Travelling to Dorset

[Sedo]

Whoops just realised we're travelling to Hunters Moon in Dorset fro Stoke-on-Trent on the weekend of 29th-30th July.
Not only is this one of the main getaway weekends for traffic to Cornwall and Devon, but the biggest Olympic venue outside London starts in Weymouth on the 27th.
I must admit I failed my clairvoyance exam years ago, but somethings telling me it may be better to defer a break in Dorset until another time.
Any advice or points of view will be gratefully received.

Best regards

Sedo

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Sedo
If you are planning to use M5 there are ongoing roadworks at Bristol as they upgrade M4,you may find it easier to leave M5 at junction 11a for Cirencester then go via Chippenham to Dorset.

 

[Sedo]

Thanks for the replies, think we'll risk it and just suck it and see as they say.

Sedo

 

[RayS]

I live corner of somerset/Dorset/Wiltshire and know the area reasonably well. Although it would add quite a lot of miles I would look at M40 from Birmingham to Junction 9, then A34 round Oxford Newbury and Winchester and then A31 across the top of Bournemouth. The majority of this is 4 lane whereas most of the alternative is two lane from leaving the M5 for Cirencester etc. or coming on down to Bristol.
The A350 south of Chippenham is slow, particularly the section Shaftsbury to Wimborne, with a narrow hill at Cann just south of Shaftsbury.
If you are prepared to brave the Bristol area, look at M5 to Taunton, then A358 to Ilminster, A303 to Yeovil using A 3088 to join A37 Yeovil to Dorchester, then A35. While most of the raod from Taunton is either two lane or alternate two+1 lane the rest of the route is much easier flowing than the Chippenham route. There is a good big pulloff area at Cartgate roundabout where A303 meets A3088..
You could check out the different distances using www.theaa.co.uk
We all hope the weather picks up before your holiday.