Driving Bournemouth Edinburgh
Discussion
Fly or go by train.
It will be a horrendously long, dull drive that will ruin your weekend, especially as you will have to do it all over again on Monday.
I used to drive to and from Edinburgh (to the midlands) every few weeks, and it is ball ache of a drive. It is miserable motorway boredom for almost the whole way and it is bloody far (given how slow the motorways can be).
It will be a horrendously long, dull drive that will ruin your weekend, especially as you will have to do it all over again on Monday.
I used to drive to and from Edinburgh (to the midlands) every few weeks, and it is ball ache of a drive. It is miserable motorway boredom for almost the whole way and it is bloody far (given how slow the motorways can be).
KP328 said:
My friend bought his car in Bournemouth and drove home to Edinburgh.
Left the garage at 12:15 lunchtime and got home at 11pm with half an hour stop for food and fuel and then another fuel stop.
He said he would not do that journey again.
I did the same from Bristol and have made the journey to and from east Kent in the meantime.Left the garage at 12:15 lunchtime and got home at 11pm with half an hour stop for food and fuel and then another fuel stop.
He said he would not do that journey again.
Unless you need your car then just fly!
We've family in Edinburgh so I've done the trip up from Hampshire loads of times.
The fastest we ever did it was on Christmas day 2010: left after breakfast and was there in time for Doctor Who, about 9h door to door including stops.
I wouldn't do it for a weekend away. In fact, we're going up for an entire week next month and we're paying about £350 to flybe to avoid having to drive. The flight, you can leave after work and be there by bedtime. Whereas the drive takes an entire day at both ends of a trip.
Plus, Edinburgh has great public transport, there's plenty of interesting stuff reachable by walking, and driving/parking in the city isn't very pleasant.
Driving wise: The worst bits for traffic on the M6 are Birmingham and the stretch between the top of the M6 toll and the M62, and you don't really want to hit them at rush hour. We've been stuck in jams caused by accidents for hours. You should consider leaving late in the evening and arriving just before breakfast.
At holiday times, consider driving cross-country up to Swindon, then nipping up the A419/A417/M5 to Birmingham. There's not a lot in it if you're coming from Bournemouth, and the A34/M40 is generally worse traffic.
The A702 Biggar road is fine, they grit it pretty well when the weather is bad, and you'll be dying to turn off the motorway by then.
Tebay services is a good place to stop.
The fastest we ever did it was on Christmas day 2010: left after breakfast and was there in time for Doctor Who, about 9h door to door including stops.
I wouldn't do it for a weekend away. In fact, we're going up for an entire week next month and we're paying about £350 to flybe to avoid having to drive. The flight, you can leave after work and be there by bedtime. Whereas the drive takes an entire day at both ends of a trip.
Plus, Edinburgh has great public transport, there's plenty of interesting stuff reachable by walking, and driving/parking in the city isn't very pleasant.
Driving wise: The worst bits for traffic on the M6 are Birmingham and the stretch between the top of the M6 toll and the M62, and you don't really want to hit them at rush hour. We've been stuck in jams caused by accidents for hours. You should consider leaving late in the evening and arriving just before breakfast.
At holiday times, consider driving cross-country up to Swindon, then nipping up the A419/A417/M5 to Birmingham. There's not a lot in it if you're coming from Bournemouth, and the A34/M40 is generally worse traffic.
The A702 Biggar road is fine, they grit it pretty well when the weather is bad, and you'll be dying to turn off the motorway by then.
Tebay services is a good place to stop.
Edited by njd27 on Friday 19th December 11:11
Edited by njd27 on Friday 19th December 11:12
Edited by njd27 on Friday 19th December 11:31
We regularly go to family in the Lakes & Glasgow, & have done Edinburgh on occassions. It's a longer haul than it looks, doable but we tend to do the Scotland runs in two chunks, overnighting in the Lakes. These days I avoid the M5/M6 toll, & go south & west about Birmingham: it's about a mile & a half longer, but ususally smoother until you hit the M5/M6 junsction, which is sh!t whichever way you come at it, anyway. I wouldn't go eastside, M25/M1 isn't worth the aggro. If there's two or less of you & if you can get a deal on a hire car, I'd fly/train.
I used to 'commute' from Edinburgh to Bath using the M6... won't disclose the record however in summer / nice weather, stereo one, relaxing back and a clear road... that was a doddle. Switch to winter, cold, wet, constant hard concentration and I used to be exhausted by the border. Easyjet got a lot of money from me for a few months of the year. I hate flying and love driving but there's a point where the latter becomes a chore.
Fly, you won't regret it.
Fly, you won't regret it.
I live in Poole and have done this trip a couple of times. I would avoid the daytime if you want to get there relaxed.
If I had to go in January I would leave at 7pm and stop in a premier inn on the M6 near Manchester (£29 a night early Jan in a lot of them) and then leave at 7am and you will be there by 11am.
That would be my choice and will be less stressful and tiring dealing with a lot less cars on the road.
