London to Cornwall - Scenic town to stopover for half a day?
Discussion
After reading some old Cornwall threads on here have booked to spend a few days in St Ives over the bank holiday, the drive from London is an indicated 5 hours + any bank holiday traffic and would quite look to see more of the UK so considering a stopover town to spend a day in.
Plan is to drive to this town arriving noon ish and leave early next morning, drive to the Lost Gardens and then onto the hotel in St Ives. Does that seem sensible?
Have already been to Bath & Bristol but not a lot else in the south west-any recommendations as to a town or city?
Trevelling with the wife so somewhere scenic is ideal.
Plan is to drive to this town arriving noon ish and leave early next morning, drive to the Lost Gardens and then onto the hotel in St Ives. Does that seem sensible?
Have already been to Bath & Bristol but not a lot else in the south west-any recommendations as to a town or city?
Trevelling with the wife so somewhere scenic is ideal.
Wells. Lovely small cathedral city. Cathedral, Bishops Palace and grounds well worth the visit. Forget the M4 after Newbury and take to the A4. Turn off and go through Devizes for the cross country route.
When you leave Wells, there's quite a few good roads to get you to the M5 and points west.
...or you could try Exeter.
It's well worth remembering that Cornwall is a bit further from London than "just beyond Bristol"!
The A30 is, however, much improved west of Bodmin.
When you leave Wells, there's quite a few good roads to get you to the M5 and points west.
...or you could try Exeter.
It's well worth remembering that Cornwall is a bit further from London than "just beyond Bristol"!
The A30 is, however, much improved west of Bodmin.
This is about travel time, not stop-overs.
We live in Surrey near Leatherhead and we have relatives in Falmouth and we visit them at least twice a year. We always visit outside of the Summer season. Best non stop time is 4 1/4 hours, worst is 8 hours. My son has gone to St. Ives and taken 10 hours! So, the message is "who know how long the journey will take over a Bank holiday?"
The A30 after the M5 at Exeter is dual carriage way all the way to Hayle, so almost to St. Ives, except for a stupid mile section on Bodmin Moor where the traffic can build up a three mile plus queue in each direction. It is correct to say this road after Bodmin is much improved over the past 2-3 years but it will still be very busy over the weekend.
Good luck!
R.
We live in Surrey near Leatherhead and we have relatives in Falmouth and we visit them at least twice a year. We always visit outside of the Summer season. Best non stop time is 4 1/4 hours, worst is 8 hours. My son has gone to St. Ives and taken 10 hours! So, the message is "who know how long the journey will take over a Bank holiday?"
The A30 after the M5 at Exeter is dual carriage way all the way to Hayle, so almost to St. Ives, except for a stupid mile section on Bodmin Moor where the traffic can build up a three mile plus queue in each direction. It is correct to say this road after Bodmin is much improved over the past 2-3 years but it will still be very busy over the weekend.
Good luck!
R.
If your using the A303 then I would get off at Solstice Services just before where the traffic gets really congested at the Stonehenge roundabout, either stop for a bite to eat here or take the country/scenic route in to Salisbury, loads to see and do and a nice scenic route from there back to the A303 to continue your journey.
Thank for all the replies, ended up being dictated by online hotel availability as wasn't much left.
Booked a hotel near Exeter for tonight so rough plan is to go to Stonehenge, then Salisbury till mid day and onto Exeter/somewhere near. Spending Sunday in Padstow and then onto St Ives.
Woken up very early to avoid traffic as much as possible!!
Booked a hotel near Exeter for tonight so rough plan is to go to Stonehenge, then Salisbury till mid day and onto Exeter/somewhere near. Spending Sunday in Padstow and then onto St Ives.
Woken up very early to avoid traffic as much as possible!!
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