I will assume you are starting from London as most visitors to the UK fly in to Heathrow.
Booking a hire care is easy and since the roads are good you shouldn't have any technical problems to worry about.
My first hint is to get a satnav with roadwork information.
We do seem to have an awful lot of orange road cones and the workers like to use them liberally, so knowing where there is congestion ahead and how to avoid it is a good way to ensure you have a happy vacation travelling around Britain.
Start by heading due east from London and just north of the Thames estuary you get into the county of Essex.
Southend will be our first stop.
It takes about an hour's driving from London city centre if the traffic is good.
Leigh -on-Sea's cockle sheds are a fantastic spot for a seafood lunch.
Try the jellied eels, a London delicacy that really is unique.
I have never seen jellied eels anywhere except the south of England.
A few minutes further along the coast, Southend is predominantly working class.
The poor from London's slums were moved out here in the last century and the culture is a bit rough and ready, but utterly unique and rather exciting.
Southend pier is fabulous and the centre of town has many things to see and do.
The Kursaal is not to be missed.
While here, head out further east and visit St Peter's Chapel, Bradwell-on-Sea, the oldest church in England, which dates back to 653AD.
Now head north to Cambridge and visit the ancient colleges, museums and wonderful art galleries.
Give yourself a good day to explore the city before heading north and west.
Melton Mowbray is worth a pit stop for the legendary pork pies, then on to Nottingham, home of Robin Hood.
The remains of the sherrif's castle still dominate the city, and a pint in the ancient 'Trip to Jerusalem' pub is a real treat.
Don't drink lager, but try an authentic local ale instead.
Head north west again the next day for a slow bimble around the Peak district.
It has all been pretty flat up till now so you may want to stretch your legs and enjoy some time walking over these magnificent hills.
Stay the night in Manchester (a great industrial city) or head west to Liverpool.
Spend a day here and then if you need to start heading south again, go via the Welsh valleys, visiting Denbighshire before heading south east.
A good route back to London is via Shrewsbury, Worcester (saucy!) and Malvern.
Stop here and walk up to the top of the Malvern hills for some views of countryside you cannot help but fall in love with.
The great composer Edward Elgar lived here and was inspired by this landscape to write his famously English compositions.
Come back to London via the A40, but don't miss beautiful Burford and then the amazing Ashmolean museum in Oxford.