Plymouth to Kinderdijk Road Trip Guide: Hidden Gems & Stops

This route connects England's southwestern coast to the iconic windmills of Kinderdijk in the Netherlands. The driving distance is approximately 650 miles (1,045 km), with an estimated driving time of 10–12 hours excluding breaks and overnight stops.

A little-known fact: the A30 in Cornwall follows part of the old Roman road from Exeter to the tin mines, making it one of England's oldest continuously used routes. On the Dutch side, the N3 motorway near Dordrecht was built on reclaimed polder land, a testament to Dutch engineering.

Route Overview

From Plymouth, the route passes through Dartmoor National Park, an expanse of granite tors and moorland. The A38 bypasses the park, but a detour via B3212 offers dramatic scenery.

In the Netherlands, the approach to Kinderdijk features flat polders, canals, and endless skies. The windmills themselves are a UNESCO World Heritage site, a must-see example of Dutch water management.

• UNESCO sites: Tower of London (near but not on route), Canterbury Cathedral (detour possible), and Kinderdijk windmills.
• Local commerce: In Devon, farm shops sell clotted cream and pasties. In Belgium, stop in Bruges for chocolate and lace. Kinderdijk has souvenir shops with miniature windmills.

Road quality is excellent on major motorways but beware of rural single-lane roads in Devon. In the Netherlands, cycle lanes are separate from car traffic.

Family-friendly stops: Legoland Windsor (M4), Canterbury (history and parks), and Plaswijckpark in Rotterdam (zoo and playgrounds). Pet-friendly framework: Most UK service stations allow dogs; in Netherlands, many rest areas have designated dog walking areas.

• Fatigue management: Plan breaks every 2 hours. Recommended rest zones: Sedgemoor services (M5), Ashford services (M20), and the A16 rest area near Calais. Overmight in Bruges or Ghent is ideal.
• Hidden off-route spots: The village of Rye (East Sussex) with its cobbled streets, and the Delta Works in Zeeland, a marvel of Dutch engineering.

For more tips, check out how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities.

Key highways: A38 (Plymouth to Exeter), M5 (Exeter to Bristol), M4 (Bristol to London), M25 (around London), M20 (to Dover). In France and Belgium: A16/E40, A25/E42, then A16/E40 towards Netherlands. Dutch highways: A16/E19, A58/E312, A15/E31.

• Fuel stops: Service stations on M4 (Reading, Swindon), M20 (Ashford), and A16 in France (Boulogne, Dunkirk). Diesel is cheaper in the Netherlands than in the UK.
• Toll roads: None in UK; in France, A16 is toll-free except near Calais? Actually A16 is mostly free. In Netherlands, most highways are toll-free but there are some tunnels (e.g., Westerscheldetunnel requires a small fee).
• Channel crossing: Choose between Dover-Calais ferry (1.5 hours) or Eurotunnel (35 minutes). Book ahead for better rates.