Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back

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Sat 31 Mar 2007 01:47
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - deepwith
I am driving from Lymington to near Berwick next week. Will have husband, son (14) and two dogs on board. Depending on negotiations presently on-going, my 19 year old son and his girlfriend will be coming with us or going in the micra (son driving) in tandem with us on the way up, as it will be his first very long drive.
As long as we arrive near Berwick before 6 ish on Good Friday leaving the New Forest probably on Wednesday pm or Thursday early morning what would you consider to be perfect stop offs? I want ideas to give me a really good drive, bearing in mind it is holiday traffic jam season, and them a good time, particularly on the return journey.
On the return journey we have no need to rush south at all. Would quite like to stop off near Congleton to visit friends and old haunts and maybe Sheffield - there must be some treasures locals know about en-route.
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 11:20
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - wotspur
That's a fair old journey, as someone who has driven all over this country, i would suggest you try and do the journey against the major flow, you don't say if you have to be in B-U-T at 06.00 or 18.00 on the Friday
Therefore if you leave on Wed after 5 pm ,i did this from Swanage to Weybridge around this time last fri week, free flowing easy driving 80 ish no probs, or Thurs (I would personnally do this) after 10 to avoid both M27-M3 workers rush and the worst of the M25, go up the M3 to M25, around to the A1 ,less manic than the M1 but you do have trouble with dual carriage ways and lorries loving the idea of overtaking just as they reach a hill, and causing a major tailback which only clears when the lorry being overtaken pulls off for a tea!! and settle for the night north of Stevenage this will allow for a nice gentle drive the following day,
Good tip come off at Junc 19 ON THE m25,- A41 towards Watford, 3 garages, always some of the cheapest garages for fuel around, and easy access back on to the M1 or M25 - GOOD LUCK AND SAFE DRIVING
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 15:42
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - deepwith
Thanks - tis 18.00 - for a surprise b'day party. So thats the drive up now for planning the leisurely return trip!
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 20:13
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - Brian Tryzers
Well, I wouldn't start from Lymington...

...but if I had to, I don't think I'd use the M25 at all. If you take the A34 - M40 - A46 - M69 - M1 alternative, you will pass very close to this place: www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk/Brandon/tea...m , which will do you a proper hand-cooked lunch (with rhubarb crumble to follow, if you're lucky.) Very friendly - even if you're not a Wildlife Trust member, I doubt you'll be asked to pay the visitor fee if you're just stopping to eat - and quite astonishing considering it's practically in Coventry.
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 20:29
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - Brian Tryzers
If it's a fun drive you're after, you can cut out the M40 altogether by leaving the A34 at the A40 / A44 junction north of Oxford and go Woodstock (slow but scenic) - Chipping Norton - Shipston-on-Stour - Wellesbourne - Barford and cross the M40 where you'd have come off at J15.
Or if you want even more scenery, you could take the A415 west from Abingdon and make for Standlake, Witney, Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh. Either way, you'll be spoilt for choice of country pubs.
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 21:00
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - Falkirk Bairn
Personally I would head for the M5/M6 and then go across country from Carlisle and stay away from the A1/M1. I always go down/up the west side and it can be donw in 1 day.
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Sat 31 Mar 2007 23:10
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - Stuartli
You'd need to go to Sheffield first before Congleton on the return journey...::-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Sun 1 Apr 2007 01:13
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - Avant
If you're going to do it in a day, Falkirk Bairn's route makes sense. But if as you suggest you can take longer, why not get fairly quickly up into North Yorkshire and then enjoy Durham and Northumberland on Friday.

I'd go M3 / A34 / M40 / A43 / M1 / M1 / A1, (or M40 / M42 / M6 Toll / M6 and turn off somewhere after Kendal and through Yorkshire) - either way I'd get to the A68 which starts from the junction with the A1 near Bishop Auckland, then goes through Tow Law and bleak Durham moors, than on into a lovely run through Nortumberland. Turn off the A68 on to B6342 and go through Rothbury and take B6341 / A697 / A698 to Berwick.

Then you can do a different way back to the west to go to Congleton - maybe down through Yorkshire and take in the Peak District, but if you haven't done so before, try aiming for Carlisle and see something of the beautiful and well-named Eden Valley between Carlisle and Appleby. We stayed a night at nice pub in Armathwaite - Fox and Pheasant I think. Tourists flock to the Lakes and Dales but most miss the Eden Valley.

Then, if you're in no hurry to come south, Will de B's suggested meanderings through the Cotswolds will be well worth while. Adlestrop (beloved of the war poet Edward Thomas), Evenlode, Stanway, Burford and Swinbrook (where the Mitfords lived) are just a few beautiful places to see.

Have fun!
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Wed 11 Apr 2007 15:41
Lymington to Berwick-upon-Tweed and back - deepwith
Brilliant few days and we used lots of your suggestions! Up A34/M40 and west side - Congleton on the way up and Sheffield on the way down, Stuart!!
Are now planning a longer visit to Northumberland as we thought it quite beautiful, and will add the Eden Valley into our trip as it is somewhere we have missed in the past.
We did not do the Cotswolds as we know them well with fishing trips there as well as friends in Minchinhampton. Husband managed to pack fishing gear for this trip but didn't use it - how come the car was too full for all sons stuff but had space for fishing gear .....?
Best of all - I really enjoyed the driving.
Many many thanks for your suggestions, which turned it into a really good trip.
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