London to Evo triangle and back in a day?
Discussion
Which part of London?
If you time it right you can be at the start of the Evo triangle in 3 hours, but if you want to save some time there are a good few similar roads on the way which means you can come off the motorway an hour earlier and go cross-country through the middle of Wales.
There was another thread about it a while ago - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
However if it must be the Evo triangle then it's perfectly possible to do in a day, spending 3 hours driving around the area and three hours driving there & back. You'll probably need a bit of petrol and nosh somewhere though.
If you time it right you can be at the start of the Evo triangle in 3 hours, but if you want to save some time there are a good few similar roads on the way which means you can come off the motorway an hour earlier and go cross-country through the middle of Wales.
There was another thread about it a while ago - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
However if it must be the Evo triangle then it's perfectly possible to do in a day, spending 3 hours driving around the area and three hours driving there & back. You'll probably need a bit of petrol and nosh somewhere though.
It's about 250 miles from Central London. I was there at the weekend and it took 5 hours to get there on Friday leaving at 4.15pm and 5.5 hours to get back last night leaving at 3pm. It was obviously bound to be busy and we had major hold-ups on the motorway both ways. If you want to do it in a day and depending how much time / miles you spend up there you'll need to prepare for a good 6-700 miles or more. I'd go for a week day leaving at the crack of dawn or maybe even leave early evening and head up the night before and find somewhere nearby to stay.
Given a good run, this is what you're looking at:
From your neck of the woods, M40 to the junction with the M42 will be 1 3/4 hours.
From the M42 to the M5 15 mins.
M5 to M6 another 20 mins.
M6 to M54 10 mins (this is all on a good run BTW)
M54 to the Shrewsbury bypass about 30 mins.
Shrewsbury to EVO triangle, another 1 1/2 hours.
So I reckon about 4 3/4 hours to get there. Long day!
From your neck of the woods, M40 to the junction with the M42 will be 1 3/4 hours.
From the M42 to the M5 15 mins.
M5 to M6 another 20 mins.
M6 to M54 10 mins (this is all on a good run BTW)
M54 to the Shrewsbury bypass about 30 mins.
Shrewsbury to EVO triangle, another 1 1/2 hours.
So I reckon about 4 3/4 hours to get there. Long day!
It'd be a long trip just for a blast, so I'd be inclined to stop off in Wales somewhere - do a bit of mountain biking, hire a kayak, interfere with a sheep - whatever local activity takes your fancy - it's a great place to spend some time.
If you're in North West London it's also worth checking out Oxfordshire. I was down there at the weekend and found some pretty convincing drivers roads minutes from the M40.
If you're in North West London it's also worth checking out Oxfordshire. I was down there at the weekend and found some pretty convincing drivers roads minutes from the M40.
Uxbridge to the one corner of the Evo Triangle is only about 170 miles.
I do the Liverpool-Brentford-Liverpool run every week and it regularly takes 3h-3h30 mins for the 214 mile trip - this is at 6am for the Liverpool-Brentford run, and 2-4pm for the Brentford-Liverpool run. I might be driving quickly, but I'm not doing 100mph+.
My regular route from Brentford to Liverpool is M25 to M40 to M42 to M6 Toll to M6 to M56 (and vice versa)
I've also do the Brentford to Loton Park or Anglesey run to marshal, and it only takes 3 hours to get to Loton Park (between Shrewsbuy & Welshpool). When I do this run I only slightly change my route, in that I come off the M6 Toll and onto the M54 to Telford and then finally onto the A5 & A458.
The biggest delays will be caused by traffic at peak times, so as long as you time your departure to either leave London quite early or after 9am you'll be fine.
I do the Liverpool-Brentford-Liverpool run every week and it regularly takes 3h-3h30 mins for the 214 mile trip - this is at 6am for the Liverpool-Brentford run, and 2-4pm for the Brentford-Liverpool run. I might be driving quickly, but I'm not doing 100mph+.
My regular route from Brentford to Liverpool is M25 to M40 to M42 to M6 Toll to M6 to M56 (and vice versa)
I've also do the Brentford to Loton Park or Anglesey run to marshal, and it only takes 3 hours to get to Loton Park (between Shrewsbuy & Welshpool). When I do this run I only slightly change my route, in that I come off the M6 Toll and onto the M54 to Telford and then finally onto the A5 & A458.
The biggest delays will be caused by traffic at peak times, so as long as you time your departure to either leave London quite early or after 9am you'll be fine.
I did it from Essex the other week - left at 4am on Sunday morning and was at the triangle for 8:30am. Spent a few hours driving around and then back home by 4pm.
- Was absolutely knackered at the end of it, but it was worth it!
Watch the A5 though - plenty of cameras (even on a Sunday) and I would say that generally the roads seem to be better early in the morning.
- Was absolutely knackered at the end of it, but it was worth it!
Watch the A5 though - plenty of cameras (even on a Sunday) and I would say that generally the roads seem to be better early in the morning.
Edited by Lemoncurd on Tuesday 29th July 21:20
I've done it a few times recently,..
Leave at 7am and you are there for about 11:30..drive the Horseshoe pass A542 (only takes 10 mins) then drive the triangle and also the B4391 from Bala and cross country to the A5 to return home.
Leaving at 3pm sees you home by about 8pm and knackered.
Leave at 7am and you are there for about 11:30..drive the Horseshoe pass A542 (only takes 10 mins) then drive the triangle and also the B4391 from Bala and cross country to the A5 to return home.
Leaving at 3pm sees you home by about 8pm and knackered.
Mutt said:
Don't do it. The evo triangle is way, way over-rated in my opinion. There are better roads in Wales.
We drove the Evo Triangle last weekend, and then headed south through Wales to pick up the M4 back. And I have to agree. Head out around the Black Mountain; some great roads there.Harry Flashman said:
Mutt said:
Don't do it. The evo triangle is way, way over-rated in my opinion. There are better roads in Wales.
We drove the Evo Triangle last weekend, and then headed south through Wales to pick up the M4 back. And I have to agree. Head out around the Black Mountain; some great roads there.
You read my mind, sir. I did exactly the same thing in May.http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&saddr=Llanga...
ETA: that's the road Clarkson took that horribly vulgar Merc CLK to a couple of weeks ago, in a quest not dissimilar to that of the OP's, oddly enough.
Edited by Mutt on Wednesday 30th July 14:49
Mutt said:
Harry Flashman said:
Mutt said:
Don't do it. The evo triangle is way, way over-rated in my opinion. There are better roads in Wales.
We drove the Evo Triangle last weekend, and then headed south through Wales to pick up the M4 back. And I have to agree. Head out around the Black Mountain; some great roads there. You read my mind, sir. I did exactly the same thing in May.http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&saddr=Llanga...
ETA: that's the road Clarkson took that horribly vulgar Merc CLK to a couple of weeks ago, in a quest not dissimilar to that of the OP's, oddly enough.
Edited by Mutt on Wednesday 30th July 14:49
rev-erend said:
chris7676 said:
Good to hear I'm not the only one who thinks there are better and more accesible roads than the triangle...
Care to name them then ..Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff