M1 or A1m to go north?

[rich888]

GreatGranny said:

And a few hotels of questionable repute (rom by the hour).

Most famous is now closed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Jam_Inn

A1 every time. Less roadworks but can be frustrating stuck behind an elephant race

Shame about the Ram Jam Inn closing down, a few years ago we stayed over for one night on the way back on the A1 from a short break in France and it was superb, great food, massive bed and girlfriend loved it. One of the best nights ever, though we were a bit pissed by the end of the evening having brought back a copious quantity of wine in the boot of the car!

Oh, and totally agree with the A1, is much nicer to travel on than the M1 nearly all of the time, especially now that they have removed all of the roundabouts - watch out if you have old maps on your satnav, especially when travelling south past Ranby if you want to hop onto the A614 towards Nottingham because the road has been redesigned and you remain ON the A1 unless you come off on the slip-road, no roundabout anymore. I should think many a sales rep has ended up in Newark and wondered how that happened - oops!

[SantaBarbara]

Closed for nightmare Road works

How do overnight truckers manage?

[Nobaccymaccy]

Another vote for the A1. ( heading north of Newcastle)
do the trip weekly and if starting in MK hate having to use the M1 -so try and end the working day in Bedford so A421>.A1 to avoid it .If I have to use M1 then cut off at M18 onto A1 is fastest route in any case ?

[Toltec]

vindaloo79 said:

The american diner cafe places somewhere near nottingham are actually pretty good too..

The OK Diner at Stamford is a favourite stop of ours, Burghley House is a good place to stop at the right time of day too.

[hyphen]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yes, Waze often has another route entirely. Through tiny back streets waiting and reversing into passing places, and via level crossing lotteries. Then the random ads popups. Lastly they seem to think you can driver cars under the age of 14 as they keep giving you points and virtual badges.

Want to arrive mentally exhaiusted? Use Waze

[AC43]

When I go North to Scotland from West London its A40 M40 M42 M6 M74 every time. When i get to Moffat its the Beeftub across to Edinbugh for a bit of fun.

Gave up on the M1 20 years ago and it gets worse every year.

Tried the A1 once and it was an utter and total ballache. NEVER again.

[dxg]

M1 from J23 north to J25ish) is a complete no-go area in rush hour at the moment due to the 'smart' motorway roadworks and the container depot works.

If it's a Friday, from lunch onwards, just forget about it.

Me, when I'm driving north at the moment, I hit the A50 as soon as I can (either coming of at J22 or J23 depending on how bad the roadworks are) and then M6, M74 and cut back across A702.

[sjj84]

Sorry I should have put more detail in the opening post, I blame being on night shifts for the lack of thought.

Will be starting off in Kent, travelling to Penrith, with a stopover at Castleford. Starting off on a Thursday, returning in one hit on the Sunday.

[rich888]

sjj84 said:

Sorry I should have put more detail in the opening post, I blame being on night shifts for the lack of thought.

Will be starting off in Kent, travelling to Penrith, with a stopover at Castleford. Starting off on a Thursday, returning in one hit on the Sunday.

A1 would be my choice for that particular trip.

When travelling up north from France we picked up the M20 > M2/A2 > M25 > M11 > A14 > A1(M) > A1 to Nottingham, from your perspective you remain on the A1 until you turn onto the A66 near Darlington.

Now when travelling south-bound on the A1 pay particular attention just after the Doncaster junction because the M1 and A1(M) split off at this point and I have accidentally ended up on the M1 when the intention was to remain on the A1, it was late at night and I was travelling back from Middlesbrough at the time!

Watch out for the speed cameras at the bottom of the M11 and also near Newark on the A1.

[Riley Blue]

M11 > A1(M) > A66 though the A14 section can often be a nightmare but I'd risk it rather than take the M1 and you are rewarded with a rather fine multi-lane drag strip after joining the A1

[sjj84]

M11 is looking a good option then, I hadn't considered it before. Seems to knock off 15ish miles from the journey too.

[Red Devil]

rich888 said:

sjj84 said:

Sorry I should have put more detail in the opening post, I blame being on night shifts for the lack of thought.

Will be starting off in Kent, travelling to Penrith, with a stopover at Castleford. Starting off on a Thursday, returning in one hit on the Sunday.

A1 would be my choice for that particular trip.

