a hotel downtown through booking.com, but we also recommend the London Marriot Hotel County Hall: This is a great location right along the Thames. You can easily walk to many of the most popular sites and you have great views right from the hotel. You can also find several other Marriot hotels in the city if you like Marriot.

Day 3: Stonehenge to Tenby to Pembrokeshire

On the third day of your 10 day UK itinerary, you will need to rent a car. You can do this right away when you arrive in London, but parking can be difficult, so if possible wait to rent a car until day 3. We had good luck finding rental cars through rentalcars.com.

Try to get an early start and head out of the city to Stonehenge. The drive takes about 2 hours depending on traffic. You will want to make sure you book your tickets to Stonehenge in advance. Try to reserve one of the earlier time slots to avoid the crowds. You should plan to spend about 2 hours at Stonehenge and in the visitor center.

10 Day UK Itinerary: Stonehenge

After exploring Stonehenge, continue driving west into Wales to get to Pembroke. This drive takes about 4 hours and there are lots of interesting places to explore along the way if you have the interest and time, including Bath and Cardiff.

Once you arrive in Pembrokshire, you can check into your hotel and grab a bite to eat.

Where to Stay in Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is the entire region of southwest Wales and you can find several great towns to use as a base for the next 2 nights. We stayed in Millford Haven, but recommend looking closer to Pembroke or in the cute town of Tenby.

The Burrows Bed and Breakfast: A great location and lovely hotel in Pembroke.

The Coach House Hotel: Once a medieval coaching inn, you can walk into Pembroke from this historic hotel.

There are many excellent places to stay in Tenby – you can see some of the best places here.

10 day UK Itinerary: Tenby

Day 4: Pembrokeshire

Start the day with an incredible coastal hike that includes a visit to Barafundle Bay and through the Bosherston Lakes. This is a roughly 6 mile hike and is one of our favorite coastal hikes anywhere. You can stop at the café for a mid-morning snack and even take a swim if you are feeling daring. After your hike, make sure to visit St. Govan’s Castle.

See complete details on How to Hike the Gorgeous Bosherston Lakes, Stackpole Quay, and Barafundle Bay Walk Loop.

Spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful village of Tenby. You can grab lunch here and visit the beach if the weather is warm. In the late afternoon visit Pembroke Castle. We attended a Shakespeare play in the castle and loved watching the sun set in the castle.

10 day UK Itinerary: Walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Walk

Day 5: Drive to Dolgellau

Get a morning start and head towards the Welsh town of Dolgellau. On the way stop for another coastal hike. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Hike follows the coast of Wales for 186 miles and you can find many incredible hikes along the route. We did a section of the Pembrokeshire Coastal hike from Cwmtydu Cove but truly any stretch of this trail is worth walking.

Finish the day by arriving in Dolgellau. We loved this little town and spent several days here. It is a small town, so if you are looking for more to do, you may want to consider one of the bigger towns in the area. We found Dolgellau the perfect jumping off point for exploring Snowdonia.

See a guide of what to do near Dolgellau including some of the best activities in Snowdonia.

Where to Stay in Dolgellau

Most of the places to stay in Dolgellau are small apartments, houses, or glamping opportunities. Below are a few of the best options:

Farm Stay Snowdonia Coast: This is a fun and unique stay on a farm.

Try Clamping on the Coast: This is a fun alternative to camping – these little huts/pods are a beautiful place to stay

Dwy Olwyn: This is a lovely little hotel in the country with a terrace and a garden just a 10 minute walk from town.

Elden Row: These apartments are a great option and centrally located in town

10 Day UK Itinerary: Hiking Cadair Idris
10 Day UK Itinerary: Hiking Cadair Idris

Day 6 and 7 Hike Cadair Idris and Bike the Mawddach Trail to Barmouth

For your two days in Snowdonia, you will spend 1 day hiking and 1 day biking. You can switch up the days depending on the weather.

Cadair Idris is the second tallest mountain in Snowdonia and hangs right over the town of Dolgellau. This is an incredible mountain hike. There are several different trails you can take to reach the summit. We took the easiest route up the Pony Path.

Learn more about hiking Cadair Idris.

For your other day in Dolgellau, rent bikes right in town and bike to Barmouth of the Mawddach Trail. This 9 mile trail is wide and easy to ride and takes you through the Estuary to the town and beach of Barmouth. Once you arrive in this coastal town you can grab lunch and enjoy walking around and exploring the beach. We had a windy/rainy day so we spent part of the day at the arcade in town.

Day 8: Drive Dolgellau to Miller’s Dale

Today you will drive from Dolgellau to the quaint town of Miller’s Dale located in the heart of the Peak’s District in England. The drive takes about 3 hours but you can make a day of it by stopping at Cregennen Lakes or the city of Manchester.

