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.

I drive to see our family in Tighnabruaich from the south coast in one day. It takes just over nine hours if I take in the M6 toll. I do it in one day, leaving early. I stop every 3 hours or so for a wee, leg stretch and sustenance and drink a lot of water. And I listen to an entire unabridged audiobook on the journey and I absolutely love it.

We've just driven up from north-west London to the Borders with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old (and the dog). We left at 9 and arrived just before 7, so 10 hours and a significantly shorter journey than Kent to Glasgow. I'd definitely stop overnight if I were you. Realistically, with small children, they need stops to run around and have snacks/ go to the toilet. It's never a 'quick stop' with small children in tow.
We went M40/M6 toll which was fine. In terms of places to stop - we stopped at 2 National Trust properties- Charlcote Park near Coventry and Dunham Massey in Cheshire. Both about 10 minutes off the motorway. Easy to park, great facilities, not super busy and loads of space to run off steam.

Having done similar journey recently I would say an overnight stop is advisable, bearing in mind a toddler and only one driver. Both toddler and driver will need breaks so journey longer than just actual driving. It may also depend on your travel day, At the moment with more people holidaying in the UK traffic seems worse than you would expect with people driving to holiday on Friday and Saturday, long journeys North have generally taken us nearly 50% longer than usual this summer. The Waze travel app seems to give good routes to avoid the traffic. We normally do M11 , A1 M route but always check on Waze as leaving in case a major issue on the route. We stop at hotels in Yorkshire area, if you are not in the more touristy areas you can get some good priced hotels, though they are booking up at the moment, we had limited choice this time . If you have national trust or English heritage membership I think for long journeys it can be worth finding one of their sites near to the road you are on. Then you can have a picnic the toddler can have a good run around and it just feels a bit less like you have spent a whole day wasting your life in traffic!

Also from Kent you will have to face the M25 and Dartford crossing, which recently always seems busy even on a Saturday at the moment, recently our average speed on the M25 was 30 miles an hour at 10am on a Friday due to weight of traffic

Also the people saying M1 and they do it in the day will be from West London or similar as being round in Kent with the M25 to face makes M11 best as it takes quite a long time to get from M11 exit to M1 exit especially at the moment

@Hmmmm2018

Also the people saying M1 and they do it in the day will be from West London or similar as being round in Kent with the M25 to face makes M11 best as it takes quite a long time to get from M11 exit to M1 exit especially at the moment

No, a lot of people who have said that are not, including myself. We live on the border of London and Kent and we always do it in a day. The worst part of the journey is leaving London, but once you’ve done that part it’s much easier.

Not saying OP should do it in a day but it’s a big assumption you’re making to say all those who do it in a day are from west London.

@MattyGroves

What's your toddler like in the car? It sounds miserable to me as mine would be ok for 2-3 hours with tablet and a nap but would then just cry.

I would take the train

Same much easier and i have 4 dc

@MsHedgehog

Not saying OP should do it in a day but it’s a big assumption you’re making to say all those who do it in a day are from west London.

Yes sorry I obviously didn't mean everyone saying do it in a day was from the west but there were definitely some who were and it seems likely that significant numbers of others will be too. Also I having driven from Kent to the Midlands and the North this summer I am fed up of journeys that shouldn't be too long being really slow, such as 4 hour journeys taking 7 hours, with the M25 bit being particularly horrid, and even the M11 which is normally fine was pretty bad the other day. Even before covid we found the M25 on a Saturday pretty painful. I think the thing with this is it is all dependent on what you and any car passengers can stand.