When travelling up north from France we picked up the M20 > M2/A2 > M25 > M11 > A14 > A1(M) > A1 to Nottingham, from your perspective you remain on the A1 until you turn onto the A66 near Darlington.

Now when travelling south-bound on the A1 pay particular attention just after the Doncaster junction because the M1 and A1(M) split off at this point and I have accidentally ended up on the M1 when the intention was to remain on the A1, it was late at night and I was travelling back from Middlesbrough at the time!

Watch out for the speed cameras at the bottom of the M11 and also near Newark on the A1.

The A66 junction is at Scotch Corner nearly 9 miles south of Darlington.

AFAIK there is only one speed camera on the M11 and that is on the southbound carriageway after the limit drops to 50.
It is only a short distance before the motorway ends and I rather doubt he will be returning to Kent via the A12 and Blackwall Tunnel.

If he is going north on M25/M11 via the Dartford Tunnel he will need to cross either well before the morning peak or after it.
Any later than 1pm on a weekday and there is a fair chance that he will be sitting in a slow moving or stationary queue.

As for speed cameras there are now SPECS north of Colsterworth between Easton and Little Ponton.
http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/...

The 50 limit through Elkesley near Retford (Gamston) Airport has cameras as well.

Where are the ones near Newark?

[SmilerFTM]

If stopping over at Castleford for a slight detour up to Penrith the next day go up the A1 to Scotch Corner, take the A66 and head to Barnard Castle then from there follow the B6277 up to Alston then turn left and go along the A686 to Penrith. You won't be disappointed

[Red Devil]

SmilerFTM said:

the B6277

I always go that way when heading for Glasgow and the west side of Scotland.
From the Langdon Beck Hotel to Alston is superb. Alston is ideal for a lunch stop.
Followed by the A689 to Brampton then A6071 to Longtown and Gretna Green.

To Penrith, Hartside Pass FTW.

[SmilerFTM]

Red Devil said:

I always go that way when heading for Glasgow and the west side of Scotland.
From the Langdon Beck Hotel to Alston is superb. Alston is ideal for a lunch stop.
Followed by the A689 to Brampton then A6071 to Longtown and Gretna Green.

To Penrith, Hartside Pass FTW.

Alston would be a brilliant place to live for the driving alone, any direction is fun

[anonymous-user]

SmilerFTM said:

Alston would be a brilliant place to live for the driving alone, any direction is fun

It's full of swivel-eyed loons. If you lived there for a short while, you would certainly want to use the roads to drive quickly. In any direction outwards from Alston.

[r129sl]

If coming from Central London I find M1, M18, A1(M) to be fastest. The A1 between London and Alconbury is painful.

Otherwise M11, A14, A1(M) is pretty quick.

The sex shops thing is a bit odd. But am I right that on the A1 not far north of the M25 is a swinging club?

Edit: a bit of googling suggest I am right. https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/1893941/four-sex-s... and https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/7bmj74/up-the-a...

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 11th October 14:56

[FiF]

sjj84 said:

Sorry I should have put more detail in the opening post, I blame being on night shifts for the lack of thought.

Will be starting off in Kent, travelling to Penrith, with a stopover at Castleford. Starting off on a Thursday, returning in one hit on the Sunday.

A1 would be my instinctive choice, however would have a few ready diversions in mind to cut across early in case of traffic issues reported up ahead. Better to bail out early on a preplanned plan B rather than leave it late and mix it with everyone else trying to divert on back roads.

[Red Devil]

r129sl said:

If coming from Central London I find M1, M18, A1(M) to be fastest. The A1 between London and Alconbury is painful.

Otherwise M11, A14, A1(M) is pretty quick.

The OP is starting in Kent so M11 makes more sense.

The A14 roadworks from the Bar Hill junction past Cambridge Services to the Fen Drayton junction can be a PITA at times.
Indeed Cambridge to Huntingdon is my least favourite part of the route tbh. All those elephant racing HGVs going from Felixstowe to the Midlands.
They can be avoided for most of the way by taking the A428 west to Caxton Gibbett roundabout then the A1198 to the A14 junction at Godmanchester.

[revvingit]

A1 surely

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/7bmj74/up-the-a...

Along with a view questionable hotels and many more respectable landmarks;

https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php...

Beats motorways any day of the week.