Advice on timing for driving London to Dorset coast tomorrow

[TheViewFromTheCheapSeats]

I’ve promised to see family and agreed tomorrow, but now it’s hot I’m worried the journey is going to be hell (been there before...).
I can arrive there any time tomorrow morning- evening and leaving from North London (Finsbury Park). I just have to be there Saturday early for a birthday for definite.
What’s the best time to leave and not spend ages in traffic?

I'm assuming you can't drive down tonight so I'd get an early night and set off very early tomorrow morning. I don't know if you use Wayze but it's really good at suggesting times to avoid because of congestion.

Either leave ridiculously late the night before or ridiculously early in the morning.

Argh, that bad?
I can’t tonight, 4 kids with me and it’s too much to lump on them an extra night

if i were you i would leave at 7:30am.

I would leave tonight and stay in a hotel halfway, if possible.

If that's not possible, I wouldn't leave any later than 7am.

It's not that hot in Dorset

I would just leave when you're ready and have plenty of entertainment and snacks for the children and make a few pit stops rather than getting up really early.
Google is showing leaving now as 3 hours to Poole or 3.5 hours to Weymouth but might be a bit longer on a Friday.
Or get the train.

Check on Google Maps on your laptop (not the phone app). There’s a drop down you can choose which allows you to check typical timings at different times of day.

Now?

Tbh I don't think it will make any difference, it's been carnage down here all week, just pick a time and go for it.

The real killer which you would do best to avoid will be going home on Sunday. It's usually a car park all the way from Bournemouth to Ringwood and sometimes through the forest as far as The M27.

Good luck OP

Which bit of Dorset? Makes a difference if it's Bournemouth or Lyme Regis.

The traffic was awful last weekend. In clear traffic, I'd probably leave 3h to get to Dorchester. If you can arrive any time tomorrow, I'd probably leave around 9am, expecting to arrive early afternoon. If the traffic is clear, you can take a more scenic route, or just arrive earlier. Also, look at alternative routes. I went from Basingstoke to Romsey on Monday - M3/M27 was very slow, but the A33/A3090 was fine.

Near Wareham.
Can’t afford hotels: trains etc.

My relative left from Guildford area at 7.30am a couple of days ago and was in Bournemouth by 9.

You’ll be fine if you just leave early. 7-7.30am.

Google says around 3-4 hours drive on a Friday from London to Wareham.

But bare in mind it's half term so it will be much busier, especially as everyone is holidaying in the UK instead of abroad.

If you have to travel from North London you need to either leave before 6.30am or after 10am to miss the rush hour. If you leave between 7.00 and 9.00 you will spend as long travelling the first 30 odd miles as you will the final 90 or so.

I'd leave around 6am/6:30am and you'll have nice empty roads

I think you’ll have to just accept that it’s likely to be busy no matter when you go. I think your best bet is to leave at around 6am, what road would you take? The 303 is likely to be rammed.

@Confusedandshaken yes, the M25 is a worry... but watching it today it just got worse and worse until 1pm!

@iampotato pass 😬

We did it Monday (from not far from Finsbury Park), left at 11am, and it took more than an hour to get out of London. Then the motorways were busy, satnav took us through Salisbury. Total was 5 hours including a 20 min lunch stop to get to Lyme Regis. Probably don't leave at 11am!

Try to leave by 7am. I would drive along the Euston Road and get onto the A316 (which then becomes the M3). Then you avoid the M25.

Leave at 5.30/6am. We do this journey a lot and it is the only way, I’m afraid....

We left from near Heathrow for Weymouth last Saturday at 10am ans got to the hotel at about 2.30 (one stop at Winchester services). The M3 was just slow, the A31 was worse.....

Leave as early as you can and mentally plan for traffic. Tomorrow should be better than last weekend as it is not a bank holiday weekend.

Drive back was lovely by the way!

I'd go M27 way but be aware it's 50mph limits along most due to roadworks.

Also check because last week the A35 or 31 was closed due to a sink hole somewhere along that way. Cant remember exactly where because I haven't travelled that far west so far this year!