Best route M6 Warrington to Ashford

[FastNReliable]

Hi, I've got a trip coming up, basically traveling from Scotland to France. I'm happy with most of the route but I wonder if anyone could recommend a route from the M6 at say Warrington to Ashford. I need to be in Ashford for say 10pm on a Monday night and I hope to avoid as much traffic as possible.

Would it be best to use the M40 and travel around the M25 south of London or take the M1 and go round the east side? Is there likely to be a benefit to either approach?

[calibrax]

I often go from Rochester to Warrington and back, and I always take the same route...

M2 - A2 - M25 anticlockwise - M1 - M6.
M6 - M1 - M25 clockwise - A2 - M2.

For Ashford just replace A2/M2 with M20.

If you're driving between 5pm and 7pm there will be bad traffic pretty much everywhere. Just try and aim to get to Dartford around 8-9pm, and you should be ok.

The M5 junction with the M6 is probably going to be the worst bit of the journey, but you could take the M6 toll if you're feeling flush

DON'T go round the south side of the M25. Apart from being quite a few miles further, you've got the traffic around Heathrow section, the M23 southbound, Clacket Lane services etc to contend with. The Dartford route is definitely quicker, having tried both several times (I live in Rochester but I work just off the M23).

Edited by calibrax on Saturday 23 June 21:47

[calibrax]

An alternative is to go towards Cambridge on the A14, then take the M11 south to the M25.

[FastNReliable]

Thanks Calibrax. I think I'll go for that. Now to decide whether to get there before or after the rush hour.