M25 to Cornwall - M3 or M4?

[tenohfive]

A boring one but would be helpful to know the answer.
Will be travelling to Cornwall on a Friday morning (10-11am) from the M25. Is it going to be quicker to do the M4 > M5 or M3 > A303?

And any particularly good roads to go the rest of the way into Cornwall (Falmouth area) ?

[kiethton]

I've got to do the same trip on saturday morning to take my little bro to uni so watching this thread with interest.....

[Targarama]

From where on the M25? South of the M3 junction or North of the M4 junction? M4/M5 will be faster if from a Northerly angle. M3/A303 will be more interesting, but prone to Tallivan activity on nice open stretches along the way.

[neenaw]

I usually find M3 > A303 quicker then the M4 when I'm heading down to Devon.

HTH

[sleep envy]

have had to do regular trips from London due to sites in Plymouth and Falmouth

tbh, there isn't that much in it (maybe 20 mins) although the A303 is a little less tedious

[tenohfive]

I'll be coming from the M1 initially, and due to fuel economy will be a good little motorist driving within the limit (well, mostly) so it sounds like the A303 might be the more interesting route.

I take it there aren't any major traffic snarl up spots after the morning rush hour is out of the way?

[Getragdogleg]

I live in Penzance, I pick my way according to the time of year and how my knot of seaweed curls on day of travel.

Night time or very early morning I do the Motorway all the way to the A30 junction at Exeter.

Weekdays during holday time then its M3 and 303, then hop on the M5 for the last jog past Exeter and on to the A30.

Read up with regard to roadworks and have the radio on to listen for traffic news, it can go from good to bad VERY quickly on either route.

If you go the 303 then watch out if you stop at Cartgate picnic area, normally its full of gay men but its full of camped s right now and theft seems to be high on the agenda. none of my drivers will stop there now, they only just tolerated the gay doggers, s nicking diesel or the load is too much for them.

[iva cosworth]

I always use M3 ,A303 when going southwest bound,and back again.

[tenohfive]

Sounds like that's the way I'll be going then - thanks everyone.

On the way back (or the way there if we're doing well for time) I've just had a nosy on Google Maps and noticed the B3212 running from Exeter through the middle of Dartmoor. Is it worth following this then onto the B3357 to Tavistock, or is it not worth the drive?

[Heyrick]

tenohfive said:

Sounds like that's the way I'll be going then - thanks everyone.

On the way back (or the way there if we're doing well for time) I've just had a nosy on Google Maps and noticed the B3212 running from Exeter through the middle of Dartmoor. Is it worth following this then onto the B3357 to Tavistock, or is it not worth the drive?

Depends how much time you've got. It's a nice run if you've not seen Dartmoor before but 40mph speed limit across the moor and up/down/twisty in places (which is a good thing in certain cars ) - it will add quite a bit to the journey time. It would also push you to taking the southern route through Cornwall rather than using the A30 - not sure what that's like tbh but if you get stuck behind a slow lorry or something you could be stuck for miles. hth

[Cyder]

It really depends on which way the wind is blowing and whether it's a full moon.

We live in Herts and the parents live in Exeter. You really have to pick your route depending on time of travel and the season (bloody caravans!).

I quite often find on a Sunday night that the A303/M3 is far quicker than the M5/M4 as a lot of people seem to be going home and you get a bloody quick run.

[Puggit]

I too prefer the A303, but bear in mind that this route has more active cameras and vans and is more likely to suffer problems. However, it's also easier to dive off the road and find alternative routes.

Also you'll burn up more fuel if you're a hard accelerator

[tenohfive]

I did the A303 down, M5 back in the end.

Lot's of tourist traffic on the way down (so much for 'off' season) but around about the same amount of travel time. If I were to do it again (and I'm not keen to - I've driven further in a sitting but not felt so drained) I'd do the M5 route - mindless motorway driving at the speed you choose to do beats battling with the fkwittery of tourist traffic.

[kiethton]

Well as my update goes....i had to go via reading due to the M3 closure so did M3 - A329 - M4 - M5 on saturday afternoon - no traffic barring a slight slow M25 - J11-12

Sunday decided to go back Via Pompey - M5 - A30 - Almost deffo done by scam van - Pompey - A3 - M25

[Legacywr]

If you use the 303 you could stop off at the Haynes Museum(?)

[vsonix]

neenaw said:

I usually find M3 > A303 quicker then the M4 when I'm heading down to Devon.

HTH

..and it's a much nicer drive... but beware, there are some truly Machiavellian speed traps... including one that is pointed at the last 200 yards of the overtaking lane on a steep uphill stretch which is also the first passing zone after a fairly long stretch of single carriageway. Downright dangerous place to put it IMO, but then it's not really about safety, is it.

[Puggit]

tenohfive said:

mindless motorway driving at the speed you choose to do beats battling with the fkwittery of tourist traffic.

Until a tt rolls his caravan and you're stuck for hours

[Cyder]

vsonix said:

neenaw said:

I usually find M3 > A303 quicker then the M4 when I'm heading down to Devon.

HTH

..and it's a much nicer drive... but beware, there are some truly Machiavellian speed traps... including one that is pointed at the last 200 yards of the overtaking lane on a steep uphill stretch which is also the first passing zone after a fairly long stretch of single carriageway. Downright dangerous place to put it IMO, but then it's not really about safety, is it.

Actually, it normally works quite well as everyone slows to about 55 and you can scoot past at 60-63ish and overtake!

[Puggit]

Cyder said:

vsonix said:

neenaw said:

I usually find M3 > A303 quicker then the M4 when I'm heading down to Devon.

HTH

..and it's a much nicer drive... but beware, there are some truly Machiavellian speed traps... including one that is pointed at the last 200 yards of the overtaking lane on a steep uphill stretch which is also the first passing zone after a fairly long stretch of single carriageway. Downright dangerous place to put it IMO, but then it's not really about safety, is it.

Actually, it normally works quite well as everyone slows to about 55 and you can scoot past at 60-63ish and overtake!

Unless there's a load of idiots in the overtaking lane doing the same speed as those on the left

[vsonix]

Puggit said:

Cyder said:

vsonix said:

neenaw said:

I usually find M3 > A303 quicker then the M4 when I'm heading down to Devon.

HTH

..and it's a much nicer drive... but beware, there are some truly Machiavellian speed traps... including one that is pointed at the last 200 yards of the overtaking lane on a steep uphill stretch which is also the first passing zone after a fairly long stretch of single carriageway. Downright dangerous place to put it IMO, but then it's not really about safety, is it.

Actually, it normally works quite well as everyone slows to about 55 and you can scoot past at 60-63ish and overtake!

Unless there's a load of idiots in the overtaking lane doing the same speed as those on the left

This. Someone in a fairly slow car inevitably goes to overtake a truck, slows down to 50mph as soon as they spot the camera coming up then of course can't get their momentum back as they try to splutter back up to speed in 5th etc etc etc. Plus it's positioned right at the point where you'd want to be stepping on it rather than slowing down as the lane is about to disappear, surely the priority should be placed on completing a manouvre in as little an amount of time as possible...