London to Cornwall
London to Cornwall
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RiccardoG

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
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I have a "do" in deep Cornwall this weekend and will be setting off from London on Saturday. Apart from getting up damn early, any tips on roads to take or avoid?

I am unsure as to whether start by taking the M4 to Bristol then M5 or alternatively take the M3. Either one less likely to have traffic?

Also, once the M-ways finish, any decent free flowing roads? Just keen to avoid big traffic mostly, and have a bit of fun second, if possible!

Thanks in advance.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

142 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
London-Cornwall. At a weekend. In July.

And you want to know fun free-flowing routes?

RiccardoG

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
Mr 2CV.... if you don't have anything of value to add... then don't!! rolleyes

Edited by RiccardoG on Wednesday 6th July 19:44

Butter Face

32,924 posts

176 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
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New dual carriageway bear Bodmin will hold you up.

The rest shouldn't be too bad, where in deepest darkest are you heading??

RiccardoG

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all

Thanks for the tip, going to St Mawes (seems far on the map, thats all I know of it...).

Butter Face

32,924 posts

176 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
Very nice, but yes it's the arse end of nowhere.

If you want a nicer drive down you could head down the A38 to Plymouth, then past liskeard, through st Austell to St Mawes.

Otherwise the normal route would be down the A30 as far as Lanivet then pick up the A391 and across to your destination.

Are you staying at a hotel there?

spookly

4,286 posts

111 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
As someone who lives in the South West and often drives to Cornwall in the summer..... Leave EARLY. Not just a bit early, very EARLY. Aim to arrive before 9am or even earlier if you can.

The carnage that is the roads in that area once the tourists arrive is not worth sitting in, even if it means losing sleep.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

142 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
spookly said:
As someone who lives in the South West and often drives to Cornwall in the summer..... Leave EARLY. Not just a bit early, very EARLY. Aim to arrive before 9am or even earlier if you can.

The carnage that is the roads in that area once the tourists arrive is not worth sitting in, even if it means losing sleep.
Careful. I got shot down for suggesting it might not be a fun journey because of traffic...

egor110

17,510 posts

219 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
O/P have you looked into flying to newquay airport?

RiccardoG

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
Butter Face said:
Very nice, but yes it's the arse end of nowhere.

If you want a nicer drive down you could head down the A38 to Plymouth, then past liskeard, through st Austell to St Mawes.

Otherwise the normal route would be down the A30 as far as Lanivet then pick up the A391 and across to your destination.

Are you staying at a hotel there?
Brilliant, just the kind of info I was looking for! I had seen that way as an altedrnative and was indeed wondering if its worth going that way.

Yep, staying there at the Tresanton (friend's wedding), apparently its very nice!

spookly said:
As someone who lives in the South West and often drives to Cornwall in the summer..... Leave EARLY. Not just a bit early, very EARLY. Aim to arrive before 9am or even earlier if you can.

The carnage that is the roads in that area once the tourists arrive is not worth sitting in, even if it means losing sleep.
Best I can do is 5:00am departure from London, which I suppose means I'll be in Exeter around 8:00am? Not looking forward to coming back on the Sunday mind!!

RiccardoG

Original Poster:

1,717 posts

288 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
egor110 said:
O/P have you looked into flying to newquay airport?
I just did, but unfortunately Stanstead/Newquay leaves too late in the day (15:30)... Plus, its the first "road trip" I'm doing in the 911 this year, so was kind of looking forward to driving.

Butter Face

32,924 posts

176 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
Tresanton is lovely (as is the Idle Rocks). I don't know what parking is like there, St Mawes is pretty tiny.

Not guaranteeing that route won't have traffic, but it's quite good fun.

egor110

17,510 posts

219 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
RiccardoG said:
egor110 said:
O/P have you looked into flying to newquay airport?
I just did, but unfortunately Stanstead/Newquay leaves too late in the day (15:30)... Plus, its the first "road trip" I'm doing in the 911 this year, so was kind of looking forward to driving.
We were down there last week and around bodmin is st due to road works.

