The new Dacia Bigster is big by name. Yorkshire is big by nature. What happens when you combine the two? Veteran road tripper Sam Philip sets off to find out, armed with some adventurous accessories and 24 hours to spare.
There’s only one way to test out what might be Britain’s best-value family car. And that’s through a road trip. But when you’re strapped for time, how do you pack it all figuratively and literally into the Dacia Bigster?
A proper road trip is a glorious thing, but here’s the issue. Route 66 is around 2,500
miles in length. You need a month to do the whole thing properly, and cross an ocean before you even start. Even the NC500 – the popular loop of Scotland’s northernmost extremities – is over 500 miles long.
As a motoring journalist I’ve explored pretty much every road-trippable region of the UK and beyond, and I reckon I have the definitive answer for a weekend win: North Yorkshire. Glorious coast, big moorland, unique food, more adventurous activities than your hamstrings can handle: the top corner of God’s own county packs the lot.
We’ve grabbed hiking boots, bikes and inflatable kayaks, plus the roof racks to carry it all. We’ve stuffed much of it into the capacious boot of the brand-new Dacia Bigster, the comedically named but very practical SUV. All the vehicle you need for a trip like this? Only Yorkshire has the answer.
The journey begins
Credit: Mark Fagelson
We start off with a breakfast in Flamborough’s Scrumdiddlyumptious where Jenny Dawson proceeds to give us a quickfire list of at least 50 places to visit in this corner of Yorkshire – time to crack on, then. We’ve only got a day…
“Looks like the Med,” murmurs photographer Mark as we pull to a halt above North Landing, a tiny turquoise-white cove tucked below the chalky cliffs of Flamborough Head.
As I remove the inflatable kayak from the Bigster’s boot (bought with a Boundless discount from Argos) and set about the bicep-building process of pumping it up, I’m regretting not limiting myself to land-based activities. But, after launching from the shallows of North Landing with only a handful of undignified squealing noises, and paddling out into the heart of the bay, any regret evaporates.
This headland is home to Britain’s largest seabird colony, tens of thousands of auks, gannets and gulls nesting in the 120-metre-high rock faces, caves and arches of the promontory. Bobbing about in the azure waters, I watch the birds wheeling furiously overhead and let my thoughts wander. How little has this scene changed in the last thousand years? Why don’t birds crash into each other more often? Was kayaking really a good idea?
Were it any wavier, I’d stick to a lake-based paddle – or maybe find a gentle river. That said, it’s a unique way to see the coastline. And it’s a fun, affordable activity with the kayak costing under £100. Why not throw it in the boot in case the opportunity arises (along with a life jacket)?
Credit: Mark Fagelson
Next, we strap on the walking boots for a ramble round the cliffs of Flamborough Head, home to a pair of lighthouses. The oldest dates back to 1674, making it one of the UK’s earliest survivors. Apparently they never actually got round to lighting it, which seems something of an oversight (isn’t a lighthouse without a light just a… house?).
The newer lighthouse has been in operation since 1806. Can’t be many parts of the world where a Georgian-era construction is still regarded as the young pretender, but they don’t like to be rushed round here.
Flamborough Head is a glorious spot for a stroll, all salt-tanged air and mirror-blue light, and drops that seem to plummet off the edge of the world itself.
It’s time to head west, so we spear inland towards the North York Moors, passing close to the village of Wetwang, a name that makes ‘Dacia Bigster’ sound almost sensible.
How the Dacia Bigster performs on the Yorkshire roads
Credit: Mark Fagelson
The sizeable SUV lives up to its sizeable moniker. Ostensibly a rival to such mid-size crossovers as the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage, the Bigster is a more spacious proposition than either, with masses of head- and leg-room for full-size adults in the rear, and a boot big enough to swallow everything you need for a Big Active Yorkshire adventure.
It also proves unexpectedly fun to drive. Perhaps it’s because it’s uncommonly light for its size, tipping the scales at 1,500kg despite its hybrid powertrain.
