What better way to woo your better half than whisking them off on a romantic retreat. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Cupid's arrow is poised and ready to fill you with passion.

And with so many romantic locations to discover in the UK, you really don't need to take to the skies to let the love soar. Romance blossoms throughout the year in some of the UK's most-loved shires and beautiful coastal locations - here are some of our favourites.

North Yorkshire

Very few places capture the essence of love quite as perfectly as the county of North Yorkshire. Its idyllic market towns, wild moors and rolling dales have encapsulated the hearts and imaginations of many.

The North York Moors National Park is the setting of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, while the seaside town of Whitby inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Why not book a break at Rudding Park on the outskirts of the spa town of Harrogate, and give your loved one the star-studded treatment. Yorkshire's leading city Leeds is the perfect place to hire a car and take a road trip around the region.

Hertfordshire

Get 'love hearts in Herts' while exploring this county's quaint English heritage. Stately homes are in abundance, with Hatfield House also a popular choice for film productions including romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love. Take a romantic stroll through Hatfield Park followed by an Elizabethan banquet in the house.

Hertfordshire is home to one of the leading hotels in the world - The Grove Hotel, a country retreat that has been a firm favourite amongst weekending royalty for years.

Our nearest car hire branch is conveniently located at nearby Welwyn Garden City.

Wiltshire

Who could resist a trip to the hamlet of Lover in Wiltshire this Valentine's? Sitting on the edge of New Forest National Park with its heathlands, woodland and New Forest ponies, Lover's stunning scenery is second-to-none.

Come rain or shine you will also be in prime position to visit one of the UK's top picnic spots, Avebury Stone Circle, which forms part of a wider World Heritage Site with Stonehenge.

Collect your hire car from our Swindon branch.

The Cotswolds

As one of the most quintessentially English locations in the UK, the Cotswolds is British romanticism amplified. Here you'll find thatched cottages, winding footpaths and idyllic villages.

Considered to be one the prettiest villages in England, the quaint and wonderful Castle Combe is located within the Wiltshire Cotswolds. Wonder through the small streets and marvel at the well-preserved compact stone houses, then take afternoon tea at one of the local tearooms.

For Castle Comb, try our pick up location at Bath.

Cornwall

Head out to the coast and fall in love with Cornwall's cliff-top ruins, coves and moors, as there's nothing more romantic than strolling hand-in-hand by the sea.

Perranporth Beach is around 10 miles from Newquay and home to a 30-mile stretch of glorious white sand. It's also the location of the UK's only bar on a beach, the Watering Hole, which serves up bistro-style food.

Explore the full extent of Cornwall's natural beauty and hire a car from our closest branch in Newquay.