Whitby revealed as the best road trip destinations for book lovers

Reading is the nation’s most popular hobby, with 42% of Brits saying that delving into a book is one of their favourite free-time activities.

The data has been revealed by online car site Cinch ahead of International Book Giving Day on the Wednesday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day).

Over the centuries, the UK has inspired thousands of authors from around the world, with many setting their own stories in remote woods or quaint British towns. If you’re a bookworm, you might fancy an exciting road trip across the country to put yourself in the shoes of your most loved writers and characters.

Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, the faff-free way to buy a car online, said: “From quirky bookstores to literary landmarks, there are plenty of destinations around the UK that will spark the imagination of avid readers.

“All you need to do is jump behind the wheel of your fuel-powered or electric car and explore the many locations that have left their mark in literary history.”

Top of the list is Whitby for it’s mention in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

If you’re looking for a literary destination that keeps you on the edge of your (driving) seat, Whitby is no doubt the perfect option.

Located on the Yorkshire coast, Whitby played a crucial role in Bram Stoker’s spine-chilling ‘Dracula’. In the second part of the novel, the bloodthirsty vampire from Transylvania lodges among the ruins of Whitby Abbey while wreaking havoc in the picturesque town.

Social media user @marianapostcards recommends admiring the majestic abbey and taking in the harbour views from one of the benches where Stoker would spend days writing. Consider walking around St Mary’s Church graveyard, too – you might even spot some of the names that inspired characters in the book.

And if all this exploring has piqued your imagination, make sure to pop by some of the book shops in the town, including The Whitby Bookshop.

This historic bookstore stocks more than 10,000 books, including – of course – several editions of Stoker’s ‘Dracula’.

There’s also Holman’s Book Shop, Good Reads and Clewlow Books of Whitby, as well as many other shops.

Other honourable mentions of top book lover destinations include Scotland for Harry Potter, the Lake District for Beatrix Potter, Hay-On-Wye in Wales for being the first book town and Devon for Agatha Christie’s work.