On way home we got to the roadworks in 2 miles signs and the traffic was already stopped so we headed onto the a39 to Plymouth.

If it's your 1st roadtrip and you have time come off the motorway at taunton and cut over exmoor then into devon before picking up the m5 again or take the north devon link road to bude then onto newquay.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

142 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
RiccardoG said:
Best I can do is 5:00am departure from London, which I suppose means I'll be in Exeter around 8:00am?
<chuckle>

Iva Barchetta

44,044 posts

179 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
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Iva Barchetta said:
TooMany2cvs said:
RiccardoG said:
Best I can do is 5:00am departure from London, which I suppose means I'll be in Exeter around 8:00am?
<chuckle>
In my previous job I had an occasional delivery in Saltash ,Cornwall.

Would leave London suburbs at 4am and be there in 4 to 4.5 hours so could be doable.

Driving a 7.5t,using the A303 every time.

ScoobyChris

2,003 posts

218 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
We were down in Paignton, Devon last week. We drove down M4/M5 after rush hour on Thursday and then did Lands End (A38/A30) on the Friday morning and back in the afternoon without any major dramas. Only suggestion I'd make is to keep eyes open for cameras bizarrely positioned on only overtaking opportunities along the way.

Chris

Red Devil

13,305 posts

224 months

Wednesday 6th July 2016
quotequote all
egor110 said:
If it's your 1st roadtrip and you have time come off the motorway at taunton and cut over exmoor then into devon before picking up the m5 again or take the north devon link road to bude then onto newquay.
Not very practical for the OP though given his destination is St Mawes.

An option if he has time and wants a more interesting route than miles of d/c is to head over Dartmoor.
Come off the A30 at Ide
B3212 to Moretonhampstead and Two Bridges
B3357 to Tavistock
A390 to Liskeard

Then A38/A390/B3287/A3078 to St Mawes.


spookly

4,286 posts

111 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
RiccardoG said:
Butter Face said:
Very nice, but yes it's the arse end of nowhere.

If you want a nicer drive down you could head down the A38 to Plymouth, then past liskeard, through st Austell to St Mawes.

Otherwise the normal route would be down the A30 as far as Lanivet then pick up the A391 and across to your destination.

Are you staying at a hotel there?
Brilliant, just the kind of info I was looking for! I had seen that way as an altedrnative and was indeed wondering if its worth going that way.

Yep, staying there at the Tresanton (friend's wedding), apparently its very nice!

spookly said:
As someone who lives in the South West and often drives to Cornwall in the summer..... Leave EARLY. Not just a bit early, very EARLY. Aim to arrive before 9am or even earlier if you can.

The carnage that is the roads in that area once the tourists arrive is not worth sitting in, even if it means losing sleep.
Best I can do is 5:00am departure from London, which I suppose means I'll be in Exeter around 8:00am? Not looking forward to coming back on the Sunday mind!!
Don't worry about the Sunday, you'll get back Monday :-)

spookly

4,286 posts

111 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
RiccardoG said:
Best I can do is 5:00am departure from London, which I suppose means I'll be in Exeter around 8:00am?
<chuckle>
Nah, you *could* do that. But it requires a fairly clear run and less than legal speeds.

spookly

4,286 posts

111 months

Thursday 7th July 2016
quotequote all
egor110 said:
If it's your 1st roadtrip and you have time come off the motorway at taunton and cut over exmoor then into devon before picking up the m5 again or take the north devon link road to bude then onto newquay.
Great road between Porlock and Lynmouth then over the top into Devon.

But, if concerned about traffic this route makes it about 90 minutes or more between motorway junctions which would take 20 minutes at 80mph. Even if you really crack on then you'll struggle to average 50mph... unless you're on two wheels.

I think I just found the solution.... you need a power ranger outfit and a Yamaha R1