Once you arrive in Miller’s Dale and settle in, you can explore the area on foot. There are many excellent walking trails in the area.

Where to Stay in Miller’s Dale

The best hotels in Miller’s Dale and small with loads of character. You can see a list of some of the best Miller’s Dale Lodging options here.

Angler’s Rest: This is a cute little spot in a great location. We didn’t stay here but we did eat here twice during our visit.

YHA Ravenstor: This is a beautiful hotel that sits on 70 acres overlooking the river.

10 day UK Itinerary: Chee Dale Stepping Stones
10 day UK Itinerary: Chee Dale Stepping Stones

Day 9: Explore the Peaks District: Chee Dale Stepping Stones

There are so many excellent hiking trail near Miller’s Dale. We loved the hike on the Chee Dale Stepping Stones and spent the morning here and the afternoon hiking some of the other nearby trails.

You can see more details on hiking the Chee Dale Stepping Stones as a loop Trail.

Day 10 Windsor Castle

For your last day of this 10 day UK Itinerary, drive south and stop at Windsor Castle. The drive from Miller’s Dale to Windsor takes about 3.5 hours. You can stop in the town of Windsor for lunch and then take a tour of the castle. I recommend the audio tour to get the most out of your visit. You can see more about visiting Windsor Castle.

After your visit to Windsor, it’s time to head on your way. If you have a late day flight, you can head to the airport.

We did almost this exact itinerary during the summer of 2019 and have completely updated the information since then. We’ve now travelled extensively in Europe and my kids still remember this 10 day UK Itinerary as one of their favorite trips.

10 Day UK Itinerary: Exploring the Peak’s District

How to Adjust this Itinerary

How to Shorten this 10 Day UK Itinerary

If you don’t have enough days for this 10 day UK itinerary, it’s easy to keep the general locations and shorten it by one day. The first option is to spend only 2 nights in Dolgellau. After you finish the activities on the 2nd day in Dolgellau, simply leave mid-afternoon and drive straight to Miller’s Dale.

If you only have 1 week in England and Wales, you will have to cut out one of the smaller towns. After visiting Dolgellau – simply drive straight back to London instead of stopping at Miller’s Dale. If you have time, stop at Windsor Castle, otherwise head right to the airport.

How to Lengthen this to a 11 or 12 Day UK Itinerary

If you have more time, there are so many ways to make this into a longer itinerary. You can easily spend more time exploring Northern Wales or you could add some time on the southern coast of England. The final suggestion for lengthening your trip is to spend an extra day in London. There is so much to do here that 3 or 4 days in London is ideal.

5 Days in Wales Itinerary

Another option is to use just the Wales part of this itinerary as a 5 day Wales Itinerary. To do this, basically use the itinerary above for just the days 3-8. Plan to spend 2 days in Pembrokeshire and 3 days in Snowdonia. This gives you time to hike on both the Pembrokeshire Coastal Trail as well as some of the mountains and lakes in Snowdonia.

Things to Know When Visiting England and Wales

How Many Days do you Need for an England and Wales Itinerary?

We love visiting countries for 10 days. With just a week it feels like by the time you get into the flow, the week is over. With 10 days, you can enjoy exploring London and spend a full week in the countryside. With 2 weeks, it’s possible to visit Scotland as well.

When is the Best time of Year for this 10 Day UK Itinerary?

The UK is a great year round destination, however if you are planning a lot of outdoor activities, the spring, summer and fall are best. Summer tends to be the busiest time of year in London and England in general. If possible visit during May/June or Sept/Oct.

We visited at the very end of August and found the temperatures comfortable and the crowds low.

Driving in England and Wales

For this itinerary you will need to rent a car. In the UK, you will drive on the left side of the road and you will also sit on the opposite side of the car to drive. Many of the rental cars are automatic so you will need to shift with your opposite hand if you are used to driving elsewhere. This is something to be aware of when you rent a car here.

In addition, many of the road (especially in Wales) were very narrow. It would be almost impossible to drive a large car on some of these roads. When you are passing other cars, take your time and you will be fine.

You can search for reasonable car rentals at rentalcars.com

What to Pack for this 10 Day UK Itinerary

Even if you visit during the summer, you will want to pack plenty of layers and rain gear for this 10 day UK itinerary. We had generally good weather, but hiking along the Welsh coast was often cool and were glad to have rain gear for warmth.

In general I would pack several pairs of hiking shirts, both long and short sleeved as well as shorts and pants. For London, you want some clothes that are comfortable to walk around town in.

For the hiking trails, you should have a pair of hiking boots and another pair of comfortable shoes if these get wet. Pack rain pants and a jacket and one extra warm layer. Don’t forget to pack a bathing suit in case you get a hot day and want to go for a swim!

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