Woolacombe is most Googled road trip destination this summer
A very busy Woolacombe beach during summer 2020. Picture: Mark Tollafield - Credit: Mark Tollafield
Woolacombe was the most Googled UK road trip search query this summer, new figures have revealed.
Row after row of illegally parked cars were ticketed at Woolacombe following a huge influx of visitors to the beaches following the easing of lockdown. Picture: Selaine Saxby - Credit: Selaine Saxby
The news from insurance comparison site uswitch.com will come as no surprise to North Devon locals, who have been amazed at the traffic and parking chaos in the resort as visitors opted to enjoy the UK rather than travel abroad during the coronavirus pandemic.
The research by Uswitch has found that search queries for road trips and driving to Woolacombe increased by a staggering 154 per cent compared with the same time last year.
It was the most Googled road trip destination in the last two months with more than 1,500 average monthly searches.
When the easing of lockdown was combined with good weather, thousands flocked to the coast and initially caused parking chaos – on one day, wardens handed out more than 80 parking tickets in Woolacombe alone.
The most Googled road trip destinations in the UK, according to Uswitch. Picture: Uswitch - Credit: Uswitch
Other areas with high search ratings were Cornwall, in particular Newquay, as well as the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands.
Traffic jamming the roads at Woolacombe. Picture: Richard Walden - Credit: Richard Walden
