I have to travel to a funeral in Helston, Cornwall next week. Not sure which day yet, but will probably leave about 11am the day before.
I'm OK with the AA route frm Exeter to Helston (basically A30 and A39) but not sure about the first part of the route. A & M27, then A31 and A35. Looking at the map, looks quite twisty. I thought of A272 as far as the A34, up to the A303 near Andover, then down the A303.
Anybody got any recommendations please?
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I think I'd go for A272 / A34 / A303, as the M27 / A31 route is fine as far as Bournemouth but mostly single carriageway after that. A303 should be OK at that time on a weekday.
After Exeter you might look at A38 past Plymouth and over the Tamar bridge. Cornwall is slow whichever way you go but A38 is dual carriageway all the way to the bridge.
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I always avoid Plymouth/A38 route. Take A30 from Exeter past Okehampton and Bodmin and stay on A30 to Redruth then turn off to Helston. Having visited Sussex quite a few times though I'd agree A272/A34/A303 is best route to Exeter.
Steve.
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You dont say where you are leaving from, but
A & M27 Its quite fast although there are roadworks on the M27 round Cosham. A36 to Salisbury and onto A303.
A272 and A34 bit stop start round there.
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From Gatwick I would generally go M27 / A36 across the A303 through Wilts into Somerset though last year a colleague left Gatwick the same time as me and was 30 mins ahead of me at the A36/A303 junction by going M23/M25/M3/A303.
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My doubts about the A303 are based on a return from Sparkford a couple of Saturdays ago. The constant long queues for the single carriageways back to Amesbury were horrendous. This was about 5-6pm on a Saturday.
I'm leaving from Haywards Heath and am comfortable with the A272 to the A34 and the A24 to the A/M27.
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" I always avoid Plymouth/A38 route. Take A30 from Exeter past Okehampton and Bodmin and stay on A30 to Redruth then turn off to Helston. Having visited Sussex quite a few times though I'd agree A272/A34/A303 is best route to Exeter."
Seconded - schools will be back so the holiday traffic will have dried up. Exeter to Bodmin on the A30 is very quick indeed, and it's not long to drop down from Redruth.
Used to do Helston - Petersfield as long ago as the late 70's/80's when it was a shocking journey. Tried all ways, and that's the one I think would be best.
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Prompted by the "Why don't new posters?" thread, I should have reported back.
I went down via A272, A303, A30 route which was fine, but a little bland. Nobody mentioned the A303 closure between Ilminster and the A30 junction though. What struck me as crazy was the suggesated diversion up the A358 to J25 of the M5 at Taunton. I cut down throgh Chard and carried on down throgh Honiton.
On the way back I had a more leisurely trip and took all the illogical routes on the basis that I might see places I hadn't seen before. It was delightful. Bodmin, Liskeard, Plymouth, Exeter, then Honiton, Axminster, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Dorchester. Remarkably quiet and super driving roads and stunning scenery, especially the Dorset bit. The only mistake was cutting through Poole and Bournemouth, rather than through Wimborne Minster.
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