Driving from London to Scotland

[jtaime]

Not an AIBU but am posting for traffic (no pun intended) as really need advice!

We’re driving from London (Kent border) to Glasgow next month with our toddler son. DH will be driving all the way as I don’t drive. He’s not keen on driving after dark so we will be travelling in daylight hours only.

Googlemaps is saying that it takes about 7.5 hours door to door and it’s a 420 mile journey.

A few questions…

1. Can we do the journey in one day or is it just too far/mentally draining for one person?

2. Google is suggesting one of two routes: either the M11 followed by the A1; or the M1 then onto the A1 at Doncaster. I believe both options have tolls. Which route would you recommend?

3. Does anyone have any tips on places to stop for coffee, lunch or overnight on the way?

Any other advice, tips or knowledge about these roads would be thoroughly appreciated as we’re a bit unsure!

Many thanks.

My brother does a similar drive a few times a year with his wife and kids. They leave at 8am and arrive around 5ish usually, including a stop or two. They've done it ever since the kids were babies and we've been to visit them too - DD was 2 the first time and it was completely fine.

www.justoffjunction.co.uk/

Just found that my previous website no longer seems to exist, I've not used it for ages, the is an alternative.

@JudgeJ

www.offmotorway.com/index.htm

This is a wonderful site for cheap fuel etc rather than [aying the prices on the motorways etc..
Why are people going up the A1 when Glasgow is so far west? Remember, even Edinburgh is west of Bristol!

We use the A1 because we live about 7 miles away from it. We then go across the A66, up the M6 and the M74 (to go the the west coast of Scotland)

I'd do the m11 over the m1 every time, no particular reason, I just prefer the m11 😂

I'd do it in 1 day and break it down into 2hr stints.

In my opinion it's far too much for one person especially if they don't like driving in the dark and you have a toddler. Just stay over somewhere to break up the journey.

Even if my DP and I were both driving in turns we would break up the trip

We'd set off early morning, M1 then M6, stop off at Tatton Park, Knutsford cheshire, for the afternoon, then stay overnight at Premier Inn (the nearest is Northwich, its not far off the motorway.
Then finish the journey, nice and refreshed the next day.

We did a similar journey and stopped at Wakefield for the night. There is a free coal mining museum near there which we visited which was fab, there is also the north Yorkshire sculpture park which also looked great.

A lot of people suggesting Tebay services but having stopped there twice in recent months for a quick loo break I would avoid. It was rammed.

Check for road works between Scotch Corner and Penrith before going thisway.
Darlington is a good stop off point. Avoid York too busy.

@rainingcats

A lot of people suggesting Tebay services but having stopped there twice in recent months for a quick loo break I would avoid. It was rammed.

Tebay has been rammed every time we have visited but might be OK in Sept?

Having done this trip for about 25 years I can safely say A1 = NO

M1
M6
M74
M8
Kiss the ground and get yourself a roll n sausage

@TheWholeJingbang

Having done this trip for about 25 years I can safely say A1 = NO

M1
M6
M74
M8
Kiss the ground and get yourself a roll n sausage

Maybe a square sausage and tattie scone instead!

@SeoultoSeoul

Yes fair point it may not be as busy in September. It is a lovely service station and worth checking out but I was shocked at how busy it has been recently.

I did Sunderland to Canterbury recently and it took almost 11 hours with traffic. I wish I'd booked a stopover somewhere.

I'd break the journey.

Yes perfectly fine in a day.

Yes, you can do it in a day. We go to SIL near Dunoon from Reading in a day. If you use the M6, pay the toll and take the toll section. It is worth every penny.

Take the train? Can potter up and down when toddler is bored. Toilets on demand. Hot drinks on demand

We do this too. Starting basically from the A1 so the A66 is as good a way as going across to the M6 as any.

If I wasn't planning a stop on the way, from South East of London I'd look at what Google maps suggested on departure and take a view depending on what the M25 was doing...

Having done London to Edinburgh with five children, sometimes on my own, I think you have to set your expectations with them when they are still very young, otherwise you are building up a lifetime of being dictated to.

Seriously, if you are just talking one toddler, distract them with healthy snacks and little books. We didn’t have this when my elder children were young, but electronics.

We've just returned from Scotland. It took over an hour to get through Glasgow alone due to road works and traffic.
All motorways are really busy at the moment and regardless of what Google maps says, I would suggest adding at least 90 mins for traffic and services stops

We stopped for a night just outside Blackpool on our way there.

Should say Glasgow traffic was worse going in than returning.

@StoneofDestiny

York is hellish for parking and very expensive for accommodation.

But there are Premier Inns on the outskirts which are very well placed for the park and rides. There is actually no reason for traffic in York to be hellish because of the P&R and the fantastic bus services, but people still insist on driving into the centre.

However, M6 side is better than A1 side - the suggestion of the Premier Inn at Wigan is a good shout as we used to stay local to there when my dad lived there.

@DerAlteMann

Yes, you can do it in a day. We go to SIL near Dunoon from Reading in a day. If you use the M6, pay the toll and take the toll section. It is worth every penny.

Do you drive at 100mph or what? How can you do that in a day? Just to get from Dunoon to Glasgow is a trek.

And maybe if people did break stupidly long journeys there would be fewer accidents. My DH said his dad drove from Inverness to Kent in one day once to save money on a hotel.

Why are people going up the A1 when Glasgow is so far west

because Kent is east, but I would also choose the M40/M6/M74 route.