Road trip - London to Liverpool

[Irish_Stu]

Hello,

Picking up my new Vanquish (and first AM) on Wednesday from Camberley and making my way to Liverpool for 10:30pm boat. Any recommendations for route / stops? Thinking lunch in Henley on Thames, any recommendations? Is Sandhurst worth a look?

Thanks, Stu

[Simpo Two]

Can't advise exactly, but do you have any qualms about leaving your P&J in a public car park for X weeks? I would take a 'normal' car - if I had one...

[Irish_Stu]

No no - taking the car on the ferry home to N.Ireland….

[Simpo Two]

Doh, thought you were going on a cruise!

[anonymous-user]

I’m probably having a slow day, but how does one get this

Simpo Two said:

do you have any qualms about leaving your P&J in a public car park for X weeks?

From this:

Irish_Stu said:

Picking up my new Vanquish (and first AM) on Wednesday from Camberley and making my way to Liverpool for 10:30pm boat.

?



Route for the OP: I’d head towards London from Camberley and hook left to get up onto the M40 asap. You should be able to stretch its legs then.

Lunch: probably somewhere in Stratford-upon-Avon, and have a wander round.

And/or stop off at the factory at Gaydon for a mooch. If you bowl in full of excitement and enthusiasm they might just give you a mini tour.

[Simpo Two]

BlackWidow13 said:

I’m probably having a slow day, but how does one get this

Simpo Two said:

do you have any qualms about leaving your P&J in a public car park for X weeks?

From this:

Irish_Stu said:

Picking up my new Vanquish (and first AM) on Wednesday from Camberley and making my way to Liverpool for 10:30pm boat.

?

Because Liverpool is a cruise ship terminal... So I did 2+2 and got 4.1...

[anonymous-user]

Oi tink de clue was in de name: Irish_stu!

[pschlute]

Camberley is not far from Brooklands Museum in Weybridge. You could visit that before heading home.

Try lunch at the Oatlands Park Hotel afterwards.

Whatever route you take home avoid the M25 stretch where it meets the A3. The roadworks there are awful.....seriously awful.

[F1NDW]

If you have all day I would go M4 towards Swindon, then Gloucester, Kidderminster, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Wrexham.
Its a much nicer drive up than going via London and Birmingham and there are some nice roads and plenty of pubs to stop at for lunch.
I assume that you are getting the Stena Ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast. You will also then end up in the Wirral and on the right side of the Mersey for the ferry.

Edited by F1NDW on Monday 14th August 09:19

[Alickadoo]

pschlute said:

Camberley is not far from Brooklands Museum in Weybridge. You could visit that before heading home.

Try lunch at the Oatlands Park Hotel afterwards.

Whatever route you take home avoid the M25 stretch where it meets the A3. The roadworks there are awful.....seriously awful.

Don't bother with Brooklands, or Oatlands Park.

You've got a new car, go for a drive, head in the general direction of 'pool, get some miles under the wheels, enjoy yourself, then find somewhere to stop.

[Jon39]

Simpo Two said:

Can't advise exactly, but do you have any qualms about leaving your P&J in a public car park for X weeks?

Not like you John, to be so muddled.
[ An Irish gentleman drives to Liverpool, to board a boat. ]

I am very worried that 'It' might be starting.
My advice is to plan ahead and have a stair lift installed now.
Not a normal one, but one of the very high speed versions.
Then hopefully, when you reach the top of the stairs, you will not have forgotten why you went up.

[Phil74891]

F1NDW said:

If you have all day I would go M4 towards Swindon, then Gloucester, Kidderminster, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Wrexham.
Its a much nicer drive up than going via London and Birmingham and there are some nice roads and plenty of pubs to stop at for lunch.
I assume that you are getting the Stena Ferry from Birkenhead to Liverpool. You will also then end up in the Wirral and on the right side of the Mersey for the ferry.

Definitely do this route rather than M40/M6. I regularly travel from the Cotswolds, between Stratford and Cheltenham where I live, to Liverpool for the Isle of Man ferry. Some great roads around the Shropshire / Wales area. RAF Cosford Air Museum is on the way, brilliant if you like planes, free and good parking suitable for Astons

[Simpo Two]

Jon39 said:

Not like you John, to be so muddled.

Au contraire Dr Watson, it was masterpiece of perception. As and when the OP decides that a cruise will be fine thing, I shall be proved correct...

[Irish_Stu]

[Irish_Stu]

Sounds like a plan, will give this a go….

[BiggaJ]

Irish_Stu said:

Hello,

Picking up my new Vanquish (and first AM) on Wednesday from Camberley and making my way to Liverpool for 10:30pm boat. Any recommendations for route / stops? Thinking lunch in Henley on Thames, any recommendations? Is Sandhurst worth a look?

Thanks, Stu

I know the dealership very well ... used to be an Audi main dealer. I think they are good guys to deal with. Nothing in Sandhurst to see apart from a good park, world tug of war champions train there.

If you pick up the M4 and to London then come off to go over too High Wycombe and M40 you can drop into Henley on the way.

I do this trip very frequently with living within a few miles of the dealer and having family living on the Wirral.

[williamp]

Head towards Aylesbury. Turn off for Aston Clinton village. Drive the hill.
Head from M40 towards Silverstone, and get a pic outside the F1 factory.
You cant see anything at Gaydon, so go cross country to Newport Pagnell and try to blag a visit inside the service dept. Or go inside the showroom and look through the windows. Which is easier., to be fair...
Bonus points if you visit Heritage sales.

Then its up the M1, A50, M6, M62. Night in liverpool. Great stuff

[OLDBENZ]

Each to their own, etc etc, but in my view it would be a crying shame to do this entire journey on the motorway network where, to be frank, you could be anywhere (and driving anything) and to miss the opportunity to dip your toes into the wonderful Welsh road network when behind the wheel of something special.

[Phil74891]

Irish_Stu said:

That’s the one

[basherX]

Phil74891 said:

F1NDW said:

If you have all day I would go M4 towards Swindon, then Gloucester, Kidderminster, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Wrexham.
Its a much nicer drive up than going via London and Birmingham and there are some nice roads and plenty of pubs to stop at for lunch.
I assume that you are getting the Stena Ferry from Birkenhead to Liverpool. You will also then end up in the Wirral and on the right side of the Mersey for the ferry.

Definitely do this route rather than M40/M6. I regularly travel from the Cotswolds, between Stratford and Cheltenham where I live, to Liverpool for the Isle of Man ferry. Some great roads around the Shropshire / Wales area. RAF Cosford Air Museum is on the way, brilliant if you like planes, free and good parking suitable for Astons

I’d second this. I picked up my new (to me) Vantage about 10 days ago and out of necessity had to do M1/M25 anti-clockwise through rush hour and under time pressure. Not an enjoyable first drive. Heading cross country and then up through Wales will be a great first experience- some real variety to get settled into your new car, especially as it sounds as if you have the luxury of time.