M25 J9 to M62 J4

[justtryingtofindsomeadvice]

M25 J9 to M62 J4

I live in Essex and I'm working in Liverpool on Friday evening/Saturday. My boyfriend offered to drive us on Friday morning for a little road trip for the weekend, then back Sunday evening. This is our first road trip together.

I'd like to surprise him with a route that hits all his driving pleasure criteria - bends, forests, backroads and independent pubs to have a break at. But as a non-driver I have no experience with planning a good driving route, so I've ended up making an account here to ask for some advice. He has a mx5 nb.

Schedule

• Friday - leave at 10am, aim to arrive in Liverpool before 4pm
• Sunday - leave Liverpool at 9am, leisurely drive through scenic routes, aim to be back home at 8pm (he has to drive back to his place on M3 J12, so can't come back too late)

Questions

• What should I look out for when planning a route?
• Does anyone have any nearby off-route suggestions?
• Are the 'Forestry England' scenic drives worthwhile?
• What driving amenities should I consider putting on the map?
• What are the best snacks to avoid big mess/spills?
• What things should I bring to make the driving journey more comfortable?
• Do you think we could take a nice driving route through parts of Wales?

Correct me if I'm wrong

• On Friday we should take the M6 toll
• On Sunday we should 100% book lunch at a pub for Sunday roast
• I shouldn't complain if he plays an awful playlist during part of the trip

I really appreciate any advice. I've looked at a few posts about drives near Liverpool, and I found most were above the city which I'd like to avoid as we need to drive back south. Looking forward to learning and hopefully this will be the first of many road trips to come!

[mattvanders]

If it was me (and I will say this from living in Essex and head up to Peak District/Leeds area) a fair amount with family up there) I always try just just to drive up and back on the motorways. The only bit that I can think of that you could drive for a bit of a nicer drive is across a57 for some scenery but it’s now got average speed cameras (not a problem for an mx5 (I’m not saying this in a negative manner). If it was me and you can add an extra day to the drive is do a north to south (or other way round) of Wales. If not, send him out for a north wales loop on Saturday while you are working.

[johnpsanderson]

mattvanders said:

If it was me (and I will say this from living in Essex and head up to Peak District/Leeds area) a fair amount with family up there) I always try just just to drive up and back on the motorways. The only bit that I can think of that you could drive for a bit of a nicer drive is across a57 for some scenery but it s now got average speed cameras (not a problem for an mx5 (I m not saying this in a negative manner). If it was me and you can add an extra day to the drive is do a north to south (or other way round) of Wales. If not, send him out for a north wales loop on Saturday while you are working.

Would broadly agree (have done Essex->Peak District and Essex->Stoke on Trent many times over the last 15/20 years).

The one option I would consider, purely because I know the roads and used them a lot to go back and forth, would be to come down the M6 to Knutsford and then turn off towards Macclesfield. From here you want to head to Buxton with several options including: via the Goyt Valley (some of which is one way from memory); over the Cat and Fiddle (A537); or taking the A523 south from Macclesfield until you turn left on the A54, which will join back up with the A537 before you descend into Buxton.

Before Buxton turn right/left to pick up Grinlow Road to go over to Harpur Hill then use the smaller lanes to go via Millers Dale; Tideswell; Bradwell into the Hope Valley.

Or go through Buxton to Doveholes, Sparrowpit and down Winnats Pass into the Hope Valley.

From the Hope Valley go via Bamford and Ladybower to take the A57 towards Sheffield then turn left onto “The Strines” (Mortimer Road). This takes you eventually to the A616 which you can use to go straight back to the M1 and head home.

Equally you can just turn back into the Peak District and spend as long as you want going back and forth. I won’t suggest anymore roads; there are so many and I only know a handful of them really.

[johnpsanderson]

PS, I would not bother with the Toll. The cost has always grated compared to the time saving it actually affords…!

[Mr Tidy]

I don't bother with the Toll road either. It feels like I'm going quite a long way out of my way to get to it and have to use more of the M42 to get back to the M40 than I'd like so it doesn't feel like overall I've saved any/much time. Plus it isn't cheap any more.

[Steve Campbell]

With your 11 hour time window on Sunday, I d consider going home the long way by heading west into North Wales and look for routes south through Snowdonia.

Something like > Liverpool, Conwy, Betws-y-coed, Dolgellau, Aberystwyth, Leominster, Worcester, Stow on the wold, Oxford, home

It’s a long day driving to do that so you might need to share the driving.

