West Sussex to Hawick- route suggestions?
Discussion
Couldn't find any recent threads discussing this, so:
Due to drive from West Sussex to Hawick, Scottish Borders at the end of February- first long drive with a 6 month old. Totally flexible on departure time, but need to be in Hawick around 3pm on 22nd February. The wife doesn't drive, so it's all up to me. Not done much long distance driving to be honest, so I was planning to take it easy and take two days to do the journey in case my son decides to be a nightmare.
Looking for suggestions on a route, where you would stop overnight, and what time to leave to best avoid traffic. Happy to pay the M6 toll if it means a calmer route. All advice welcome.
Thanks in advance, CNN
Due to drive from West Sussex to Hawick, Scottish Borders at the end of February- first long drive with a 6 month old. Totally flexible on departure time, but need to be in Hawick around 3pm on 22nd February. The wife doesn't drive, so it's all up to me. Not done much long distance driving to be honest, so I was planning to take it easy and take two days to do the journey in case my son decides to be a nightmare.
Looking for suggestions on a route, where you would stop overnight, and what time to leave to best avoid traffic. Happy to pay the M6 toll if it means a calmer route. All advice welcome.
Thanks in advance, CNN
If it was me, I'd go up the A1 from the M25 all the way to Newcastle or Scotch Corner with the overnight stop somewhere in the East Midlands, maybe even Yorkshire depending how early you get going.
It always seems a more interesting drive than plodding up the M1 and there's plenty of service areas if/when you need to stop with the young one.
It always seems a more interesting drive than plodding up the M1 and there's plenty of service areas if/when you need to stop with the young one.
You still need to do the final few miles to Hawick. But you're in luck the A68 is a cracking road, so you can enjoy yourself. But with a small child and a non driving wife maybe not.
The shortest route is to leave the A1 (around Newcastle it's also known as the Western Bypass) at the airport turnoff, and onto the A696, which becomes the A68 a few miles north of Otterburn, then at Carter Bar (which is the Scottish boarder) turn left onto the A6088. That takes you directly to Hawick.
The shortest route is to leave the A1 (around Newcastle it's also known as the Western Bypass) at the airport turnoff, and onto the A696, which becomes the A68 a few miles north of Otterburn, then at Carter Bar (which is the Scottish boarder) turn left onto the A6088. That takes you directly to Hawick.
ianrb said:
You still need to do the final few miles to Hawick. But you're in luck the A68 is a cracking road, so you can enjoy yourself. But with a small child and a non driving wife maybe not.
The shortest route is to leave the A1 (around Newcastle it's also known as the Western Bypass) at the airport turnoff, and onto the A696, which becomes the A68 a few miles north of Otterburn, then at Carter Bar (which is the Scottish boarder) turn left onto the A6088. That takes you directly to Hawick.
This, stop overnight at The Wentbridge Hotel near Pontefract. The shortest route is to leave the A1 (around Newcastle it's also known as the Western Bypass) at the airport turnoff, and onto the A696, which becomes the A68 a few miles north of Otterburn, then at Carter Bar (which is the Scottish boarder) turn left onto the A6088. That takes you directly to Hawick.
CNNCHI said:
Due to drive from West Sussex to Hawick, Scottish Borders at the end of February- first long drive with a 6 month old.
You don't say which bit of West Sussex, but for Chichester to Hawick,then Southampton - Oxford - Birmingham - Carlisle seems to be a good route.
I'd avoid the A1, unless you like tailgating lorries at 56 mph. Lane discipline
by all drivers is poor and there are only two lanes northbound. You
will be lucky to get over 60 mph.
M1 from M25 to M6 turnoff pretty much a car park these days - many miles
of 50 mph speed cameras for the multi-year smartification.
M40 preferred route. It is seriously quiet for a southern motorway and at 80 mph
you'll have the world and his wife queueing up to overtake you.
Further north, the pace of life is much slower. You will be lucky to get
over 50 mph on the A68, since the hat wearing locals consider that
quite fast enough really. Of course, all possible passing places are speed camerad.
Whatever you drive, you are looking at about a seven hour drive +
stoppage time.
Have you considered the train ? A load less aggro normally. You will need the
X95 bus from Carlisle.
ianrb said:
No speed cameras on that bit of the A68.
Quite correct. My apologies for the error. It's been a while since I'vedriven that way.
All speed cameras on the A68 are on the Scottish bit from Dalkeith
to Jedburgh. AFAIK there are none on the English bits of the A68.
Favoured route from let's say Darlington to Hawick is to go up to Newcastle
on the A1, then A696 to Hawick. Certainly that involves a lot fewer hills
than the A68, which is notorious for plenty of up'n'down as it picks
its way North in the Pennines.
My memory is that there are few (no ?) dual carraigeway bits on the English A68.
dcb said:
You don't say which bit of West Sussex, but for Chichester to Hawick,
then Southampton - Oxford - Birmingham - Carlisle seems to be a good route.
I'd avoid the A1, unless you like tailgating lorries at 56 mph. Lane discipline
by all drivers is poor and there are only two lanes northbound. You
will be lucky to get over 60 mph.
M1 from M25 to M6 turnoff pretty much a car park these days - many miles
of 50 mph speed cameras for the multi-year smartification.
M40 preferred route. It is seriously quiet for a southern motorway and at 80 mph
you'll have the world and his wife queueing up to overtake you.
Further north, the pace of life is much slower. You will be lucky to get
over 50 mph on the A68, since the hat wearing locals consider that
quite fast enough really. Of course, all possible passing places are speed camerad.
Whatever you drive, you are looking at about a seven hour drive +
stoppage time.
Have you considered the train ? A load less aggro normally. You will need the
X95 bus from Carlisle.
I do west London to the Borders fairly often, and would recommend M40 route as well. At Birmingham you can go M42/ M6 or M6 toll or onto M5 then M6. Check road works , both can be bad. M6 until past Manchester has road works most of the way but is still better than A1 with lorries continually blocking the outside lane. Also A7 from Carlisle is a better option than A68 from Newcastle if the weather turns bad.then Southampton - Oxford - Birmingham - Carlisle seems to be a good route.
I'd avoid the A1, unless you like tailgating lorries at 56 mph. Lane discipline
by all drivers is poor and there are only two lanes northbound. You
will be lucky to get over 60 mph.
M1 from M25 to M6 turnoff pretty much a car park these days - many miles
of 50 mph speed cameras for the multi-year smartification.
M40 preferred route. It is seriously quiet for a southern motorway and at 80 mph
you'll have the world and his wife queueing up to overtake you.
Further north, the pace of life is much slower. You will be lucky to get
over 50 mph on the A68, since the hat wearing locals consider that
quite fast enough really. Of course, all possible passing places are speed camerad.
Whatever you drive, you are looking at about a seven hour drive +
stoppage time.
Have you considered the train ? A load less aggro normally. You will need the
X95 bus from Carlisle.
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