Epsom to Warwick - No motorways. Any thoughts?

[Kermit power]

I have to go from Epsom to Warwick on Monday afternoon. Normally, the obvious route would be M25 & M40, but with that likely to be heaving with bank holiday traffic, I'm wondering if I might do just as well to go cross country, on the basis that it might take longer, but on decent roads at least I'll enjoy it!

Any route suggestions?

[Ozzie Osmond]

I think you'll find they built the M40 because there weren't any "decent roads"!

[Kermit power]

Ozzie Osmond said:

I think you'll find they built the M40 because there weren't any "decent roads"!

Well yes, but as we both know, there's "get quickly from A to B" decent, and "have lots of fun getting from A to B via Z, G and W" decent.

I'm interested in the latter.

[forsure]

I drive to Evesham from St Albans regularly and use a pleasant cross-country route.

Part of it might be relevant to you:

Aylesbury, Bicester, Middleton Stoney, Middle Barton, Enstone, Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh.
Good roads, nice scenery.

[littleredrooster]

Ozzie Osmond said:

I think you'll find they built the M40 because there weren't any "decent roads"!

I think you'll find there are loads of "decent roads".

Can't help with the journey to avoid the M25, but just to the North of where the M40 joins the M25 you will find the A413. This is a cracking, quickish road (watch for scameras in the villages!) which takes you up through Buckingham towards Silverstone. Join the A43 to Towcester then A5 to A45 Weedon, left on to A425, follow through Leamington to Warwick. Job's a good'un!

[Kermit power]

Looking good so far! I can easily do the bottom part.

[a_bread]

littleredrooster said:

I think you'll find there are loads of "decent roads".

Can't help with the journey to avoid the M25, but just to the North of where the M40 joins the M25 you will find the A413. This is a cracking, quickish road (watch for scameras in the villages!) which takes you up through Buckingham towards Silverstone. Join the A43 to Towcester then A5 to A45 Weedon, left on to A425, follow through Leamington to Warwick. Job's a good'un!

Yes... nice scenic Chilterns route, the A413, but I'd be tempted to come off it via Wendover onto the A41 until the B4030 at Bicester which (as someone else indicated) takes you west into the Cotswolds towards Enstone etc, and if you have time, the Falkland Arms at Great Tew is a nice stop off, an ancient and extremely high quality pub in a tiny village close to the A44 on your way towards Chipping Norton. Don't go into Chipping NOrton, leave the A44 and take the A3400 towards Stratford but without getting as far as Stratford, turn right onto the A429 towards Warwick.

Make it even more varied by taking one route out and the other back?