Driving from London to Edinburgh - best route and overnight stop?

[ChippyMinton]

I have two days to spend driving up to Edinburgh, with DC 11 & 10.

Planning to set off early on day 1 and be at Edinburgh airport around teatime on day 2 to pick up DH.

Any suggestions for an overnight stop somewhere nice? The lakes?

TIA

[Asteria]

All 3 of those roads are single carriageway really (there may be a bit of dual on A!, but haven't driven that way for years). The A697 is a bit more windy than the A68 so I would go with the latter for preference (also DS's horrible father lives up the A697 so I avoid it like the plague!!)

[Bunbaker]

OH is from one of the villages on the A697.

[ChippyMinton]

You lot are fab, thank you.

Going to do York for a night.
Then potter up to the airport.

And the Lakes on the way back, Friday and Saturday nights.

Any hotel suggestions for either location?

[Northernlurker]

There is a Travelodge in York v close to the Castle Museum and Jorvik. Also a novotel at that end of town. Do you want cheap and cheerful or posh?

[ChippyMinton]

Cheap and clean!
will check those out. We stayed before, might have been the novotel actually.

[Northernlurker]

I think I'd go for the Travelodge then. V central and you can walk past Cliffords tower to the Coppergate centre and have breakfast in Fenwicks cafe. V nice breakfast.

[tribpot]

Bear in mind there's no parking at that Travelodge. Parking in York is a nightmare, although they have a deal with the nearest NCP.

[Bunbaker]

Parking in York is also horrifically expensive. I paid £11 to park for the day last time I was there.

[ivykaty44]

I would go on

M40, then m42 and on to a42 and at end of a42 pick up m1 and the a1

Less traffic

[specialmagiclady]

I would do it in a day: up at stupid o'clock, stop atTebay for leisurey breakfast and spend the extra night/day in Edinburgh.

[goodasitgets]

Have sent you a PM

[pussycatdoll]

I'd get dh to take the train home & spend 2 days at Alton towers with kids that age

[slalomsuki]

I do it on a regular basis and it approx 7 hours. M1,M6,M74 then over to Edinburgh are the best routes. I speak from experience after 20 years of the journey.

[Bunbaker]

Am I the only wimp here who would find a 7 hour drive too tiring to do in one go? Besides I have a dodgy shoulder and driving for that long would make is seize up.

[ivykaty44]

I have driven from south of Lyon home which was 700miles in one go, if you don't count the half hour wait for the ferry and hour on the ferry

I had loo stops and a couple of coffee stops and was on my own with four year old and eleven year old

Take it at your own pace and credit card will always buy an overnight stop if needed is my moto

[JohnCusacksWife]

Personally I'd do it in a day and have a night/day in Edinburgh.

[ChippyMinton]

We are staying for a week just outside Edinburgh, so will be spending some time there anyway, otherwise I would probably drive it in a day. Or fly / train, but we need the car while we are there and also to travel hom

[duskymoon]

We've done not London but Reading area.

We leave at 5.30am, stop after 200 miles for breakfast at 9ish and then you are there for lunch time. Granted there are 2 of us driving and we swop half way. We go up the M6 and then across to Edinburgh at either Bigger or via the M8.

[ojbsmum]

I'm going from Guildford to Edinburgh with Dh and kids aged 4 and 2 soon - stopping for a few days near Whitby on the way up, but then DH flies home from Edinburgh while kids and I stay with a friend for a few days. I will be driving home alone in one go, leaving after tea and hoping the kids sleep. DH will look after them the following morning while I catch up on sleep. Used to drive similar length journeys alone regularly pre children so telling myself it will be fine. Am I being a little optimistic or slightly crazy?!

[Bunbaker]

"Am I being a little optimistic or slightly crazy?!"

So, you are leaving after tea, after a full day to drive all that way without anyone to share the driving? Aren't you a little worried about feeling sleepy?

[JanicefromFriends]

Im from Scotland but live in Norfolk and we do the journey up frequently. My dh is the only driver, we have about another 1hr to go after Edinburgh. Dh would not even consider stopping overnight, he sees it as a complete and utter waste of time. My dc have been doing the journey since babies and are well used to it. They have technology to keep them entertained and we generally stop at the cafe in M & S at the Metro Centre, as its better than any of the service stations.

[grovel]

Durham is lovely. The Town House B&B is nice. The Premier Inn is very central and clean. The Marriott is the best of the "grown-up" hotels.