To drive from London to Edinburgh on 23rd Dec

[Squaffle]

DH & MIL are Scottish, we live in London and alternate Christmases every year between up there and my family who are just outside London. We’ve not been to Scotland for Christmas since 2019 due to covid and so have a huge Christmas planned this year with all the Scottish family which we’re all really looking forward to.

Way before the strikes were announced we booked an Air BnB on the same road as the family member who is hosting Christmas (no room at the inn there), and always planned to drive up from London on 23rd Dec with MIL and DC6 because flying or getting the train with presents etc would be too much faff.

Now that the strikes have been confirmed, I read yesterday that the Highways Agency is saying people shouldn’t travel on 23rd/24th if they can avoid it, expecting 17m cars on the roads and significant traffic. We’re fine with driving long distances, DC looking forward to having sweets and audiobooks, MIL will
probably sleep. I don’t know what the solution is as we can’t really afford to stay anywhere overnight to break up the journey nor to extend the Air BnB booking… we’re already stretching financially to do this in the first place. We don’t have access to the Air BnB until 3pm so an overnight drive wouldn’t work either.

If we leave London at 6am that might help I guess… and we’re planning to take the route that goes up the west to avoid the M1. Are we mad to even consider it?

Of course you have to drive, how else will you get there.

this might not be an option for you, but my sister lives a 6/7 hour drive away, I used to go to bed early (about8pm) and get up at 2am, load the children to to the car and let them sleep and get there for about 8am.
I tried doing it without the sleep first and was just too exhausted, but I was fine after a sleep and there is no traffic on the road at night. This got more difficult as they got older though.

All the best and don’t stress, you will get there.

Also agree with posters who say M1/A1 rather than M6. Always my preferred drive. I honestly wouldn't bother with an over nighter. I've been known to do this alone with 2dc and just one stop at Doncaster services and arrive in time for lunch

6 hours? It takes an hour to get out of town!!!

Set off early, plenty of breaks and a car picnic.

6 hours? It takes an hour to get out of town!!!

Not if you leave at 4am. 6 hours is a little optimistic but maps are currently timing it as 7h 13 mins and that's in to central London based on daytime traffic. Leave early hours and you cut plenty off that even on busier days

This is what I came to say, we have family in the London area, and live 60 miles north of Edinburgh. When we go to theirs or they come to us, we always leave at 4 and get a good straight run at it and are there by lunchtime

It took me 3 hours to drive from Nottingham to Leeds the other day. It always takes at least 4 hours to get to the south side of Edinburgh from here and that's with no traffic and only a quick 15 minute break.

6/7 hours from London to Edinburgh on what is likely to be one of the busiest travel days of the year, with the added hassle of a train strike is likely to be a significant underestimate.

That's assuming no stopping, and average traffic.

OP stated that they will be stopping and the AA have advised mental traffic.

Google maps is suggesting 6h50m to 9h10m of constant driving, setting off anytime between 4am and 6am.

Just be prepared op. You'll get there when you get there.

Well we’re on the road and well out of London, horrible weather but making great progress so far! Waze says 5.5 hours but I’m sure that’ll increase.

I know you’ll be waiting with baited breath to hear about our snack provision so here goes: mini sausage rolls, baguette with each person’s favourite fillings, hobnobs, mini jaffa cakes, Fox’s glacier fruits, wine gums and about 700 different types of crisp. DD has babybel, oaty bars and rice cakes to add to the list. Desperate for a coffee as I didn’t sleep well but we’ll not be stopping just yet…

Good luck. I came down the a1 last night and the traffic going north was mental. This was 6-9pm when normally much quieter.

Good luck with your journey OP. What way did you decide to go in the end?Agree with pps that A1, A66, M74 and A702 is generally best. Hate most parts of the A1 and aside from the amazing sea view around Berwick it's a dull old drive to Edinburgh once you hit the Borders. The A66 can sometimes be bad though so worth checking on Google Maps. Hope you get there quickly!

Oh OP enjoy! I'm so envious. I spent some christmases in Scotland (near Edinburgh actually) as a child and it was always magical.

Enjoy and merry Christmas!

Good luck! Glad you went for it, enjoy your family Christmas celebrations!

Good luck @Squaffle we’ve delayed our journey until Boxing Day or Tuesday 27th. Dh has man flu so can’t drive atm. Very impressed with your snack provision.

Going out early to buy salmon for the 25th as we weren’t expecting to be home this weekend. Bought my veg yesterday so all set for a quiet, low key day. Enjoy your Christmas and have fun. Safe driving.

Excellent in-car provisions!

Good luck.

McDonalds drive through for coffee?

I feel there should be some sort of tracking device so we can all watch your progress.

Yes, I was going to say McDs (or Greggs, but they always seem to have massive queues) for coffee, they're all much of a muchness as far as I can tell and they're half the price of Costa, Starbucks etc.

Good luck OP, that car picnic sounds great.

Trains are running tomorrow. It's after 6pm they are "striking" but seeing as the service usually closes down around 9/10pm anyway it's not a big difference.

Normal service where I am tomorrow until lunchtime

Update: we’re making excellent progress, had McDs breakfast just after Birmingham and now just leaving loo stop at Tebay. DH is a Waze devotee so we had to stick to it’s suggested route of M40/M42/M6 despite me saying “but but but but said take the M1!”, to be fair it did say that route would take much longer, hopefully not an accident.

It’s been fine so far, a few speed restrictions but not much in the way of traffic. Let’s hope I’ve not jinxed it by saying that! 2.5 hours to go and early check-in to Air BnB sorted!

Sorry to hear about DH, @FlamingJingleBells, hope he is ok and that the man flu is not too testing for you!

That was supposed to say “but but but but Mumsnet said take the M1!”!

Pleased it’s all ok so far, let us know when you’ve got there!

@Squaffle I'm in bed mnetting and drinking coffee while dh is singing badly and throat clearing in the shower....... 🙄

I left Wiltshire at 6.30am and arrived at my friends in Ripon, North Yorkshire at 11am. M1 was good but starting to get busier.

This is exiting.

Can't believe you didn't eat at Tebay. My favourite ever motorway stop.

If they're going up the M74, they could still go to the one further up that's owned by the same company, SOuthwaite I think.