Leeds to Newcastle drive: Distance, time & best road trip stops
The best road trip stops on the Leeds to Newcastle drive are Mother Shipton’s Cave, Durham Cathedral and Beamish. The distance from Leeds to Newcastle by car is 100 miles, with a 1h50m driving time.
Finding the best things to do between Leeds and Newcastle
The Leeds to Newcastle drive connects two of the most exciting cities in the north of England.
In Leeds, the Royal Armouries is the big hitter attraction, with several floors of armour, weapons and warcraft. The Leeds City Museum is a thoughtfully presented all-rounder, and the expansive Roundhay Park offers a series of gorgeous gardens.
The best Leeds activities include food tours that visit top local restaurants and Emmerdale filming locations bus tours.
Worthwhile Newcastle experiences include a full day tour along Hadrian’s Wall, food tours that mix market stalls with indie restaurants and climbing to the top of Newcastle Castle.
Leeds to Newcastle distance and driving times
By car, the distance from Leeds to Newcastle is 100 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 50 minutes. The quickest route is along the M1 then A1(M).
The best stops to add to a Leeds to Newcastle road trip itinerary are Mother Shipton’s Cave, Durham Cathedral and Beamish.
Leeds to Newcastle drive: Mother Shipton’s Cave
Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough claims to be Britain’s oldest tourist attraction. You can take that with a pinch of salt, of course.
The walk through the forest up to the cave is arguably more appealing than the cave itself, but Mother Shipton’s Cave is all about the stories. The tale goes that a prophetess was born in this cave in 1488. She supposedly went on to predict the Great Fire of London and Spanish Armada. Again, take all of this with a pinch of salt, but enjoy the hokum.
Attractions on the Leeds to Newcastle drive: Durham Cathedral
Durham is a handsome little university city, made for amiable strolling. You can take a walking tour and food tour if you like. But its star attraction is Durham Cathedral.
The building, and the architecture, date back to the Norman era, although there have been a few stylised additions since. The ribbed vault of the nave was a truly audacious piece of design at the time.
Visitors can also tackle the 325 steps to the top of the central tower.
Leeds to Newcastle road trip: Beamish
A short detour west from junction 68 of the A1(M), Beamish is an extraordinary open air museum encompassing several villages and eras. There are dozens of carefully restored buildings to poke around, from a century-old schoolhouse to a 1950s hairdresser. You can also visit the pigs at the 1940s farm and go inside the 1900s coal mine.
Beamish is a fantastic place if you’ve got children – there’s plenty for them to explore, and lots of woodland to run around in.
More Leeds road trips
Doncaster to Leeds | Huddersfield to Leeds | Leeds to Hull | Middlesbrough to Leeds | Leeds to Milton Keynes | Nottingham to Leeds | Sheffield to Leeds | Leeds to York.
More Newcastle road trips
Doncaster to Newcastle | Hull to Newcastle | Manchester to Newcastle | Nottingham to Newcastle | Sheffield to Newcastle | Newcastle to York.