Long drive to Cornwall - survival guide

[Playgrind]

We are due to drive to Cornwall from Oxfordshire next week and I am bricking it!

We will have 3 kids under 5 in the back, who are not used to long car journeys, plus cant share the driving with my partner, so theres the worry about getting tired & needing regular breaks.

We are going to aim to set off 5am in the hope to beat the traffic around Bristol. Anyone done this recently that can reassure (or not!)? Or travel tips for the kids?

Ta

Avoid travelling on a Friday/Saturday/Sunday if possible.

Have you looked into going down the A34 and picking up the A303?

We drive Berkshire to Cornwall every couple of months, and I find this route is only for those of iron bladders, zero time pressure. It's more scenic but much riskier than going Bristol - I hear you about the Almondsbury interchange and it can be pretty slow down the M5 but the times we or visiting friends have tried going on the A303 you invariably get stuck behind very slow caravans on the single carriageway sections/people rubbernecking at stonehenge/having an accident due to said rubbernecking and blocking said single carriageway and the services are fewer and further off the road so more time taken looking for a loo when the kids are desperate. And it only takes one mishap to block the whole road for hours and hours.

One memorable time, we set off with 2 cars - it took us 5 hours via Bristol and took my parents and aunt (who was visiting the UK and wanted to see stonehenge from the road) nearly 8 hours on the A303 and my small cousin had to wee in a bottle as there was neither hard shoulder nor services and he couldn't hold it. If you avoid Bristol at busy times by driving early or late, and/or stay on top of the traffic, it's generally better to do M4/M5/A30.

Knew mumsnetters would be ripe for this, full of useful information!

Thank goodness we are not driving from Berwick 😿Guess I'm apprehensive as we managed without regular use of the car for a long time and so aware of having to entertain the kids whilst supporting partner to keep his nerve when driving on unfamiliar roads.

Will go back and read the rest of the thread