Credit: Mark Fagelson
Dacia – Renault’s Romanian offshoot – made its name offering bargain-basement, no-frills motoring. And while the bargain bit remains, the frills quota – and quality – has risen. Prices start at just over £25k, with even the top-grade versions sneaking in under £30k. And while some early Dacias felt as cheap as their sticker price, the Bigster is a more mature offering: solid, stable and sturdily screwed together. It really is good value. Maybe its front seats aren’t as comfy as those of its rivals, but they’re a whole lot more cossetting than a small inflatable kayak.
You can’t plug it into the mains: instead, this Bigster uses a small battery – recharged through regenerative braking – and e-motor to aid low-speed urban driving, the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine kicking in for higher-speed stuff. It’s a combo that delivers impressive economy – we return 50mpg despite a bike on the roof – and, with 155hp, enough power for a good blast on a fine road.
The homestretch
Credit: Mark Fagelson
After a cycle around the quiet lanes around Danby, I consult my Ramblers Handbook (Ramblers membership is included with Boundless Plus) and picking up Route 14, which loops south from Robin Hood’s Bay, we drop into Whitby by way of its abbey – the great Gothic ruin that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula – and over the swing-bridge in the centre of town, which rises to let boats pass in and out of the harbour. It doesn’t raise so often as it did in the 19th century, when Whitby sat at the heart of the UK’s whaling and ship-building industries.
While many of our once-bustling ports feel tired and abandoned today, Whitby retains a pleasing bustle, its warren of backstreets home to a happy scatter of independent shops, and the densest concentration of top chippies anywhere on the planet.
We each grab a fish supper so vast I can only assume Whitby’s back in the whaling trade, and wander out onto the town’s west pier, one of two structures that stretch into the North Sea like a stag beetle’s pincers. The sky ignites a vibrant cascade of sunset colours and… breathe: whistlestop road trip, complete. In 10 hours and 100-odd miles, we’ve packed in a whole lot of Yorkshire. Mild outdoor adventure? Tick. Great driving roads? Tick. Daft place names, good food and a good ruin? Tick, tick, tick. Job’s a good’un.
If you’d like to recreate this drive for your next family adventure, I can recommend the Bigster – a vast, dependable and unexpectedly entertaining travelling companion. I’d also recommend giving yourself slightly longer than 600 minutes for the journey – if you can’t, do pack a stopwatch and a whistle to keep your family on schedule. You don’t have to jam it into a single day, but if you want a road trip that provides maximum bang for your buck, North Yorkshire’s got you covered.
Dacia Bigster: The Verdict
Credit: Mark Fagelson
Dacia has long prided itself on offering more for less, and this SUV serves up a huge amount of family car for the cash. Luggage space and legroom are beyond ample for five – it’s almost a surprise Dacia doesn’t offer the Bigster with seven seats. The cabin, too, is a leap beyond Dacia’s traditionally utilitarian approach, with a decent smattering of tech, including wireless charging and multi-view parking cameras. Materials feel sturdy if not always as soft-touch as those of its rivals. Big on size, big on value.
How Boundless can help you save on your Yorkshire road trip
Need inspiration on the best walking routes? Boundless Plus members get free access to the Ramblers, which has over 4,000 tried-and-tested walking routes. Boundless members also get discounts at 100+ popular brands and high street shops, allowing you to get kitted out ahead of your trip, including Argos and Halfords.
Do more with Boundless
These savings are one example of the deals and discounts available from Boundless. If you're working in or retired from the public sector or civil service, Boundless has two great membership options to choose from: Boundless and Boundless Plus.
With Boundless, you get unlimited access or discounted entry to many of the UK’s top attractions including Kew Gardens and Wakehurst and WWT centres across the UK, as well as year-round deals on restaurants, holidays, shopping and much more. With Boundless Plus, you can enjoy additional benefits including unlimited access to Historic Royal Palaces sites, National Trust for Scotland places, access to the Ramblers' extensive group walks and routes, and peace of mind with roadside assistance and local recovery by Britannia Rescue.
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