When to leave ..

[RichL812]

I have a dilemma on my hands and would welcome some advice.

We are booked on a site in south Devon for two weeks first two weeks of the school holidays. Problem is that I cant pick up my kids as the ex wife is being awkward.

Now the dilemma ... do I bite the bullet and leave home near Peterborough at midday on Saturday and drive down and get stuck or do I wait, relax, early night and then travel down overnight leaving home 2am ish on Sunday morning getting to site in time for breakfast??

 

[Guest]

If you leave at midday, then the places you are likely to get stuck such as Bristol, will not be hit until teatime, or after on a Saturday. I would have thought you wuld stand a reasonable chance of getting through without too much difficulty. There will also be fewer trucks on the roads. Waiting is fine, but if kids are going on holiday, they want to go so I don't think you wll 'relax' too much. Plus arriving after an overnight'r is going to make everyone tired and not necessarily the best way to start the holiday.

However, the choice is yours.

 

[jon_5090857]

Trust me on this one i have travelled down to cornwall loads of times and by far the best way to travel down to the southwest is overnight. You get hardly any traffic and the service stations are well empty. I would leave about midnight then make a stop at Exeter services and get down to your site in devon most site owners have a parking area you can park in and kip in the van until you can have your pitch.

I was down that way at easter and there was a seven mile 40mph roadworks the other side of bristol which even at 3am was quite busy.

another tip last time i went i invested in a dvd player for the car as i have five kids it was a godsend kept em quiet.

safe journey

jon

 

[LMH]

We travel down on a Thursday and return on a Thursady or early on a Friday morning. Never had any problems.

However, my brother always travels through the night. I think travelling on a Saturday during the day will be bad news.

Hope it works out ok.

Lisa

 

[dazicki]

weve been to cornwall for last 5 years always first 2 weeks aug which are the bussiesyt we always go sat morning at about 12/1 am we always have an easy drive hardly ant traffic youve got to clear bristol by 5 am though because everyone sleeps at the service stations there and get up at that time you have to remember most people cant get on site or get chalet keys until mid 12 or 2 pm so they travel after 5 am in order to get there

so you would be in that group

i would go in the night to avoid all that

just remember if you get stuck at bristol that worst is probably to come on the a30 probably at india queens(if your going that far)

 

[dazicki]

sorry thought you said you were going to cornwall forget the india queens bit but my advice is still the same clear bristol and your sorted

 

[Jimbob1]

Hi Richard,You can avoid Bristol by going from Peterborough down the A1 to the M25 then onto the M3 to junct8 then branch off to theA303 to Exeter,we,ve travelled on Saturday mornings that way and its been ok,some good spots to stop for break also that way the children can see Stonehenge,most of the way is by dual carriage way,have a look at the map.Jim

 

[Vicky_5078445]

I live off of the A303 in Somerset and there are stretches of single-carriageway, hence the traffic bottlenecks.

Normally around Stonehenge and Sparkford and it can be a nightmare at peak times (Bank & Summer holidays).

Vicky

 

[RichL812]

Thanks for all the advice. We are going near Budleigh Salterton so not far off the M5. Its a CL so we can get onsite whenever we like, but I think the overnighter would be the way to go,

How long do you reckon it will take us to get there from Peterborough ?

Thanks

Richard

 

[stantonks@hotmail.com]

Hi Richard a few years go I had this delema so I decided to leave at 9.45pm from outside Newcastle upon tyne. I travelled down the A19 onto the A1M then the M1 then the M42 to the M5 Stopped at services at around 2.30 am slept till about 8.30(cost a fiver) which we got back when we purchased our breakfast. Filled up with fuel and got underway. arrived at our site just outside paigton at 11.30am. Driving at night is much better after midnight roads are pretty quite.

Hope I,ve been of help to you.

 

[Val & Frank]

Trust me on this one i have travelled down to cornwall loads of times and by far the best way to travel down to the southwest is overnight. You get hardly any traffic and the service stations are well empty. I would leave about midnight then make a stop at Exeter services and get down to your site in devon most site owners have a parking area you can park in and kip in the van until you can have your pitch.

I was down that way at easter and there was a seven mile 40mph roadworks the other side of bristol which even at 3am was quite busy.

another tip last time i went i invested in a dvd player for the car as i have five kids it was a godsend kept em quiet.

safe journey

jon

Jon

you should have invested in a DVD player for you and the wife along time ago if you have 5 kids lol

Val & Frank

 

[Val & Frank]

Richard

www.via michelin.com gives the distance as 384 km of which 275km is on motorway, so at the end of the day what do you expect to average? Personally I would expect 6 hours with a good stop for refreshments.

Val & Frank