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 drive from Dartford to Portsmouth every Monday. I leave at 5.15am and reliably make it in 1hr 30. If I leave at 6 the M25 has turned into a car park and it can take double that.

Sinkhole road has re-opened so one less issue to think about.

7am latest- pack snacks in the car tonight to give DC for breakfast and put them in the car in pyjamas if needs be.

It may actually be less mad as this isn’t the BH weekend, but don’t leave too late. Take loads of water in the car and extra things to eat.

@ATowelAndAPotato

Sinkhole road has re-opened so one less issue to think about.

Ahh that's good. I'm off work this week so have missed my usual heart traffic updates as I travel!

We do this journey very regularly and it is 2.5 hours from SW London (Wimbledon) to Wareham usually.

4 hours on a Friday after school at the start of a bank holiday weekend.

Fastest we have ever done it was just shy of two hours on Christmas Day evening!

Either 7am or 6pm. I live in south Somerset and regularly visit London and Kent pre covid to see family.

Also check because last week the A35 or 31 was closed due to a sink hole somewhere along that way.

That's between Puddletown and Dorchester and is now a nice new bit of resurfaced tarmac.

The train's nice

Left at 8:30 and did it in 3, which is pretty good

Excellent, glad it wasn’t too horrible!