Gatwick to Gateshead, a how long will it take thread...
Discussion
Chaps,
Off on hols this week, returning on a Sunday afternoon after a loooong flight so going to stop off at the Sofitel Gatwick for the night before driving home next morning.
Need to be home by 1pm - what kind of time should the journey take? Google maps suggests 5 hours, which is usually a little on the conservative side but I will be tackling the M25 at rush hour so maybe it's about right.
Leaving around 6.30am ish that would work, no? Have done it before but not on Monday morning so interested to hear from anyone with a bit more experience.
Cheers guys
Off on hols this week, returning on a Sunday afternoon after a loooong flight so going to stop off at the Sofitel Gatwick for the night before driving home next morning.
Need to be home by 1pm - what kind of time should the journey take? Google maps suggests 5 hours, which is usually a little on the conservative side but I will be tackling the M25 at rush hour so maybe it's about right.
Leaving around 6.30am ish that would work, no? Have done it before but not on Monday morning so interested to hear from anyone with a bit more experience.
Cheers guys
AA route planner suggests 5.5 hours but to be honest you have no chance of making it in that time.
To beat the traffic and get round to the M11 (which is the way you would probably go) you will be staggered at how busy the M23 and then M25 will be, particularly on a Monday morning. You have roadworks on the M25 in Essex and the M11/A14 can be painfully slow at the time you will be hitting it.
The trouble is that you will have to leave so early to be sure of making it by 1:00 you'll be there by 11:00, if you see what I mean.
To beat the traffic and get round to the M11 (which is the way you would probably go) you will be staggered at how busy the M23 and then M25 will be, particularly on a Monday morning. You have roadworks on the M25 in Essex and the M11/A14 can be painfully slow at the time you will be hitting it.
The trouble is that you will have to leave so early to be sure of making it by 1:00 you'll be there by 11:00, if you see what I mean.
Many years ago, before I moved down south permanently, I used to leave Hayes (Middlesex), near Heathrow, at 5am on a Monday morning in order to get into work in Darlington for 8:30. You've obviously got another 40 mins or so to get up to Gateshead, plus that horrible M25 to contend with. If you leave early enough you can miss the worst of the rush hour traffic, but if you leave it until about 7am then you could find that you'll crawl round the M25. And don't forget various roadworks along the way - such as the 50mph roadworks around Leeming Bar (which I'll be contending with myself this Friday).
Planet Claire said:
Many years ago, before I moved down south permanently, I used to leave Hayes (Middlesex), near Heathrow, at 5am on a Monday morning in order to get into work in Darlington for 8:30. You've obviously got another 40 mins or so to get up to Gateshead, plus that horrible M25 to contend with. If you leave early enough you can miss the worst of the rush hour traffic, but if you leave it until about 7am then you could find that you'll crawl round the M25. And don't forget various roadworks along the way - such as the 50mph roadworks around Leeming Bar (which I'll be contending with myself this Friday).
3 hours 30 from Heathrow to Darlington is impressive! Cheers guys, I'll let you know how we get on.
I would drive part way on Sunday afternoon and try to do 2-3 hours and then hitting a hotel. Then you don't need to get up at silly o'clock on Monday morning.
Just do 1 hr stints at a time if you are knackered.
Set off at 9am and you miss the rush hour.
Also try to sleep on the plane as much as you can.
Just do 1 hr stints at a time if you are knackered.
Set off at 9am and you miss the rush hour.
Also try to sleep on the plane as much as you can.
GreatGranny said:
I would drive part way on Sunday afternoon and try to do 2-3 hours and then hitting a hotel. Then you don't need to get up at silly o'clock on Monday morning.
Just do 1 hr stints at a time if you are knackered.
Set off at 9am and you miss the rush hour.
Also try to sleep on the plane as much as you can.
I would suggest this. Just do 1 hr stints at a time if you are knackered.
Set off at 9am and you miss the rush hour.
Also try to sleep on the plane as much as you can.
At least get your self to the outskirts of london past the M25 etc . Wake up have a nice breakfast and set off at 9am.
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