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Original poster

Cornwall to London - where to stop over for the night?

35 replies

theonlywayisup33 · 13/04/2021 14:15

Trying to plan our summer holiday back from Penzance (all booked) but we have a dd with SEN and so want to stop over for a night somewhere. DH was thinking of doing two one night stopovers as i understand it is a long journey in the summer but ideally I don't want to do that.
DD cannot spend too long in the car so advice would helpful. This will be for August but we want to book now as it's all so busy.
We can't do any leaving in the early hours - more just 9-10am. So where is good to stop over?

OP posts:

VictoriaLudorum · 13/04/2021 14:16

Wiltshire?

idontlikealdi · 13/04/2021 14:17

The traffic will be horrendous. It took us 9.5 hours to get from Woolacombe to London last summer.

How long will your DD cope with in the car at a time?

Which side of London are you going to be travelling from?

JassyRadlett · 13/04/2021 14:28

I’d be inclined to stop in Yeovil I think. Salisbury a bit too close to London - but depends on which side of London you’re coming from!

The traffic in Cornwall is likely to be the worst (apart from the A303 which will probably be a car park) so you might also want to consider Exeter. There’s a good Premier Inn etc and lots of places to eat. I always find chain hotels easiest for overnight stops.

Shamoo · 13/04/2021 14:29

We always stop in Bristol on the way down but it’s nowhere close to half way, so probably a bad suggestion (we just love it there!)

aibutohavethisusername · 13/04/2021 14:30

Marlborough has a new Premier Inn.

KatherineSiena · 13/04/2021 14:36

How about somewhere around Warminster/Frome? If you wanted to make the overnight trip part of the holiday you could include a visit to Longleat.

There is a range of hotels, travelodges, inns and if you want to spoil yourself the Bishopstrow is a lovely hotel with a pool, nice garden and excellent food.

TheABC · 13/04/2021 14:37

I would split it into mini-trips. If you are coming down the M4, you can see cheddar gorge, visit Avebury stones or drop into Salisbury.

Alternatively, go along the Jurassic coast and stop at a few of the beaches or pick an Air BnB near Portsmouth.

If you can bear to do some driving first thing in the morning, or after 6pm in the evening, you will make better progress in Cornwall. The problem is that the roads are simply not set up for a one-third population increase, most of whom seem to have caravans or massive 4x4 cars.

girlwhowearsglasses · 13/04/2021 14:44

Money no object: - Wooley Grange. Bradford on Avon is near and that's lovely too.

Otherwise Bath or Somerset.

You could also spend time at a NT place like Stourhead - beautiful and half way home.... Stourhead has a pub you can stay at - the Spread Eagle (www.spreadeagleinn.com/)

Also OP we have an SEN child. We have been to Penzance on the overnight train. It's fabulous. You would need to hire a car the other end, but the train journey is an adventure and part of the holiday...

girlwhowearsglasses · 13/04/2021 14:44

link: www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk/

Original poster

theonlywayisup33 · 13/04/2021 14:48

We are going back home to North London

OP posts:

becca3210 · 13/04/2021 14:49

My parents do London to Penzance and stop over in Exeter

peak2021 · 13/04/2021 15:38

I'd second Exeter. The area by the river is somewhere to walk in the evening with your DH and DC.

karmakameleon · 13/04/2021 15:54

@girlwhowearsglasses

Money no object: - Wooley Grange. Bradford on Avon is near and that's lovely too.

Otherwise Bath or Somerset.

You could also spend time at a NT place like Stourhead - beautiful and half way home.... Stourhead has a pub you can stay at - the Spread Eagle (www.spreadeagleinn.com/)

I was going to suggest Bath but if you can get a room the Woolley Grange is meant to be lovely (always been booked out when we’ve tried). Bradford on Avon is a lovely town with enough to do for a day stopover but not manically busy.

nokimandaggie · 13/04/2021 16:08

Hi
Have you thought about flying to Newquay and hiring a car?

Original poster

theonlywayisup33 · 13/04/2021 19:01

@nokimandaggie No that's not really an option - by the time we factor travelling to Heathrow, checking in all the stuff we need to go on holiday, and the cost, it is isn't worth it.

OP posts:

underneaththeash · 13/04/2021 19:20

How long can she manage in the car OP and which day will you be travelling? (Traffic is always lighter Monday-Thursday).

I’ve done the journey with small children many times abc it’s usually not worth the stop. When they were little we’d start at 7am in pajamas stop at Bristol for brekkie, change into normal clothes and usually be at the beach by 12 (with a picnic).

Obviously everything is different in COVID times and you may have a late check in.
Avoid anywhere near Minehead.

TartanPyjamas · 13/04/2021 19:53

We broke up an all day trip from St Ives to Kent with the first stop (on the way back) at Okehampton. It had a really beautiful park which was a perfect stop with a toddler and a dog. I agree with PPs regarding the Cornwall/Devon leg likely to be disproportionately long in time comparison to distance.

Original poster

theonlywayisup33 · 13/04/2021 22:27

The most that she has done is 3.5 hours in a day. I think we could manage 4. That would involve a stop too. Not much I know!

OP posts:

DartmoorChef · 13/04/2021 22:35

Exeter is a great place to take a break as there's things to do and see in the evening. The Quay is really nice with restaurants .

If you are driving down the a303 you could stop at solstice services near stonehenge..

Okehampton is another good point to take a break. There's a lovely youth hostel with en suite family rooms and a great park close by.

MegBusset · 13/04/2021 22:39

When the DC were tiny we drove from East Anglia to Cornwall and stopped in Cheddar. It's a nice town for a wander, you can see the gorge, there was a cheese museum iirc! We stayed in a B and B in the town so could walk to the pub for dinner.

On the way back we did it in one go (6 hours ish) as we just wanted to get home.

OverByYer · 13/04/2021 22:43

Wells in Somerset?

ineedaholidaynow · 13/04/2021 22:50

Does she have any particular likes/dislikes to help plan where would be a good place to stop?

Stillbloodyraining · 13/04/2021 22:58

I drive from near Gatwick to Penzance 2-3 times a year and have stopped overnight at Travelodges at Ilminster (on the A303), Exeter Services (M5) and Okehampton (A30). However that was arriving at bed time and leaving at breakfast time - there is nothing really near any of them to spend time at.

AbstractHeart · 13/04/2021 23:00

@OverByYer

Wells in Somerset?

Oh yes, Wells is lovely!

But also, why not just fly and save yourself the hassle?

moochingtothepub · 13/04/2021 23:04

Perhaps come up the m5 and stop near Cheddar, Weston super mare has a lovely beach for dc to run on. From there it's an easy journey back to London, takes us 2 hours. Having done the route many times the traffic is worst coming out of Cornwall between 9am and midday, I alway leave my parents around 3pm and can go the 180 miles home in 3 hours.

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