Driving Bristol to Inverness (11 hour trip) any advice?!

[KoyKarp]

We have 3 young DC's and a dog.... Would ideally like to do it with one or two overnight stop overs (to break up journey as youngest is 18 months) but I have no idea where!

We were thinking of maybe leaving at 6pm with kids in PJ's and stopping at travel lodge at 11pm then driving the next 6 hours the following day... Ambitious?!

Your looking at roughly Carlisle area for a stop then. I would say that depending upon the day of the week that you are travelling once you are past Preston area then the traffic gets lighter no matter what time of the day. There is a nice hotel at Tebay Services but it may be more expensive than the travel lodge and there is a travel lodge at Southwaite services which is 10 miles south of Carlisle.

Thank you! Will google it now

Route planner says 11 from me on the south east coast (closer to France than London) to Inverness

Fly?

We have a dog so can't fly, sleeper train looks like a nightmare as would nee dto change about 4 times!

Carlisle to Inverness is very do-able in a day; done it a fair few times and usually need 2 stops, though on occasion have done 3. Places to stop between Carlisle and Glasgow are not particularly brilliant.. Moffat is a slight detour and there is a fab scottish/italian style cafe

Good stopping places with young kids beyond Glasgow include Blackford (there's a kind of retail centre with some decent cafes); in Perth we often stop at Tiso at the Inveralmond roundabout or at Dobbies (turn of to A85; but avoid at lunch time as it can get crowded with bus tours). Just beyond the Birnam institute (take first turn-off into Birnam) is really nice and a walk through the gardens will let you hunt for Peter Rabbit statues.. good leg stretcher for young children. The Bankfoot restaurant just before Birnam is OK'ish and has a wee playpark outside

The allium garden centre & cafe at the Aberfeldy turn-off is good; Pitlochry festival theatre good for emergency stops and a wander to the dam. House of Bruar massive tourist trap, but the playpark can come in useful and the toilets are very posh. Over Drumochter Ralia is a good stop for a cup of tea. Aviemore has lots of places, but mostly the Italian restaurant opposite the turn-off towards Cairngorm is a useful stop for a quick eat with young kids if you get caught out by teatime

By that time you'll be nearly there, but if you get caught out the Dairy house at Tomatin is a good bet

here ends the definitive list of places to stop on the A9

just noticed the dog - you could try the hermitage just beyond Dunkeld for a slightly longer walk. Really lovely place

I would have said its shorter than 11 hours but I guess that would account for the stops. I tend to try to get as far north as I can before I stop despite the moaning.

I agree that there is not much between Carlisle and Glasgow to do. I stop at Gretna outlet centre sometimes for variety. North of Perth you have a good choice but all townish based so you will have leave the dog in the car unless you walk off the main road. Pitlochry by the river is nice.

Make sure you include a stop at Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria.....simply the best.

Premier Inns are much nicer than Travel Lodges and for about the same price.

Thanks guys. Premier Inn does look good but they don't accept pets unfortunately!

We do a similar journey every year, and break it overnight at my parents in Glasgow. Do you not have any friends you could "visit" somewhere between Carlisle and Stirling? Alternatively, we sometimes take tent and drive till late, throw tent up in about 10 mins (skip the guys unless the weather's bad), bed mats and sleeping bags, then up and off in 30 mins in morning. Is that possible for you?

I recommend paying toll to go on Birmingham by pass. Stopping overnight at Preston. Marriot is fab.

You could do with one overnight otherwise Pitlochry would be my choice for 2nd night.

Strathclyde park south of Glasgow good place for dog walk.

Hth

I'd leave late afternoon with kids in joggers and t-shirts and drive until Glasgow. Leaves you with 3 hours to do in the morning. A9 is pretty but incredibly dull for small children and can be tedious (single carriageway, loads of lorries, high percentage of drivers are lunatics).