Last minute: Liverpool to Cornwall
Discussion
Hi All,
Driving from Liv down to Cornwall crack of dawn Monday. First time I’ve ever headed that direction.
Any not-too-out-the-way roads I should be aiming to hit on the way or when I get there? Everything I’ve heard so far simply suggests many hours of misery and motorhomes - surely there has to be one little gem en-route?
Thanks in advance
Driving from Liv down to Cornwall crack of dawn Monday. First time I’ve ever headed that direction.
Any not-too-out-the-way roads I should be aiming to hit on the way or when I get there? Everything I’ve heard so far simply suggests many hours of misery and motorhomes - surely there has to be one little gem en-route?
Thanks in advance
Depends on how much of a hurry you're in. A49 Whitchurch-Shrewsbury-Hereford-Chepstow if you have plenty of time. After the Severn Bridge just use the M5 down through Somerset to Exeter and then A30 to Bodmin.
Edited to add - M6/M5 junction is usually best avoided if at all possible; Stafford-Telford-Bridgenorth-Kidderminster-Bromsgrove can be OK, though I've not done that for a long time.
if you still have plenty of time, leave the M5 at J24 and take the A39 to Minehead and down the north coast of Devon to Bude. Traffic on a Monday in that direction through the Southwest shouldn't be too bad.
Edited to add - M6/M5 junction is usually best avoided if at all possible; Stafford-Telford-Bridgenorth-Kidderminster-Bromsgrove can be OK, though I've not done that for a long time.
if you still have plenty of time, leave the M5 at J24 and take the A39 to Minehead and down the north coast of Devon to Bude. Traffic on a Monday in that direction through the Southwest shouldn't be too bad.
Edited by Lily the Pink on Saturday 1st August 20:29
I do something similar quite regularly (to near Launceston), but it takes so long if I divert to have a bit of fun that I've started just bombing down the motorways.
Staying on motorways (M62 to M6 to M5 to A30 to A388) and leaving at 6am on a Saturday or Sunday morning takes 4h30m for the 290 miles from near Liverpool Airport.
Taking any other routes just adds hours to it, but if I'm ahead of schedule or my mate asks me to turn up a bit later due to family still being their, then I'll just pop off the motorway for a stop or diversion depending on how long he wants me to delay.
If I'm already past Gloucester and need to kill a couple of hours I will come off towards Stroud and drive around a bit of the Cotswolds to wards Tetbury and Castle Combe, then skirt around Bath and then back across the A39 or A38 to the M5.
BUT, I try not to go in the peak of summer holidays, or when there's likely to be a rush of people heading anywhere after being released from lockdown/quarantine/travel restrictions.
If I want to stay mostly off the motorways (and add 90-120 mins to the journey), then I drive straight down the middle of Wales to Chepston and across the bridge to join the M5 near Bristol. I come off the M56, skirt around Chester and take the A483 to Builth Wells and leave it for the A470 and A479 (staying on the A470 is quicker, but the A479 is an alternate route) to Crickhowell - Abergavenny - Raglan - Usk - M4 - bridge - M5.
The A470/A479 triangle around Brecon/Crickhowell/Talgarth was a favourite route (usually taking in the B4560 road from the Head of the Valleys road from Ebbw if I wanted more of a challenge) when I was working down there for a few months.
Staying on motorways (M62 to M6 to M5 to A30 to A388) and leaving at 6am on a Saturday or Sunday morning takes 4h30m for the 290 miles from near Liverpool Airport.
Taking any other routes just adds hours to it, but if I'm ahead of schedule or my mate asks me to turn up a bit later due to family still being their, then I'll just pop off the motorway for a stop or diversion depending on how long he wants me to delay.
If I'm already past Gloucester and need to kill a couple of hours I will come off towards Stroud and drive around a bit of the Cotswolds to wards Tetbury and Castle Combe, then skirt around Bath and then back across the A39 or A38 to the M5.
BUT, I try not to go in the peak of summer holidays, or when there's likely to be a rush of people heading anywhere after being released from lockdown/quarantine/travel restrictions.
If I want to stay mostly off the motorways (and add 90-120 mins to the journey), then I drive straight down the middle of Wales to Chepston and across the bridge to join the M5 near Bristol. I come off the M56, skirt around Chester and take the A483 to Builth Wells and leave it for the A470 and A479 (staying on the A470 is quicker, but the A479 is an alternate route) to Crickhowell - Abergavenny - Raglan - Usk - M4 - bridge - M5.
The A470/A479 triangle around Brecon/Crickhowell/Talgarth was a favourite route (usually taking in the B4560 road from the Head of the Valleys road from Ebbw if I wanted more of a challenge) when I was working down there for a few months.
Good stuff. Well the redruth to helston Road is pretty decent if clear. While you’re that way, the road out the the Lizard is quite good fun as well.
If you really fancy a trip, head to Penzance, follow the road all the way to St Ives then head from St Ives to lands end on the B3306. Lovely road and lots of nice little villages to see along the way.
If you really fancy a trip, head to Penzance, follow the road all the way to St Ives then head from St Ives to lands end on the B3306. Lovely road and lots of nice little villages to see along the way.
Helston to Hayle road is also pretty decent, but as mentioned above, you're going to see a fair bit of traffic here during daytime.
Late evening quietens down a fair bit.
Another good run (although fairly short), is Hayle to Portreath along the coast road, particularly from Godrevy to Portreath.
Enjoy!
Late evening quietens down a fair bit.
Another good run (although fairly short), is Hayle to Portreath along the coast road, particularly from Godrevy to Portreath.
Enjoy!
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