Scotland’s NC500, or the North Coast 500, ranked first, topping the charts for Google searches and social media mentions.
This isn’t surprising, with the 516-mile route featuring breathtaking moments at every stop. These include the Glenfinnan Viaduct – colloquially known as Harry Potter Bridge, with scenes in the popular film franchise showing the Hogwarts Express riding over it – as well as the legendary Loch Ness.
This was followed by Snake Pass, a historic route in the Peak District – though a recent landslip could put the road’s future at risk. Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route came third, and while it surprisingly didn’t feature top for Google searches, its impressive social media hashtags on the picturesque route ensured it did well.
Black Mountain Road, otherwise known as ‘Top Gear Road’, came sixth overall. Despite the sweeping green road in Carmarthenshire, Wales, featuring on the popular motoring TV show Top Gear, #topgearroad only featured 500 times on Instagram, with #blackmountainpass featuring 1,000 times.
The Northumberland Coastal Route came tenth overall, ranking lowest on the league table. But, with the region boasting more than 70 castle sites, many of which feature along this route that heads from Blyth to Berwick, this could be a hidden gem for 2025 that’s waiting to be discovered.
As well as coming first overall, the North Coast 500 also came first for social media hashtags too. Keywords related to the route gathered 677,000 hashtags on Instagram and 46,792 on TikTok, compared to the Devon to Cornwall Atlantic Highway route, which had 1,100 Instagram hashtags and just 30 on TikTok.
The second most socially snapped road trip route was Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. While it came fourth in the main league table, the trip – taking drivers through a world heritage site – features Durdle Door, one of the most photographed sites in the UK. It’s no surprise then, that more than 497,00 people had hashtagged the coast on Instagram, with more than 7,000 on TikTok too.
| Road trip route | Location | Google search volume score | Instagram hashtag score | TikTok hashtag score | Final score |
| NC500 | Scotland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Snake Pass | Derbyshire, England | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Causeway Coastal Route | Northern Ireland | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Jurassic Coast | Southern England | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Honister Pass | Cumbria, England | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Kirkstone Pass | Cumbria, England | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
How to stay safe and save money when driving in the cold
If you are planning an extended road trip this winter, it’s important to make sure you take the steps needed to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Motorfinity CEO Daniel Briggs shares some tips that can make the drive far smoother, while also saving you money in the long run. He said:
“You should be getting your car serviced every year, and there’s no better time to do this than around the winter period. This is something we often help our customers with, by setting them up with a discounted annual service plan as soon as they buy their new car. Conditions such as icy roads, snow, and freezing temperatures put extra strain on essential car components like brakes, tyres, and batteries. A service ensures these parts are in good condition, reducing the risk of accidents and improving your vehicle’s overall safety.
“As well as your service, it’s important to look at your insurance before you set off too.
Car insurance provider Admiral reports that a high percentage of severe accidents on the UK’s roads take place between November and February. To get the best deal on your premium, reviewing your insurance to ensure you have comprehensive cover for winter-related accidents or weather damage should be a top priority.
“The cold weather can also deplete petrol and diesel car batteries at a quicker rate, which can be costly to replace. If you’re often running quick errands or taking short trips to the shops, your battery might not be able to keep up with replacing its power during these short activity bursts, so always check your battery’s health and charge before making those longer journeys.”
View the full list of the UK’s top winter road trips, including the league table with data, online at https://www.motorfinity.uk/winter-tips/