If I had to go in January I would leave at 7pm and stop in a premier inn on the M6 near Manchester (£29 a night early Jan in a lot of them) and then leave at 7am and you will be there by 11am.
That would be my choice and will be less stressful and tiring dealing with a lot less cars on the road.
I live in Poole and drive to up to near Edinburgh three or four times a year. I looked at flying up on the 29th and returning on the 2nd. The only problem was it would cost £630 return for myself and my daughter! So driving up and stopping overnight in a Premier Inn near Sheffield and doing the same on the way back. This will cost less than £200. I always drive A31, M27, M3, A34, M40, M42, A42, M1, A1. Maybe I've been lucky but I've never been in a big traffic jam. I don't drive at excessive speed and time it to avoid rush hours. I enjoy it (apart from the A34) and find it less stressful than flying.
We drove this in the summer.
Never again. The M6 between Birmingham and Manc is hopelessly overloaded, and the M1 / A1 route is similar. Just listen to the traffic bulletins on R2 every day for an idea of what it's like most days. As others have said, it's deadly dull until you're north of Preston, in any case.
We will fly or train next time.
Never again. The M6 between Birmingham and Manc is hopelessly overloaded, and the M1 / A1 route is similar. Just listen to the traffic bulletins on R2 every day for an idea of what it's like most days. As others have said, it's deadly dull until you're north of Preston, in any case.
We will fly or train next time.
Swanny87 said:
Lost soul said:
They are talking about Friday being the worst day to travel with even more chaos than a normal Friday
Oh s
t, I'm heading up north tomorrow. Leaving north London about 9:30 ish, does anyone reckon it'll be ok at that time? Planning to go up the A1. ETA I'm only going to Newcastle.Apologies for the thread hijack
Anyway... 3. Separate. Road. Closures. On. The. A1. I don't mind single road closures as I know the end result is a better road. But closing a main arterial route, on the last Friday before Christmas, in 3 separate areas, in areas where any diversion won't be a simple affair???? Absolute piss take... and I can't see all 3 being emergency roadworks FFS. 1 hour added to my journey... You could avoid the east side of the country completely when driving. That wouldn't really make the journey completely stress free... There could be overnight road closures on other roads as well.
It's all fine doing the journey you're considering twice for a weeks holiday but for a weekend? You won't enjoy it at all.
I've done it in 6 and a half hours , leaving at midnight and getting into Edinburgh in the morning. M6 then turn off on to the A7 at Carlisle for a glorious early morning run up through the border country.
I've also done it during the day in 13 hours on a miserable holiday weekend.
This time of year on a Friday, if you don't need the car then fly.
I've also done it during the day in 13 hours on a miserable holiday weekend.
This time of year on a Friday, if you don't need the car then fly.
IanCress said:
Which weekend in January? There's a very good offer on Virgin trains for the weekend of 10th Jan.
Do this!Just travelling from London to Manchester on a Friday afternoon can often take me 7hrs due to congestion/roadworks/accidents. This congestion lasts all the way from Birmingham to North of Lancaster on a Friday and pleasant as it can be on a nice day, the A702 is no fun on a dark wet night after long stressful drive.
Edinburgh is a great city with loads to see and do, save your energy for exploring by foot (Arthurs Seat, Water of Leith walk, Duddingston etc) and staying out late. Don't waste the weekend getting there too exhausted to enjoy it or dreading the drive back!
I used to live in Edinburgh and have family in Portsmouth / Southampton, so have driven this route many many times. I normally have one stop and it's still doable in 8 hours at average speeds, and under 7 if you're on your own and are pushing on!
From Edinburgh I usually leave at either 6am or 10am so I can miss the bypass traffic and generally take the A702 which can be a quick road if you know it and aren't afraid of overtaking. Not sure I would take it in a really rough winter like we had a couple of years ago, but it's mild this year. Otherwise i would take the M8 but aim to get by Glasgow 4pm very latest so you miss the traffic. Heading into Edinburgh around 5pm should be ok as long as you're not on the bypass.
As others have said, Tebay services is worth the stop on the way up, I always get a small selection of their pies. If I were you I would leave early so you're hitting Tebay about lunchtime for a wee stop and then you can finish the rest in daylight also.
From Edinburgh I usually leave at either 6am or 10am so I can miss the bypass traffic and generally take the A702 which can be a quick road if you know it and aren't afraid of overtaking. Not sure I would take it in a really rough winter like we had a couple of years ago, but it's mild this year. Otherwise i would take the M8 but aim to get by Glasgow 4pm very latest so you miss the traffic. Heading into Edinburgh around 5pm should be ok as long as you're not on the bypass.
As others have said, Tebay services is worth the stop on the way up, I always get a small selection of their pies. If I were you I would leave early so you're hitting Tebay about lunchtime for a wee stop and then you can finish the rest in daylight also.
It's only really 8 hours if you don't hit any problems. Chances are you will and they could easily add three or four hours to the time. Don't ignore the fatigue factor which will compromise your stay. Fly. The new tram goes airport <> city centre for about a fiver and you don't need a car in the city.
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