Edited by Steve Campbell on Friday 7th November 08:10

[Red Devil]

johnpsanderson said:

The one option I would consider, purely because I know the roads and used them a lot to go back and forth, would be to come down the M6 to Knutsford and then turn off towards Macclesfield. From here you want to head to Buxton with several options including: via the Goyt Valley (some of which is one way from memory); over the Cat and Fiddle (A537); or taking the A523 south from Macclesfield until you turn left on the A54, which will join back up with the A537 before you descend into Buxton.

This would be my choice instead of Macclesfield - https://maps.app.goo.gl/mzZRqZkDQW9D8ktJ6
If only for the 180° panoramic view from The Nab on Monks Road - https://maps.app.goo.gl/KcyKkVJDwXXG2cXAA

johnpsanderson said:

Before Buxton turn right/left to pick up Grinlow Road to go over to Harpur Hill then use the smaller lanes to go via Millers Dale; Tideswell; Bradwell into the Hope Valley.

Or go through Buxton to Doveholes, Sparrowpit and down Winnats Pass into the Hope Valley.

From the Hope Valley go via Bamford and Ladybower to take the A57 towards Sheffield then turn left onto The Strines (Mortimer Road). This takes you eventually to the A616 which you can use to go straight back to the M1 and head home.

Equally you can just turn back into the Peak District and spend as long as you want going back and forth. I won t suggest anymore roads; there are so many and I only know a handful of them really.

Winnats Pass.

The last time I visited Buxton this was my return route to the A1 then back home to Kent - https://maps.app.goo.gl/QVNc2WwVgQjp1W5y9

[mattvanders]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1VeSsdfEnwm...

Something like this, might be a bit too much to do in a day on your own (including driving back to Essex as that at least another 3 hours drive from the bridge) but split up between the two of you should be a good option. There are options to cut out a few bits make the drive shorter.

[RammyMP]

Hi! I thought I’d revive this thread instead of starting a new one. I’m heading to Wembley at the weekend either down the M1 or the M40 (from oop north). My question is can you get up to cruising speed on the M40 for longer as the M1 has speed cameras near enough all the way from the midlands to London?

If I go down the M1 I’ll park at Stanmore, if the M40 I’ll park at Ickenham then get the tube to Wembley.

Cheers!

[mattvanders]

RammyMP said:

Hi! I thought I d revive this thread instead of starting a new one. I m heading to Wembley at the weekend either down the M1 or the M40 (from oop north). My question is can you get up to cruising speed on the M40 for longer as the M1 has speed cameras near enough all the way from the midlands to London?

If I go down the M1 I ll park at Stanmore, if the M40 I ll park at Ickenham then get the tube to Wembley.

Cheers!

Depending on how far up north would be my biggest decision on route. I was up in Manchester a few weeks back and did both routes up the m1, across A50 by Derby to join on the M6 to avoid Birmingham. Both M1 and M40 get bizzy as you approach the m25. Also the speed cameras on the m1 are only active when the speed limit drops from 70 down to anything else

[mmm-five]

RammyMP said:

Hi! I thought I d revive this thread instead of starting a new one. I m heading to Wembley at the weekend either down the M1 or the M40 (from oop north). My question is can you get up to cruising speed on the M40 for longer as the M1 has speed cameras near enough all the way from the midlands to London?

If I go down the M1 I ll park at Stanmore, if the M40 I ll park at Ickenham then get the tube to Wembley.

Cheers!

There seems to be very little in it when I used to do my normal Sunday/Monday evening commute from Liverpool to my digs in Brentford.

Average was 3h30m to 4h depending on weather/roadworks/closures. Biggest variations for me were the M25 (earlier accidents would cause hours of jams), and M6 (as evening/weekend roadworks could close whole sections between multiple junctions).

[chriscoates]

The M40 is the best motorway in the UK IMO - living in Sheffield means I don't need to use it all that much, but no smart motorways and a high average traffic speed is a world away from the M1.

On a side note, if you are happy to do some walking, look up the Wembley event parking zone and work out where you can park outside of that. I've been several times and parked in the area to the east of Fryent Country Park and just walked down - it takes 25mins to get to the start of Wembley Way. It allows you to avoid the crowds going for the tube and paying for parking at Stanmore. Reaching that area is easiest from the M1 though

[RammyMP]

Thanks chaps! It’s only me and my lad so I might look to park outside of the restriction zone and have a walk!

Cheers!

[geeks]

mattvanders said:

Also the speed cameras on the m1 are only active when the speed limit drops from 70 down to anything else

This isn't true by the way! The cameras are always on, has been proved on here many many times over!

For the OP be wary of the bridges on the approach to and south of Brackley/Biscester, they love to be parked up on them checking the speeds, they were there the other weekend and manged to nab 180 people in an hour or 2 (was published in Banbury Gazette I think)