I have to take a trip to Penzance on Monday, back Tuesday for work from here in Chesham. A30 route seems best most of the way but am tempted to go M4, M5 to Exeter and then pick it up a bit later. Anyone suggest what is best ... also any good eateries on the way?
Cheers, Yoby.
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If you don't want to use the M4 & M5, you can use the A303, which can be a mixture of duel & single carriageway, from Exeter onwards im not sure about, before you can take the A303 you go from A34 or the M3 near the A30, but i prefer M4 A34 route myself.
I hope that helps.
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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The A303 joins the A30 in Debon and there are still some slow bits. M4/M5 is fastest, A303./A30 a bit morew interesting.
When you get to Exeter it used to be quicker to take the A38 past Plymouth, over the Tamar bridge and then pick up the A30 again near Bodmin. Maybe someone can tell us how much of the A30 between Exeter and Bodmin is now dual carriageway - if most of it, that'll be the quicker way again as it's a bit shorter, as you'd expect, staying on the same road.
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Guess where I'm going on Monday? Penzance, from St Albans, but I'm going for a holiday! For the round trip in two days, I've done that and would suggest the M25, M4, M5 until Exeter and then the A30. The reason I suggest the motorway route is that for the bulk of the journey the pace is the same, the motorway cruise. The M3-A303-A30 route is more scenic but is harder work with every kind of road in quick succession. Have fun!
eProf
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Thanks for advice - looks like the M4-M5 A30 it is then. Will let you know how long it takes! eProf - obviously the place to go on Monday! Watch out for a blue Mondeo Mk3 on the way down - it will be me! :-) Thanks again!
Yoby
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I'll be taking the low road, the scenic route, for the fun of it, so, on the A30, watch out for a turquoise Colt driven by a very large beard! I'll check your report on Thursday when I get back. Have a good drive!
eProf
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From Exeter take the A30 in preference to the A38 - it is mostly dualled and should take about 2 hours to reach Penzance after leaving the M5.
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Thanks SCC (Surrey County Council?) - that's very useful. The A38 is scenic but quite twisty and the traffic can ne heavy bypassing Plymouth. Last time I was there someone was digging it up near Ashburton, probably needlessly as usual.
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The roadworks near Ashburton were badly needed. The surface was badly ridged and breaking up in places. Not all roadworks are an exercise in bollard deployment!
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I went down the A38 about 10 days ago and the roadworks had been taken out, neverthless I would use the A30 for Penzance.
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I have to take a trip to Penzance on Monday, back Tuesday for work from here in Chesham. A30 route seems best most of the way but am tempted to go M4, M5 to Exeter and then pick it up a bit later. Anyone suggest what is best ... also any good eateries on the way? Cheers, Yoby.
Had some relatives arrive here in north Devon on friday from High Wycombe. Took 5.5 hours due to roadworks on M4 & M5. I've done that trip in under 3 hrs from Hillingdon.
VBR.........................M.D.
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Well, just to report back (if anyone is interested!) that it took me exactly 5 hours to get down to Penzance on Monday afternoon and 5 hours to drive back from Land's End Airport (well its an airfield really!). I took M4, M5 then A30. Can really recommend this route. I was not caning it along the motorway either.
Didn't see you eProf! Too many white Merc Sprinter vans steaming past me I think! Hope your journey was just as good.
Cheers, Yoby
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