To drive from London to Inverness with 3 children?

[hibbledobble]

It's not quite as crazy as it sounds as we thought we would do several stops en route, doing the journey in maybe 3 legs. (Stopping eg in the Yorkshire dales and near glasgow). Am I crazy or is this achievable?

We are going to Inverness on holiday. Other travel options are sleeper train, regular train (8 hours long), and flying (90 minutes).

Dc are from newborn to 6 months.

Fly. I do that trip regularly, and have done by train or flying. Train takes more than 8 hours, and the best thing about it is the scenery. If you book reasonably in advance flying is also cheaper a lot of the time. We're going from London to Skye (via Inverness to see family) in June and flying then hiring a car.

When I was little we went from the Highlands to Cornwall on holiday, but those were the days when it was considered ok to have kids sleeping in the boot of the car... It was still a long journey, and I threw up in Penrith - I can't imagine that was a lot of fun for my DPs!

Definitely don't do the sleeper train with a baby!

Driving isn't as mad as it might sound, but start EARLY. I once did Dingwall to Cornwall in a day. It wasn't a very pleasant day, but going to bed at 8pm and starting at 4am helped.

To be honest, I'd just fly. It's not a long flight, Inverness airport is small and friendly and there won't be long queues even if you have lots of bags. Hire a car once you're there. Depending on how many of you there are, it may not be TOO much more expensive than flying.

Flights to Aberdeen are often much cheaper, and car hire there may well be cheaper than in Inverness. It's not a long drive from there so perhaps give that option a bit of thought.

If you go on the sleeper you can get adjoining cabins....they will lock one of the doors, open the door in the dividing wall against it, and so access is restricted to the other door

but there isn't much floor/luggage room! ....maybe the littles could top and tail, one adult in the top bunk, and baby and other adult in the other section?

we used to drive overnight from Aberdeen ish to Dorset.

Just fly.

Even if driving looks cheaper, you'll end up spending a fortune in service stations.

We used to do that once or twice a year over 15 years. Loved the sleeper but it's expensive and they can also double book.

Flying - hideous

Driving, left at 7pm with kids in pajamas, swapped over half way.

Wow, this takes me back...

Splurge and take the sleeper. It was the highlight of every summer holiday when I was 6. And there's loads of room for luggage in the guard's van.

I have regularly done 12 hour drives pretty much non stop (petrol, wee, go) since the kids were tiny, on my own. I used to do it overnight, so much much less chance of being stuck in traffic. It was before the advice of limiting time in car seats and they were fine. I would do it, if I were you.

Recently did a 400 mile trip to Edinburgh with 2 year old, 5 month old and older child. We broke the journey with an overnight stop in Newcastle there and back so was roughly 4 hours, stop over, another 4 hours to Edinburgh and same coming home. It was fine! The baby slept for most of it, stopped for changing etc when wr needed to. Go for it!

We flew from Gatwick to Inverness a few days ago and was only £160 for all four of us (one baby). I would definitely fly unless there is a really important reason you need to drive.

Definately wouldn't ever risk a drive that that with a 4 month old it'd be cruel! We did a drive from the North West to Cornwall when DS was 9 weeks and stopped every 2 hours for 30 mins it was hellish! Even sat beside him he was screaming by the time we were an hour away I felt SO SO cruel I was in tears myself and I'd NEVER do anything like that again,infact it was so awful I flew home with DS after the weeks holiday (40 min flight) and my DH drive the car and luggage home by himself.

That's an hour away from destination not from home!

Interesting that there's a balance between fly and drive.

If we drove we wouldn't need to hire a car once we are there, and wouldnt worry about whether all our child related detritus would fit in our luggage. Otoh I don't know if the drive is a good idea.

Dh has the bright idea of driving up with the car while I take the 3 kids on a plane by myself. No thanks!

Definately wouldn't ever risk a drive that that with a 4 month old it'd be cruel!

No, not cruel at all Not all babies cry in the car. One of mine did, two didn't. My 5 month old travels like a dream- maybe the OP's does too.

OP can you split the journey like we did? Travelled to newcastle fri afternoon, had dinner and slept- rest of journey in the morning and in edinburgh by lunchtime

I wouldn't. My parents used to drive us to the south of France and it was awful tbh.

I would leave at bedtime and drive over night when they would be asleep anyway

Both of my kids have screamed for nearly every car journey from 4-7 months so this would have been my idea of hell!

Could he take the eldest (or eldest two) in the car then you'd only have to deal with one (or two) children at the airport? That would make it a lot easier for you and save on air fares.

We've done similar a few times with 3 kids. At that age, we never stopped at service stations. Google maps and find a country park with a good playground near the motorway.

Stop for an hour (stopwatch so it is no more than an hour!), make older ones run about. Take food and feed them once back in the car. Takes up half an hour of travel time and there's no point getting out to stretch your legs but then spend half of it sitting down to eat!

We tend to do 3hr drive, stop, 3hr drive, stop, 4 hr drive just plough on until we get there. So only 2 stops. Obviously with baby you may need another one.

Or split it in to 2 days. Drive after teatime in PJ's. Stop overnight then you can be there by lunchtime next day.

When I was little my family would do Manchester area to Northwest highlands yearly with a stop just outside Glasgow. From London I think 3 stops is definitely doable. Once you're north of Glasgow/Edinburgh there is first fairly quiet motorway and then A roads.

I'm not sure the best route from London....M1 past Newcastle via Edinburgh to Inverness on A9? Newcastle to Edinburgh is about 2.5 hours drive (without stopping though) so you might want to push further north. That depends if Inverness is your final destination or if there's driving still from there. Or first stop before Newcastle so your second day is longer if you see what I mean!

I'd do flying or sleeper train as I'd be ready to be committed into an asylum if I drove with my kids. As much as I love them, the thought of 12+ hours of listening to bickering, 'are we nearly there yet' with a new born would tip me over the edge.

Isn't pile everything you need into the car and drive.

We used to regularly do long car journeys. Mum would pack up a picnic and we'd stop somewhere nice to have food and a really good run a round / play in a play ground.

Lots of things in the car to keep us entertained and we alternated between R4 for mum and dad and audiobooks for us!

Do you have enough days holiday to do an overnight stop, both on the outward and return journey?

Set off very early, having a couple of breaks through the day, aiming to arrive at a pre-chosen halfway point in the early afternoon. Pre book a nice family-friendly hotel (maybe with a kiddie-pool and/or play area, so the older children can have a bit of exercise) early to bed, then set off again early in the morning.

Are you and your OH both drivers?

We do Stranraer to newcastle then down to London in one day. Kids have ipads and lots of stops